Life In The Saddle

Sometimes it is fun to throw a ball and see where it lands. To drop a pin on the map and see if you can get there under your own steam. It has been a while since I have done a real long ride, but the ' Long Road North'  – from Portsmouth to Manchester was designed to be a bit of fun, with a healthy dose of trepidation. The planned route totalled 377 kilometres, from the South Coast to The North. On my previous multi-week tours, I have known that 240 kilometres a day on a fully loaded touring bike is about my max; but that I have done 500+ in one hit on a lightweight setup on several occasions (check out the #BlackForest400 and #RideTheTrafalgarWay ). This ride was on the Kona Rove tourer, with panniers full of clothes and a laptop; that all made it a bit of an unknown on the timings and speed, but I thought I would give it a shot as a long day out… The maths and planning were simple. 04:30 wake up. 05:45 ferry. 06:15am start. Pedal for 16 hours. Hopefully, finish around ...

The idea for the Celtic CrossTrail tour evolved from a desire to see unexplored areas of the British Isles. An aspiration to draw lines and make tracks: through the Scottish Highlands and North West Coast; down Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, and through the great Welsh mountain parks. Ideas became lines on a map, and those lines evolved into a route plan and a rough itinerary. Before long, a 2000 kilometre tour took shape; a journey that for me would pioneer a passage through unchartered territory. In late spring, whilst having lunch with a good friend, he listened to the idea and became equally enthralled and captivated. So, we set dates, booked flights, organised kit, and upped the mileage in anticipation of an 11 day tour covering the length and breadth of the British Isles — the #CelticCrossTrail was born. A mid-August departure date was set, and we were prepared with kit, bikes, and equipment from some of the world's leading brands (take a look at my kit set-up here...

What is life if not a daring adventure? A chance to discover new roads, new places, new challenges, and to meet with friends old and new. From the hills and vineyards of Tuscany, through the mountains and lakes of the Dolomites and Austrian Alps; then onwards to the deep forests of The Black Forest, The Ardennes, and out onto the flatlands of The Netherlands. The #RoadsFromRome crossed The Continent, in a diverse and beautiful journey of discovery. It began in the midst of a thunderstorm, in the arrivals hall in Rome airport. I built the bike surrounded by families returning home from adventures of their own. Mine was just about to begin. After a night in a monastery in the centre of Rome, I set out the next morning in earnest; eager to begin the great ride northwards. Before long I was into the hills of Tuscany, with the sun beating down, and temperatures in the high thirties. The Via Francigena weaved its way northwards, along quiet back roads and empty sections of famous S...