Four Months to Go
April 26 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Three years ago I had the privilege of being part of a group of Ghostriders exploring the Nivernais Canal from Decize to Joigny. We had already completed a challenging ride around the Five Countries, a bike and barge tour along the Moselle, a ride along the upper Danube from Donaueschingen to Ulm and finally a ride around Lake Constance.
The ride along the Nivernais was something of an afterthought. None of us knew anything about this route, other than the fact that it was well off the so called "beaten track". It turned out to an absolute highlight and was a very welcome change after the much busier routes we had followed earlier.
After our 2024 ride along the Elbe and Danube from Hamburg to Vienna, I looked for another epic ride to follow it up with. Since this ride would almost certainly be our last extended ride in Europe, I wanted it to be truly memorable. I had already ridden the Loire from Nevers to Le Croisic in 2013, 2015 and 2019, so I already knew how special that ride was, however I wanted to add something extra as a prologue to the main event. When I studied the map, I made the discovery that Decize was actually only a day's ride from Nevers. That meant that it would be easily possible to combine a ride along the Nivernais with a ride along the Loire. Each of these rides could be undertaken separately, or combined together to make an unforgettable journey across the centre of France.
Many months were then spent planning the itinerary and seeking out a local partner who could handle the complex logistics for us. At times It looked like the plan really was going to be a "bridge too far", however eventually all the pieces came together and I was able to announce that yet another cycling adventure was available to anyone who wanted to share it with me.
It is customary to choose a name for every adventure, and this one was no exception. In fact I came up with, not one, but two names. The first section (The Prologue) from Joigny to Nevers would be called The French Connection, while the main ride along the Loire from Nevers to Le Croisic would be called The Nevers Again. This name was a play on the fact that we would be returning to Nevers, and also that it would be our final long distance ride in Europe.
When I released the plans to the group, all the places were quickly filled. In fact, we formed three groups, all of whom would be following the same itinerary, but starting two days apart,
Now that we only have four months to go till we finally get underway, the long period of planning is almost over, although the past two months have thrown us a few unexpected challenges, as I will explain in the next footprint.Read more
Bumps in the Road
May 12 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
After putting together almost 60 previous Ghostrider overseas adventures, I have learnt one thing - that it isn't over till it's over.
It seems that just when you think that all the little ducks are finally all lined up, then we are thrown some sort of a late curveball. In the past this has taken all sorts of forms. Sometimes it is a surprise failure of a part of my body that has never given me trouble before. Sometimes it is one (or more) of our participants having a medical emergency.
Just before our 2023 European rides, one of the ladies fell over in her own shower and broke her femur. Her trip was over before it started.
On our 2024 Epic Elbe Ride, another of our riders fell over while sightseeing around Hamburg. She never even got to get on a bike. She spent the next several weeks in a hospital having surgery to repair her broken leg.
This trip has actually been almost two years in the making, and I have repeatedly instructed our participants to take care. The last thing I want is yet another, pre trip casualty.
And yet here we are, with a little over three months to go till we finally get underway, and we find that the biggest threat comes from the inept, orange faced muppet that is occupying the White House in America. For some reason his senile ego decided that it was a great time to start a war in the Middle East, thus ushering in a period of global uncertainly and fuel shortages.
While I still have no doubt that our adventure will go ahead, it has added a level of stress that we could all have done without, especially when my plane tickets remind me that I will be travelling through the very epicentre of the conflict. Who was it that once made that famous statement that "Life was not meant to be easy"?
Of course sometimes we need to be reminded that the things that cost the most (not in money, but in time and effort), bring the greatest rewards. Putting together this trip has taken almost two years of blood, sweat and tears (metaphorically at least), so I can't wait to finally reap the pleasure of seeing it all finally come to pass.
This morning I rechecked my numbers to discover that we will have a total of 38 riders, some doing multiple sections and some only doing a part of the total ride. Our riders will be divided into three subgroups, each starting two days apart but following the same itinerary. This makes for very complex logistics. In fact, it will probably be the most complicated trip I have ever put together, rivalled only by our 2016 Odyssey Ride from Bruges to Budapest. Now that was a trip to remember !
Is that a baguette I can smell?Read more
Three Months and Counting
May 25 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
The final three months before any big venture is when the action really starts to ratchet up a step. After the long time of planning and anticipation, we finally reach the point where the reality hits home.
Last weekend we conducted our final special group ride before we head off to France in August. Although it was not possible to get the entire team together, it was still exciting to see so many happily riding and chatting together about the adventure we will soon be sharing together.
For many this will be their first time in France and for many others it will be their first overseas ride with the Ghostriders. I can't wait to introduce them to my favourite country and show them just how incredible it is to cycle hundreds of kilometres along the beautiful backroads of Europe.
I think I have now reached the point where all my own personal arrangements are complete. My air tickets were purchased months ago, and I have now completed all the extra hotel bookings I will require. My transport to Melbourne Airport is booked, as is my pickup from Charles de Gaulle Airport to our hotel in Paris. We have also completed all our train bookings. The relevant booking information has all been printed and stored in my ever growing travel folder.
Based on advice from other travelers I have also taken out a WISE card and loaded it with some EURO, all ready for spending France. At the same time I purchased an eSIM for use in Europe. I even have my French phone number already.
Now that all my personal arrangements are in place, all I need is for my ageing body to hold together for a few more months, so that I can really enjoy my riding. On my previous few trips, it seems that a different physical ailment or pain manifested itself just in time to accompany me the whole time. At the moment, I am free of any evident health problems, and I really hope that it stays that way.Read more
Captain Mainwaring and the Crew
June 22 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
Back in the 1970s there was a popular TV comedy called Dad's Army. Every week we would chuckle at the inept exploits of the bumbling and pompous Captain Mainwaring and his motley assortment of geriatric Home Guard volunteers as they tried to prepare Walmington on Sea for the imminent German invasion.
Little did I know then that, fifty years later, I would find myself in the role of the doddering Captain, trying to get my floundering peloton of ageing cyclists prepared for an epic ride across France, I have been doing these sorts of rides for the past 20 years, but it seems that with every passing year, my team find new ways to injure themselves before the ride even starts.
Over the past few years we have had three women who broke their femurs, two in the shower (but not at the same time) and one on an escalator. Others have caught various illnesses, including shingles, Covid and assorted others too horrible to mention. It would appear that riding a bike is actually the safest activity we can engage in. Much more dangerous are common activities like showering, sightseeing or shopping.
Although we haven't had any broken limbs this year, we have had several "preliminary complaints", including blood clots and pulled muscles. We have even had a manic ruler in the White House who did his very best to start World War III. What else could possibly go wrong?
At least I am feeling relatively well, considering my great age. Most of my arms and legs are working, and I can still (sometimes) remember what day of the week it is. In nine weeks time I plan to be in Paris, with what's left of my cycling team. I sincerely hope we have no more dramas before that date,
I read in the news today that France is suffering an extreme heat wave. That is becoming more and more common in Europe with each passing year. They have even taken the extreme step of banning alcohol consumption in all the worst heat affected areas. They may have a hard time enforcing that one. Temperatures across much of France will be exceeding 40C today. That is pretty extreme at any time, but today is the FIRST day of the European summer ! I hope it cools down a lot by the time we arrive.Read more
One Month to Go
July 19 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
There is no doubt that the most famous multistage bike race in the world is the Tour de France. Each year in July the world's top cyclists battle it out to secure the coveted yellow jersey and the fame and fortune that goes with it.
For three long weeks the riders battle heat, head winds, mighty mountains and pouring rain, before they finally reach the finish on the streets of Paris. Although this year's Tour is only half over, the winner has almost certainly been decided already. Tadej Pogacar has demonstrated over and over that no other rider can match him when it really counts. On the steepest climbs, when all the others are hitting the proverbial "wall", Pogacar simply switches up a gear and rides away.
This year the race had special significance for those soon about to set off on our own version of the Tour. On Stage 11, the tour passed through Decize on its way to the stage end in Nevers, and then on the next stage, it started on the outskirts of Nevers and rode back through Decize for a second time. Since both of these town feature in our own tour, it was a great feeling to watch the race, knowing that we will soon be in that same area, albeit riding at a much slower pace. I wonder if we will be greeted by the same sized crowds when we arrive ? Probably not.
With only a month to go before I climb onto to the big plane that will take us on our way, I have started to get a little serious about packing. Well thinking about packing, at least. I have prepared my list and have started putting important items aside, ready to pack them into my case. I know where my passport is, and I have started buying a few Euros. This year I have even invested in a brand new Garmin Edge 1050 GPS. We have received the GPS tracks from Randovelo and these will soon be loaded in the GPS, ready for our ride. In the "old days" we had to rely on paper maps for navigation. This necessitated frequent stopping to ascertain where we were, followed by much discussion and confusion about where to head next. I have to admit that it is so much easier and better with a GPS.
And, as for the question as to who will be wearing the yellow jersey when we cross the finish line in Le Croisic, the answer is simple. We all will be !Read more
More Bumps in the Road
July 29 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
With the final countdown now down to just over three weeks, it is time to get more serious about my packing. To that end, I have now reduced one room in my home to a state of extreme disorder. Whenever I remember something that I require for my trip, I immediately collect it and add it to the ever growing pile. The rationale is that I would rather know where everything is that I need, rather than go looking for it at the last moment and then discover that it is not where I thought it was.
So where am I up to ? According to my estimates, I am probably about 90 to 95% ready. When the time gets a little closer I will have a "dummy pack" to see how everything fits into the case, and then to weight it to see what the final weight is. I am hoping for a final weight of around 17kg, but it could go a little more. I have to keep reminding myself that, for every extra kg I add, that is another kg I have to lug all over France with me.
What about the status of the others in my group ? Some weeks ago there were some serious concerns about the medical condition of a couple of other team members from Group One. At one stage I was a little concerned that I was going to make a group of just one. Fortunately those concerns have now abated, as the two doubtful starters now seemed to have made a good recovery. There will be four males in Group One of the Prologue Ride, so I think that I might christen the phrase "The Four Amigos" to describe our team.
Added to the medical concerns, we had the added uncertainly of t war in the Middle East. That would be bad at any time, but takes on a whole new degree of relevance when our flight over is planned to go right through the conflict zone. In spite of the ongoing skirmishes, daily flights are still taking place, so hopefully my trip won't come to a premature end in the Straits of Hormuz.
Added to these concerns, there is now a new challenge that has arisen. Europe has been battling the hottest summer on record, with temperatures regularly exceeding 35 and even 40C. These elevated temperatures have continued, almost continuously through the entire European summer. Unlike in Australia, where we get a few hot days, followed by a cool change, there has been no letup. Not only have the temperatures been remarkable, but this has also been accompanied by a drought which has dried up many of the major rivers. The latest addition to this unfortunate mix is widespread forest fires in France and Spain. These are so bad that the French president described them as the biggest disaster to hit their country since World War II.
At this stage the French fires are to the south of where we will be cycling, but we may be impacted by smoke and other disruptions. Travelling is always interesting and the challenges that we face are amazing ways to test our resolve and mental toughness.
This may be the last update before I head off, so it is possible that the next footprint will be posted somewhere in Paris.Read more
