9th October - reached Istanbul. Here for over a week while Visa applications awaited. Staying at Charlie Denwood's apartment. Fantastic hospitality greatly appreciated.
8th October - 67 miles to Sutankoy. Just 50 miles left to Istanbul.
7th October - Hot day - near 30 degrees. Reached Malkara - so in Turkey! It seems so different to Greece and this was apparent as soon as I crossed the border.
6th October - rest day before crossing into Turkey and progressing my Visa applications for Pakistan and India. Happy Birthday Benita!
5th Oct - Rain early but then stopped but windy. Hilly and chased by dogs twice. Ended up a hard day with road turning into a dirt track for 2 km.
4th Oct - 63 miles to Komotini. Was an easy ride and light traffic but generally dull! Sent Benita flowers and chocolates for her birthday (on 6th).
3rd Oct - day off in Kavala to recharge batteries and to find an internet cafe to do some preparation for my Pakistani visa application.
2nd Oct - 60 miles to Kavala - a bigger town - but too tired to explore!
1st Oct - Had terrible start with big hills, ring roads and bad signage. Made Stavros back by the sea - a little fishing resort - 53 miles. Very much out of season - lovely and quiet.
30th Sept - Sun shining - through the mountains now and should make the coast today. Had my first puncture - a thorn at 3,211 miles!! Cycled through Alexandria. After 56 miles settled in a hotel in Thessaloniki
29th Sept - Did 71 miles to Veria. Involved a huge climb with an 18km descent!
28th Sept - Had planned to get back on the road despite the rain but it cam on heavy with thunderstorms predicted. So, enforced rest day! Can be dangerous in hills with roads like rivers. Not much to do - found refuge in a bar!
27th Sept - 40 miles today. Finished early in Grevena as big thunder storms brewing. And they arrived! Big hail stones and heavy rain with lightening so I got it right today!
26th Sept - Weather better - big climb out of the town. Only planned on doing 35 miles today (rather than the alternative of 70). Fantastic scenery but some punishing climbs. Made detination of Metsovo - a ski resort!- in Greece?!. Told bad weather for next few days. The owners of the hotel were at university in London.
25th Sept - Rest day. very tired. Found internet cafe and sent a few e-mails. Heavy rain. Big mountains out if here in all directions.
24th Sept - Set off when light from ferry terminal. Did huge climb up into the mountains - great views but some rain. Did 60 very hard and wet miles to Loannina on the banks of a big lake. Might have rest day tomorrow as little sleep on ferry and very hilly ride today.
23rd Sept - Reached Brindisi early afternoon and got my ticket to sail at 7pm to arrive in Greece - Igoumenitsa at 3.30 in the morning. Total of 2,973 miles done!
22nd Sept - Easy 58 miles on the flat with a back wind. At monopoli. Will easily make Brindisi tomorrow.
21st Sept - Did 65 miles to a town called Trani on the Adriatic . Flat easy day and weather getting better. Had a walk around the lovely town. Hotel near railway line - mistake!
20th Sept - Shorter day - 40 miles - a day of hills but got over them and it is getting flatter towards the coast and my destination - Brindisi . Been cold and had 3 layers on. Strong head wind that went through me. Pleased to be out of the hills but in the middle of no-where. Hotel fortunately has a restaurant as its 20 miles to the nearest town!
19th Sept - Did 72 miles! In Benivento. Turned to heavy cold rain in the afternoon and added to that I struggled to get into the town from the motorway. Met 3 survivors of jewish concnetration camps in the hotel!
18th Sept - set off on bike again. Got a hotel just on dark after 88 miles. Shattered. At town called Cassino with a monastery on the top of the hill called Monte Cassino. Stopped at pizza snack bar for a slice and a coke. Got asked questions about how far I had come etc. Owner told all his staff. I ordered a second slice and the owner said it was on him!!
17th Sept - got Visa for Iran!!!!
16th Sept - Went to Iranian embassy. Took passport and money and told me to come back on 27th!!! After making a fuss I was told to come back tomorrow!
15th Sept - Made some enquiries about Pakistani visa in Rome. After much travelling around - told not possible!!
14th Sept - watched telly!
13th Sept - more sights on open-topped bus.
12th Sept - Dave arrived. Got to Iranian embassy 20 minutes after it closed. Only open tuesdays to Fridays!! Saw some sights.
11th Sept - Steve arrived in Rome. Saw most of sights while he was funding his way through by bicycle! Booked into hotel - here for a week to get Iranian visa.
Tuesday 9th September - Reached Bolsena on the banks of Lake Bolsena - a great looking spot. 72 miles
Monday 8th September - Back on my journey again after a very pleasant break. Short day cycling to reach Siena - 20 miles (Paul's favourite place - so went sight seeing in the afternoon). Town is built on 7 hills so plenty of ups and downs!
Sunday 7th September - Vico d elsa with the very hospitable Stanifords - Paul, Jill, Rich, James and Alice. Went to a fab walled town called San Gimignano in the afternoon. Played pool in the evening. Back on the road tomorrow.
Saturday 6th September - cycled 28 hilly miles in 32 degree heat! Met up with Paul Staniford. Getting my washing done and relaxing for a few days at lovely villa with pool. Thanks Paul and family.
Friday 5th September - stayed in Florence. Did a bit of the tourist thing and did Cathedral and art gallery and saw 'David'.
Thursday 4th Sept - Reached Pisa around lunchtime - took a photo of the leaning tower (as everyone does) but didn't manage to lean my bike up against it in the shot. Was expecting is would be bigger! Rode onto Florence and arrived late. Thinking about having Friday off to look around. No air-con and mosquitos! Had good and cheap chinese meal - 85 miles
Wednesday 3rd Sept - First 12 miles uphill - biggest climb since pyrenees. Made Massa - 60 miles
Tuesday 2nd September - Did a very hilly 41 miles and decided to have a short day as the next place with hotels was around 30 miles further. Visited Portofino en route to Sestri Levante.
Monday 1st September - had longer day than anticipated. Started off with a steep climb to then discover that there was a cycle route in the valley! Did 78 miles to Genoa . Arrived late so not a lot of time to see the town properly.
Sunday 31st August - hit Monaco around lunchtime and cycled around the Grand Prix circuit. Surprised at how small Monaco is. Monaco came and went so quickly - I then pressed on into Italy - my Italian phrasebook at the ready - just when I had become very comfortable with the French language. Stopped for the night in Sun Imperia - 55 miles
Saturday 30th August - Cycled on along the Coast and stopped for lunch in Cannes. Met up with a lady cyclist who had been exploring Europe for several months. Nice to have a good conversation in English (and I think she felt the same). Cycled 50 miles to Nice - where I had the first parting from my bike - I turned up a shallow curb and the wheel slid along - the curb had been polished up by the traffic. I am ok - bit of blood on the shin. The old town of Nice is great with little streets and restaurants. Looking forward to hitting Monaco tomorrow and Italy!!
Friday 29th August - Continued cycling after my day of rest. Went to St Tropez and chatted to a crew man washing a boat worth $35m (can charter it for $230k a week!). Arrived at St Raphael - 64 miles. Watched Man U get beaten in a bar!!
Thursday 28th August - Decided to stay in Hyeres today to get some rest. Managed to catch up with e-mails on the internet - thanks everyone - please keep them coming! Sitting on the harbour wall I suddenly thought how amazing it was that I had cycled to here!
Wednesday 27th August - Hilly hard day! It was very hot from the off. Arrived at Hyeres on the coast late and very tired. Bike is showing 1,904 miles in total - 59 miles today. Sore bum.
Tuesday 26th August - Reached Marseilles. Mixed day - thoughts of Peter's funeral. Large place - lots to do and very hilly in the town. Watched a great magician on the harbour side - 68 miles
Monday 25th August - Continued along to Arles on the banks of the Rhone. Easy day cyling - nice and flat. Arles is a nice historic town with plenty to look around - including an ampitheatre. 54 miles
Sunday 24th August - glad to leave the grotty hotel behind and felt much better when I picked up on lovely country lanes. The sun was shining and there was no wind. I made it into Montpelier after a few hills. Town very nice and would have stayed longer if I had not just had a longish break. Booked into a nice hotel in the centre - 60 miles.
Saturday 23rd August - set off from campsite where I had been staying with friends - Craig and his family - many thanks for your hospitality folks! That was 15 miles north of Perpignan. I set off into a head wind and made Narbonne that night - nice town but not so nice hotel and didn't sleep much unfortunately! - 54 miles.
Tuesday 12th to Friday 22nd August - mixture of rest, catching up with friends (including my good friend Peter Graham) and avoiding the risk of no accommodation on the French Riviera! Wrestled with a cold and fatigue from my pyrenees ride - so able to re-charge my batteries.
Monday 11th August - Cycled up the last Col - Col de Peche. But there was no sign saying you were there! It was only a snall climb from the plateau. The descent didn't start for a few miles but when it did - wow! - over 20 miles of downhill! Stopped at a small walled historic town - Villefranche de Conflent. It was busy so I got off the bike and walked through the town. Had lunch then pressed on all the way to the sea at St Cyprien. That was the Pyrenees done and I had cycled all the way! I then want to the Tourist information to be told that everywhere was full in the area - even the campsites! I was told that I had a bteete chance of accommodation in Perpignan. I had done 70 miles already and it was 7pm! So I cylcled up and took the first hotel I found - was tired and relieved and decided to take the following day as a rest day (the first one since Biarritz). I had just done the hardest cycling in my life (so far anyway!) - 83 miles.
Sunday 10th August - Left campsite at 9.30 and started straight into the climb. Arrived at the top of Col de Puymorens at 2pm after 23 miles and 4 hours in the saddle - altitude 1920m. Only 1 more big climb left! Dropped down off the Col into a high plateau - it looked so different. The hills looked more partched but the valley had green lush areas and corn fields which I had not seen many of. I picked a route towards the next Col and cylced into Llivia. I got a nice hotel for the night and checked my maps. I was unable to decide which country I was in!! There was a border all the way round but was encompassed by France. I was near Andorra - turns out I was in Spain - but whichever direction I left I would go back into France. They wanted my passport at the hotel!
Saturday 9th August - Long climb up Col de Port. Half way up I pulled into a layby for a breather and where a French couple chatted to me for a while and gave me water and offered food. I accepted the water - it was 29 degrees and I was getting low. They were very kind. Heading for the next Col I stopped at a campsite at luzenac. Very heavy traffic. Set up tent and walked into the village. No restaurant so ate back at campsite. Pizza for lunch and tea! Watched French league football - 42 miles.
Friday 8th August - Robin, Sue and their grandson waved me off in the morning. Cycled back up the hill 3.5 km to get back on track. I was feeling very tired and really desperate for a rest day. Headed up the climb to Col de Portet d'Aspet. Near to the top I was caught up by another cycling tourist (with less weight - bike weight that is!!). We stopped and chatted and went on our way. I lost sight of him only to meet up with him at the top of the hill along with a group of cyclists - who were doing the Pyrenees East to West. They cheered me on, took great interest in my bike and I asked for my autograph!! Lafforgne was doing the cycle West to East like me. We exchanged all details. I then dropped off the top and after lunch in the valley took a right to Col de la Core (1395 m) - this was not on my list to do but I decided to do it as I did not want to regret it later on!. Found a cheap hotel at Oust - 42 miles.
Thursday 7th August - Enjoyed the morning climbing up Col d'Peyresourde. Hard but views fantastic. Layer of cloud hung half way up the hills which, in the sunlight, was striking. Birds of prey were soaring and there were paragliders on a hill side across the valley. Began to climb Col Arres. Map showed small all small villages for 40km. I was tired and was told of camping at a village called Aspet and decided to make a 5km detour. Found chambre d'hote on my way into the village run by an English family from Windsor. Robin took me to a restaurant in the village and had a beer with me. - 48 miles.
Wednesday 6th August - Headed up the mountain from Bareges with 11km climb to the top of Tourmalet. Clear day but the cool of the morning made climbing a bit easier. Zig zagged the ascent (when no traffic) to ease the strain on the legs. The last bit was steep but I knew the top was coming. Met 3 dutch guys who had hired cycles just to do the climb. (Guys - I have e-mailed your photos). Then amazing descent! Climb then to Aspin was helped by being shaded by forest all the way up. The road was lined with people givibg me support - turned out there was a cycle race coming through with an international field. Clycled down to Arreau - couple staying at same hotel - serious cyclists from Northumberland - they had done 100k that day in several big climbs. Chatted to Paul Hayes in the bar - this was the first year in 30 years that he was notracing - 33 miles. |
