Wednesday 25 March 2015

Dates decided

Dates have been decided for my trip.
I will be cycling from 23 May until 21 June this year, initially accompanied by @Dyk2van and Richard Lea-Cox.
Come and find me in Europe.

Monday 23 March 2015

Little tumbles

It's funny how a little bout of snowboarding in Italy can have such a detrimental impact on cycling and getting fit?
I took a (very low speed) tumble a few weeks back, landing on my left bum cheek and left hand, as I was entering the chair-lift area.
I felt the pain in my leg, the impact being no worse than on the other tumbles I had taken during the week, but there was something different about this one. The pain was sharp.
I got back to my feet, took my place on the chair-lift and finished off my run – handing in my board at the bottom.
By now walking was becoming tough.
I didn't sleep much that night and travelled back to London the following day, having trouble standing, sitting and pretty much everything else!
It has now been 2 weeks since the fall. The bruising has almost gone and the swelling has gone altogether, but I am yet to get on the bike and try cycling.
All the hard riding done through the winter months has come to nought and I feel quite weak, but am dying to remount the Surly and head out again.
Who knows, might be riding by the end of the week?

UPDATE: The injury turns out to be a partially torn hamstring.
19/04/15 - UPDATE on the UPDATE: The torn hamstring is not a torn hamstring. Results from an MRI show no damage, only inflammation surrounding the top of the hamstring. Meds and physio should resolve the issue once and for all.
Phew.

Wednesday 18 March 2015

Plans - where to go, and when?

Cycling in Europe has been a goal of mine ever since I started watching the Giro d'Italia and Le Tour from a young age.
I now have the option of doing just that, and am wondering on just where to start - departing from London, do I train/ferry to Calais/Rotterdam and just go from there?
Which way do I go? Which countries and cities to see?
Can I wild camp?

Spring seems like a logical time to start this, the last of the snow is melting and the sun is starting to thaw western Europe.