baby bearJoined: 23 Aug 2009Posts: 843Location: your mom
The ladyfriend and I are looking at doing some bike touring internationally next summer, and we're now trying to figure out the destination. We're going to do some research in the next few weeks, but I figured it would not hurt so solicit suggestions from some of you who may have done something similar.
Belgium has been given the "been there, done that" pass even though it was fun and I'd do it again. Also, I have already noted Cambodia as the Derrick/Nick suggestion for top spots to rob graves.
Leading suggestions at the moment are Scotland, Ireland, and Italy.
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langston
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:43 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 5547Location: Columbia City
New Zealand
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Alex
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:53 pm
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
I'd personally pick Ireland over New Zealand.
New Zealand is an incredible place and I've loved the 2 months of my life that I spent there. I want to go back.
The road network however is mostly post-car, so there aren't the great little backroads that cyclists know and love. Sometimes there are, but mostly you are on the same highways as the cars. There aren't tons of cars since it is lightly populated, but they are there.
I'd put Norway at the top of my list personally, but I haven't done any bike touring there (yet?). It has better than New Zealand scenery, but like most European countries the road network is dense and there are small cute towns everywhere. The weather is like here, which means mild and nice summers. The primary downside is that it is A+ expensive (Oslo compete with Tokyo for most expensive city in the world). For bike touring this should be less of a hit since you'll mostly be camping, but it hurts when you want to buy beer.
jsmg
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:39 pm
baby bearJoined: 23 Aug 2009Posts: 843Location: your mom
Both interesting suggestions.
I should add that the availability of alcohol is probably going to be important. Because we're not monsters.
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caustic meatloaf
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:09 pm
Joined: 06 Dec 2010Posts: 1235537Location: a hammy melange...
Ireland it is then! Having visited the Emerald Isles (albeit not with bike), I'd definitely reccommend it.
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the dreaded ben
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:19 pm
Grumpy GreebJoined: 20 Aug 2005Posts: 5329Location: flavor country
jsmg wrote:
Because we're not monsters.
i love you.
that is all.
Sweeney
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:41 pm
Joined: 18 Feb 2009Posts: 851Location: English Hill, Redmond
Right on, how much time are you planning to take off?
I brought my BMX (with just a backpack) to Norway and Scotland for a three weeks a few years ago. Loved traveling around both, and with a bike you get to see so much more. I know it's not touring per se, but I visited many nice small, welcoming towns and did some hiking, plenty of nice roads/trains in between that would make for wonderful touring… would like to go back someday.
Scotland was certainly cheaper, but Norway has more beautiful landscapes. Ireland sounds great too, haven't been yet.
Neat old architecture out there in Scotland:
The island-dotted coast lines of Norway are hard to beat, and many are linked with bridge systems:
baby bearJoined: 23 Aug 2009Posts: 843Location: your mom
The length of the vacation has not yet been determined, but I'd guess 2-3 weeks. Anything shorter wouldn't really be worth the effort.
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derrickito
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:50 pm
now with 50 percent more EVILJoined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 10566
i did parts of new zealand. i mirror what alex said. it's awesome, but you're on a highway everywhere. no freeways there, so all the truck traffic is out there with you. besides that, it's beautiful. and you don't need to mess around with other pesky languages just funny accents. i was on the east coast of the south island, but wish i had seen some of the north island
caustic meatloaf
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:50 pm
Joined: 06 Dec 2010Posts: 1235537Location: a hammy melange...
Obviously, there are some bummers about Ireland, but some cool stuff abounds.
When I went ,we landed in Galway, and then did a big-ass long road trip. Obviously, if you really like looking at ruins of castles, Ireland is your kinda place.
But the overall geography is very impressive. The cliffs of Moher/Kilkee are stunning, and worth a visit. The Ring of Kerry is full of quaint towns and is the home of the Irish cultural re-awakening - they teach all their kids there Gaelic.
The Aran Islands would be a blast to ride around on - narrow roads everywhere, and rock walls lining them left and right. Great small island with interesting features to explore.
Coming down south, you've got great places you can visit all along the coast - Waterford comes to mind (the glassworks are still open for tours). Paddy's Whiskey Distillery is in Cork, and Jameson's is in Midleton nearby.
Heading up Centrally you have the Rock of Cashel, a big-ass cathedral in ruins. The countryside in central Ireland would be great to ride around in - vibrant greens dotted by small tree-stuffed barrows amongst a gently rolling landscape.
Heading east, you have Dublin, a great town to get lost in, and if you're a history nerd you can mosey over to Trinity College and take a peek at the Book of Kells. The Guinness Brewery is in Dublin, and their brewhouse is still the tallest structure in Dublin.
Heading further north, you have Giant's Causeway, and a ton of stuff in Northern Ireland to visit as well - Belfast is an interesting town, and of course Bushmill's is distilled in...Bushmill's.
One thing that I found surprising, back in '03 when I went, was that in northern Ireland, the religious division is still *very* clear. Telephone poles with Ulster Union and Oragemen affiliations are everywhere, and murals about "The Troubles" are in many towns; I felt distinctly in the minority as having been raised Catholic, despite not really wearing it on my sleeve.
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Bo Ttorff
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:49 pm
GO SEAHAWKS!! 12 for LYFEJoined: 20 Jul 2011Posts: 3092Location: King County
I visited a buddy in new zealand once and the price for a six pack of beer was close to 35 US.
tehschkott
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:06 pm
daywalkerJoined: 09 Nov 2007Posts: 6108Location: Hatertown
Iceland.
or
Australia. Sydney to Brisbane to Fraser Island.
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lantius
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:10 pm
1337Joined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 6705Location: right over
Have you considered scenic Canada?
the dreaded ben
Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:06 am
Grumpy GreebJoined: 20 Aug 2005Posts: 5329Location: flavor country
Big fan of the okanogan over here.
Alex
Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:46 am
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
My impression (from 5 days there) is that Iceland may have the same issues as New Zealand. The scenery is different though. No trees, bring a tent instead of a hammock.
BC and WA do have some of the best touring in the world, nothing wrong with staying here. I've done around 8-10 week long in BC, WA, OR and still feel like I have enough new stuff to explore to never get bored.
Norway has plenty of alcohol and some good locally brewed beer, it's just expensive. It is a lot cheaper if you buy food and beer for take-out then eating at a dining table. The scenery is killer, I've only barely scratched the surface and want to spend more vacation time there myself. The people are great too and almost universally speak English. I'd move there if Christine were more excited about it (but she's only visited in December when it is kind of dreary).
mailemae
Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:28 pm
not very stokedJoined: 03 Sep 2009Posts: 303Location: winterfell
I've done zero international bike touring, but I've been to most of the European locations mentioned on my own two feet and pretty much agree with what's been said above.
Personally I would love to do some bike version of the Way of Saint James - a pilgrimage route that winds up in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. I haven't really researched the bike options for this, but people walk it all the time, following all varieties of routes. I would be interested in a route that included Biarritz.
It appeals to me because: hot, dry, sunny, beaches, French wine, Spanish wine, Basque food, nice people. These are a few of my favorite things.
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I'd pick BC. or somewhere else in this country since they're so friggin huge and niched and awesome in many ways, and maybe cheaper.
lived in North Shore, NZ, for six months. the Coromandel forest and much of the spots north of Auckland are gorgeous. don't know about biking there.
There's a bunch of bikes in Belize, they speak English, very wild. there be chill, dirt roads, only remember one fast traffic one and that had a huge shoulder, chill, hospitable people too. Though I remeber expats telling me "they'll get you any chance they get [mugging stuff blah blah blah]", and I don't really know about biking there. The Yucatan from Belize, to Villahermosa, Mexico, was nice, don't know about biking. The state of Veracruz is nice too, don't know about biking. In Mexico, if done around the time of Guadalupe, or the pilgrimi(d?)ge by foot and bike around the country to Mexico City, that may be fun. some people from Bicitkas or something from Mexcio City will be in Vancouver in a few weeks, so I guess some of them know English. and all these in the summer are crazyshitunbearablesunburnhot.
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baby bear
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