In late September 2022, Jacqui and I decided on the spur of the moment, to fly Ryanair to Bristol with our bikes and cycle home. A journey of around 1000 kilometres potentially, but from the start we said we might catch a train for some of it.
I found a set of daily routes on a LEJOG site that promised to take us from Bristol, tracking north-east over towards the east coast and up to Aberdeen via Perth. In the final analysis we ended up doing 600 kilometres. We hired a car from Hull to Newcastle (to avoid the Pennines and North Yorkshire Moors) and took a train from Edinburgh to Aberdeen (to avoid some appallingly wet weather).
Looking back, we are pleased and a little proud that we attempted it. The truth is, the venture was ill-conceived, poorly researched, beyond our capacities to execute – and a great success!
Why so, if we only did half the intended distance? We got some great days cycling in and learned buckets about the business of getting old while holding on to what you can of your dreams and pleasures. So here are our top ten lessons learned.
Cycle Touring Tips – for those whose Personal Bests are things of the past
- We can’t climb hills any more and must entirely avoid mountains – Jacqui’s knees can’t cope with them.
- We can’t do the distances we used to do – 80K+ stages are only possible now on the flat, and preferably with a strong tailwind.
- Buying e-bikes might fix these issues – but we are not ready to cross that Rubicon yet.
- We would do better if we were not carrying weight on the bikes – but the gypsies on our souls need to move on each day. Reducing weight where possible would be good. E.g. take a phone not a camera or iPad; explore combined charging options; take one mid layer only; carry less bike spares?
- Make shorter hops with time to explore towns would be better – There is no shame in stopping more often.
- We ought not to try to reinvent or return to Grand Tours – we shouldn’t look back and compare new rides with old – idling along will do us fine. Ditch the egos.
- Go south for better weather – we do like the sun on our backs whenever possible.
- Use ‘turn by turn’ navigation aides for sure – but not blindly. Do more preparatory research before setting off.
- Take more photos – memories deserve photos to keep them in mind when revisiting rides and places.
- Our comms system is absolutely essential – our SENA mikes and headsets add hugely to our shared experience. They are 10 years old now and new batteries were required for this trip, but if the units did fail they would have to be replaced. Conversation, free and easy, on the rides is a must for us.
- Start together, stay together and finish together – mentally, emotionally and physically. That has always been our rule and the older we get the more important it becomes. Pace should really be the least of our worries.
- On the right road, on the right day, cycle touring is still brings great, unforgettable experiences.
So, raise a glass please: “Here’s to the next Tour de Farce.” 🙂
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