Europe (local)

The splendidly organized (Ha, the Web!) report of an extensive tour of Scotland. A must-see!

Balloch, Lochearnhead, Oban, Glenfinnan, Sleat Mountains on Skye, Portree, Shiel Bridge, Inverness, Loch Lochy, Kingussie, Elgin, Fraserburgh, Aberdeen, Aboyne, Bridge of Cally, St. Andrews, Edinburgh, Galashiels, Gretna, Parton, Ayr, Johnstone.

Dieter flies back to Munich from South America, and jumps without waiting on his bike to conquer the Alps. It is not going to be easy...

This is the great report of a tour in the Alps that Jobst Brandt did in the summer of '96.

David does it again. His now complete report of his 1996 Nordic bicycle trip consists of five chapters:

• Swinging through Telemark, Norway
• Denmark
• Shivering in Sweden
• Tripping in Troll-land, Norway
• Rallarvegen and More, Norway.

First part - the second part is available as Stralsund-Schwerin. A family cycle tour in 1996 through the German province of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. During the tour memories from a cycle tour in the same area in 1971, when this area was behind the iron curtain, come to mind.

Family cycling at its best!

These pages are a little recollection of the holidays we took in the Highlands during 1996 summer. The main part of these Scotish holidays was a tour of the Hebrides and the Highlands. On our way down to France, we also made a stop to the Isle of Arran.

It was a leisurely tour: about 650 km (400 miles) in 14 days. Certainly not a great feat for Martine and me, but more so for Nicolas, who was 8 and rode all the way. [...] I've always found that planning a route is very easy, as soon as an organizing idea has been decided. For our first trip in Scotland, I settled on ``riding the waters'': ferrying to the islands, musing along lochs, and paying a due visit to the most famous of all. We don't regret this choice. We are now specialists in ferries (from liners-like to pedestrians-only) and it was fun to see Scotland from the sea also.

This 1996 trip through Italy was our second 1,000 mile bicycle tour. Our first 1,000 mile cycling trip was in Ireland the summer before. Italy proved to be a delightful challenge. We accomplished one goal, which was to crack the myth that Southern Italy was not a good place to travel, especially by bicycle, something we repeatedly heard in California. Our second goal was more nebulous. We knew we would ride 1,000 miles, but we weren't positive which route we would take. As you will see, the route evolved as we went along. Our experiences were all positive, and the people we met were extremely helpful and hospitable. One important feature of our trip was that I took the time to learn some basic Italian (including grammar) beyond phrasebook dialogue. It made all the difference in the world, because people knew we were trying to speak their language and they appreciated and respected that very much.

Von Bozen nach La Spezia auf der Straße.

A report of a 50/100/200km event (pick your own) in the Italian Dolomites, by Sheila Simpson. Sheila is Editor of Arrivee, the magazine of Audax UK, the Long Distance Cyclists' Association in the UK.

Milosz describes six itineraries in this prime cycling territory. The text is accompanied (off-line, with inline thumbnails) by some gorgeous pictures.

Dieter flies back to Munich from South America, and jumps without waiting on his bike to conquer the Alps. It is not going to be easy...

Four weeks, 2500km, 30000m gain... a great ride in a great bicycle touring country.

Eine ausführliche Tourenbeschreibung unserer zweiwöchigen Radreise durch die großartige Wüstenlandschaft Andalusiens - zu Füßen der schneebedeckten Gipfel der Sierra Nevada. Besonderen Wert haben wir auf genaue Informationen für Radfahrer gelegt, wie Dauer der Tagesetappen, Höhenmeter und zurückgelegte Kilometer. Natürlich kein Ersatz für Reiseführer und Karte.

Unsere Etappen:Cabo de Gata - San Jos´ | Rundtour San José - Las Negras und zurück | Ausflug: Almería - Strände von San Jos´ | San Jos´ - Nijar | Nijar - Turillas - Mini Hollywood - Tabernas | Tabernas - Olula-Paß - Los Navarros | Gergal - Guadix | Guadix - Paß - Granada | Alhambra | Konditionstest: Granada - Parador - Granada | Granada - Beznar - Castel de Ferro | Castel de Ferro - Roquetals del Mar | Roquetal del Mar - Flughafen .

Goschenen - Andermatt - Furkapass - Gletsch - Grimselpass - Innertkirchen - Sustenpass - Wassen - Goschenen, Km 120.

This is the (partly still under construction) report of a 10-days tour in Mallorca in October 1995. Includes weather information, a literature, photographs, the works.

Thusis - Tiefencastel - Albulapass - La Punt - Zernez - Fluelapass - Davos - Klosters - Landquart - Chur - Thusis, Km 190.

The report of the 850 km trip Jose Roberto and his buddy Aurelio did in September 1995. Annoying and confusing Flash navigation, I didn't actually find much useful information.

This is a report about a bike tour which we undertook in Andalusia in September '95. We started in Sevilla, travelled down to Tarifa at the Strait of Gibraltar, learned a lot about forceful winds, crossed the mountains of the Serrania de Ronda to see Ronda, one of the oldest cities in Spain, directed our tires once again to the sea side towards Malaga, travelled on lonely winding roads and the beach promenades of the Costa del Sol and finally crossed the Sierra Nevada to terminate our journey in Granada, one of the most beautiful cities we've ever seen. The overall distance was about 700 km. We took two and a half weeks but think one should have a week or so more to fully enjoy the spirit of the region.

Susa - Montgeneve - Briancon - Col du Lautaret - Col du Galibier - Col du Telegraph - St Michel de Maurienne - Lanslebourg - Mont Cenis - Susa. Km 205.

A ride from Chioggia to Venice and beyond, along the tiny strip of land that separates the sea from the Laguna. A bicycle ride is one of the best ways to exprience this magical terrain...

After a successful biking holiday in the northern parts of the Danish mainland Jutland in 1993, we wanted to see Djursland and Sealand in 1995. The starting point was Hobro by the Mariager Fjord. We [a family of 5] had one Burley d'Light trailer for Trine [4 years old] and her personal luggage, and relatively large panniers on all 4 bicycles.

This is an outline of a 1,000 miles trip around perimeter of the Republic of Ireland that my boyfriend and I took. [...] Based on everything we heard, we were prepared for rain, rain and more rain. In thirty days, we only had two full days of rain, and a few other light showers. By the last week of June, the weather was in the 70s -80s (F), which I guess is rather unusual for Ireland, and the Irish were ecstatic.

Oslo - Gothenburg - Falsterbo.

The ``tradition'' of going to Copenhagen in May started in 1992 when we took the ferry from Oslo to Frederikshavn and cycled via the Danish mainland Jutland. However, with only 350 km this tour became too little of a challenge after 2 times. Therefore, in 1994, we did our first trip to Copenhagen via the Swedish West Coast.

The part of this region known as the ``Suisse Normande'' is particularly suited to cycle touring (at least by us) - the area is picturesque, (the river, the forests for example), has a number of interesting villages and towns, is quiet at this time of year, has enough ups and downs to be interesting and still easily managable. The food is pretty good, and affordable.

The ``tradition'' of going to Copenhagen in May started in 1992 when we took the ferry from Oslo to Frederikshavn and cycled via the Danish mainland Jutland. However, with only 350 km this tour became too little of a challenge after 2 times. Therefore, in 1994, we did our first trip to Copenhagen via the Swedish West Coast.

Mt. Marmolada is in the central Alps. Before I first went there I had this mental image of snow-capped peaks and vertical cliffs that could not possibly allow any reasonable bicycle riding. I found this is wrong, it's in fact fairly easy - if exhausting - to ride in the Alps because all the roads and trails avoid the really steep mountains and remain in the valleys and lower and less steep mountains. Riding in the Alps means rarely riding on either level or really steep roads, 4 or 5% is typical but it can reach 10% or more in places. Roads usually wind their way up or down in serpentines. I live in Berlin, which has only very minor hills, and I am a poor climber, but I found that I can manage a pass or two a day in the Alps without too many problems. The reward of the trouble is awesome scenery.

A beautiful tour, mostly off-road, with great photos.
Uphill and downhill sections in a beautiful landscape on the south slope of the Sierra Nevada with more white villages.Great views.After Ug?jar a 63-year-old mountain biker starts a roadside conversation on bicycling, this year's draught and possible climate change.Unlike me, he believes the Puerto de la Ragua is the only pass crossing the Sierra Nevada.

The report of a one-week training camp in Spain.
After 2 days spent on a bus, and a night in a Premier Classe Hotel in Rheims, France, we were ready to get on our bikes and stretch our legs. (There had been the temptation to get the bikes unpacked in Rheims and re-run the stage finish there from the 1985 Tour de France when Sean Kelly and Eric Vanderaerden had thrown punches at one another as they sprinted for the line ! But as it was dark, 1 a.m. and we were all tired it was decided to leave it until another time.) The camp was based in L'Estartit, a holiday resort on the Costa Brava approximately 100 kms north of Barcelona.

A family goes cyclo-camping and brings back valuable experience, great stories and beautiful pictures.

From Arrivèe On-Line, Audax UK's quarterly magazine.

A certain Frenchman, Georges Rossini of Thonon on Lake Geneva, has set up four testing Alpine routes, or 'Raids':

• Randonnee Alpine - Thonon to Antibes, 740km and 43 cols through the French Alps.
• Randonnee Alpine - Thonon to Trieste, 1180km and 41 cols through the Swiss and Italian Alps and Dolomites.
• Randonnee Prealpine - Thonon to Antibes, 894km and 47 cols through the French Alps.
• Randonnee Prealpine - Thonon to Venice, 1209km and 69 cols through the Italian Alps and Lakes.

This report details a van-supported, mostly camping, bicycle tour of Germany and Austria taken by 29 members of the Davis Bike Club (Davis, California) during 3 weeks in 1995. We were a varied group, aged from 9 to 70ish, and included families, couples, and singles, riding 7 tandems and 22 single bicycles.

This is the great report of a tour in the Alps that Jobst Brandt did in the summer of '95.