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One day. When the kids have left home. I want to rent the house out. And go. I was thinking North America. But I just found this site. EV1, EV8, EV11 = a circular tour of Europe. Now, can it be done with lots of off-road?
http://www.eurovelo.com/en/eurovelos
I would be surprised if any of the euro sponsored routes are much off road other than cycleways.
I think youd have to try and link together proven/mapped/written about shorter off road routes. Personally Id always prefer to tour along the smaller roads for the comfort of knowing the route will always be passable in the saddle. I cant help but think some off road roads unless clearly documented as being ridable would entail a fair bit of hikeabike and turnarounds. Esp if, as I do, you like to make your route up as you go.
Mrs Stoner and I had the fortune to do a 3+month tour B.C. (Before children) and it will be about 19yrs after that that we will be able to do another one. Only 12 more years to go.... 🙁
I think the routes in there give me 'ideas' and yes I would veer off the beaten track and busy roads.
It just re-enforced to me that Europe should be the place for a mega tour / walk / paddle down rivers, not north America.
I wont go back to the states again until I think Ive seen all of Europe. A long way to go yet 🙂
In 1,000 miles across Europe you can ride through so many more cultures, languages, topographies, cuisines and alcoholic drinks than you ever could in N.A. And no country in Europe demands your fingerprints either. It's a no brainer.
Along with a post children long ride, I also have plans to walk many of the the French GRs.
A nice gravel road when touring is good, quiet and car free, but so can many small tarmaced routes. Proper off road touring is very hard work, I think if I was traveling round Europe so a multi month tour I'd probably want a bit more kit than I use for bike packing. Depends if it more about the riding or the traveling? My own opinion obviously, done soem short week or so long tours and bike packing shorts so no idea in multi month trips
I also have plans to walk many of the the French GRs.
+1
I also think there are some canoe touring rivers and Scandinavian lakes to explore, en route with bike on board...
P.s if you want some ideas for some real off road Alps tours get a copy of this
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Roughstuff-Cycling-Alps-Unstated/dp/0954175204
A lot of hike a bike though!
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me and my wife are both retiring in 5 years. our plan is the set off for a years tour of europe.
starting with scandinavia, then germany, fance, northern spain, italy, the balkans and back via slovenia and austria.
I'm just starting to look at doing something similar next year. Lots to organise around work and leaving my flat - riding the bike looks like being the easiest part.
* bookmarks thread.
Keep thinking the same, now I work for myself.
Really need to get a good bit of cash behind me, ask the wife nicely, then just bugger off for a couple of months.
I keep thinking about the [url= http://www.transandalus.es/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1&lang=en ]Trans Andalucia[/url] - a 2,000km MTB loop in Southern Spain. With cheap flights to Malaga from the UK and a warmer/drier climate than we have at home it could be an ideal winter venture.
Oooh, that looks ace Coln...
That would be great in the Spring/Autumn .^^
When we were in Canada (BC)we kept meeting groups doing some of the big road tours that start in Montana.
I quite fancy some of that.
Signing up for the [url= http://londonedinburghlondon.com/ ]LEL [/url] next month .Looking forward to a lot of [s]training[/s] touring to get ready for it. 🙂