Grumpy Old Men On Bikes

I am riding almost entirely on cycle paths and each day I see hundreds of 'cyclists' (I use the term cautiously, mostly they are not proper cyclists and many are lazy bastards on lectric bikes).  However, close to larger towns there is a fair smattering of people on roller blades.  These come in too distinct varieties: - the tiny minority who can actually do it.  These are usually weirdos, a bit old for that sort of thing, wirey and usually with lots of hair, tats and piercings. - all the rest... who look like they will crash at any moment.  In fact I think they are actually permanently falling forward but their feet keep outpacing the fall so they never hit the ground.  Their arms flail spastically (you probably can't say that anymore) and they look...erm...well, f@#%ing stupid. In the last two days I have notched up about 180 miles in glorious weather, though in the afternoons it is creeping into the mid 30's which is a bit warm, even for me.  The riding ...

If you are thinking of starting a cycling trip from Zurich airport think again.  As best I can tell, ALL the roads leading from Terminal 2 arrivals are motorways.  I enjoyed a happy half hour circling round the airport looking for a way out without success.  Eventually, to break out of my little Groundhog day, I hoofed it across a grass bank and over a railway track and I was free. The Danube actually starts in Donaueshingen (Donaue is kraut for Danube, though why they can't use the proper name is beyond me) so I had a pleasant (though rather uphill) 50 miles and an early night ready for my new adventure. Today was billed as 78 miles but I have finished with 85 on the clock.  Lovely scenery, almost entirely on cycle paths, but a good deal lumpier than I was promised.  The river runs through a gorge at the start and the path often climbs the sides a bit (would never happen in a beautiful British gorge!).  I was all done by 3pm in Riedlingen so I have tracked...

‎The company  in the photo (United Minibuses) operates the i7/i8 shuttle bus from Gatwick airport to several of the outlying hotels. They charge £3 for this - a 70p premium over the public bus but not unreasonable. Not, that is, unless you have a bike in a box when they charge an extra TEN QUID!!!! Furthermore, the driver refuses to issue a receipt for the extra part - presumably because it goes straight in his own pocket.   ‎At the very best it is safe to assume that the company doesn't put it through the books. This morning I took a taxi back to the airport - £8.50 including the bike.   So, United Minibuses, you are thieving bastards - a plague on you and your families! Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the EE network.

Yes, I know the song is pathetically unimaginative.....but I am in Budapest, what else could I use? It was an easy and pretty 53 into the city, though it took ages because it involved 2 ferries, both of which run hourly and I timed arrival at both rather badly. Then it was a VERY exciting 12 mile dash to the airport.  I had devoted rather less time to planning this bit than the previous 850 miles and this turned out to be a mistake.  There is essentially one, arrow straight road from the centre of town to the airport and I shared it with the whole world.  Luckily I had a big tailwind so put my head down and went as fast as I could, partly to get it over with but also to reduce the times I was overtaken with inches to spare. As you will have seen, my room last night was spacious and cheap.  It also had one of those funny loos favoured by Jonny Foreigner where ones extrusion is caught by a handy little shelf so you can admire it (and maybe poke it around a bit with the...

‎Not a 'song' exactly but I make the rules! After a relaxing holiday in Portugal (I did rent a bike for part of it) it is time to get back to 'work'. Next year Bike Adventures is offering a trip up the Danube to Budapest and I am off to do the reccie. I overnight in Gatwick and get a flight to Zurich at sparrow's fart tomorrow morning then it is on the bike for 800 miles.  I have two new countries to look forward to: Slovakia and Hungary and the promise of a reassuringly modest cost of living. While researching hotels I turned up a couple charging ten quid for a single en-suite room.  But before then I have a few days of insulting Germans followed by a crack at the Austrians. Happy days. Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the EE network.