7 days later….. By the time we started leaving for the airport it was clear that 9 of the 12 riders in our group had been ill on that final day so the celebration dinner was a somewhat subdued affair with the traditional toasts made with glasses or either still or...
22 miles ridden - 190m climbed - Temperature 31C. A new perspective to yesterday’s collective struggle came clear this morning when 4 riders messaged that they had been up ill all night and wouldn’t ride today. Others were not feeling tip top but left as planned. The...
61 miles ridden - 1333m climbed - Temperature 32C. Today was brutal. It was hot, very little cooling breeze and lots of climbing. Within half a mile of the hotel we started a 9 mile category red (Garmin) climb. It was relentless at 5-8% and although we missed the...
70.6 miles ridden - 772m climbed - Temperature 30C. We went for an early start today so that we could break the back of our 22 miles of climbing in the cooler morning hours and because the sun is behind the mountains there is much more shade. The climb started about...
59.6 miles ridden - 942m climbed - Temperature 31C. Today felt like a long day but that may be because we stopped for a somewhat lengthy coffee break and also a lunch stop. Sapri looked quite charming this morning and I even took in some sculpture on the seafront. But...
46 miles ridden - 1126m climbed - Temperature 28C (most of the time!) Today was a ride of two halves - the first climb and the second climb. The first climb started about 1 mile from the hotel high is always hard as it takes me about 20 minutes to get warmed up but...
53 miles ridden - 794m climbed - Temperature 29C Today was a good day. The first 20 miles or so was flat which was a nice start although the road was quite busy for the first 12 miles or so after which it quietened down nicely. Sadly we weren’t right next to the sea...
48 miles ridden - 1004m climbed - Temperature 30C. The first four miles were an assault course of potholes, closed roads, buses, school drop-offs and impatient drivers as we made our way out of Pompeii towards todays big climb. There weren’t any especially steep...
No riding today. For the majority it was a lazy day although one of the guides did go cycling over to Sorrento. Others took a train to Naples for a look around, others a train to Sorrento. It seems half of us stayed in Pompeii and looked around the ruins.I was in...
68.5 miles ridden - 553m climbed - Temperature 30C (maximum 34C) Today started to feel routine. I woke up excited and well rested, eager to head down to the beach and take in some sea air before breakfast. Then I glanced at my bike on the balcony and immediately my...
57.5 miles ridden - 443m climbed - temperature 28C. After leaving last night’s very nice hotel our first few miles were along relatively quiet roads before we joined the much busier SS7 main route. The road surface was ok and the drivers generally respectful but the...
59.4 miles ridden. 223m climbed. Temperature 30C. Today was a fabulous day. The sun shone brightly all day as we rode almost all the way along the coast with the glistening Mediterranean Sea to our right. There were a few interesting loops inland which were generally...
0 miles ridden - 0m climbed Last nights weather forecast and the severe weather warning across the media generated much discussion yesterday evening. Not to put too fine a point on it the summary read: ‘Strong to severe thunderstorms may occur. Damaging winds,...
58 miles ridden – 1007m climbed – temperature 28C Day 3 is usually my tough day. My body is complaining but my mind is happy to be out on the bike – mind over matter! The very first thing we had to negotiate was a 12% hill just to get out of the hotel but after that...
63 miles ridden – 696m climbed – temperature 30C Today was a better day. I cycled most of it with three others which makes it more enjoyable. Overall today was about covering distance as the road were largely uninteresting and busy and although most of the drivers...
65.9 miles ridden – 861m climbed – temperature 30C After a breakfast buffet tussle with an elderly French group of walkers I set off with two riders – both previous Bike Adventures riders – just before 8am when it was still autumnally fresh in advance of a hot day....
The 4am start wasn’t the best way to start the day but I didn’t have much else to do but make my way through security and enjoy a 4:30 porridge from Pret A Manger. That time of day is funny in airports as there is a weird mix of really excited fully awake people and...
Outline: A sensational ride down the Mediterranean coast of Italy from the iconic leaning tower, finishing with a day in Sicily with a rest day in Pompeii. The route follows the coastal road before heading inland to enjoy the beautiful Tuscan fields and villas. ...
The rebellion continued on day three when I decided to call time on my off-road adventure and head home. I think that for off-road purists who like to crank out significant distances on a variety of surfaces with their stability and traction challenges The Rebellion...
37 miles ridden - 350m climbed - temperature 22C. Rebellion on The Rebellion Way! First thing to report is that the bike worked pretty well today - not at its best but none of yesterday’s drama and frustration. As I reflected over last night’s pork and cider pie I...
46 miles ridden - 497m climbed - Temperature 24C Today was a day of two halves. The good half was that I arrived here just 30 minutes before the heavens opened. The bad half was repeated problems with my rear derailleur which meant I was continually skipping gears and...
62 miles ridden - 453m climbed - temperature 29C. The first section of today’s ride was my well-ridden route from home into Diss joining the Rebellion Way at Dickleburgh so I found myself willing the miles away until I got past Diss and started riding on new (to me)...
The Rebellion Way is a 230 mile circular cycle tour of Norfolk that passes through Diss near to home which makes it an ideal tour. From home to home on a bike with panniers - no car, no train, no bus, just me and my bike. The main towns on tour are Diss, Thetford,...
Saturday 6th to Monday 22nd September 2025
0 mile cycled - 0m climbed - temperature 20C Only one photo today and not a welcome one: I woke up early this morning feeling a bit squiffy and between Peak Tours general COVID concerns and Italy still having some very strict rules for those testing positive I took...
77 miles ridden - 612m climbed - temperature 20C. I’ve said before that the perfect bike ride relies on four factors: Terrain - today was mainly downhill Temperature - although chilly first thing it got warmer as the day went on finishing at 28C in Bolzano Road...
82 miles ridden - 1671m climbed - temperature 17C Today was a fabulous but hard day. Although the sky was blue, Mittenwald was entirely in the shade of the mountains so we needed arm warmers and gilet (Rapha of course) while we warmed up. And we warmed up pretty...
64 miles ridden - 934m climbed - temperature 13C I woke up to the sound of rain - not what I wanted but I picked out the best options for staying warm and dry and went for breakfast before we gathered for the traditional first day photo: I’m on the left with the...
Don’t believe a word you hear about Heathrow baggage handlers - my bike bag arrived unscathed and my bike now sits fully reconstructed (thanks to the Cytech basic bike maintenance course Sue bought me) with its tour buddies in the garage awaiting the first day...
Among the traditions that ended with our move to Suffolk was my personal training with Des Gough. For over 20 years he had carefully crafted and maintained my late, mid-life physical being in support of cycling while also ensuring that I didn’t only work my legs!...
12 days cycling covering just over 800 miles, climbing over 44,000 feet and visiting Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy, this will be both a challenging trip and a beautiful ride. Day 1 - Munich to Mittenwald Day 2 - Mittenwald to Nauders Day 3 - Nauders to...
After 3 years of cancelled bike trips - and subject to British Airways not cancelling my flights - 2022 finally sees me back touring. On Saturday 10th September I begin a 12 day trip from Munich to Rome and as with my previous adventures I will share that journey on...
69 miles ridden - 2460 feet climbed - temperature 14C. We'd all been studying weather forecasts for what to expect today. Yesterday's weather had been so fabulous that we were praying for another good day. We weren't (largely) disappointed. It was quite cool as we...
62 miles ridden - 3200 feet climbed - temperature 19C. Today was a fabulous day. The sun shone all day and the temperature was just right for the climbing that we did. There was only one nasty surprise - a 15% climb just round the corner from the bottom of a long...
69 miles ridden - 5300 feet climbed - temperature 9C. Today was a hard day. It was quite cool anyway and on the hill tops with drizzle and a headwind it felt quite cold but with the amount of climbing we were doing we all worked up a sweat under our protective...
53 miles ridden - 3650 feet climbed - temperature 10C. Because we are staying two nights in Ullapool, today was essentially an optional ride. The weather forecast was cloudy, cooler but NO rain so when I woke up this morning and looked out of the window to see it was...
65 miles ridden - 4550 feet climbed - temperature 11C. I had been a bit miffed as I cycled the extra 10 miles yesterday but today I was actually quite pleased. Although today had no monster climbs 4550 feet is a lot of climbing. Every weather forecast any of us...
You never know how much you'll miss decent internet and 3G/4G until you're trying to upload photos! The first photos are of the approach and climb of Bealach Na Ba: We should probably have realised at this point that climbing up there was not going to be 'nice' (It's...
69 miles ridden - 6500 feet climbed - temperature 9C. I will post pictures separately tomorrow as the internet where we are staying is not fast enough. I've done a fair bit of cycling in my time but today was the hardest I have ever done. The first 18 miles took about...
63 miles ridden - 1900 feet climbed - temperature 13C The TV news this morning was full of today being the hottest day of the year in the South East which was a bit cruel really - that is not what we have seen today up here. At best it was cloudy and a bit breezy and...
In fact it starts next Sunday 2nd June when we depart Inverness to cycle 470 miles around the North West corner of Scotland. I booked my flight from Luton to Inverness before the Extinction Rebellion protests so I have some concerns about my carbon footprint, I am on...
Not only was this my first 100 mile ride of 2019 but it was the first day ride on my new Cervelo S5. Whereas my Enigma Etape is like a high performance M-series BMW the Cervelo S5 is an out and out Italian Supercar, only better made. It was an early start - 7am. The...
I’m not sure what the weather is like in the U.K. at the moment but it’s nice and warm here in Lanzarote. Sue and I are enjoying our first of 2019’s visits to our favourite playground and with sunny skies and high 20s Celsius it’s easy to have fun. Of course...
Sadly there are no big trips this year but I am doing a fabulous trip in Scotland and have some great day rides and Century challenges lined up. Winter cycling is not much fun. I did get out once a week or so but have focussed on the gym, running, and a bit of...
Hot on the heels of our triumphal climb up Mont Ventoux the article below appeared in this month's CTC magazine. Sue is a bit of a hero......
It's over a month now since Sue and I finished our ride in France. I have been out riding but there has also been a lot of catching up to do at work and at home so compared to an average 65-85 miles per day during May and June it's been more like 80 miles per week -...
58 miles ridden - 2700 feet climbed - temperature 30C The last day of a tour is the best day and the worst day rolled into one. Bodies hurt, minds are numb but the joy of the great outdoors and a camaraderie set aside from normal life and based on a single common...
50 miles ridden - 4570 feet climbed - temperature 32C. Looking back on today it's difficult to decide what was the biggest challenge - 23 miles of climbing up, over, across and out of Gorges du Verdon or coping with Asterix Fawlty, our miserable host at La Bonnie...
71 miles ridden - 4600 feet climbed- temperature 32C We woke up to a beautiful day. The sky was clear, the air warm and sweet. At breakfast we were all moving slowly, getting in and out of chairs gingerly, and it was quieter than usual. Mont Ventoux had taken its...