Day 1 Netherlands. Hoek Van Holland to Schoonhoven. 76km (written by Bernie and running total is 449).

Jolly music blared out across the tannoy at 5.30 our time (6.30 local) shattering our sleep, as it was designed to do so. Coffee and pastries while we packed up and we disembarked about 8, cycling onto Dutch soil. As always one of the most difficult parts of navigating is getting out of the port and we fiddled about a bit round Hoek Van Holland but soon we were on the right cycle path along the Nieuwe Waterweg towards Rotterdam  

Continue reading Hoek van Holland to Schoonhoven (via Rotterdam) →

80 miles (Total 232 miles which is 373 kilometres as from now we will be working in km – sorry Mr Farrage but that is just how it is).

Today was the last day we cycled as a four We arose early, breakfasted in some style in the dining room at Westminster College (converted back from music venue from last night) and then got delayed as Bernie sheared off a tyre valve when pumping up her tyre. Such muscles after only a few days!

Continue reading Cambridge to Harwich →

Day 3. Milton Keynes to Cambridge: 54 miles (Total 152 miles)

We woke to another sunny day and after a delicious breakfast with Ami and Jazz we were on our way by 8.30. Breakfast of danish pasteries and weetabix got us up and going. It was sad to say goodbye to Ami, and Mia was in a stop for us leaving!

    Continue reading Milton Keynes to Cambridge →

56 miles (Total 98 Miles)

Today started with a trip in car to Halfords courtesy of the wonderful Sarah. It was great to catch up up with her and there were no limits to her hospitality. Duly equipped with new inner tubes and puncture repair kits we returned, breakfasted and were on the road by 10.30 or so.

Continue reading Ettington to Milton Keynes: Stunning villages and a Corinthian Arch →

A Decade to Down Under Episode 1. Bewdley to Ettington (neat Stratford)

Day 1. 27th July 2014.  (42 miles)

We set off on our first day of this new adventure in the aftermath of a wonderful family event. The previous day we had celebrated David’s Mum’s 80th birthday with a big bash. 60 family and friends came to celebrate Jeanette’s big day.

Continue reading Le Petit Depart →

Over the next few years (and possibly as much as 10 and hence the title to this blog) we plan to cycle as much of the route to Australia as we can overland.  We will start in our home town of Bewdley in summer of 2014 and hope to do the first 1000km or so over the weeks we have off.

We both have jobs and so cannot ride endlessly for pleasure (or at least not quite yet).  The best we can do is a series of “bunny hops” across the various countries between here and down-under.  We cannot be sure how many times we can escape per year but, in as much as we can, we will try to pick up each time where we left off and continue the route.  However this is for fun, not for charity or masochism.

When we did a trip across the Western United States last year we kept a blog charting our progress and setting out the sideways view of life that one gets from a bicycle seat, and describing a few of our encounters along the way.  We were surprised how many of our friends and colleagues started their day by clicking onto the blog to see what mad scrapes we had got into.  We are therefore going to continue the blog for those who like to experience travel vicariously.

Please do your bit by responding.

It is 2 weeks before we start a new ride and (we hope) a new adventure.   Loads to do and we also need to get a bit fitter (to say the least).   However here are some photos of the last training ride – just to prove that the sun can shine in England.

David: And so we started our final day on the bikes. We got up and were taken by Pam to a lovely place for breakfast. We chatted about her time in the navy and were taken aback by the conditions in which she he was forced to live (or maybe exist is a better word). It was a pleasure and a privilege to get to know her, just as we had got to know Matt the previous evening. Continue reading Los Angeles to LAX: The last day on the bikes →

We had spent the previous evening cogitating our various options on what to today. Our original plan had been to leave our luggage and cycle down the King’s Canyon and back but 2 major factors mitigated against this – the national park was closed and it was difficult to find out what accommodation/camping was open but more importantly the forecast was for a dramatic change of weather with cold air blowing in a forecast of snow showers. We had decided our best option was to press on – although that did mean climbing over 7500ft before the long descent to Three Rivers. We therefore got up with some trepidation at the climb and the weather and lingering tiredness in our legs.