Loire à Vélo

Cycling the Loire Valley in France, if it's anything like the clip below, I cannot wait to get my wheels rolling along the 800km cycleway.

http://www.cycling-loire.com

Further Proof The Solo Cycle Touring Is Not So Good For You!

Either the above or there is something mysterious in Guinness ...

5 Months and 5000km in Icebreaker

Today is my 37th birthday and coincidentally marks 5 months and 5000km of cycle touring through New Zealand, England, Scotland and Ireland. 

I am asked many questions about my travels on a daily basis and the majority of them are the same. "Where are you going?" "How far do you travel in a day?" "How did you get so much time off work?" and "If you don't mind me asking a personal question, how can you afford to travel for so long?"

Surprisingly, people rarely ask the obvious questions like, what do you do when the weather turns bad? and, how many flat tyres have you had? The answers being, ride and grumble and none. That's right, zilch in 5000km of touring. 

This brings me to the more valid questions posed by fellow cycle tourists, my favourite of which is: "What possessions could you not do without?" and my answer is always the same, my Icebreaker wardrobe.

Is Solo Cycle Touring Good For The Mind? Perhaps Not...

The Kindness Of Strangers

Ireland truly is a magical place. In the past week I have been invited to dinner twice by complete strangers, I've had a coffee bought for me whilst lining up for a warm brew on a miserable day, and a couple of pints of Guinness were thrown my way whilst watching Ireland play Spain in the Euro Cup.

The most memorable occasion was one of the two dinner invitations resulting in accommodation being provided on a beautiful estate by a wonderful Irish lady and her daughter. In the afternoon I was taken horse riding and proved that a bicycle is more my forte, even though I rode like a champion..... I shared fine french wine with my amazing host, ate like a king and then rested my weary bones in the most comfortable of accommodation.

To those of you mentioned above, I sincerely appreciate your generosity and hope we keep in contact for many years to come.

Cycling The North Antrim Coastline On A Soft Irish Day

I guess it wouldn't be Ireland without the rain, well, it didn't disappoint. Having driven the North Antrim coastline four years ago, I knew I was in for a real treat. Quiet roads, spectacular scenery and the very friendly Irish make Ireland an ideal cycling destination. 

Rain, hail or shine, this is one of the best streaches of coastline I've ridden in the 5000km I've peddled since leaving home on the 17th of January.

What Should We Do For The Jubilee?

Host a vintage tractor show, what else?

I managed to stumble across another vintage tractor show, they seem to be popular here in the UK. Although an annual event, this years coincided with the Jubilee weekend celebrations and the crowd did not appear to be too concerned about the icy breeze blowing across the event.

Stumbling Across A May Day Celebration

I don't like to plan much on the road as as a result I am often rewarded with a pleasant surprise when I roll into a village such as the day I rode into Padstow on May Day. It's commonly know as the "Obby Oss Day" (Hobby Horse Day for those who speak english) and is a tradition that dates back to 1803 celebrating of the beginning of summer. There are two Oss', one representing the red village people and a the other the blue. From all the locals I talked to, nobody appeared to really know how families were original distinguished as a red or blue. Today, if your born red you are most definitely a proud red villager and vice versa.

As I rolled down the hill into town, the first thing to grab my attention was large groups of people dressed in white sailor type attire walking toward a cemetery. I assumed a funeral was on and being a fishing village this was just tradition. The closer I got to town the penny dropped, music, dance, laughter and people drinking their favourite pints spilled through the streets. The whole town was alive.

I parked my bike against a wall adjacent the harbour and before I could get my helmet off a number of people were talking to me and asking the same questions that everybody puts to a cycle tourist. I soon met Ben and Jess, two locals out having a blowout and why not. Before long Ben had me onto the local Cornish cider Rattlesnake. At 6% it's a tasty drop that has bite drinking it by the pint. After finally leaving the company of Ben and Jess I met dozens of very merry souls. I shared a drink with the majority of them and the last I remember is my head hitting the pillow, the room spinning and then sleeping like a baby.

I met so many fantastic people that day, all out enjoying life and the company of their friends, family and strangers like me. As I sit here typing this post I'm picking through the many business cards in my handle bar bag from skippers of vessels dotted all along the Cornish coast. I can see their faces, hear their laughter and I wonder, will ever see these truly salt of the earth people again. 

A Breakfast Fit For A Cyclist

Cereal, Fruit Platter (Large), Bacon, Eggs, Mushrooms, Tomato, Toast and Tea