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First Proper Tour?? :)

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Tracer1234
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PostPosted: 03:04 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: First Proper Tour?? :) Reply with quote

With the new bikes kinks somewhat ironed out and luggage on its way, it’s time to think about taking it out into the big wide world.

A lot of you lot seem very experienced with trips into euro land, and with that I would assume have learnt from mistakes and have a lot of valuable miles under your belt.

So, myself and possibly the Mrs on the back, are thinking about doing a, 3 -5 day trip into the unknown. I like the idea of the alps etc. But there seems to be many many different options and ideas to try and I am incredibly indecisive. I guess ideally we would be chasing the sunshine and good weather.

Bare in mind, though i have been riding for a few years but I am very much a rookie when it comes to touring

Destinations to head too?
Routes to take?
Must see sights along the way.
Places to stay. (Non camping)

Any help would be amazing, for a first tour.

Btw, I have never been to Spain. Only places in Europe is Poland, France, Sweden and Germany.

Tyia
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doggone
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PostPosted: 08:04 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

5 days is very rushed, 3 days is silly it's a very long day to get from Channel to anything pointy.
With a bike you will want to look at a few high passes and keep exact route very flexible.
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Matt B
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PostPosted: 09:44 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: Re: First Proper Tour?? :) Reply with quote

Nathan0834 wrote:
I would assume have learnt from mistakes


No, not a chance...

As above, forget the Alps in 5 days, you will spend that just getting there and back. Experience (of touring in large groups) shows that 250-300 miles a day is pleasant and achievable, giving you the opportunity to stop, look at things and generally enjoy the journey. On your own you could smash out more.

If I had 3 to 5 days for a first time out in the big bad Euroworld tour, it would be France/Belgium/Luxembourg region for the Ardennes. Easy to get there and really nice roads. Base yourself somewhere like Bastogne and spend a few days riding out. N66 & N68 near Trois-Ponts and the N834 & N89 around La Roche-en-Ardenne are all great rides.

You can easily get over the border into Luxembourg or Germany and the Eifel National Park for the day too. The road out of Steckenborn takes you through the park and past the lake. All stunning scenery and top notch German roads.
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Monkeypony
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PostPosted: 09:54 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

In the real word, assuming you're not just ploughing down motorways for hour after hour, and riding enjoyable roads and actually stopping occasionally to see something interesting, or having lunch, or just stretch the legs and have a coffee, You'll find that your average speed over the course of an entire day is going to be somewhere in the region of 30mph (it sounds ridiculous, but trust me!).

With that in mind, 200 miles of touring will take you about 6 hours.

Keep that in the back of you mind when route planning, especially if your route includes places that you HAVE to be, like ferry terminals!

Remember, it's a holiday, not an endurance challenge, so don't plan arse breaker routes day after day. It's just not all that fun Thumbs Up
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Tracer1234
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PostPosted: 12:41 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok perfect, really helpful already in terms of knowing distances and times for planning. 30mph sounds like a good rule of thumb, especially as the exact type of thing we want to be doing is lots of stops, see what there is to see and enjoying the roads, rather than getting from a to b.

So, with alps etc out of the window, which is fine, as with what you have said, I would rather save that for a time when I know I am not just going to be rushing through it.

Building on what Matt B has said then. I like the idea of riding to a place, basing myself there for a couple of days and riding out. Seems like a good way of setting up a first tour.

With that in mind, we both like small, oldy worldy towns with a good atmosphere. E.g. We both loved Krakow. So any tips for a destination to head to like that, with some good ride outs starting there?

Thanks again everyone.
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grr666
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PostPosted: 13:12 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

You live on South coast. Go to Scotland around it for a while and back again. That's a fair whack in 5 days if you
take in some Wales and Lake district on the way and avoid motorways where possible. It also means the RAC or whoever
can get you home relatively easily if the bike borks, no weak pound giving shit exchange rates either. Use air bnb accomodations
and you'll stay in some nice places, if you use your loaf you can plan to find those near any must see places on your tour.
I think it would be good first experience of touring in easier to control circumstances without all the additional extra
aggravation of being overseas if something goes wrong.
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Bonnie Lad
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PostPosted: 15:32 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

If he's on the south coast id argue that he'll spend less time travelling and more time 'doing' if he goes to Europe than he would going to Scotland.

Make sure your insurance and breakdown cover is in order and getting your bike recovered shouldn't be any harder either.

Can't argue with the shit exchange rate, although once you're in the Highlands shit gets very expensive very quick even without exchange rate woes!
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Monkeypony
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PostPosted: 15:43 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bonnie Lad wrote:
If he's on the south coast id argue that he'll spend less time travelling and more time 'doing' if he goes to Europe than he would going to Scotland.

Make sure your insurance and breakdown cover is in order and getting your bike recovered shouldn't be any harder either.

Can't argue with the shit exchange rate, although once you're in the Highlands shit gets very expensive very quick even without exchange rate woes!


Agreed. it would be a shit days 450+mile motorway slog to just get as far as loch lomond, then the same again home. That doesn't sound like too much of a fun holiday to me!

Granted, you would have 3 amazing days with world class scenery and awesome roads once you'd made the effort, but I don't think that would make up for 2 solid days of misery!

Wales and the Lake district maybe? Cracking riding to be had Thumbs Up

Failing that, Ferry to Cherbourg and head off down to La Rochelle. Lovely place.
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derillius24
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PostPosted: 16:03 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

As above, not a chance of any meaningful time in the Alps in that time frame. Don't bother.

Check out the Vosges Mountains. I have a bit about them in one of my Europe write-ups from 2016. It's on here if you can be arsed finding it. I'd post the link but no doubt that'd make me a thread-spamming/jacking Nazi.

Cheers,

Mark
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Matt B
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PostPosted: 17:53 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nathan0834 wrote:
With that in mind, we both like small, oldy worldy towns with a good atmosphere.


Black Forest and southern Germany is full of them - take a look at places like Wolfach as a general example. Switzerland and Austria are good too.
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doggone
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PostPosted: 18:16 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Matt B wrote:
Nathan0834 wrote:
With that in mind, we both like small, oldy worldy towns with a good atmosphere.


Black Forest and southern Germany is full of them - take a look at places like Wolfach as a general example. Switzerland and Austria are good too.

Or even closer the Rhine valley - though almost as touristy as our Lake District still quite lovely old towns along it. With a bike you can cheekily stop briefly in so many more places too
One of my best trips was to leisurely follow the river south and on through the Black Forest area to Lake Constance.
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Alpineandy
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PostPosted: 18:45 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: Re: First Proper Tour?? :) Reply with quote

Matt B wrote:
If I had 3 to 5 days for a first time out in the big bad Euroworld tour, it would be France/Belgium/Luxembourg region for the Ardennes.

/\ This (but I'd swap Luxembourg for Germany) /\
I'd probably do Dover-Dunkirk and get straight into Bel.
Maybe have a day/afternoon at Brugges and then see where I felt like going after that...

or

\/ This \/

Monkeypony wrote:
Failing that, Ferry to Cherbourg and head off down to La Rochelle. Lovely place.

Le touquet is quite nice as well...

They do some 'economic' overnight crossings which are very reasonable to La Havre... or they did... Although it may have been a decent price with a cabin because there were 4 of us, so maybe not such a good price for 2... Confused
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Enduro Numpty
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PostPosted: 19:32 - 25 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with all the above, a few days is nowhere near enough time to spend any meaningful time in the Alps. It'll just piss you off having to leave quickly. The same goes for Scotland - too far from South coast for such a short time - I know I've got over 650 miles to do on Sunday and it's mostly mind numbing dual carriageway and motorway from Aberdeenshire to Plymouth.

I have nothing to add to the above suggestions - they're all good. Have never found anything remotely resembling a decent road in Holland so I would avoid but others may know better.
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Tracer1234
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PostPosted: 02:46 - 26 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you all very much indeed. Some good suggestions in there.

Lots of food for thought!
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 08:40 - 26 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

derillius24 wrote:


Check out the Vosges Mountains.


This would be the one to interest me I think. Route des Cretes is supposed to be a cracking ride with good scenery; one of those that has to go on a to-do list I think.

If you haven't done any touring before, starting in the UK isn't a bad idea, just while you find your feet with it all. Wales is always a good one to head for as an introduction to it, as you get great roads, great scenery, and all within a pretty short sprint of home should you find it's not to your taste. That's how I got into touring, just a week there. After that, I was hooked.
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Itchy
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PostPosted: 08:46 - 26 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

The most important aspect is just to go.

Who cares if you make mistakes and have bloopers, you'll laugh at them when you look back in the future.



I still know BMW man. He has a big BMW GS1150. His trips are planned with precision. He has all the toys, GPS, hard luggage a comfortable bike, intercom etc.

He never has much to say about his big European jaunts and remarked that they were boring.
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Tracer1234
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PostPosted: 17:49 - 26 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

chickenstrip wrote:


This would be the one to interest me I think. Route des Cretes is supposed to be a cracking ride with good scenery; one of those that has to go on a to-do list I think.

If you haven't done any touring before, starting in the UK isn't a bad idea, just while you find your feet with it all. Wales is always a good one to head for as an introduction to it, as you get great roads, great scenery, and all within a pretty short sprint of home should you find it's not to your taste. That's how I got into touring, just a week there. After that, I was hooked.


I think this is a good shout and one that I am likely to do. Maybe head down to lands end and back or something. Just got to go a bit of research to figure out the best route Smile
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 18:21 - 26 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cornwall's a good one. I did a mini tour down their a while back:

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=265772&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=1350

Sorry, you need to scroll down the page a bit to find it, and more on the next page. And sorry! I seem to have removed most of the photos Rolling Eyes

If you like what's there though, I could give you more info on where I went, and what I thought was worth the effort.
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Tracer1234
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PostPosted: 01:13 - 27 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

chickenstrip wrote:
Cornwall's a good one. I did a mini tour down their a while back:

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=265772&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=1350

Sorry, you need to scroll down the page a bit to find it, and more on the next page. And sorry! I seem to have removed most of the photos Rolling Eyes

If you like what's there though, I could give you more info on where I went, and what I thought was worth the effort.


To be fair, that looks pretty much spot on for a first trip Smile so I will definitely be looking into that Smile Thank you mate.
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rubyhorse2
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PostPosted: 10:23 - 02 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

if i lived on the south coast its a no brainer to hop over to france, much rather do this than stay in the uk.

i'd be planning to just potter through france in some kind of loop.

PS. things hardly ever go exactly to plan when you do bike trips but i've never worried about things. you can always get back from anywhere and half the fun is the adventure. Even things that you thought were horrendous at the time you look back on and laugh about.
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Tracer1234
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PostPosted: 14:22 - 02 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

rubyhorse2 wrote:
if i lived on the south coast its a no brainer to hop over to france, much rather do this than stay in the uk.

i'd be planning to just potter through france in some kind of loop.

PS. things hardly ever go exactly to plan when you do bike trips but i've never worried about things. you can always get back from anywhere and half the fun is the adventure. Even things that you thought were horrendous at the time you look back on and laugh about.


Thats a good shout. and your right, thats the sort of experiences i'm looking for. Not just A to B as quick as possible.
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