help: Plan on touring soon!

[sanchezz_182]

Hey, Well this is it after at least 3 years of wanting Iv finally got the funds (and balls) to go touring. After last years anti climax (was made redundant the week before I was meant to depart) I’m really looking forwards to going if not a little scared shitless. Really just making this thread to get some advice on my up coming trip.

Around the 20th I plan on riding from Scotland down to the south of France an then around to Italy over the alps. Through Germany (Nurburgring) and home. Iv not really set a route although I have a general idea of the way am going to go and a few of the places I want to see. Have no set time schedule or budget (although will be doing it as cheap as possible, camping/cooking ect)

I have made a ruff sorta route by just picking major towns or citys to guide google maps although it really only represents the regions I want to go threw an not individual places. Approx 3000miles.


This will be my first time touring, I have read though a lot of peoples accounts of their own trips, Maurice’s ands korn’s sticking in mind. Which have been good source for information an inspiration.

Really just looking for more experienced peoples views on the route (is not set in stone so feel free to recommend any changes) also looking for specific places of interest to visit or good roads ( have picked a few up from other peoples threads but cant find them on google maps) struggling to find places and roads on the stretch from Calais to the south of france.

Anyway iv babbled on enough. Oh an anyone interested in joining me on this trip is welcome.

trip trip1
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[EuropeanNC30R...]

Looks a nice route, getting both the Alps and Pyrennes in there. There's said to be very nice roads in the hills above the South coast of France which you'd get to ride going on that route if you avoided the motorway.

In the past I've kinda avoided the middle West of france as it looks fairly flat and straight on the map, more famous for vineyards than twisty roads. It's likely to be nice countryside though, and be good to hear your feedback if you went that way.

If it was me I'd come down more centrally through the Central Massif then go West as you get further South, perhaps taking in the Millau Viaduct.

[petethepan]

im touring france this year but just normandy for first time so taking it steady . nxt year is the biggy if er in doors enjoys normandy going to do barcelona and take in the maleau bridge its go to be done

so make sure you go via the bridge enjoy your ride and take plenty of pics and post em to us especially the bridge






petethepan
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you live by the sword //you die by the sword : )

[sanchezz_182]

yeh i plan on taking in milau viaduct.

wanting to see a few of the battle feild memorials, some nice beaches clutterd with fine woman. some but not much of the major european citys. pretty much anything worth seeing. so if anyone has any suggestions.
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no sig, thats gay!!

[Bru]

Hey, good for you. I too am about to leave for my first tour. Pretty much the same as you - to Italy via France, but more of a straight line. Not much in the way of planning; I intend to camp for the most part (hopefully not every French and Italian family will be doing the same). I will be going east of Paris, down to the south and along the western coast of Italy to Rome. Hopefully. Very easy when looking at the map. I plan on doing about 300 miles a day, which is a fair portion of the day for me (avoiding most of the motorways).

Just remember to think "right - keep right!".

[sanchezz_182]

sounds gd bru.. sounds similar to my trip. haha i have noticed things look easy on a map . just got my EHIC card threw today.

does anyone know off hand what the coralnash european break down cover..covers? trying to hunt my docs out just now...
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no sig, thats gay!!

[sanchezz_182]

jst an update. starting to sink in that at the end of next week il be off on my bike for an unknown amount of time.

had to blow a fair bit of money on the bike (new tyres, chain sprockets, clutch cable, oil ect ect but already feel better for doing it as im pretty confident the bike wil make it now.

planning on getting an erly monday(23rd) morning sailing form dover, if anyone fancys coming with this is when il be leaving although i suspect its to short notice for most.

route (if u can call it that) so far is stil as above maybe change the way i go from paris to the pyrennes.
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no sig, thats gay!!