Candy Cranks

So, after much planning,  taking my bike apart to fit in the boot, and packing the car to capacity. My other half and I set off for our Euro-Road-Trip Holiday. Having refused to take my new ride on a plane, and the fact that we were camping, and moving around so much I’d somehow managed to persuade him to drive around 1600miles around Europe (I don’t drive). First stop Dover, and after a rather uninspiring ferry crossing to Dunkirk we hit the road! Stopping in France, Belgium (Never drive in Brussels – NEVER), Luxembourg before stopping at our camp site in the Netherlands – which meant I could finally get on my bike!

Our little camp in NL

Cycle path in NL

I was a bit nervous about riding on the ‘wrong’ side of the road (Mike had been freaking out all week in the car) but I’d needn’t have worried..I had my own road! We were camped near the Veluwe National park, lush forests and green as far as the eyes could see, families out on their bikes – no helmets, no special clothes..this is what cycling should be like! Cars stopped for you, were patient and overtook you carefully.

Awesome cargo bike

After 5 great days in NL, I stripped the bike down, we packed up and drove 500miles to Bavaria in the south of Germany..lots of hills!

Three of us decided to do a bike ride one day, riding to Toben – also known as ‘Little Berlin’ as it was split in two by the Berlin wall during the cold war. 25k away – easy..or so we thought. The three of us looked like the most ridiculous riding party ever. Me on my blinged up fix, Martin on his recumbant trike, and Liam on his mini Dahon folder!. In an effort to avoid too many hills we decided to follow the river in the valley. Needless to say the 25k ride turned into a 75k ride and we didn’t even make it to Toben!  We did however cycle through some amazing countryside, have a great cyclists lunch of spaghetti and schnitzel in Hirschberg – whilst the locals laughed at our wierd bikes and attacked some hills on the way back.

Back in London now, and commuted in today – back to the angry drivers and fumes – bah!

Carb loading Bavarian Style

The wierdest looking touring party ever!