BadBreaks

I think I've got some sort of autumn time blues here so don't pay too much attention to this! I just got thinking about how much where you live can impact on your cycling and general sporting activites.

I currently live in a small town in the middle of Ireland with pretty bad roads around (esp. for cycling) and a pretty poor climate. Also, even though a few people do cycle there is no cylcing culture per se. I never bump into anyone else on a road bike when I'm on mine but I do spot them from the car sometimes. I could hook up with a club but its a forty something mile round trip to a meet and they didn't sound all that inviting.

Other people aside I think it helps a lot to be really psyched for something. In my case bad roads are OK when the weather is good and I imagine the weather wouldn't be such a factor if I had nice smooth marked roads. But the bad back country roads for the bad weather months (most months) ain't appealing very much. I'm dreading the idea of having to thoroughly clean the muck off my bike before I bring it back in the house. But I guess a lot of you guys always have to do that?

I'm strongly considering spending a year in a land that makes leaving the house more attractive. Perhaps somewhere more bike friendly. I get the impression a lot of people here live in cities making it a bit easier to find decent, well lit roads.

BadBreaks

Guest

Switzerland.

Their cycling is freakin' awesome!

Koffee

DannoXYZ 

Cities aren't really good for biking either, too much traffic, too many cars, too many stop-lights. Ask anyone from the L.A. area. Here's where I live:

natelutkjohn

Is that an alien invasion in your last picture there Danno?!?!?

The_Guru

I second that.
You could do worse than live here for a while, and the cycling is pretty good in summer...
Roads are sometimes a little slippery in winter even for cars, though.

Gary

DannoXYZ 

"Is that an alien invasion in your last picture there Danno?!?!?"

Sail-surfers at sunset.

islenska

hey man, i hear you LOUD AND CLEAR. the cycling and weather are crap here, and there's no bike culture AT ALL. i've worn biking shorts *once* all summer. usually i'm freezing and its wet and WINNNDY.

i love it here and its beautiful, but not for cycling. luckily, i don't have to stay.

if i were to recommend a nice change from ireland i'd say:

Colorado
Utah
France
Spain
Boston
Upstate NY

Hasselhof

Come visit Brisbane, Australia. We are in the dark depths of winter at the moment with a freezing 22 degrees C (72 F) today, scattered cloud and an icy 5km/h wind. Just got back from a ride with friends and we all bi@tched about how far away summer seems.

Its kinda funny actually as the past week has been on average the coldest we've experienced this winter, one day the max was only 19 degrees C (66 F) yet there were more cyclists out and about in the city than I've seen on any sunday for the past few months.

(Oh, and whats rain??? I haven't seen any of that in a while)

BadBreaks

I imagine that Iceland is even worse than Ireland...


BadBreaks

Blackberry

Come to Sunny Virginia. We'd love to have you and there's lots of fine, quiet cycling roads. Be ready for some extreme summer heat. PM me if you want more info.

snowy

Yes, come to COLORADO. Lots of biking time here. Hey I have an extra room, I'll put you up.

RocketsRedglare

I've heard from many older Californians that Australia is what California used to look like in the 60's - before the developers got a hold of it.

Southern California (https://www.city.newport-beach.ca.us/) is an awesome place to be, especially if you like outdoor activities - but you really pay a premium to live here.

If I wasn't here, I've always likes Long Island, NY which is surprisingly temperate except for a few weeks of sub-zero weather.

I also like the Coastal Carolinas, but haven't really spent enough time there to really get the feel of the place.

the_recluse

Wyoming, awesome hills and very few people!

the_recluse

Roody

Doesn't Ireland have more tourists visiting than any other country in the world?

I have always dreamed of cycling in Ireland. I guess everybody wants to be somewhere other than where they are!

baj32161

I hear that...I am in Trenton, New Jersey

biodiesel

Ireland huh,
good surfing though right?
no, damn.
nice beaches?
nope hmmm.
good mountains?
hmmm.

oh yeah. BEER and cute redheaded women!!!
Here's my suggestion.
Come summer time quit your day job. Start a cycling/ beer tour. Arrange bed and beerekfasts and some camping but many tours of little pubs. Be the tour leader (get paid to ride) and hire cute college girls to drive a small van as support.

Spend the summmers cycling around your home and having fun. Spend the rest of the year... somewhere warm... Cycle tours in Peru? (Still summer there...)

(Oh and if your a cute redheaded woman we need to talk...)

'nother

It is pretty good . . . wait, nahh, forget that. Don't bother, you'd hate it here

levensnevel

Hellevoetsluis, the Netherlands
a small former navy town near Rotterdam, on the borders of the Haringvliet.

Roody

So, lots of cows, lots of bikes, lots of ****s, no hills?

heckflosse

Derbyshire, England. Lots of cycle friendly roads and paths, the paths often seem better maintained than the roads. Lots of specific 'bike' routes, most councils give away free maps and guides. Lots of good traditional Ale pubs who do good food.

islenska

its not too hot here...

Nicodemus

Yep, and tons of wind and rain.