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Looks like i have a canalised river bank path for the first 20 odd miles today. Its grey and cool this morning. Barely 20C. A bit of drizzle in the air.
You could probably get someone to post you a solar panel to a post office in France, via the post restante thing - if they still do that?
EDIT apparently they do and you don't need to register anything either.
Too much hassle
Now on another old railway for this afternoon. Heading the right sort of direction
Dynamo hub with USB charging port FTW
This thread is an inspiration. I've never really considered cycle touring before, but I could actually see myself doing this. Keep it up TJ!
Decathlon do two solar panels a 10W and a 15W Two panel or three panel you could strap it to the top of the trailer
probably too late for teej but if anyone is interested I have a solar panel from this company that is superb. It's like three sheets of a4 paper that folds out and charges amazingly quickly, it's really light too. In fact it's so good I have never used it while biking along, I just set it up when we are having a break and away it goes. Very impressive, the guy who runs the business is very helpful too, good advice on what you need it for.
https://www.mobilesolarchargers.co.uk/
Never worry about flat batteries again! It almost feels like plugging in to the mains
Over halfway Amsterdam to Bilbao. Under500 miles left. Grand day today all on traffic free gravel.
Got to go and find some dinner now.
Sounds good.
Chapeau. (Great read so far)
Got to go and find some dinner now.
Try asking for some haggis, neeps and tatties!
A bit of this
And lots of this
With all the miles you are doing do you get much time to take in the sights and towns you see or is it lots of 'pedal/feed/sleep repeat'? I would find it hard to get the miles in (not that I could do what your doing) as I would be stopping all the time to soak up the sights and wander about. Keep it up 👍
Its pretty much just look arouns as i am pedaling. I do the odd lap of town squares. If I stopped and looked at everything progress would be cery slow
Is that the Vélo Francette, Tj? It looks familiar.
Im.not sure what its called.
I used you map linked to find it. Ta. The riverside bit was along the Mayenne and the old railway from Laval to Renaze
Gonna take a rest day here. Not the most interesting of towns but i need the day off and i can get all my kit washed.
You were on the Vélo Francette/Buuissonière but you've left it to get to Renazé:
https://www.francevelotourisme.com/itineraire/la-velo-francette/laval-chateau-gontier
This map from the same site may be of use:
https://www.francevelotourisme.com/itineraire
Ta.
The greenways are great. Love them.
Im not close to you am I Edukator?
He lives down in the Pyrenees somewhere so you won't be that far away.
Epic argument potential.
I'm in Pau which is 110km from your route at the closest point: Cap Breton. There are lots of MTB trails around Pau but the cycle paths are few and far between. The coast to coast route which goes through Pau is mainly roads with an insignificant amount of proper path added each year.
The Vélodyssée route down the west coast is the best route to the Spanish border from where you are. It's a bit contrived in places but generally safe. The surface is usually OK except for some rooty sections in the pine forests. I sometimes found myself doing a lot of east-west detours when I wanted to head south, the alternatives were more dangerous though so I mainly stuck with it.
From the Spanish border you'll find yourself on roads a lot of the time. The North Coast Compostelle (St James way) touring bike route is probably your best bet for your section to Bilbao on a touring bike with trailer. The MTB and walking routes are quite physical with steps, stiles and very steep climbs.
Most of the tourists will be heading home on 27/8 so you'l be riding through places with a nice end of season holiday feel but no trouble finding places on campsites. I avoid wild camping in the forests when it's dry but treat the rest halts along cycle paths as free campsites.
Ta
Went and had a poke around the town. Not really a tourist town but some really old buildings and a fab oak marketplace
Gotmy clothes all washed. Chickened out of having a haircut tho🙄🤣
Got a good feed for tonight. I suppose i should check the bike over as well
Edukator
I’m in Pau
No way. I did my uni placement at the FJT Logis Michel Hounau on Rue Michel Hounau, working at Turbomeca out in Bordes. 30 years ago though, shit. Beautiful town, really ned to go back.
I stayed in the Michel Hounau foyer when I first got to Pau in 1987. Several members of our MTB club work for or are retired from Turbomeca and we worked some contracts with them in the 90s, personally I'm not keen on their corporate culture though. I'm just next to the Stade Nautique.
30 years ago we were running a business in rue Marechal Joffre. The center is all pedestrianised now which means the bars have spilled out onto the pavements, no more being stuck in a traffic jam while the soldiers buy their cigarettes from the XV leaving the car running outside blocking the traffic. A beautiful town gets better, just don't ask locals about their taxe foncière bills.
Having a bit of a ponder as no cycling today. In some ways this last week has been the toughest. Ive been very much on my own. I dont have enough French for casual conversations and being off the coastal route there has been no other tourers to chat to. On the other hand i have been loving the riding.
Just checked the bike over. Tightened the chain a touch. The second time this trip. Still got some wax in the chain but i ran it thru an oily fag. Headset needed a wee tighten as well. Not bad for how many thousand miles i have ridden.
I should get back on the coast in a day or two. Looking forward to that
we're still loving it though. It's quite restful
I can imagine you enjoy a good blether - I think I would find it hard not to have a good conversation regularly.
Aye. Social media only gies so far
Im on the move again. Just had second breakfast sat under an oak tree on an old railway that im on for this morning. Feeling good
Must admit,I preferred tj mixing with the northern oddballs.Being one myself of course.
As others have said this is great reading for us, touring from our desks/devices;) Keep going!
Also love the Oak joint and interesting building photos.
La Vuelta arrives at Bilbao later today, think you may miss them!
Enjoy. C
This is currently the only thread that makes me happy (chat is a mess of shouty nonsense).
Pretty jealous of the adventure.
You could retire to a bar for an evening, in my experience small town bars are pretty friendly.
Found another old railway that takes me to Nantes wild camp a few miles this side of it tonight
I wonder if wild camping is legal in France? 🙂
Just had second breakfast sat under an oak tree on an old railway that im on for this morning. Feeling good
Please can we have more photos of croissants? For those of us living our old git lives vicariously - we need them
This is currently the only thread that makes me happy
not quite but it is a guaranteed winner
Hows the mechanical side of things holding up ?, Bike, Trailer 😕
Which trailer is it ?.
Still got some wax in the chain but i ran it thru an oily fag.
Blimey. 😱
Mechanical side is fine. No issues with bike or bob trailer. Chains been adjusted twice since leaving Edinburgh. Nothing else has been touched
Mission for today is to buy some more gas. Always fun in France as screw on cans that i use are rare. I have in the past had to buy a whole cheap stove. There is a decathlon in Nantes so thats my first port of call. Should be able to get some in Nantes somewhere. I should hit the coast again today. First part of the eurovelo coast route does 3 sides of a square. Ill probably cut that corner as well.
I'm on the look out for Camping gaz CV cannisters tody - Decathlon locally don't have any, nor Halfords. Can't win !
Ill probably cut that corner as well.
aka taking the Strava line 😀
We forgot to take our cooker a few weeks ago - decided to look for one of those single burner jobbies that come in a case and they were in short supply around Quiberon (not so far from Nantes) and expensive when we found them (30 euroes at Decathlon in Vannes, 40-45 in supermarches). Settled on one of the old-school single burners that sit on top of the screw-in gas canister - they always feel a bit health and safety to me, but did the job for, like, 15 euroes from a hypermarche. Good luck!
I chose to buy a tall screw on canister which would usually be used with a soldering blow torch when I couldn't find the specific canister cheap enough for my stove. I tied it to my frame when cooking so it didn't fall over. There might have been a thread issue as well but I can't remember.
The Spanish Decathlons seem to have a decent range of canisters, at least at this time of year. That would certainly be my first place to look.
All sorted
Made it to the atlantic coast. 30ish miles south of St Nazare. 50plus miles today. I dont think i took many pics.
Feels like im making good progress today.
Campsite has cold beer but no chips. I have emergancy rations to eat and there is a chippy a mile down the road if i can be arsed.
A couple just turned up on site. 4 ortleib bags each plus big bar bags and a 40 l stuffsack on the rack
Shop shuts in 5 mins. Im going to get more beer
Shop shuts in 5 mins. Im going to get more beer
Even without pics we can picture it, nice work
I thought the there was only one screw on fitting for small stoves and it was standard?
The french tend to use bayonet fittings just to be awkward
Ah, it's exactly the opposite of what the UK and FR do with lightbulbs then. They just do it do be awkward, like reversing the order of words
got to love them really
A couple just turned up on site. 4 ortleib bags each plus big bar bags and a 40 l stuffsack on the rack
It's surprisingly common. We watched a couple board the Santander ferry - she was particularly petite and the bike was huge and heavy as she walked it down the ramp. Both her and partner had full panniers, a huge tent on one rack and drybag on the other. I've no idea what was in a combined maybe 300lt of luggage. 🤷♂️
This pair have a huge tent big enough to stand in. A helinox chair each. A table but i just dont get it. I saw onw guy today with panniers and a trailer. Its hard enough pulling my load uphill. Some folk have double or more than i have
https://i.postimg.cc/fbhLGdYj/20220825-110905.jp g" alt="" />
Slept like a log last night. Fab. Drinking coffee now and waiting for my croissants to be delivered
Looking at todays bit of the coastal route it goes all over the place. I shall be taking strava lines to make a more acceptable route.
Need to do some more food shopping today as i used my reserve food last night.
Once more I'm happy for you and enjoying the updates.
I'll go climb into a car on a grey, wet Scottish day to visit schools in Dundee, Carnoustie and Cupar for the day.
#WishIwasRetired
I must say, I've been enjoying following your journey TJ!
A couple just turned up on site. 4 ortleib bags each plus big bar bags and a 40 l stuffsack on the rack
I’ve no idea what was in a combined maybe 300lt of luggage. 🤷♂️
I do find it odd the compulsion to criticise people's luggage choices, I've certainly been guilty of it in the past! But I've since come to the conclusion that cycle touring does not have to be a suffer-fest, and that one person's idea of comfort and what they are happy to carry is widely different to any others.
I'll be quite happy lugging my Helniox and myriad other items across 4 panniers to make our little family trip this weekend that little more comfortable. Heck, the wife is even packing a caddy of Fortnum & Mason loose leaf tea and associated paraphernalia🙄
This is very much having a small holiday every time I read the thread and see the photos. Thank you TJ, it brightens up my morning (despite being jealous of the fresh croissant)
I do find it odd the compulsion to criticise people’s luggage choices
Fair point.
But I’ve since come to the conclusion that cycle touring does not have to be a suffer-fest,
IME, lugging too much *is* a suffer fest, and watching the 5' lady battle a bike that looked like it weighed nearly what she did was eyebrow raising.
But you're right, one person's luxury is anothers purgatory.
Your lawn needs some work 🙂
Everyone chooses their compromise on weight v comfort. Im happy with mine. Big tent and a chair and easy good coffee and 13kg baseweight. It just amuses me that I got flack on here for how much i was carrying but other tourers I have met are astonished I have so little
👍
After a strave line or two this morning thats me at the beach
Enjoying the thread TJ - keep the updates coming.
Going to have croissants in the garden for breakfast tomorrow in your honour. Great stuff.
Can you see America from there?
It just amuses me that I got flack on here for how much i was carrying but other tourers I have met are astonished I have so little
I did a bit of riding on the Loire valley path a couple of years ago and couldn't believe how much stuff some cycle tourers were carrying - front + rear panniers/bar bags/dry bags on top of racks.. i take less when i go camping in the car!
I guess its too late - but did you go into Central Nantes? nice town for a walk around/coffee - i go there for work a fair bit.
Freeagent. I rode thru and stoped to look
Those beach huts look like the ones in St Jean de Monts. Stick with the bike path for a while and enjoy being a holiday maker, TJ.
https://paysdesaintjeandemonts.fr/saint-jean-de-monts/activites/plages/plage-des-demoiselles/
I think ypu are right. Yup this afternoon all down thecoast path
Of course, if I ever do go on a cycle tour I'm going to have to get under 13kg aren't I? 🙂
Under5 moley
Camped up for the night. A bit north of la Rochelle on the coast. Struggled to fine a campsite but tent is now pitched and i have dinner
I am knackered. A good days riding tho with a nice mix of duneland pine woods and wetlands
https://i.postimg.cc/VLWwpVQ0/20220826-164319.jp g" alt="" />
Every bit of sand was covered in people and the tourists towns are heaving