Europe Summer 2012
 

Fellow Bike Nuts!!

Would love to plan a long ish trip around Europe next summer, around school holiday time. Approx 4-6 weeks is what I have in mind, with suggestions for places to visit and so on welcome. Would love to plan a RTW or the like, but self employed and can't be sure to have the funds for that, what with the current work climate, but this is definately doable.
Was thinking of keeping it cheap ish, maybe camping during the week, supermarket beers and bbq's, hotel it at the weekends ?????????

I'm 40, single,London/Essex based, like a laugh,love a beer, and will take the piss out of most people, but expect the same treatment in return !!

Thought I'd throw it out there, see what response comes back. Cheers.

Sounds good. Time scale about right. Location right, as long as it is south. Not in to freezing my Azz off in the snow and wet. Do two or three of these a year. Just come back from Faro. Four week's away.

Have you done one like this before? Tenting and keep the money for petrol and pop. Not as such a drinking man, but do take of the wine once in a while. If you go in the school holiday's the price's will be high. Travel in May or September and the cost's are half. A mid week crossing with Sea France, Booking a return at the same time will set you back less than £40. I'm in Norfolk. So an eye ball could be on the card's. Not into travelling with a cross dresser, or an axe welding nuttier.
John933

I know what you mean about the prices, but camping is so cheap anyway and the price of food and drink doesn't change. Admittedly the ferry/tunnel might go up in price, but in the grand scheme of a 4-6 week trip, I think this extra cost is negligable.

Think it's a bit shallow not wanting to put up with my ponchant for a suspender belt though!!!

Drop me a line here
Journeyman933910(at)aol.com
John933

Big Loop
 

I think that a month or so in europe i enough time to cover a lot of ground, without breaking your balls. Normally when on bike trips, I try to avoid motorways as much as poss, and limit daily mileage to between 200-250, and have at least one day a week off the bike, if not 2. Based on 250 a day for 20 days, 5000 miles is quite an easy, relaxing schedule. That way if you are on the bike at 10 am (ish), the days riding should be done by an easy 5 pm, leaving time to see something of the place you've stopped. All this riding till 8 or 9 pm, rush rush rush, doesnt seem like pleasure to me. There are times when the day doesnt go quite to plan and its necessary, but not on a daily basis.

My thoughts were initially to start off towards the east/ south east, down through Germany, visit Auschwitz, Croatia looks appealling, then who knows what, in between making our way west, italian dolomites, alps, pyrenees, etc..

Oh, and.....
 

......to take in a motogp en route would be good ???

I can live with that. For insurance purposes it would be best to stay with-in the EU. What about out of Calia, across Germany. In to Poland to see Auschwitz. Then make you way down to the black sea, Across northern Greece. Ferry on to Italy. make your way North and then see what time and money we have left?
John933

Athens in May
 

Hi folks,
I'm picking up a bike in Athens around 20th May (give or take a few days).
Going to head for the Pyrenees to meet up with my brother.
Not sure what route I'll take back, head north or ferry to Italy.
If you are around at that time It would be good to travel all or part of the way.
Probably make my way back to the Chunnel around 20th June.
Rory

Croatia??
 

Scuse my ignorance, but ferry from Greece to Italy would omit Croatia, am I correct ? Apparently, my all accounts, its a stunnung place to ride along the coast, and would be a shame to miss whilst so close. Or is that what you meant about staying in the EU ?? Also, is Romania not part of europe yet, as the Transfagaren ( or however its spelt ) would be a good one to tick off the list !!! Bit spoilt for choice aren't we !!

Just checked and....
 

Croatia isn't an EU country, Romania is, as is Bulgaria. Hmmmm, lots to think about eh !!

See how this take's off. but I'm easy. Stick around.
John933

Like all thing's it's swings and round about's. Believe you me after you've done a few of these's. All well laid plan's go out the window by day five. Day one is usually on track. Day two is a little bit off, and so on and so on, By day five if all is going well we should be swanning around some place that's well off the plan. I find if you have a few target's, You'll get to them and then move on to the next. When I see you, I'll explain the reason why it's best to stay with in the EU. Have a look at the map. You will find if you go in to Greece from Romaina Bulgaria. You'll hit one of the big coastal city's, From there on in it will be coast road's all the way. As much as you can pack away in a nap sack. To catch the Italian ferry will save all the trouble of getting extra insurance. And the boarder insurance is not worth the paper it's printed on. Believe you me I know. And you have the Italian food road and driver's. All as something to saver in different way's :confused1:
John933

I think Croatia is. As one year I was thinking of going to Split.
John933

Somthing to look at.

2012 - Google Maps


John933

Places of interest
 

I think one option is to set a cut off date for people to say they're interested, then have a meet. Get everyone to suggest 2 or three places within the parameters that they would like to visit, then try to build a route from that. That way everyone would get a say and feel involved.

I'll start...1. Auschwitz. 2. Rome. 3. Milau Bridge.