The wife has just announced that I'm a pain in the backside, especially at Christmas, so she's suggested in the most polite way that I fork off for the week before Christmas to put me in a good mood.
Where can people recommend that's maybe reasonably nice (no endless sections of clart) to ride through in Europe?
Not after a big beasting or MASSIVE hills, just pleasant and maybe warmer than the UK in late December.


Anybody else want to tag a long?

Anybody else want to tag a long?

Not until you've decided where

If you don't want to be too cold, go to Crete. It can rain a bit in December (actually, it can rain a lot in December) but it will be 15-20 deg and you will pretty much have the whole island to yourself. Hundreds of miles of nice dirt trails, great views from the top of every hill, lovely people who will try to feed you if you look hungry enough, lots of nasty dogs but they are all cowards and a few rocks tends to see them off. easyJet go there for cheap.

Portugal or Malta

Let's go to Ibiza

Hmm mm. .. I'm on leave the 11th to 22nd pal and as I don't enjoy Xmas either it may put me in a better mood also

Actually, chances are that a pre-crimbo trip will likey clash with the winter bivvy which puts me out of contention ... never mind.

Back in my sailing days moving boats from Greece to Caribbean in autumn we always had the worst weather of the whole trip in the Med.
Southern Spain/Portugal would be my suggestion. Canaries and Madeira would involve big hills or for something exotic Azores or Cape Verds.
On the other hand why not embrace the spirit of the season and go and see Father Christmas by bike.

Morocco or Canaries would be on my list.

Very different obviously but settled weather in the winter and guaranteed sun.

ianfitz wrote:Morocco or Canaries would be on my list.

Very different obviously but settled weather in the winter and guaranteed sun.

Canaries aren't really big enough, im currently in Lanzarote doing some road riding and could easily cover the whole island in a couple of days, the reason I'm on a road bike? I find the mountain biking a bit rubbish over here. Just lots of Sandy dusty double track with very little variety. I like trees too much.

Lots of cheap flights to Malaga and the whole of Andalucia to play in. They even have trees

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Actually, chances are that a pre-crimbo trip will likey clash with the winter bivvy which puts me out of contention ... never mind.

We haven't had a Spanish winter bivi yet though.

I'm going to be on gardening leave from my job then. IF I have a new job sorted out for after Christmas then I'd be up for a warm weather trip

We haven't had a Spanish winter bivi yet though.

True enough but would you not miss the rain, sleet and wind?

Bearbonesnorm wrote:

We haven't had a Spanish winter bivi yet though.

True enough but would you not miss the rain, sleet and wind?

NO