48 hrs till pedalling!

It's the middle of the week and we have only 48 hrs left.

This time on Friday we will be on the Ferry which has just left the harbour. Everything is ready to be packed. Lists have been made for the housesitter as well as a full list of emergency numbers.
I am keeping an eye on the Germany weather forecast - seems like a lot of thunder going on there, oh dear! But then it can't be worse than here. I've driven tonight behind a road cyclist who was so drenched, I really felt sorry for him. He was obviously caught in thetorrential rain that fell a mere 20 minutes before and I watched him struggling through huge puddles of water on the verge of the road. He nevertheless kept his head down and plough on. I hope he didn't have far to go.

I found another packing list on the web and pinched two items to add to mine - a bungee cord and some ziplock bags. The bungee cord will come in very handy on the trains that we need to take to ensure the bike/s are tied properly.

Here is my packing list:

Clothes for riding
1 pair of cycling shoes
2 pairs of socks
2 baggy cycle short plus padded undershorts
3 cycling tops
Pocket rocket
1 pair of cycling gloves
Cycling glasses with clear and dark lenses  

Toiletries
Travel towel and face cloth
Razor
Deodorant Small toothbrush and paste
Paracetamol
Small first aid box
Hayfever tablets and spray
Sun cream Shower gel
Assos
Washing powder
Travel hairdryer
Contact lens case and solution
Earplugs
Eyemask

Other bits 

2 spare tubes
Puncture repair kit
Pump
Lock
Padlock
Phone
Garmin Edge
Tablet
Memory stick with routes
Euro converters
Energenie 5 000MaH charger
Money Physical maps
YHA card
Passport
Transfer cables
Spare Samsung battery
Bookings paperwork
Book and pen
Playing Cards?

For leisure

2 pairs of underwear
1 pair of lightweight walking trousers
1 pair of lightweight sandals
2 T-shirts 1 merino jersey
Swimming suit?

So lots of work tomorrow then back home to do final prep before we set off.

Can't wait!!!

Ready to go

The last dash to do all of the prep this weekend has paid off.

I managed to plot the last two rides including the ride back to the Port from Rotterdam.

My packing list has been finalised and they have all been put aside on the guest bed. I even went one further to pack it into the panniers and went for a 9 mile ride with the bike loaded. Hubby did the same. I wat wondering what car drivers and other cyclists were thinking when they passed us, probably 'shame - cycling in this wind, wondering if they have to go far!'

I am out with work on Thursday and will only be back late that evening, so my last day of getting things ready is really Wednesday.

I also managed to sort out chargers but more about an ingenious plan later.

The photos are off my stuff laid out and ready to be re-packed for Friday.

Pre packed and everything fits!

Weekend prep is paying off. Panniers are packed and ready to be loaded onto the bike.

All days have been mapped

Today was spent jotting down the list of things to pack, mapping the last two days and going to an outdoor shop to get some lightweight walking trousers that can easily be converted into shorts if needed. The weather in Germany is hot - that is expected. The weather here in Enland is hideous! AS I sit here writing, the wind is gushing against the window and it is raining on and off. It is difficult to think that in a week's time we will be on the train winding down towards Basel in hot sunny weather. The map to the left shows the predicted weather for next Friday. A lot of thunder it seems!

The map below is part of the Rhine Delta route. We will follow a big part of it with the exception that this starts in the Hoek of Holland (Hook of Holland) instead of Europoort where we get in with the ferry. It also finishes at the border between Germany and Holland where we will continue our cycle to Rees. So much to do and so little time left!
Find more map in Millingen Aan De Rijn, Netherlands

Gadgets for long-distance cyclists

Smartphones are battery hungry which is a particular problem if you are on a long bike ride and can't charge up along the way. So, thinking ahead to my imminent lists and previous long-distance cycling, I found this really cool gaddet which is small and lightweight but packs a punch for smartphones (and tablets!).

ChargeGenie50  link



The ChargeGenie 50 has a battery capacity of 5,000mAh; more than enough juice to charge your Smart Phone 3 times and enough to charge your tablet. Its light and compact design means that it fits in to your pocket and easily into your briefcase or your hand bag when you're on the go. The ChargeGenie should mean you are never left without battery on the go again!

So hopefully that fantastic photo that I wanted to take at 10 miles from the finish will happen after all!

Counting the days

Being busy means that time flies, so after having a small panic attack today, I had a quick count on my calendar and found that it is a mere 9 days before we set off for Basel.

So much to do ! I need to make a list of what to go in my panniers and get that ready. Items like hayfever spray and tablets have been requested from the surgery but that's about it. I havent yet sat down with a pen and paper to jot down what will go into my kit. Oh, something else I have managed to think about is cycling gear or clothing. As we are cycling mostly on cycle paths and quiet roads, I have made a decision to abandon my lycra and don some cycling apparel that will make me look more like a leisure cyclist. I bought some mountain biking shorts with the inner padded short to go with it and some walking sandals. Walking sandals I hear you say. Well, I looked at the Shimano sandals which are currently available and they look almost like a complete shoe. Not like a sandal at all.

Merrell Kahuna III Ladies Sandals

After careful thought I decided to get some good walking sandals with a stiff sole which will suit my trip. I read a large number of reviews before settling on the Merrell Kahuna III.

On the right is a picture of them. I flexed the sole in a store (won't name the store!) and it felt really stiff, just what you need for a bike ride. I then did a few searches and bought it online. Oops! Some reviews indicated that people used it for cycling and walking which made me more comfortable in my choice.

I'm not sure if I am making a really bad choice here. I guess if it turns out to be wrong, I can buy a pair of proper cycling shoes when we pass through one of the big German cities which will definitely have good bike shops.

I also wrote to ECF - the European Cycling Federation - asking if wearing cycling helmets are compulsory in France, Germany and Holland. I knew Holland is a no, but I wasn't sure about Germany and France. To my delight they confirmed it isn't, so my cycling helmet is definitely NOT going on this trip.

So a couple of days still to map and then lists to make, from what goes into the panniers, to what is MUST sees along the route! 9 Days and counting...


I've so far mapped Days 1 to 11 and here is a flavour of one of them; Day 6.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/101177

Promises of good weather

This past weekend must have been one on the greyest so far. I know there are shades of grey so this one must be on the scale pretty much towards the top end.

I was busy this weekend - too busy to ride. When I walked over the Handbridge this morning on my way to church, three women cyclists came towards me from the Chester side. The front one was pedalling furiously to stay ahead and cross the bridge and when she came close, it was with a pang of jealousy that I recognised the three as friends from the ladies group that I cycle with.

They were obviously on their way to a good day out on their bikes and I waved them on their way - with some serious longing!

As soon as my duties were done this afternoon, I hopped on my bike to do the short circuit ride that I usually do. Coming with me was my daughter, so although I ached to get the pedals going, it was much more appropriate to cycle steady and make sure she keeps up.

It was a very pleasant ride at 6pm and most of the animals were out. We saw rabbits, gold finches, black birds and mice. Almost a golden hour for wild life. The Hawthorn is still blooming and often you would cycle through a patch of air laden with its smell.

I am off tomorrow and have plans to do more cycling after my physio appointment. The days are getting very short and soon we are off on the 2012 adventure, so I need to pack any training in when I can. The next two days look particularly good for being out on a bike.

Hello sunshine, goodbye grey!