My second tour (I made it)

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
theDaveB
Posts: 268
Joined: 18 Feb 2013, 3:09pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Contact:

My second tour (I made it)

Post by theDaveB »

Some of you may remember my last thread - viewtopic.php?f=16&t=89668

Well am glad to report I tried again last Saturday and returned home on Tuesday, all by myself :-)

Saturday went from Runcorn to Prestatyn - This time I ignored the 5 route from Bagilt over the hills and stuck to the coast road. I made it 3 hours quicker and could still walk!

Sunday went from Prestatyn to Conwy (well just past) - This was mostly on the flat around the coast but did hit a massive hill at Ross-on-Sea (think it was called), I went via Landudno as I wanted to visit.

Monday went from Conwy (well just past!) back to Prestatyn - Followed the 5 from Conwy to the coast and it was good, a bit hilly but I knew that beforehand as I had the right maps (borrowed from the library).

Tuesday went from Prestatyn back to Runcorn - Very hot day and my backside was killing me, think because of the sweat. But my legs felt great which was brilliant as gave me confidence for a longer tour.

Thanks very much for tips etc... from my other thread.

Felt a bit emotional arriving back into Runcorn, couldn't believe I actually made it.

Would you believe I even left my bike lock at home by accident and was soon just leaving my bike with trailer attached while I nipped in places. Thought if a thief jumped on the bike, he/she would be in for a shock if they tried to pedal away with the amount of weight and would probably just tip over.

Cooked a bit of food myself but would like to have cooked more, gonna look into one pot cooking over the winter.

Walked quite a bit pushing my bike, as soon as I felt tired I just got off and pushed, was in no hurry to get anywhere. Out of everyone that passed had one person stop and ask if I was alright and did I need anything (because I was pushing). Ignored by almost all cyclists who where racing along on day rides, spoke to loads who weren't. The trailer is defo a good conversation starter, the amount of people who stopped to ask how far I was going etc... etc...

Downside to the one wheel trailer is finding somewhere to park your bike while doing stuff, a two wheel trailer would be better I think.

Best sign I saw was the image attached.

Dave
Attachments
IMG_0442 (1).jpg
TonyR
Posts: 5390
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 12:51pm

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by TonyR »

Congratulations. Time to start planning the next tour. Soon you'll be over those Route 5 hills you avoided wondering what all the fuss was about :)
User avatar
Vantage
Posts: 3050
Joined: 24 Jan 2012, 1:44pm
Location: somewhere in Bolton
Contact:

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by Vantage »

Well done!
Bill


“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
Bicycler
Posts: 3400
Joined: 4 Dec 2013, 3:33pm

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by Bicycler »

Congratulations :)

Your turn Vantage :D
User avatar
honesty
Posts: 2658
Joined: 16 Mar 2012, 3:33pm
Location: Somerset
Contact:

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by honesty »

Sounds great! Did you make any changes to the kit you took, or just a different route?
theDaveB
Posts: 268
Joined: 18 Feb 2013, 3:09pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Contact:

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by theDaveB »

honesty wrote:Sounds great! Did you make any changes to the kit you took, or just a different route?


Different route helped a lot I think but I didn't take any lucozade and instead a 1.5L of water. In doing that I could put my tent inside the bag and just my chair tied to the top. This made the trailer lighter (obviously) but also more stable as it wasn't built up as much.

Dave
User avatar
Vantage
Posts: 3050
Joined: 24 Jan 2012, 1:44pm
Location: somewhere in Bolton
Contact:

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by Vantage »

Bicycler wrote:Congratulations :)

Your turn Vantage :D


Ha Ha!
It's looking to be mid October for my 2nd attempt. With any luck, no-one will make any plans that include me till then. :)
Bill


“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
User avatar
Farawayvisions
Posts: 229
Joined: 7 Feb 2014, 12:42pm
Contact:

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by Farawayvisions »

Well done you.
I'm so glad you've ditched the lucozade. How are you finding the water?
theDaveB
Posts: 268
Joined: 18 Feb 2013, 3:09pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Contact:

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by theDaveB »

Farawayvisions wrote:Well done you.
I'm so glad you've ditched the lucozade. How are you finding the water?


The water was fine, I did what someone recommended in the other thread and took small sips instead of gulping loads down.

I did have a bottle of Coke one day as it was that hot, I needed something ice cold :-)

Dave
PH
Posts: 13106
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
Contact:

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by PH »

Well done, the first of many tours I hope.
BE1
Posts: 120
Joined: 22 May 2009, 10:56pm

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by BE1 »

Well done, I hope this is the first of many happy tours :D
Graham O
Posts: 669
Joined: 27 Jan 2007, 7:54am

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by Graham O »

Well done, but come back without the trailer and do the hills from Bagillt to Gronant. You know you want to. :)

That sign is very true; I've been past it many times and not read it. Still don't want a caravan there.
User avatar
hondated
Posts: 2472
Joined: 27 Mar 2008, 7:59am
Location: Eastbourne

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by hondated »

Yes well done that has put that to bed then.
mercalia
Posts: 14630
Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by mercalia »

nice feeling isnt it? You have to find out your limits at any one time. For me its 30 miles and a few hours riding after that mental fatigue sets in fast.

regarding how to park the bike with trailer - I met a guy some time ago with a proper BobYak - the one wheel trailer all our cheapos are copies of. Well he had attached a foot on the trailer near front if my memory is right, that would hold it and the bike upright, so didnt need to rest against a wall
MarkusDeBute
Posts: 5
Joined: 30 Mar 2011, 10:54am
Location: Cardiff

Re: My second tour (I made it)

Post by MarkusDeBute »

Really pleased you've discovered the wonder of it all. Remember looking at a map and seeing how far we'd gone and being amazed.

I was smiling at memories of that route 5 diversion (from your first attempt) and how much we swore after being diverted off the flat coast road. Have shown your post to my partner who reminded me that we'd done it west to east, and how steep the road was down to Bagillt, which obviously you went up. Your story of the first trip had a lot more resonance when I realised that, that's a bugger of a hill.

Our only tip would be to get a smaller tent and a cover for the bike. We use a motorbike cover that protects both bikes.
Post Reply