John Bickerstaff

John Bickerstaff

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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
If Carlsberg did cycle tours...
June 3, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Packed & ready to go post breakfast. Just the small matter of rush hour traffic but Danish style. Bikes everywhere & consistently cars giving way for bikes. Definitely a critical mass thing. On the way out of Copenhagen a couple of sights to take in - the Carlsberg brewery, not that they were doing tours that fitted in with my schedule. Been to a few brewery tours anyway - how different can it be? Then onwards to the Brondby Stadium. Seemed like the route was taking me into a posher part of town - that didn't seem right. Then out into the sticks. Eventually resigned myself to the fact that I'd missed it, though couldn't see how. Hadn't - and managed to blag my way in. Some electricians were doing some work & they didn't care if I had a little wander in. Not sure the groundsmen working on the pitch agreed. Onwards & still exclusively on bike lanes which continued for around 25 miles from the hostel. Stopped at a World War 1 fort. Not sure how Denmark figured in that - guessing Germany had designs on invading but the info was exclusively in Danish so we'll never know. There was a school trip with the kids running around playing - which didn't quite fit with the place but I can imagine it was a fun place to play in.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
Doing a 'John'
June 2, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Got back somewhat sweaty but was pleased to find a bottom bunk had become available. Decamped & spread out. Took a while to cool down. Mapped out a route to take in a few more offbeat destinations a little further out - the Christiana region was a hippy enclave but for the most part has been somewhat gentrified - we'll see. Also wanted to see Coppenhill - a incinerator that has the added feature of being an artificial ski slope. You can hike to the top and get great views of the city. Up & down a few times due to forgotten bits and pieces. A sign of things to come. Managed to take in a couple of parts of Christiana that seemed to suggest what it might have been. Some nice little tracks and waterside spots though. Off skiing - well not but the ski slope. Was half expecting them to charge to go up. Guess the thirsty captive market at the rooftop cafe paid for itself & then some. A 100m climb later, somewhat sweaty & enjoying the views - could see the bridge linking Denmark to Sweden. All very nice. The casual stroll back down became rather more urgent when I began to ponder what on earth had become of my satnav - remembered taking it off & putting it on the rack while I sorted out. Then a blank but it wasn't in my pockets. Very black feeling - putting the Danish honesty to the test so soon. Initial sightings of my bike were inconclusive - damn my shit eyes. Thankfully the Danes can be trusted - satnav sat exactly where I left it. Phew - the cycle can continue. Pushed onto the beach, along with half of Copenhagen it would seem, though no congestion carnage here, just loads of bikes. Admittedly the bike parks were very full and as for the beach - no swim just a punnet of strawberries in a shady quiet spot away from the noise.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
The cruise curse
June 2, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Some sleep was achieved despite seemingly endless party buses, police sirens and mammoth firework displays. Stoked up with distinctly Danish breakie Chia pudding with rhubarb was the second & third portion option. Pretty decent spread for a hostel. Morning walk and then an afternoon cycle loosener. Found a walking tour route in a guide book - took a photo & transferred it to a free city map. Convoluted. About half way round took a little detour to the Round Tower - a recommended viewpoint with very few steps - just a gradual slope. Opened at 10 & panicked that with being a church offshoot they might not take cards. No-one queuing so off to find a cashie. Found one but was going to charge an admin. No way - take my chances. By the time I was back the queue had formed - rats. No matter - quick moving and of course the church takes cards - any way they can get money. Great views and despite the queue not horrendously busy - extra bits & pieces on the way up thinned the crowd. Headed to the canals and Nyhavn - getting tourist central - quaint harbour with colourful fronted houses. Very busy - tour parties billowing out onto the road so cars & bikes were swerving to avoid them. Still very pretty and some superb ice cream. Final planned stop - the little mermaid. Very warm walk with no shade. A couple of nice little parks helped. What didn't help were the 2 cruise liners docked just a stone's throw from it. Absolute mayhem. It was a battle just to get a clear view of her without the hoardes trying to get selfies etc. Quick photo and a sharp exit. Very warm so thought about getting the water bus back but tickets had to be done online - couldn't figure it out along with some geriatric Italians - not aging well.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
A happy pilot
June 1, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
The small matter of getting to the start point - Copenhagen. Direct flights existed from Manchester but prohibitively expensive charges for bikes and Lufthansa's previously relaxed approach meant a trip via Frankfurt. 'Taxi Driver' ... Liz had an important zoom meeting so an early drop off was the option. Meant the bike was dropped off and security negotiated with surprising ease. Did an uber session of Spanish which really should've been German. Relying on CSE grade 2 from 30 years ago. Could be patchy. Dawned that with boarding passes being on my phone the battery had to be preserved - chewing up 25% on Spanish wasn't the smartest move. Not packing the right cable for the power bank even more so. Settled for some eye resting on the first leg. Frankfurt airport is massive. Must've taxied for 10 mins and then had a 20 min trek to the terminal. Chilled for a while - discovered the right cable so chilled a bit more. Sarnies and a catch up with Liz before the next leg. Not the most German approach to boarding - opened the gates before the door to the plane was ready - cue panicked boarding manager and quite a queue. On board the pilot forgot to give the English welcome - much apologising. Despite that, boarding was ahead of schedule much to the pilots pleasure. Able to redeem himself with an early departure, depending on the length of the taxiing - might taxi to Copenhagen. Then to the small matter of bike reassembly. A lot of back & forth trying to figure out where my bike would appear but thankfully it did - a couple of chunks missing from the box - concerned - what bits could have dropped out. No need to worry - all went together fairly easily & on my way by 8ish. 5 miles to the hostel - all cycle lane. Past a huge bike park at the airport and no less than 10 bike shops in that short distance. Hostel was rammed - full of school party sports teams - a couple of lads weren't too impressed with my Liverpool t-shirt claiming utd and chelski were better - not the sharpest it would seem. Quick shower & sort out. Little bit of an explore. Sat outside the fine art gallery eating snacks - as close to culture as is likely for me. Saturday night is a bit lively lots of party buses roaming the streets. Not for me...Read more
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World Cycle Champs Trip John Bickerstaff
Craster's full.
August 8, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
The plan was to spend the day taking in some of Northumberland's highlights and then head off late afternoon. Started by heading up to Bamburgh, the most northerly point and then work our way down and at the same time make our way closer to home. Didn't quite work out like that. Made it to Bamburgh, as planned though the car parking should've raised alarm bells. The main car park being full was put down to the bizarre decision made to devote half of it to camper vans. No worries - managed to find a verge within walking distance. Compared fish & chips prices on the way down and it would seem £14 is the going rate. Lots of other quirky shops - the one that caught attention was the butcher, baker & sausage roll maker - an eclectic shop window of pasties, pies, cakes married with a whole counter of meat products. Very random. Wandered down to the beach and braved a paddle - this is the North Sea that was expected - icy cold. Pondered having a look round the castle but a combination of entrance fee and imminent lunch dissuaded. Didn't want to be a captive audience and hungry. Decided to push on to Craster for some crab sarnies but just in case picked up some cake and pasties. On getting back to the car, inspected it as there was a dodgy noise when coming into Bamburgh. Front tyres looked a bit soft so headed to Craster, hoping to find a petrol station. There was one in Seahouses along with an infinite number of chippies. The air pump was out of order. Have to wait till Alnwick. While Bamburgh was busy, that was put down to a combination of beach and castle. Surely Craster wouldn't be as bad. We'd never really experienced busy Northumberland. Got to the Quarry car park to discover queuing cars - not having this. Headed back to Alnwick for air and made a sharp exit.Read more
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World Cycle Champs Trip John Bickerstaff
Book Nirvana.
August 7, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
A reasonable weather forecast - there's a first. Couldn't stomach shelling out for breakie but wasn't sure what cafe facilities were at the local supermarket. Google suggested there was a cafe - turns out it was a coffee machine. Picked up some bits & pieces and back to the room. The day was all about Alnwick - primarily visiting Barter Books, a mammoth second hand book shop. Book Nirvana for Liz, not so much for me. For a good chunk of time the wife went missing - couldn't find her anywhere. Unsurprisingly book purchases were made. Had a little explore of the town - lots of estate agents and quite a few gilet wearing toffs. Ended up down by the river - peace and quiet. Nice views of the castle though a bright red new build didn't help. Google suggested that a riverside walk would come out at a bridge further down and lead to Alnwick Gardens and food options. To trust Google or not. We did and took a while to see the bridge but it was there as was a rain shower. Unfortunately a large chunk of all the tourists in the area had the same idea - mostly heading for the goblin themed play area. Cafe had measley options left - basically cheese and ham toasty. Decided to head back to the book store cafe but both of those had half hour + waits. Ended up back at Sainsbury's and a cheese & ham sarnie. Afternoon break and since the sun was out we went to the local beach at Alnmouth. Pretty little village and a vast expanse of sand. Walk along the beach and a paddle in the North Sea - not as fearsomely cold as expected. Managed to dodge the grim looking clouds.Read more
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World Cycle Champs Trip John Bickerstaff
Bonus material.
August 6, 2023 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Quick Canadian breakie before dashing down the hill to catch a bonus 2nd dose of Championship cycling. The hotel was a couple of miles away from the Men's road race route so it would've been rude not to. Sussed a spec that may have been where the peleton could slow down a bit. As for where to park - that was another question. As it happened it was fairly quiet - just a few bike geeks so parked up easily and ambled down. On arrival there were a few more curious locals. Took our places and waited - endless police bikes wandered past taking their healthy overtime. Watched the role out in Edinburgh on the phone and kept up with the race until they hit the bridge. In no time the cavalcade was upon us. Thinking a roundabout would slow them - pah. Blink & you'd miss them though Pog was spotted. Stopped off at North Queensferry to get some nice views of the bridges. Nice peaceful place despite having 2 motorways and a mainline rail route above. Lots of history plaques to read up on the place - interesting. Back to the car and headed for Leith - a coastal / port district of Edinburgh. Possible walk or tram into town to head up Arthur's Seat. Parked up at the Ocean Gateway, final mooring of Britannia. Thoughts of having a little look at it were obstructed at every angle. Window views were occupied by restaurants. The second floor was entirely occupied by the Britannia experience priced at £20 - we've paid for it once, shouldn't have to pay again. Tried to go round the side of the building and barriered off both sides. Had to get a view through a fence & saw a warning sign claiming that this was against the law. Hmmm. Wandered into Leith for some lunch rather than Edinburgh cheaper & easier to push on to Alnwick. Lots of little left field shops and cafes. Also some very dodgy looking tower blocks. Even had a bit of sunshine on Leith in the words of the classics - well the Proclaimers. Alnwick was a little closer by virtue of this stop off - 90 mins, a spectacular coastal route and a sunny afternoon. All good. Understated England border sign was almost missed and Berwick was bypassed. Hotel on the outskirts and apologies for not having any kitchen staff. Short walk to a local pub in the sunshine worked better than a Premier Inn pizza - no apologies needed.Read more
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World Cycle Champs Trip John Bickerstaff
God it's busy.
August 5, 2023 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
A challenging arrival meant a laid back plan for the day. Two key things on the agenda - take a trip to Edinburgh and take a nostalgia trip spiritually back to Canada in the form of breakfast at Tim Horton's - doughnut emporium extraordinaire. We liked them & they've branched out to the UK, including Dunfermline. And the breakfast was every bit as good (tasty) and bad (unhealthy) as remembered. Quick sort & off to Edinburgh. Rather than drive the Park & ride was close at hand and meant not getting caught in the traffic. Originally thought it'd save on tolls across the Forth Bridge but there haven't been tolls in the last 10 years. Finger on the pulse. Still it seemed like a good idea. Parked up, got tickets & headed to bay 3. First bus in was full standing room only. Not keen for a 40 min trip. Bus driver said there'd be another in a couple of minutes. There was - full - completely as was the next & the next. Not impressed. The queue was growing as was the level of chunnering. After 30 mins of full buses we finally got a break - just happened to be a bit of crocked bus - crawled up the hills. Still got a good view of the 3 bridges and made it into Edinburgh while the heavens opened. Pondered moves in the bus depot. Opted for the Scottish Museum along with what seemed like half of the population. Some interesting bits & pieces, very impressive space and some great views from the roof. Tried to take in the Royal Mile but a combination of performers, tourists & Saturday shoppers made it unbearable. Adjourned to Princes Gardens - much better. Decided to try Arthur's Seat tomorrow - too risky today - the rain had largely been avoided. Not sure that would stick. Equally with the festival just starting the level of busy wasn't going to diminish any time soon, so a little more wandering and then back to the bus to plan how to catch the road race tomorrow.Read more
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World Cycle Champs Trip John Bickerstaff
#The power of bike.
August 4, 2023 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Opted for a Morrison's breakie rather than the over-priced hotel one and it sufficed. Onwards to the complex travel arrangements. Since there was no parking available at the velodrome it was a case of city centre or chance your arm that there'd be something nearby. Memories of the area around Celtic Park, for that was where the venue was, were not good. Wasteland would be a good take. City centre parking it was. Apparently a Low Emission Zone had just taken effect. Add to that, that there were numerous road closures for the road cycling and it could be fun. Thankfully, Google did it's job, for once and we were treated at the car park with a massive mural of The Big Yin. Wandered up to the fan zone & realised why the roads were closed as the road cyclists zipped around the city centre loop training for the road race on Sunday. Spent some time trying to spot Wout & Pog. No joy and there were definitely some that weren't competing - definite excess baggage. The fan zone itself was a mix of corporate sponsors, dodgy Scottish pie stalls, and Gaelic (not garlic) music. Got to see Mathieu Van De Pole's cycling shoes - does it get any better than that? Had some lunch - opted against the deep fried mars bar - went for some pretty decent fast food Chinese. Had a wander along the Clyde, again spotting various competitors cycling back to their hotels. Back to the car to sort out & then hopped a train out to velodrome. Stressing about being late - a 5 min train journey & ridiculously early. Had a little wander around Celtic Park and returned to find a massive queue. Gates opened at 4.30 & things moved pretty quickly. Had to tip away all the water in our bottles & were assured there were plenty of options inside for refilling. Unsurprisingly there were not. Eventually filled up and settled down in our specs, right on the finish line in the back straight. Very happy. Not so keen on the heat - apparently somewhere between 28° & 30° The queues for food & drink didn't persuade so just enjoyed the cycling. And there was plenty to enjoy. Particularly liked the pursuits & the tandem racing was epic. The speed they went at was impressive as was the rumbling sound when the peleton flashed by. There were a number of British winners. The final sprint team race of the night, though was super close and exciting - the Dutch team pulling it out of the bag in what must have been the last 100 metres. Great fun. Escaped via the fire exit and an easy train back to the city. Getting to the hotel, not so easy. In my wisdom, Google is set up to avoid toll roads. The easy route to the hotel is over the Forth Road Bridge - a toll road. Ended up on a convoluted route of obscure Scottish motorways to the free Kincardine Bridge.Read more
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World Cycle Champs Trip John Bickerstaff
Berry nice.
August 3, 2023 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 18 °C
The world cycling championships on the doorstep - had to be done didn't it? Glasgow, however, isn't quite as close as first seems. Stopped at Tebay services & couldn't resist punnets of locally sourced berries. Sat out in the sunshine eating them & our sarnies from home. The rest of the journey seemed to drag but at least the motorways were quiet. Checked in at the pub but the room was in a separate building. Curious. Settled in and then headed to the coast for a walk - sunny afternoon and could be the best of the weather while away so strike while the iron's hot. Headed to Ardrossan's South Beach & some free parking. Nice walk along the beach & prom along with all of a handful of other people. A little quieter than Cornwall. Watched the ferry to Arran arriving and enjoyed the talking wall - various people's impressions of the beach and the area immortalised on plaques in the sea wall. The temperature of the sea was a common theme.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Inside knowledge.
August 1, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Kind of hoped that everything that could have gone wrong did yesterday. Trip cancelled, bike struggling & bike shops not able to help. The big concern was a taxi turning up and taking one look at the bike bag and scarpering. In fairness the hotel had been made aware & had repeatedly maintained that all was well. Until the bike was at Budapest airport, then all was not well and as a consequence sleep eluded me. Went for a final stroll along the Danube and things seemed quiet enough. Had a little check on Google to see the expected travel time and it said 30 mins of traffic jams. Now obviously Google hasn't covered itself in glory this trip but concern set in, despite giving a ridiculously early arrival time. Decided to decamp to the reception so when the taxi got in it was a quick turnaround. In fairness he was 20 mins early and he had an estate car - back seats down and we were away. Very chatty - interested in what I had done, very keen to talk about Liverpool's new Hungarian signing - level headed and brought up the right way. All sounds good but in a country that votes for a right wing egotistical nut job I'll take it with a little pinch of salt. Still it was interesting to hear his take & we got to the airport in the 40 he said rather than the 90 Google said. Quick rearrangement of luggage as the carry on could be checked in for free - so lighten the bike bag - just in case. Told to leave it by a door & someone would take care of it. Sounded a bit dubious but what choice was there. Settled down to wait for the almost inevitable delay - 30 mins late but that only eats into the 3 hour layover in Frankfurt and emergency exit seats on both flights so things are ok. Oh and in the space 40 minutes we've flown the route that was cycled in 8 days.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Chimney cakes.
July 31, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Got back to discover the Sunset stand up boarding tour along the Danube I'd booked had been cancelled. They claimed due to the weather - the sunny forecast suggested otherwise. Decided to go to the local thermal baths - something that Budapest is famous for. Little bit of a walk but it might de-stress. Very slick operation though the rules took a bit of following. Had to get a swimming hat, had to shower before & after, had to have some slippers. Think the last one got lost in translation - flip flops or sandals. Anyway, it's probably one if the most ornate places I've swam in. The main pools were cool but the thermal pools were nice & toasty - could've easily dozed off. Chopped and changed between pools. Nice to finally get a swim in this holiday. Eventually succumbed to reality & headed out. Across the river was the famous market hall. Had a little wander & couldn't resist trying the chimney cake - kind of like a coiled doughnut but less greasy. Very nice. Then back to pack...Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Creaking bike.
July 31, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
The original plan had been to visit Momento Park - a collection of Soviet relics - on the way in from Tatabanya but the copious rainfall had put paid to that. However the suspect noises being produced by my poor battered bike had steadily got worse over the day & it seemed prudent to see how it coped with the distance needed to get to the airport. Cut to the chase - it wasn't happy - the rear bearings sounded bad after just a couple of miles. Thinking to be done. Got to the park to find it opened at 10. Half an hour of thinking time. Found a well reviewed bike mechanic on the route back. Pop in & see what they say. The park eventually opened & they were definitely going for the Soviet memorabilia. Interesting take on displaying rather than destroying. Particularly liked the Trabbie - they must've been grim though. Apparently you had to put a deposit down of half the cost and you'd wait between 8 - 10 years for delivery. Made out of cotton waste and resin - the world's first recycled vehicle (ish) Back to base via the bike shop and the first slot available was 20th August - not much use. He was very apologetic. More thinking to do and a bit of chatting with the old man. Opted for a taxi to the airport.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Marriage photo mayhem.
July 31, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Agonised, the previous night, over when to go up to the Fisherman's Bastion. When would the sun be in the best place, when would it be quietest, when would the queues for the funicular be the most humane. Didn't really decide but did read that before 9 they didn't charge & really early it can be quite quiet - like sunrise early - big ask but I was awake at 5. Free & quiet were big selling points. Could be up and back in time for breakie. The decision was made. In addition it was pleasantly cool. Lots of steps up though but the views were stunning, that's if you could get to them through the raft of wedding photos going on. Couldn't quite get my head round it. Was it before the wedding - if so I presume they don't subscribe to the unlucky seeing the bride thing. If they do then it must be after & by that token at 6 it is well after. Anyway probably photo bombed a few. The top levels were free at this time but on going up an irate restauranteur gave 10 tonnes - gave a little back but neither really understood. Moved onto the other top tier where he couldn't see. Again had to put up with Oriental photo perfection but at least there was only 1 couple rather than multiple. Back down for breakie.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Dry at last.
July 30, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Took quite a bit of cleaning - particularly the legs. Clearly not the cleanest of roads. Fair bit of chilling while eating lunch then boredom took hold. The weather had cleared - it was dry so out & about. Simple walk along the Danube to admire the Parliament building that was modelled on the UK version. Figured I'd go down to the crooked bridge then come back. Unfortunately it ballooned somewhat - the bridge back - the chain bridge was closed to pedestrians so it became a bit longer and the sun was out so also a bit hotter. Good to get a handle on the distances and where things are. Saw the memorial to those killed by the Nazis in the war. Apparently they were lined up on the bank, told to take their shoes off and shot. Quite a striking monument. Got back and needed some cooling off time then back out for tea. Thai - had to be. On the way back took in sunset on the Liberty Bridge.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Some you win, some you lose.
July 30, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ 🌧 21 °C
Relatively lazy start to the day. Breakie was at 8 and the cycle could be anywhere from 36 - 55 miles depending on the weather and the forecasts were not promising. Checked out & almost got away without paying. She came dashing out after me. Not that it was that pricey. It was at that point the rain came. Sheltered for a while but at some point it was a grin and bear it situation because there was no imminent prospect of better. A matter minutes and I was soaked. A matter of a couple of miles and a pot hole and the first puncture of the trip. Some vague shelter under a tree and some road side bike servicing I claimed to enjoy - pah! Was a swift replacement inner tube job except when back on the road there was a regular thud. Checked that no spokes had gone - the wheel was still true(ish) - think the pothole buckled the other way and it was both annoying and concerning. Nothing to be done though, other than worry. Pushed onto to the solitary stop - the Pancho Arena - one of the most unique football stadiums in the world, built for a 3rd tier (at best) team. It just happens to be the president's home town - I'm saying nothing more... A bit further than expected but in a village a stadium kind of stands out. Followed signs for home and away fans & no-one was at the gate so just sailed through. Started the usual circumnavigation of the stadium and as luck would have it, there was a gate open. Parked up and had a little explore. A lady went through at the same time & said nothing. A couple of other people were around and equally ignored me. Carried on to the front, quite unique. Took in the statue of Puskas and the private parking spot of the president right by the VIP entrance. Carried on round to where I was planning to come in and was roundly shooed out and away as was a Swiss guy I got chatting to. The guard wasn't for tourists taking photos. Told him there wasn't a guard at the other entrance & wished him luck. Clearly luck evens out, not that the rain stopped, nor the thumping from the wheel. Ah well. Classic rolling terrain and rain - all felt very British and mad drivers getting way too close. On the last climb into Budapest, some old guy greeted me at the summit with a round of applause. Wouldn't get that in the UK. Downhill to the hotel and dryness.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
A strange Hungarian version of St Helens
July 29, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ 🌙 22 °C
Post ice cream, it was back over the border to Hungary and the bike lanes continued though in places they were labelled as tractor / horse and cart lanes - no matter at least the mad drivers weren't my concern. Getting across the numerous level crossings however was - lethal. Next stop was the lakeside resort of Tata - lunch stop and with only 10 to go. Settled down in a shady spot by the lake, watched the comings & goings both on the lake and lakeside. Very pretty - also quite busy. From here Tatabanya was signposted but strangely it was unclear when it began. Before getting to the hotel I went through various districts (ish) and none seemed central. Lots of Soviet looking tower blocks then in a stone's throw you seemed to be back in the sticks. Just down the hill from the hotel were three supermarkets all next to one another & nothing else. That is apart from the athletics stadium the hotel overlooked and the mining museum round the corner from Aldi. Clearly it was formerly a mining town but felt more like lots of little towns. On arrival the provincial theme continued - Not a word of English & she wasn't keen on Google's attempts either. At the moment Google isn't doing so well for me. In fairness she hunted down the AIRCON remote for me. Once cooled down, decided to have a little look at the mining museum. Unsurprisingly no-one spoke English though one of the other people visiting suggested she'd translate the tour guide. Didn't think that was fair on her so photographed the map & key and mooched on my own. Interesting window on life in Soviet times. Back to the hotel & thunder was rumbling as was an athletics meet. As the heavens opened I sat on the balcony watching the athletes compete in the rain. Decided to opt out of walking to the rather distant restaurants that might or might not be open according to Google. Lidl was definitely open and close enough.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Hopping over the border.
July 29, 2023 in Slovakia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
An alfresco breakie for once this trip and not a bad spec either in the hotel courtyard. Once packed, had a little mooch around Gyor then headed off. Wasn't long before the cycle lanes began & this time we weren't talking a mess of gravel. The surface was superb and didn't peter out. Negotiated some industrial stuff and then it was into the rural heartland. For a while the route followed a little river and this is more, albeit naively, what I expected from the Danube Way. Crossing back and forth, fields filled with different crops and exploring little villages. Made it to the first main stop - just under half way by about 10ish. Good going. A 1900's ish fort, which according to Google was closed. On arrival (just in case) the greeting was soldiers being shouted at (or was it me?) Bit uneasy. Saw some people walk past them and be ignored so it looked like it was open. Well done Google again. Had an interesting little explore, watching the people play at being soldiers and yet another view of the Danube. Onwards & back across the border to Slovakia again to Europa Court - a plaza modelled on the architectural styles of each European country. Had an ice cream and enjoyed the mist spray coolers.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Hungry in Hungary
July 28, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Surprised to see drab, grey skys. At least the most was made of the sunshine yesterday. Bizarre mixture of things for breakfast & no rolls to cadge for lunch. Still, a relatively early start. Across the tram and bike bridge which had seated quiet areas half way across & when you think about it as bridges go it is relatively quiet. Even had a guy doing some painting. Once off the bridge the cycle lanes were hit & miss. When resorting to the road, again the shoulder was erratic in quantity to the point where4 there was none & the verge was used. Relieved to hit the cycle route. First stop - Gerulata Roman fort. Got there to find it closed. In fairness it did look a little underwhelming. Pushed on towards the Danubiana Modern Art Museum. Not really my thing but the surroundings looked nice. On arrival, again it looked closed but thankfully not. Decided to bite the bullet and ignore the jazz music being piped in. From the roof you got a sense of it almost being an island & it was quite tranquil. A lot of the stuff was a bit pretentious but it was a nice walk / break from cycling. There were some sun loungers down by the river which helped the relaxation. And I learned something - Andy Warhol was of Slovak heritage - his birth name was Warhola, with both his parents being from Slovakia. Only about 10 miles down 40 to go and the vast majority was straight as a die along the Danube. Sounds idyllic - cycling along the river but it became a little tedious. Little things became the focus - watching the swifts dancing around catching insects. The grasshoppers jumping out of my way. Pings as they hit the spokes & thuds if it was the panniers. One landed on the handlebars - realised its mistake and scarpered. Ended up racing one of the barges & made it to the lock complex 1st. Watched it go through, which was interesting. All this & not a shop in sight. Definitely hungry & thirsty. Google suggested a shop just off the route - assured it was open. It was not. Pushed on over the border & was given the choice - motorway or shitty gravel track. Given how much of a bully boy the police looked at the border, gravel was chosen. Amazed at no puncture & still no shop. First shop located with 7 miles to go. The shop keeper recounting a Queen song to me - happy soul - the shop itself seemed a little forlorn. Pop and chocolate to get me through. Priority on arriving in Gyor was rehydration salts. Not enough drink & too much sweating.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Brilliant Bratislava.
July 27, 2023 in Slovakia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Just the small matter of 7 miles to Bratislava. Checked in and located my 'pod' - a more secluded version of a dorm - there are 10 pods in the room but you wouldn't know it. Cleaned up & off to explore. Headed down to the UFO observation deck, so called because it looks like a UFO. Ambled through the old town taking in the Cumil statue in honour of the country's sewage workers. Lots of shady green spaces and pedestrian areas - all very civilised. No queue at all for the observation deck which was good. Cursed not taking my glasses but still some stunning views. Back down and thoughts of tea. Further down the river had been recommended as a possible area & what do you know - there was a Wagamama. Nice stroll along the river, past the 'beach' Noodles by the river & in the sun. Happy days. Took a different route back taking in the inverted pyramid that is the Slovak Radio building and the water based madness that is freedom square. All in all, really like Bratislava - very walkable and pretty place.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
The Iron Curtain
July 27, 2023 in Slovakia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
Curiously, I entered Austria on a cycle bridge and left that way as well. On this occasion, the Freedom Cycle bridge, had been talked about for decades but only enacted in 2012. The original route missed this and Devin Castle out. Would've been a mistake. Ummed and ahhed about paying to go in. But the views from the higher castle were stunning - all with the backdrop of the Danube. Caught a glimpse of the bridge with the help of a telescope - too many trees around it. Around here, there were a number of memorials to those who lost their lives trying to get across the border during communist rule. The heart of Europe monument was made with barbed wire from the fences. Had a late lunch watching the epically big cruisers battle against the current of the Danube.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Korean camera carnage.
July 27, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Route had been adjusted to try and have a bit of a mooch around Vienna, without fearing for a soaking. For once the weather played ball. Just the small matter of figuring out Vienna's bike lane setup. They can be superb, vanish, allow you to go down 1 way roads but not always. They can be pavement, sometimes indicated but again not always. And as for the cobbles and tram lines - the devil has a hand in those bastard inventions. Took in the ornate roof of St Stephan's Cathedral - didn't climb but have many moons ago. Up the hill to Belvedere Palace - scooted round the parks - v posh. As for the Koreans taking endless photos with endless poses - not impressed. As it happened the SATNAV on the way out took a route past the Rapid Vienna stadium. The vast number of lorries suggested something was happening. The characters queuing suggested it wasn't something to my taste - Rammstein as it turned out. Again, a gate open, but guarded this time. Chanced my arm and the bloke was wavering but the women with him jumped in with a flat no. Nothing lost, though it would've been interesting to see. Now to getting across the Danube - and the spiral access to the bridge was great fun on the way down. All a slow start to the day in terms of distance. Flat market farming land, a tailwind, well maintained road & little to distract meant the next 20 miles rattled along very quickly. A final Austrian bus stop break and a final Austrian palace. Then the small matter of the border.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Soaked again.
July 26, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Ominous sounds of rainfall were heard throughout the night so it was with some trepidation the curtains were drawn. Damp but not raining. Breakfast, grabbed bike & paid. Back down to the Danube for what was the basis of the next 3 or so days cycling - should be flat. Looked like there was a tailwind into the bargain. Quickly into my stride but all that came to a grinding halt - there was a guy squatted by his bike hammering away with what turned out to be a stone. Stopped & offered help. Darius was on a 4 month cycle without any tools. I hid my horror (I think) and offered the use of my sparse kit. We botched it up but his front carrier needed refitting. We chatted away trying to ignore the annoying noise and he made a sharp exit at the next town hoping for a bike shop. Ambled away for a little while further - saw a huge carp jump out the water. Crossed one of the many hydro-electric damns and spotted a nearby pier to try and get a better view - not chained off. Just as I left a family approached - the little lad instantly wanted to wander over seeing that I had - parents didn't look keen. Big kid... Flat with a tailwind meant the miles rattled off and was only disturbed by some uber professional cyclists zooming past me then slowing up. All matching gear no idea. Just before stopping for lunch, coming off the main path a deer darted in front of me - not sure who was more shocked. Lunch was with around 12 to go. Settled down by a lake just as a game old lady was heading in for a dip. Looked cold - she maintained not. She was impressed by the idea of cycling from Prague to Budapest - I maintained it wasn't so much. Pondered climbing upto the nearby castle but apparently it was closed and you couldn't get to see the impressive views. Saved me a climb I guess. Approaching Vienna and the first spots of rain were felt. Managed to shelter under an underpass. Was I going to be lucky - nope. Managed to get a bit lost & while trying to decipher the SATNAV the heavens opened. Absolutely drenched before I could even look for a bus stop. Glad to get to the hostel to dry out. Early tea at the hostel and then chanced my arm going back out to the big wheel. Be rude not to. Thought about heading to one of the palaces after but felt a few spots so dashed back. As it happened it didn't rain.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
The glorious bus stops of Lower Austria
July 25, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Throughout the night it was forecast for thunderstorms. Nothing materialised and all was dry when I woke up. Decided to make a quick dash into town to make use of the bike service zone. If nothing else a full on foot pump should do wonders for my tyres. Managed to get back in the dry. Every little helps. Epic breakie negotiated, decided to push on ASAP only to encounter roadwork issues. Tried translating the warning sign & Google wasn't exactly crystal clear. Asked a passing old lady & she seemed to suggest it was ok. Again, something might have got lost in translation. It was ok if cycling on a gravel road is your thing - I've cycled on worse ... in the the last 24 hours. By now the first few spots were falling and it wasn't long before I'd be sampling the first of many bus stops in my magical mystery tour of the bus stops of Lower Austria. This was merely an overhang from a workshop - poor. Eventually eased & I made it to Zwettl - next bus stop. More lengthy, functional and view of a tyre workshop. By now the rain was pretty grim and the forecasts were equally grim. So after about 30 mins of waiting & hoping I bowed to the inevitable soaking. What was decided was that the long route was binned off. Unfortunately the climb count went up. Couple of climbs in, soaked and hungry, another bus stop - flowers, view and even a phone - proper job... Lots of rolling stuff and eventually the rain did subside. All that was left to decide was steep b road or more shallow a road with manic drivers. Ended up mixing it up. Final climb 8 miles from home - downhill all the way, except there was a bit of a cock-up. In changing the route I hadn't checked the final destination & it took me to the hotel I'd originally planned to stay at - the opposite side of town. Got a sinking feeling when signs advertising it appeared. Never mind, the sun was out. Checked in - big room, cooking facilities and stiflingly hot. Borrowed receptions fan. Washed myself and clothes then off to explore. Down to the Danube. On the way passed an Aldi & had a brainwave - cook some pasta - easy. Had a short walk along the river and then picked some bits for tea. Should've thought. Got back & not a single bit of kit & the microwave wasn't working. Fuming. Went out to find reception was closed. What to do. Quick dash back to Aldi to pick up a cheap baking tray. Had a short cycle a bit further towards where the route should have come into Krems. Then back for some bodged pasta. Wasn't bad.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Endless trees & carp lakes.
July 24, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Early start - no breakie binge, just a couple of pastries. Nice easy start as well - down to the river & then along for a few miles. Then hit the dreaded E55 - the busy road endured yesterday. Managed a couple of cut throughs. Rain loomed & took a break at a bus stop. Old lady actually waiting for a bus looked on suspiciously or just in confusion. Pushed on but took shelter in Lidl. Stocked up - not making that mistake again. No climbs listed today and progress was good, if a little busy. Made it to Trebon, after negotiating a veritable maze of carp ponds & lakes. Primarily feeding this areas Chrimbo feast where live carp are bought & kept in the bath tub until the day. An early lunch in Trebon by one of the said carp lakes. It was shortly after Trebon that the route became a little tougher. There'd been a mile or so of gravel shortly before Trebon & the SATNAV had indicated 95% of the route was on sealed routes. Assumed the rest now would be straightforward. Indicted route had concrete slabs so strictly speaking it was sealed but boy was it rough - big gaps between, uneven levels & hefty pot holes. No traffic though, apart from mountain bikers - hmmm. Got to take the rough with the smooth. Had little choice - this seemed the only route through this seemingly endless forest. Ended up going with the gravel in the middle. Heard a few woodpeckers but saw nothing - eyes were trained on what was ahead and avoiding pot holes. Eventually tarmac was rediscovered. Add to that the wind was behind me and the miles were rattled off. Ended hitting Gmünd at around 3ish & the most unobtrusive border crossing ever. Rickety footbridge & a little sign at the edge of a park. Cycle out to the hotel suggested Gmünd was nothing more than an industrial border town & the hotel was based in service station - nice. Once washed, wandered into town & it had a little more to it than first appeared.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Wooded, shady goodness.
July 23, 2023 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
Proper fill up at breakie and then onto the serious stuff - getting out of Prague. Initial SATNAV message to start off informed of 14 climbs for the day. Nice to know. So lots of climbing & in Prague lots of traffic lights - slow progress. All went by fairly uneventfully - stopped at a couple of supermarkets - sponge their WiFi & try and gauge lunch stops, which works if Google can estimate the route. It did not. Still picked up some cereal bars & bananas. Stopped at Konopiste Castle, 25 miles in. Nice place - bugger to get a photo of - too many trees. Not that the forested nature of Czechia is bad. With high 20's and lots of climbing the shade from the trees and the wind were helping. From the castle there was a good 10 miles of really busy road - relief to get off but hillier off it. Also no towns or villages to speak of so lunch was likely to be cereal bars and bananas. Water was the problem. Resorted to chancing a hand pump. In haste the output wasn't checked & when eventually needed, it was a little metallic in taste. Back on the main road & almost on the motorway - quick u-turn. Took in a petrol station for sustenance & the water tipped out looked decidedly brown. Hoping it was rust. We'll see how that affects me. Mostly downhill to Tabor. Hostel found easily - warden not so much. Buzzer & phone call both seemed unsuccessful but eventually she rocked up. Cleaned up & explored the old town - v pretty.Read more
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