Day Zero
Good news! The bike has arrived from Taiwan, almost a month before it was due, which is great as it means that I can depart in August, rather than my planned September date. Meanwhile I discovered ‘Eurovelo’ an interesting app that shows cycle routes through Europe with much of my route to Spain covered. That means for the most part I should be able to avoid main roads and traffic, making the ride much more interesting, enjoyable and safer.
The only downside to my chosen route is that it goes from east to west and that could mean head winds for much of the way if it’s windy. Should I opt to make the return journey (unlikely) I would at least have some help from a tail wind and that can make a huge difference. I have still to acquire a few last minute items and do some test runs on the bike locally before departing. Otherwise all being well I could be leaving mid August.
I am experimenting with intermittent fasting and a keto diet to see if I can improve my fitness. Also doing simple weight training with plenty of outdoor exercise. Once underway I will be able to discard all this and delve into French baguettes, cheese and Pinot Noir.
My first impressions of the bike are very positive and it’s huge improvement on my last mountain bike from the 90s. After a short 3km test run I was soon panting on the uphill stretches but at least the gearing meant that I remained on the bike. I expected the saddle to be the biggest problem but it felt very comfortable. My thigh muscles suffered most, muscles I rarely use even when walking, so a bit more training on the bike will be important before I leave. I averaged 15km/h on the test run and reached a max speed of 30km/h.
Of course that is all without the burden of 35kg extra weight that I will have to carry with me but I am feeling very optimistic.
Update 300721
Another short 3km test run this morning and it's a beautiful sunny day. Feeling better than yesterday and averaged 16kmh with a top speed of 35kmh. That with many added components such as lights, camera equipment, panniers, toolbox and other odds and ends.
Update 010821 (test run 3)
I ride 10 kilometers plus to Grünhütte and back this morning, testing my new platform pedals with toe clips that I fitted yesterday. I am no fan of clip-less* pedals, which need special shoes that are expensive. The bike came with standard pedals but no clips, which are essential. Pedals with toe clips are difficult to find these days, being old school, but the ones I purchased from Decathlon are excellent and almost the cheapest pedals on the market. It means you can wear any shoes and still be clipped in and personally I find them much safer and easier to use. I hoped to improve on my 35km/h max speed today but the wet conditions and with Sunday walkers underway it was difficult and too risky. Although I am puffing and panting on uphill sections and my heart is going like the clappers, I fully recover the minute it is flat, ready for the next climb. Cycling is a totally different form of exercise to walking or even climbing as two young round-the-world cyclists painfully discovered when they went for a day hike in China.
* Clip-less pedals are actually clipped pedals but called clip-less to differentiate them from old school toe clip pedals. A rather silly name really!
A brief pause at Lehen-hütte 822m above sea level.
Meanwhile I am working on my logo ... 😎
Passing thoughts 010821
Some may wonder what motivates me to make such a journey. It is not to set any records or achieve some noble cause, but purely the fun of traveling, camping and seeing new places. Traveling by bicycle is perfect as you can cover plenty of ground, easily transporting 35kg (77lbs), which would not be possible by walking. In my youth I was climbing mountains with a 50lb pack and there is no way I could do that today, even back then it was a struggle. On a bicycle you can enjoy nature, take in the sights, sounds and smells all better than in a car or on a motorbike. The GoFundMe idea was an after thought, which I felt might motivate me to finish and help Lux Mundi at the same time. I intend to take it at a leisurely pace, stopping whenever anything interesting pops up. I chose Spain simply because of the weather, time of year and having lived there for many years. The mix of scenery from the snow covered Pyrenees to Spain’s arid outback and coast will provide a variety of stunning landscapes. I will be off grid for the most part, relying on my solar panels for power (another reason for choosing Spain). My carbon footprint will be virtually zero, although that is by the way and not something I worry too much about. I will be leaving my comfort zone and hopefully have some interesting stories to tell as I progress. My intention is to post something daily to this blog, but I know from experience that probably won’t happen due to a variety of reasons; among them: no time, exhaustion, no Internet, no power etc. I have covered this route many times by train on Interrail but trying to capture scenes through the window of a high speed train traveling at 300kph plus was invariably frustrating. I look forward to the spectacular wild Camargue horses and flamingos in Southern France. Eagles, kites and egrets waiting to be photographed almost the entire journey and much more ...
Update 030821
Test run 4 to Grünhütte again. I manage to dodge the rain thankfully but it's touch and go. Heading back, traveling at speeds up to 30km/h, (it's uphill all the way to Grünhütte), it's distinctly cold despite wearing much of my winter gear. Can it really be August? At least next week the weather is looking promising. Feeling fitter, but then 10km is not much compared to the daily 60km-100km I hope to achieve on my trip.
I take a short break while the sun shines.
Update: 110821
Up at dawn a couple of days ago to get my second Covid jab. I was sick during the night but don’t know if that was due to the jab or my homemade chili con carne (without meat) to which I had added a habanero chili. Anyway my planned test run fully loaded had to wait while I recovered.
Today with perfect cycling weather and feeling well again, I ventured back to Grünhütte almost fully loaded (90%) and I was able to test how the solar panels performed strapped to the rear panniers. In bright sunshine they are as good as a mains socket and even in cloudy conditions continue to charge. I was surprised that the total weight of bike and luggage is not much over 30kg and it was no problem progressing even up hill albeit in the highest gear. It will be difficult finding somewhere to stash the final items but at least I will be well within my target weight of 35kg for luggage. The bike itself weighs around 13kg.
I am still waiting for a couple more items to arrive and then I will be good to go. Unfortunately my Covid pass is not valid until the 24th August and that could make entering France difficult before then. So I may have to delay my start or modify my route.
Update 180821
For those interested in what approximately 30kg of touring equipment looks like when laid out on the floor, here is a photo with most items shown and labelled. Also a photo of the handlebar setup.
Meanwhile as my departure date draws near the weather is not looking good, despite fine weather forecasts from the weather men. Today it is very cold, windy and wet with solid cloud cover. Just about the worst weather for cycling in and it looks likely to continue for the next days. Meanwhile further south where I am headed, wildfires are playing havoc. Still, like they say, if you want to make God laugh tell him your plans!;D
Just a note about the recent confusing weather forecasts. In the USA an aircraft recently crashed into mountains near wildfires (it was not a fire fighting aircraft). The weather stations could not pick up smoke accurately in the atmosphere and so radar weather presented to them was unreliable and a possible cause for the crash. Here too the weather was supposed to have been clear and sunny yet it has been anything but and I wonder if all the smoke from the wildfires in the south have polluted the atmosphere to such an extent that it is even affecting the weather here. It is certainly the strangest summer I have ever experienced.
Update: 210821
I take advantage of a sunny day and ride to Kaltenbronn in the morning, a 20km plus round trip. The bike is about 75% loaded and for the most part it's fairly easy going. I even break my own speed record unintentionally and record 41kmh, despite many walkers on the paths also taking advantage of the fine weather. No wonder, tomorrow looks grim again, more rain. All being well I shall be departing sometime next week as the only thing holding me back now is the weather.
At Kaltenbronn there is a nature museum worth a visit and deer too.
I return via Wildsee, which requires dismounting and walking 1-2kms on an elevated wooden pathway though protected moorland.
More soon ...
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