jibi

Patagonia is my favourite
europe from Gibralta to the Uk
and now in Australia, who said crossing the Nullarbor was one of the great biker rides, I have renamed it the Dullarbor. 8 days I will never get back.

Off down coastal roads to Melbourne and across to Tasmania to stay with friends.

Tailwinds

george

Cave

Actually I said

Sorry the prediction was borne out! I hope the rest of the trip is going well (shame about the weather this weekend though).

downtheroad.org

Our top ten list of places we have been.

1 Patagonia Lake District, Southern Chile
The scenery is stunning with volcanic peaks jutting through glacial topography. One of the more secure areas in South America that we felt was safe to travel and would recommend to solo women travelers, the water was clean (important if you like raw vegetables) and people were friendly.

2 Eastern Sichuan (Western Tibet)
Stunning scenery, high mountain passes and the unique Tibetan religion made this place exciting. This is a place I would love to go back to and ride what is known as the horse and tea route, a road used by tea traders. I love to imagine what it was like to be in a city like Lijang hundreds of years ago.

3 Inner Mongolia, China
Loved the nomadic culture here, the high grass plains were beautiful and experiencing the cultural differences on each side of the Great Wall was magical.

4 Salar De Uyuni, Bolivia
Loved the beauty and uniqueness, the color the salt turns at sunset is like no other place in the world.

5 Central Mexico
Around Mexico City including the silver towns of Zacatecas and Guanajuato. The people in the area are friendly and warm, and greeted us enthusiastically in every town. I personally loved their sense of humor. The food In My Humble Opinion is some of the best in the world.

6 Malaysia
Another unique place in the world where history, culture and religion all collide, it is a Muslim country the first we have visit and it was very interesting to learn about the religion of Islam. One of our favorite people we have met on the road lives there, David. He takes in bicycle tourists who come through and would be happy to send you his web site if you send me a private message.

7 Tasmania, Australia
Wild and rugged and unique wildlife see my post on bike forums.

8 Outback Australia
Again, Australia is like not other place in the world, the outback is magical at night where you can see the stars from horizon to horizon. The people were interesting as well and I loved Kakadu a very large national park with a blend of interesting wildlife, the aboriginal culture, and some serious annual climatic swings from flooding to fires.

9 Cambodia
We found the people very endearing here, they had endured the worst atrocities and yet they were happy and making the best of life. The ruins at Angkor Wat are spectacular and best toured by bicycle.

10 Peruvian, Andes
The scenery was stunning and the ancient Inca history fascinating. The only reason it made last on the list is because it had the most vicious dogs in all of South America and political tension that was frightening at times. It was here we saw a political rally turn into a riot with police beating a defenseless woman.

We are not excluding the USA on purpose we just have not toured there much, but we are on our way

Niles H.

Hi Tim and Cindie,

Thanks for sharing these -- you've seen a lot, and I enjoy hearing your observations, discoveries, experiences, recommendations, and basically anything else you feel like sharing.

****
I keep hearing good things about Eastern Oregon, and the area around Bend.

Glad to see you on this forum, and I'm sure many others welcome your participation as well. Hope you have rebounded fully from that other website, and come out of it stronger and wiser. This forum feels completely different. There don't seem to be many rabid dogs in this neck of the woods -- it's basically a supportive, good-natured and friendly crew.

Niles H.

Just watched some of your videos -- they really brought your trip to life for me.

Hope you do more.

OfaNaor

If you wish to ride at any kind of season of the year with out weather problem, you can ride at my country, Israel.

Our winter is less than Europe Autumn, and the desert is dry place most of the year.

Israel is a paradise for MTB riding all year.

We very developed in MTB and all the stuff around. Good maps, good place for accommodation, good food, supporting and more. God trails from XC to AM and FR

You can ride off road for few weeks from North to South and pass more than one climate zone: woods at north up to desert at the south. Zimmers to stay,

Because you from New Zealand, ever green land, the desert landscape will attractive to you.

Wish you lack

Aharon

OfaNaor

If you wish to ride at any kind of season of the year with out weather problem, you can ride at my country, Israel.

Our winter is less than Europe Autumn, and the desert is dry place most of the year.

Israel is a paradise for MTB riding all year.

We very developed in MTB and all the stuff around. Good maps, good place for accommodation, good food, supporting and more. God trails from XC to AM and FR

You can ride off road for few weeks from North to South and pass more than one climate zone: woods at north up to desert at the south. Zimmers to stay,

Because you from New Zealand, ever green land, the desert landscape will attractive to you.

Wish you lack

Aharon

ronzorini

someday...someday...

alanfleisig

1. Italy
2. Italy
3. Italy
4. Italy
5. Italy
6. Italy
7. Italy
8. Italy
9. Italy
10. South of France

Brains

To the towers of Byzantium !

One day, when I have 6 weeks spare, my dream is to cycle from Amsterdam up the Rhein valley (cycle route the entire way) and then down the Danube Valley to Contanzia (cycle route the entire way) and from there down the Black Sea coast to Istambul.

From there, with another 3 months to spare, you could get back to the start via Greece, Italy, S. France cross the pyranees, to St James Compestola, in western Spain, then head north, recrossing the Pyranees up the French Atlantic coast, the Louire Valley to join the North Sea cycle route to Amsterdam.

So an entire circuit of mainland Europe. I recon 5-7 months should be enough

gmacdermid

Corsica: coastal roads with great views, interior roads through parkland. About ten days. Do the same on Sardinia and you have a two to three week trip.

bikeswitzerland

And it's not just because I have a bicycle tour company here (www.bikeswitzerland.com)https://www.bikeswitzerland.com. I started the tours because everyone has some misconceptions about Switzerland: too difficult, too expensive, etc.. So, here is the text from a document that I wrote below. Of course, there are other great places to tour, but if the following is a priority, Switzerland is what you want:

1. Short trip allowing you to see the a wide variety of landscapes (1 or 2 weeks)
2. Safe trip (wide bike paths, respectful drivers)
3. Infrastructure (bike shops in every town, 90% of trains take bikes, storage facilities and special hotels for bikers)
4. Well marked and maintained bike paths.

Here's the text.

Few foreigners come to Switzerland to bike, preferring the well-worn roads of France and Italy. As a result, there is still plenty of room on the paths of Europe’s most bike-friendly country.

In some countries “national bike paths” exist more on paper than in reality; not so in Switzerland. Switzerland is crisscrossed by 9 national cycling routes totaling over 1600 miles. The Swiss have invested millions of francs into these routes and the government funds a full-time staff to promote their use and do regular maintenance. These paths are painstakingly signposted at every turn and specially built shelters, fountains and maps can be found along them. The routes normally follow well-maintained tertiary roads that are off limit to regular traffic. Any roads with extra traffic will always have a wide bike lane making for safe cycling. Although these paths stick to the countryside, cyclists will have no problems finding small “bike hotels”, supermarkets and bike shops catering to “vélotourists”. You can find out more about these routes at www.cycling-in-switzerland.ch

Making things even easier is the Swiss train system. This network is the densest and most efficient in the world and you’ll find train stations with hourly departures at roughly 15 mile intervals along each route. Feeling tired ? Want to shave off 15 miles from your day ? For around $10 you and your bike can travel together. Consider buying the “Swisspass” and purchase ½ train tickets in Switzerland for one month.

Switzerland’s reputation as “too expensive” is unmerited: tax in restaurants is 7.6% and hotel tax is 3.6% (compare that to France’s 19.6%). True, a hotel in Zurich or Geneva will be expensive, but once in the countryside your francs can carry you far: there are more than 450 bed and breakfasts and 63 youth hostels. Switzerland also has a large “rural tourism” system which allows visitors to stay in the haylofts of working farms throughout the country- a great opportunity to get closer to the culture (www.strohtour.ch ).

Make things even easier for yourself by leaving your bike at home. Most train stations rent satisfactory bicycles and a number of cities even loan out free bikes for the day. High quality bikes with panniers and accessories can also be rented in Geneva at www.bikeswitzerland.com

Of course, if you come to Switzerland it’s for the scenery: lakes, peaks, rivers, meadows, waterfalls. You’ll never be disappointed, regardless your route. And you’ll enjoy all of it without constantly looking over your shoulder: unlike its Latin neighbors, the Swiss tradition of peace and tolerance means giving cyclists plenty of room and never honking. The only thing more respected than cyclists, is a pedestrian and you’ll experience this change of attitude within your first hour on the road. I hope you’ll take the opportunity.

John Klemme
www.bikeswitzerland.com

downtheroad.org

The list of places we want to go is endless. Asking this question brought our attention to the fact the world is just far too big for the number remaining years in our lives. We never get so tired of traveling that we want to stop but have not yet been on the road long enough that we have forgotten the stability and comforts we have given up to make this journey.

Places we would like to go in the near and far future:

- New Zealand, we are already here and about to begin our tour.

- West coast USA. We will be there in less than a year and are so excited

- Baja Peninsula, Mexico. We hope we can make it after the west coast USA tour but we have some public events to go to elsewhere. If not soon then later for sure. Mexico is one of our favorite countries so anywhere outside of the big cities is good

- The original Trans America Adventure Cycling (Bikecentennial) trail. We have not worked out the detail yet but we will be riding across the USA in about 18 months from now.

- Brazil, Uruguay, and Northern Argentina loop and the Carriterra Austral in Chile. We missed this on our first trip to South America but South America is our favorite continent so far, we will return

- Around Nova Scotia and New Foundland and Labrador, the Canadian Rockies, and coast to coast across Canada. We have met so many wonderful Canadian friends we would love to visit along with their beautiful country.

- Ireland, Scotland and John o'Groats to lands end in England

- France we hear anywhere is good

- Rhine and Danube River cycle paths in Europe

- India but I do not know exactly where

- Africa a place that Cindie finds scary but at the same time intriguing. It is a big place and will take at least 2 years to explore.

- China, we really liked China during our previous 9 month trip and will return someday. Great food, people, and a fascinating culture.

In the end it is always a joy to dream.
-
-

geoffs

hi Tim and Cindie
We did a ride from the the dordogne and across the south of France through the Haute Provence and the Maritime Alps which took us 5 weeks. Another week to do it in would have been good.
Here is the Dordogne section https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Dordogne
I'm still working on doing a bikely of the next section to Nice.
This was a great tour with stunning scenery and history and lots of small interesting towns.
Let me know if you want the next section of the map.

Cheers and Tailwinds.

Geoff

Mark S

Interesting.

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/forum...age=1&nested=0

jibi

I would like to add Tasmania to the list. I have only been here a few days but the place is stunning.

such an eclectic place in such a compact island.

such a difference to the mainland of australia.

I have 3 weeks here but I wish I had more time.

george

arie

Agree, only 6 is not right

arie

I like Switzerland and the Swiss people. That's why I don't understand boosting the country because of the densest railway system and the most cycle friendly nation in Europe.

Just promote Switzerland because of the gorgeous scenery. The -enerally - helpful people. The clean roads and accommodations. Etc.
The best infrastructure for cyclists: the Netherlands and Belgium. Best attitude of cardrivers: UK and Ireland. Then Germany and France.
Worst: Romania and Bulgaria.
Very expensive: Switzerland (yes), then Sweden and Moscow-City.
And the attitude to foreigners-of-the-lower-segment is not very warm; backpackers and budget travelers (maye some cyclist are...), they are - friendly said - tolerated. They prefer Forbes-list people.

And they misjudge me, thinking I'm a candidate;-)

Cheap: eastern Europe

That about Europe.

And the most biycle-friendly town in the USA: Tucson, AZ.
But that's not fair: I can only compare it to ABQ, SFO, PHX and some smaller cities.

-----

So sorry Switzerland, stick to the facts. And stop welcoming the dictators with their stolen money on your banks. That's what I think, passing through your country, seeing the glass-and-iron banks and sometimes seeing a cyclist trying to leave your country as quick as possible. I need two full days for it.
Gorgeous, your counry. So rich by itself.

Arie

mwl6464

How how the laws in your country and the rest of Europe concerning drinking at a pub and bicycling to hostel or camp? Is it like in America, where you can get a DUI? What country did they try to give Bill Murray a DUI while driving a golf cart?:beer