BertAnd so it's starts. Start was cold and a bit wet.
#bikepacking
I will post more from the trip in this thread. Mute if you don't want to see it.
Due to over 1h delay I had to rush from the bus Station to the train Montparnasse.
Lets just say that perhaps Paris is trying to be good for bicycles. Currently it is the same nightmare as in Germany. Or worse. At least the little bit I have seen.
Lets just say that perhaps Paris is trying to be good for bicycles. Currently it is the same nightmare as in Germany. Or worse. At least the little bit I have seen.
At 13h I could finally get pedalling. On my selected route, the cycling infrastructure was amazing. They even have lots of water dispensers, but none of them worked yet. But they were in process of repairing.
Wetter was absolut stunning. 19 degree and blue sky. First day after weeks of rain, loks like I'm luky.
Once I left the city, the cycling way went in a straight line to the ocean. A bit boring.
had no Internet yester eve..
After about 70 km I reached the ocean. wanted to jump in, but could not get down, or better, I feared I could not get up the sand.
The last bit of the way was very enjoyable, small path through the trees.
Found a good spot for the #hammok . Was tempted to not use the tarp, but did put it up in the end. need to practise 😇
Went to bed quite early, needed sleep after the night on the bus
Good morning. #Hammock was ok, guess I need some practice. On the sides, where the hammock pressed against the sleeping bag, it was quite cool. Could be a problem in the mountains.
I'm 55 as of now, and happy I still do this stuff. hope I will keep this the next 30 years or so.
#bikepacking
Some updates. Still alive 😇. On the 2nd day I rode to the cap ferret? and took the ferry over to Archachon. Ferret was the most not interessting part so far. Rich people with summer palasts and oversised cars. Also the only place where french driver have been a hassard. guess money is not good for emphasy. After Archachon, I had to drive to a huge area where the forrest burned down 2 years ago 😓.
Ended up sleeping on a mostly empty caravan camp site.
It is pre-season. Most everything is closed
Ended up sleeping on a mostly empty caravan camp site.
It is pre-season. Most everything is closed
Next day my friend and colegue Marius joined for the day. Good timing as I normaly start questioning my live choices on the 3th day 🤪.
In the evening I knocked on a door to ask for water for the night and ended up getting invited by Bob and his dog to stay for the night. Bob has been living in different places around the world and traveled many others. Lots of stories to share. I repaid by fixing his printer.
In the evening I knocked on a door to ask for water for the night and ended up getting invited by Bob and his dog to stay for the night. Bob has been living in different places around the world and traveled many others. Lots of stories to share. I repaid by fixing his printer.
Fourth day was the time when finaly the unchanging pine forrest where starting to get boring. In the end I could not find a place to sleep in the forrest. Way to much under-growth. Just the idea to crawl through that got my skin itching. So, when it got dark, I decided to take a simple room in a pension
Crossed Bayonne today and with that switched direction towards the pyrenies, which I will now follow for the next days. Same problem again with the woods. So I ended up in an empty barn. Will include a picture tomorrow.
Also in Bayonne, I picked up a new charger. I lost mine on the first night? But Marius ordered a new one and I picked it up at an Amazon locker. cool. Energy again 😉
Also in Bayonne, I picked up a new charger. I lost mine on the first night? But Marius ordered a new one and I picked it up at an Amazon locker. cool. Energy again 😉
Sleep in a barn like structure. got up early to be away before the farmer might come. Quite night but for the little animal on the tin roof. mice or squirrel. Of course, starting off I found plenty of good places to camp by the river. but I guess it would have been wet and cold. So all fine.
Did a bit of touristic things. And Coffee. And Baguette/Sandwich. Live is good.
#bikepacking
#bikepacking
Thats one creepy tunnel. It is an converted train track a few hundert meter long and the light comes on in segments. but only once you enter the dark segment. Means you have to drive into uter darkness. And I mean darkness 😱
In the picture, the light is brighter then it actually was.
Last night I got invited to stay at the place of friends of friends in Pau. Always good to have a shower in the evening 😇.
Today I rode from Pau past Lourdes. Finally had the snow covert Pyrenäen in view. Nice riding with some short but steep climbs.
Today I rode from Pau past Lourdes. Finally had the snow covert Pyrenäen in view. Nice riding with some short but steep climbs.
Lourdes is by far the ugliest town on my trip by far. I'm not religious, so all this miracle is lost on me
But that the church is not capable of providing drinking fountains is behond me. but perhaps one should buy these canisters of 'Lourdes Water'. Don't even want to know what this is. I pushed my bike around, wanting to see the paintings. But, apparently bikes are none of Gods creations so I had to leave.
Lourdes has no cycling infra. Even walking is dificult. No parks. But 70s buildings
But that the church is not capable of providing drinking fountains is behond me. but perhaps one should buy these canisters of 'Lourdes Water'. Don't even want to know what this is. I pushed my bike around, wanting to see the paintings. But, apparently bikes are none of Gods creations so I had to leave.
Lourdes has no cycling infra. Even walking is dificult. No parks. But 70s buildings
Today has been taxing. The first 30 km or so over deeply cracked and muddy farm roads and over 700 hm. Got a bit better later on, still did 1300 hm on only 65 km. And no food. not a single store or restaurant open.
Since the forecast predicted thunder storm (correctlly) and I urgently needed to wash my clothes, I booked into a little bungalow for 2 nights. Rest day tomorrow.
4 km away there was a Lidl, so quickly went there to get food for the next 2 days. (another 120 hm climb😂)
#bikepacking
Since the forecast predicted thunder storm (correctlly) and I urgently needed to wash my clothes, I booked into a little bungalow for 2 nights. Rest day tomorrow.
4 km away there was a Lidl, so quickly went there to get food for the next 2 days. (another 120 hm climb😂)
#bikepacking
So, after rest/wash day today the 97 km were almost easy. Fun rolling through this wonderful landscape. Did not take many pictures as the snow covert Pyrenäen whould not show on them.
Could have riden even more, but spend too much time finding a place to camp. Not easy, all fenced off again.
So, hammock on the ground day. lets see. Thunderstorm and rain tomorrow in the forecast.
Guess #Bikepacking is not just sunshine
In the last picture, my bike is free-standing. I got the idea from @cyclingtogether . At least I saw their backs standing without obvious support. Looking close, I got the idea how they did it.
If there are no trees or similar to lean the bike against, packing can be quite difficult.
Thanks for the idea
If there are no trees or similar to lean the bike against, packing can be quite difficult.
Thanks for the idea
Last night it started raining and temp droped by 10 degree or so. I was quickly very cold. Did not want to linger on the wet meadow, so I rode 20km until I found a sheltered spot to have breakfast.
Tonight I'm at my first warmshowers hosts. Drinking wine next to a warm ofen and letting the warm creep into my bones
2 more days and I should reach the sea. Weather forecast is not looking like sunbathing at the beach.
Tonight I'm at my first warmshowers hosts. Drinking wine next to a warm ofen and letting the warm creep into my bones
2 more days and I should reach the sea. Weather forecast is not looking like sunbathing at the beach.
Sorry for the silence. I needed time to process all the experiences. Will need a few more days.
My warmshowers hosts were great, I had a great time and we exchanged stories and discussed live. Not sure if all hosts are so great, but Katie and Paul are.
From Rivel I set out again, weather got brighter, but not warmer. Cycled through amazing landscapes. Loooong climbs (I even enjoyed them, thats a first).
My warmshowers hosts were great, I had a great time and we exchanged stories and discussed live. Not sure if all hosts are so great, but Katie and Paul are.
From Rivel I set out again, weather got brighter, but not warmer. Cycled through amazing landscapes. Loooong climbs (I even enjoyed them, thats a first).
Today I made it to the Sea. What should have been an easy downhill ride in sunshine to the beach, turned out to be a gruelsome fight against cold and strong headwinds. When I finally reach my destination, I was sweating and cold.
Deceided that I head straight home from there by public transport. Missing family.
Tour back involved local train (canceld, but had pleanty of alternatives. On TER, bikes travel for free) and an early TGV from Toulouse to Paris where I had to kill a few hours.
Now sitting in an overnight Flixbus nack to Munich. Back home soon. 2 weeks away ? Feelt like a lot more.
Now sitting in an overnight Flixbus nack to Munich. Back home soon. 2 weeks away ? Feelt like a lot more.
Finally took the time last week and combined all the gpx tracks. All together 922km, 8200hm in 12 days.
I'm ready to start again :-)
I'm ready to start again :-)
Franz van Betteraey@taseroth Wow congrats!
@FrVaBe Danke. Bin auch stolz. Und nach reichlich 1 Woche fahren hatte ich das Gefühl das sich der Körper drauf eingestellt hatte und weiter fahren wollte und konnte.
rettul@taseroth Sehr cool! 👍 Die Gegend steht auch noch auf meiner Liste, allerdings sehr wahrscheinlich "more climbing" und Hotel.#oldmanonbike
@rettul Richtig rein oder über die Pyrenäen ist sicher auch toll. Aber aktuell wäre es mir weiter oben noch zu kalt
Takeshi@taseroth Wärst du noch länger geblieben/ gefahren, wenn das Wetter besser gewesen wäre?
Schöne Tour - danke fürs Mitnehmen! 🥳
Schöne Tour - danke fürs Mitnehmen! 🥳
@takeshi_news Eventuell noch 1 bis 2 Tage. Spätestens Sonntag hätte ich in Paris sein müssen.
So habe ich noch Zeit mit der Familie daheim, bin ja froh fas sie mich 2 Wochen haben gehen lassen 😇.
Am flachen Meer entlang hat mich auch nicht ganz so gereizt.
So habe ich noch Zeit mit der Familie daheim, bin ja froh fas sie mich 2 Wochen haben gehen lassen 😇.
Am flachen Meer entlang hat mich auch nicht ganz so gereizt.
Michael
Dominik Dary@taseroth Have a good rest day!
ff7@taseroth very cool. Reminds me of tunnel between Mâcon and Cluny.
1.6 km length (!)
@ff7 that looks fun as well. should have stopped before the tunnel and read the sign.
1 Dipl. fckng Ing.*I encountered some nice tunnels during my #mdrzaucf202406 (#mdrza with "detours") - first the one in #scotland:
The Falkirk Tunnel of the Union canal tow path (636 m).
With route 754 there is an entirely traffic-free cycle path from Edinburgh to Glasgow. It runs along the tow path of the Union and Forth & Clyde canals. Latter is pretty fast, the Union canal section could use some maintenance (roots).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Canal_(Scotland)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forth_and_Clyde_Canal
1/
The Union canal ends within the city centre of Edinburgh!
---
The next one is one of the french just to add one more to both of your lists. It wasn't far from your route, @taseroth :) – it's the voie verte du canal du midi à Montségur and features automagic lighting as well. There's a 2nd tunnel too.
I was pushing that day to reach Montségur via a different route so I took only 1 pic.
2/
#voieverte #tunnel #mdrzaucf202406 #bikepacking #aude #france
And last but not least not a tunnel: The Avon Aqueduct.
Both – the Falkirk Tunnel and the Avon Aqueduct – are a bit scary. The tunnel because of "slippery when wet and slimy" (I managed to cycle through though but I wouldn't do it again). The aqueduct because the paving is so rough and the tow path so narrow that you risk to fall into the canal.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avon_Aqueduct
3/3
#aqueduct #unioncanal #towpath #cycling #biketravel #bikepacking #mdrzaucf202406 #mdrza
Addendum: The Falkirk Tunnel is also *very* dark - one section doesn't feature lights if I remember correctly. This exact section suffers from heavy water ingress through the ceiling which makes it even more adventurous. As with @taseroth's tunnel: the camera collected all photons available and made the situation seem much brighter as it actually is.
3+/3
Congratulations to your very nice trip! Courageous at that time of year. Kudos you didn't abort your adventure!
I love cycling in France since my uncle introduced me many years ago. I love the boulangeries but the store hours as you write are "challenging" to say the least :)
Within some areas of the Pyrenees the infrastructure is so thin that Murphy will make sure that the stores are always closed when you pass through a village. To keep the pace logistics becomes the key factor.
@ucf Oh, I can imagne. Well, I had to use my left over vacation before end of March. And Ibwas extremly lucky with the weather. After weeks oof rain, it stopped the day I arrived 🤩
DronnDid you use an underquilt?
@dronn no, I have a double layer hammock and put my sleeping mattress in there it is ok on the underside
JDS@taseroth maybe a lightweight under quilt to protect from contact cold with the hammock? Unless you’re already using one, can’t quite tell from the pics. Success regardless, cool trip! 🙌
@jds No quilt so far. If it gets to cold I can convert this and sleep on the ground
Hiker Geek 🌲💻🌲I looks like only one end has tree straps or am I seeing it wrong.
Are you sleeping down the middle or more on a diagonal? I found when I slept on a diagonal, besides being more comfortable, I could bring the pad up more on the side my shoulder pressed into.
I have an underquilt now.
@HikerGeek Tree straps on both side. And yes, I try to spleep diagonaly.