I'm planning my next big(ish) trip and just thought I'd mention it in case anyone fancies coming along or has any helpful information/advice to offer up that might make the planning/execution easier and simpler.

The rough plan right now is to take 1-2 weeks to bikepack from the Med to the Atlantic (or the other way round if that works out better) over/through the Pyrenees.

It'll be about 500 miles and fairly hilly

I'll be driving to the start/finish (depending on which works out best) and then getting public transport at the other end.

Would be happy to pick people up from a train station, airport or en-route and drop back off again afterwards.

I don't know yet if it'll be entirely in Spain (as I've got an off-road route from a TransPyr event that's held each year) or if it'll weave between France and Spain but either way it should be one hell of a journey!

The plan is to do it sometime in or around May 2013 (wife dictated my holiday entitlement) but dates are flexible within that timescale.

Everything is open for discussion and so if you're at all up for it then give me a shout and we can make it happen.

Cheers, Gairy.

I've had to backout from going to the States but a couple of weeks in Spain/France could well be a goer. I was looking at the TransPry website a couple of weeks ago and liked the idea.

Could you handle my ramblings for 2 weeks though Gairy?

Note of interest.

s8tannorm wrote:Could you handle my ramblings for 2 weeks though Gairy?

we'd find out

flatfishy wrote:Note of interest.

note of interest noted!

I might be gairy, would have to be home by around the 20th as I am going to Scotland on 24th. So if dates fit I could be in.

that could work - like i said before i'm very flexible about the dates.

It's the WRT on May 25/26/27 so earlier in the month would be better for me too.

ok, well then let's say the beginning of May then as that seems to suit.

have been looking at various possibilities route-wise but more just for inspiration at this point than for planning purposes (as i've never ridden in the Pyrenees) - it looks like a doozy of an area!

gairym wrote:
It'll be about 500 miles and fairly hilly

Think you might find that it is fairly mountainous rather than hilly .
Also, i'd love to come but can't afford to .

Ray Young wrote:Think you might find that it is fairly mountainous rather than hilly

fair enough - let's call it 'fairly mountainous'

and it needn't be expensive (obviously 'expensive' means different things to different folks).

a return train from St Pancras to/from Bordeaux comes in at about £200 (if booked in advance) and then the rest is as cheap as you make it:

food - cheap.
accommodation - free!
water - free!

for my TransAlp in July I spent about £400 in total (diesel, train, food and a couple of nights b+b) which, considering what it was, was pretty reasonable.

ok, how shall we proceed?

should we all (everyone who's registered an interest) list what we'd like to get out of the trip (make sure we're on the same page tec...) and then move forward from there?

i've got no choice but to continue to research and plan (as it's an obsession) and so i'll do that but i don't want to start getting ahead of myself and end up planning things that aren't suitable/desirable for others.

sound reasonable???

Sounds good to me ... I'd quite like it to be sunny please

I'm going to dip out now as I'll probably go to Scotlandia for a few days instead.

Well the wife has said I could go but she had drunk a bottle of wine, still needs me needing to finance it though. Stu, how are you thinking of getting there and back?

s8tannorm wrote:I'd quite like it to be sunny please

that's a short list of requirements but a hard one to cater for!

flatfishy wrote:I'm going to dip out now as I'll probably go to Scotlandia for a few days instead.

bugger - maybe next time....?

Ray Young wrote:Well the wife has said I could go but she had drunk a bottle of wine, still needs me needing to finance it though. Stu, how are you thinking of getting there and back?

sounds promising - just keep her full of wine between now and then and you're sorted!

Hi Gairy, sorry but done the maths and I can't go unless things change big style.

No worries - it'd be nice to hook-up for a ride one day though.

It's fair enough as heading down to the Pyrenees is a big trip in itself (nevermind the riding)

I'm interested I'll just need to see if the stars align for whatever you have planned, and how far i can push my luck with work, with our North America trip.

good good, let's see how it goes.....

I've been doing very little thinking/planning with regard to this trip as it seems ages away but it might be worth sorting out some aspects so that people can know what they're likely to be getting themselves into???

gairy - still interested although a cross-europe race has also piqued my interest. I know the [road] route but no date yet announced for that one. Expect date to be announced soon.

I would look to come down by train if feasible but depends on logistics once decisions made. Not sure if driving down and a couple of us sharing costs would work?

Negotiated clearance last night... so toe is in the water

Can you remember what a bike looks like?

Just about :)

Are you still set on May? It's probably my busiest month next year with a trip across the Southern Upland Way at the start of the month, Fred Whitton on the 12th and the WRT at the end. I'm really keen to join you but any other month would be great.
Cheers Duncan

Blackhound wrote:gairy - still interested although a cross-europe race has also piqued my interest. I know the [road] route but no date yet announced for that one.

road??? pah - let's hope that doesn't happen! (only kidding - just got myself a new road frame and am pretty excited about it!).

Blackhound wrote:I would look to come down by train if feasible but depends on logistics once decisions made. Not sure if driving down and a couple of us sharing costs would work?

either would be fine with me as i could meet you off the train or (especially if there are more than 3 people/bikes in total) two cars would make sense (both logistically and financially).

Fantasticmrmatt wrote:Negotiated clearance last night... so toe is in the water

nice to hear - with some logistical luck this could turn into quite a trip!

pistonbroke wrote:I'm really keen to join you but any other month would be great.

i'm not sure but, as of this moment, it's looking like early May suits most of the interested parties.

keep an eye on proceedings and hopefully it'll all work out for everyone.

I can do this trip and will do this trip dependent on the dates tho. At the moment im planning to do Scotland end april start of may. Im off the first two weeks in may and id rather do this trip with you. when uve decided defo dates let me know as id love to get out there!!