Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
TonyR
Posts: 5390
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 12:51pm

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by TonyR »

pedalsheep wrote:......and we always order good weather! :D


...but sometimes the delivery is a few days late. :wink:
User avatar
pedalsheep
Posts: 1324
Joined: 11 Aug 2009, 7:57pm

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by pedalsheep »

Heltor Chascar wrote
I can tell it's a good event based purely on the tone of your post. A fine ambassador you are .


Thankyou!

Can't guarantee the weather but it tends to be better than for the New forest 200k audax that I usually ride the following weekend! :roll:
'Why cycling for joy is not the most popular pastime on earth is still a mystery to me.'
Frank J Urry, Salute to Cycling, 1956.
robing
Posts: 1359
Joined: 7 Sep 2014, 9:11am

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by robing »

I love the Isle of Wight and have cycled it many times. But I've only ever done it as a day trip, getting the catamaran to Ryde pier and doing a lap of the island.
gplhl
Posts: 119
Joined: 9 Oct 2013, 1:41pm

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by gplhl »

Heltor Chasca wrote:Play safe and book or throw caution to the wind and wing it? I imagine this little place isn't going to let wild campers get away with it


There's ALWAYS somewhere to wild camp :-)

Gary
www.longbikeride.co.uk
User avatar
Heltor Chasca
Posts: 3016
Joined: 30 Aug 2014, 8:18pm
Location: Near Bath & The Mendips in Somerset

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by Heltor Chasca »

gplhl wrote:
Heltor Chasca wrote:Play safe and book or throw caution to the wind and wing it? I imagine this little place isn't going to let wild campers get away with it


There's ALWAYS somewhere to wild camp :-)

Gary
http://www.longbikeride.co.uk


You're right. Trickiest place I've found is in South West France. 1. The sand causes mayhem in any zipper. I had a sleeping bag that took about 10 years to empty itself of sand. 2. The Gendarme have no tolerance of wild campers. Car parks, beaches, forests, anywhere! Challenging adversaries. Part of the romance and skill I guess...hc
gplhl
Posts: 119
Joined: 9 Oct 2013, 1:41pm

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by gplhl »

Heltor Chasca wrote:
gplhl wrote:
Heltor Chasca wrote:Play safe and book or throw caution to the wind and wing it? I imagine this little place isn't going to let wild campers get away with it


There's ALWAYS somewhere to wild camp :-)

Gary
http://www.longbikeride.co.uk


You're right. Trickiest place I've found is in South West France. 1. The sand causes mayhem in any zipper. I had a sleeping bag that took about 10 years to empty itself of sand. 2. The Gendarme have no tolerance of wild campers. Car parks, beaches, forests, anywhere! Challenging adversaries. Part of the romance and skill I guess...hc


Moroccos and Kenya worst I've found for finding spots. People everywhere. Still not impossible though..

Finding a good place gets easier the more you do it.

Morocco, I was told by a Moroccan "are like Mosquitos, they are everywhere and you can't get away from them".

:-)

Gary
www.longbikeride.co.uk
User avatar
Farawayvisions
Posts: 229
Joined: 7 Feb 2014, 12:42pm
Contact:

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by Farawayvisions »

Heltor Chasca wrote:Picked up my OS map today. Looking forward to it. Anyone know what the weather's doing on that weekend?


Don't you know that this is the south. It's always sunny and warm. :-)
User avatar
Heltor Chasca
Posts: 3016
Joined: 30 Aug 2014, 8:18pm
Location: Near Bath & The Mendips in Somerset

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by Heltor Chasca »

[emoji14]I'll take your advice. Thank you. It's the same here in the South West save for the rain!
JBB
Posts: 39
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 8:39pm

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by JBB »

I would not advise leaving your vehicle in a New Forest car park over a Bank Holiday - it is notorious for breakins even when there's nothing on show. Use Google maps and find a residential street in Lymington with on street parking and leave it there. Works well for us.
User avatar
Heltor Chasca
Posts: 3016
Joined: 30 Aug 2014, 8:18pm
Location: Near Bath & The Mendips in Somerset

Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by Heltor Chasca »

JBB wrote:I would not advise leaving your vehicle in a New Forest car park over a Bank Holiday - it is notorious for breakins even when there's nothing on show. Use Google maps and find a residential street in Lymington with on street parking and leave it there. Works well for us.


Appreciate that JBB. I've marked a little residential street in a village to the north east of Lymington. I could do with a short cycle after driving to Hampshire. I hope the coffee is OK on the ferry [emoji477]️
JBB
Posts: 39
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 8:39pm

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by JBB »

Heltor Chasca wrote:
JBB wrote:I would not advise leaving your vehicle in a New Forest car park over a Bank Holiday - it is notorious for breakins even when there's nothing on show. Use Google maps and find a residential street in Lymington with on street parking and leave it there. Works well for us.


Appreciate that JBB. I've marked a little residential street in a village to the north east of Lymington. I could do with a short cycle after driving to Hampshire. I hope the coffee is OK on the ferry [emoji477]️


Coffee is Costas at the terminal and some brand with a monkey logo on the boat. It's tolerable but I buy a Costas and take it on board. The only thing I find is a bloody nuisance is they want you to push your bike onto the boat. They do not of course ask motorcyclists to do this.
Have a good trip!
User avatar
Heltor Chasca
Posts: 3016
Joined: 30 Aug 2014, 8:18pm
Location: Near Bath & The Mendips in Somerset

Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by Heltor Chasca »

I've just got back 'across' to the mainland. Although not everywhere on the IOW is my thing I've got to say I really enjoyed myself. 3 great campsites: Kite Hill @ Wooton Bridge, Grange Farm near Brigstone & to top it off nicely Compton Farm @ Compton Down. I had some decent beer, some decent food and messed in at the bikers' rally.

The needles were hiding in the sea fog so I went and watched thousands of Randoneurs hurl themselves ([emoji39]) around the island. The ferries were a breeze and there was a great cycle/car mutuality going on.

I had ZERO chance of seeing a Glanville Fritillary, but damn that gives me a good excuse to go back!

Thanks all for your advice...b

EDIT: I'll be setting up a 'Fans o' the Military Road Club'. That is a cracking road when the wind is behind you, and averaging 973mph while on it, I still have a massive grin on my face.
User avatar
Farawayvisions
Posts: 229
Joined: 7 Feb 2014, 12:42pm
Contact:

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by Farawayvisions »

Sounds like you had a good time Heltor. I loved my bike trip to the IOW though I've never seen that particular butterfly on any of my visits.
User avatar
pedalsheep
Posts: 1324
Joined: 11 Aug 2009, 7:57pm

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by pedalsheep »

Bit early yet for Glanville's - better towards the end of the month. Along the seafront from Ventnor to Bonchurch is usually a good spot to see them.

I love the military road, especially in winter when there is very little traffic on it. It can get a bit busy in summer and motorcyclists tend to confuse it with the Isle of Man TT!
'Why cycling for joy is not the most popular pastime on earth is still a mystery to me.'
Frank J Urry, Salute to Cycling, 1956.
TonyR
Posts: 5390
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 12:51pm

Re: Tour de Isle of Wight - 1-4 May 2015

Post by TonyR »

pedalsheep wrote:I love the military road, especially in winter when there is very little traffic on it. It can get a bit busy in summer and motorcyclists tend to confuse it with the Isle of Man TT!


The signed Round the Island route offers a nice and very quiet alternative to the Military Road in summer. Just leaves you with the climb to/from Freshwater to deal with but you'd want to do that bit for the views anyway.
Post Reply