REVIEW.
Thinking back to when I started on 10th April with David I had a very lose plan. I knew my route but had no schedule or booked accommodation. i just knew I had a three month timespan. I didn't quite know how I would endure the routine of daily cycling. As it's turned out I have managed the cycling without too many problems. Physically I have managed it better than I thought and could keep cycling day after day without any problem. I don't feel that I am now fitter than when I started but I suspect that my cycling stamina is quite a bit better. I said early in the blog that I enjoy the process of moving around by cycle rather than doing a circular route and ending up back where I started. In some respects I enjoyed the cycling days more than the rest days because cycling was my purpose.
I didn't have too many mechanical problems. I had a day with two punctures and later changed a tyre that was showing signs of wear. The worst problem was when my derailier twisted into my rear wheel. I was extremely grateful for the assistance given to me by a Slovenian guesthouse owner who drove me to the bike shop and stayed with me to be sure i got back on the road.
When David left me after the first week it was like my trip started because I had to become self reliant. The Loire area of France is familiar to me and I was keen to get to regions that I had no previously been to. It seemed to take a long time o get though France, its easy to forget how big a country it s, especially when I was following the twists and bends of the Loire and its tributaries.
I had been looking forward to getting into Germany and the highlights included seeing Cousin Matthew and Anne at Ulm, seeing Ian Anderson in concert and also the Dult bier festival at Regensburg. I did a detour from my route to Munich and thought it s a place that would be great or a city break.
Getting into Slovakia and Hungary was my first experience of a countries that had been in the Eastern Bloc. They felt a little rougher than the Western European countries I had been through but prices were cheaper. Bratislava was good because the hostel had a good mix of travelling people and I had a good night out with a couple of Aussies and a Yank.
I had a great week with Janice at Budapest. We hadn't planned a full week in advance, in fact my first plan was to turn south at Vienna and not go into Hungary at all. I thought that I might have seen Janice at Vienna but I was cycling further and faster than anticipated and as a result I extended the route to Budapest and saw Janice there. The Parliament, the Market Hall, the Castle area and Gellert Baths were the main highlights.
My next target was to travel back from Budapest through Croatia and Slovenia to get to Venice on dates that I had booked for Rebekah and John to come out. This part of the route took me away from any established cycle routes and I was in areas that did not get much tourism and even less cycling touring. I had to pick and chose my own routes and places to stay without any knowledge of the areas at all. It makes life interesting! Slovenia was the secret jewel of the trip. The countryside and more importantly the people were great. The people were friendly and helpful. They seemed to be very positive about their future in Europe and many spoke English extremely well because they considered it a skill that they needed individually and collectively to be successful. Ljubljana was especially good. The hostel was 'cool' and the city was compact, beautiful and interesting. The nightlife seemed lively and I managed a couple of Cuban concerts.
Cycling down into Trieste and seeing the Adriatic Sea was an exciting moment and it was also a quick switch from Eastern Europe to Italian culture. The weather also picked up from that day, from changeable weather that I had had from the start to a more sunny, hot Mediterranean climate.
It was super to visit Venice with Rebekah and John. Venice has long been on my list of places to visit and it certainly is a sight to behold. It's a bit like a place that it frozen in time. Cycling from there through northern Italy was hot, hot, hot! Afternoon temperatures were up to around 38 degrees. All the northern cities were impressive in different ways. Padua, Ferrara and Bologna were superb. I suspect that other nearby cities would also have been worth a visit too. It would be a good place for a future cycling trip, maybe a circular trip from Pisa (there's an idea for a new trip)!
I enjoyed the cycling over the hills from Bologna to Florence. Thankfully the temperatures had become more manageable, the air felt fresher higher up in the hills and the views were superb coming into Tuscany. Florence was busy when I arrived and on my rest day some of the museums were closed because it was a Monday, just my luck! I did see the Uffizi museum which I think it the most important one. It was well worth seeing and not a rip off on the price. The cathedral exterior dominates the city but was a tiny bit disappointing on the inside. Arezzo was a surprisingly good place to visit as well. It would be nice to go back and see the Joust contest.
The finale of my journey was Rome, it seemed a bit surreal because I don't often feel elated. I think I am probably too level headed! I had found out about Tavia's weekend to Rome a couple of weeks ago and initially I didn't think I would get to Rome in time but gradually realised I could do it and cycled the last few days at a pace to make sure I got to see them. It was a great end to the adventure.
I have enjoyed meeting new people along the way. I thought I might meet more touring cyclists than I did. I certainly didn't meet any from the UK. People that stand out are Phillipe who was cycling to the Black Sea, Etienne who was running from Germany into Austria and Ewald who cycled with me into Linz. There were many others who were friendly too. Hostels were by far the best places to meet people and strike up conversations. People at hostels are much more interested in each others travelling stories.
The blog has become part of the experience for me. I have actually enjoyed writing it on a daily basis, you can probably tell. It will help remind me of what I did, as some of it is already a blur in my mind. I have tried to keep the blog varied by including factual points of interest with my own style of nonsense! I have visited hundreds of churches. I included food, wine, philosophy, psychology, culture (of a kind) and music. I suppose my last musical nomination should be Simon and Garfunkel's 'Homeward Bound'.
I don't think that the magnitude of the trip will sink in till later. I have achieved something that I had doubted my ability to achieve. I was daunted by the 3 day Coast to Coast route never mind an 81 day, 4755km trek across Europe. Its surprising what you can do if you take things in stages, one day at a time and remember 'wherever you go, there you are'! I know Phileas Fogg went round the world in 80 days but he didn't do it under his own power! I feel proud to have completed it.
The big question is, 'would I do it again' or something similar? The answer is YES. I'm not sure what yet or for how long. I won't do anything too far from civilisation but European cycling is pretty safe and its always possible to get rescued if necessary.
I will have to start with ideas now for new trips. I fancy some shorter ones too, closer to home. Maybe the Isle of Man for a weekend or another trip on a ferry to Holland. If anyone fancies a cycle trip let me know. The vast majority of the route I have done could be cycled by people of any ability. It wasn't too difficult, it's just a case of how far you cycle each day and how many stops you take. I would encourage anyone to have a go at a section of the Euovelo 6 route on the Loire or Danube. It's possible to hire bikes and avoid the hassle of taking a bike on the plane.
If anyone wants to put an order in for me to bring them back an Italian ice cream then they better be quick! Let me know your favourite flavour! I won't lick it honest!
STOP PRESS - I have a bike box. It took me four hours of walking and five bikes shops to get one. It also means that I can catch my flight and I don't have to cycle home from here. I suspect that could be another 80 days!
Thank you again for the donations to St Mary's Hospice at Ulverston. The target figure has been well surpassed but more is gratefully received.
See you all soon
Photo 1, Starting off at the Atlantic mouth of the Loire with big brother.
Photo 2, David going back at Orleans.
Photo 3, Across the Rhine into Germany and Switzerland.
Photo 4, With Matthew and Anne at Ulm.
Photo 5, Dult festival at Regensburg.
Photo 6, With Janice at Budapest.
Photo 7, R & J & R in Venice.
Photo 8, Hostel at Florence.
Photo 9, Celebrating my arrival in Rome.
Photo 10, Cardboard Box.
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