Summer holidays

[Colin Blackburn]

Okay, just to start another list thread and take my mind off someone else. Is anyone planning any
cycling-based holidays this year? If so, tell all.

I'm doing a week in August cycling around the border country near the Black Mountain (or is it
Mountains, the bit nearest the border anyhow.) Nothing too strenuous, 30 to 60 miles a day,
centre-based, and the emphasis being on decent stops for coffee, lunch and cake.

I might do the North Pennine Cycleway in September if I can blag another week off work. Again not
strenuous, over 5 or 6 days with lots of stopping for views and cakes.

Colin

 

[Wafflycathcsdir]

>Okay, just to start another list thread and take my mind off someone else. Is anyone planning any
>cycling-based holidays this year? If so, tell all.
>

I would *love* to. Somewhere warm but not too hot, flat or gently undulating - little wind, no rain
during the days ...

Sadly running own business means taking time off is a luxury and cannot often be planned well in
advance

snippity...

>Nothing too strenuous, 30 to 60 miles a day, centre-based, and the emphasis being on decent stops
>for coffee, lunch and cake.
>

Now that sounds like my kind of cycle planning

Cheers, helen s

~~~~~~~~~~
Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before sending a reply!

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the keyboaRRRDdd
~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Elyob]

"Colin Blackburn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MPG.18c833efd8dbdd9f989804@localhost...
> Okay, just to start another list thread and take my mind off someone else. Is anyone planning any
> cycling-based holidays this year? If so, tell all.
>
> I'm doing a week in August cycling around the border country near the Black Mountain (or is it
> Mountains, the bit nearest the border anyhow.) Nothing too strenuous, 30 to 60 miles a day,
> centre-based, and the emphasis being on decent stops for coffee, lunch and cake.
>
> I might do the North Pennine Cycleway in September if I can blag another week off work. Again not
> strenuous, over 5 or 6 days with lots of stopping for views and cakes.
>
> Colin

Went last year, after buying a tent. So, I expect to spend weekends touring about. Shame that the
campsites all seemed to be families and couples only. Only reason I got in was because it was
off-season .. and freeezing at night.

No idea where to go ......

 

[Toby Barrett]

Colin Blackburn <[email protected]> wrote in news:MPG.18c833efd8dbdd9f989804@localhost:
> I'm doing a week in August cycling around the border country near the Black Mountain (or is it
> Mountains, the bit nearest the border anyhow.) Nothing too strenuous, 30 to 60 miles a day,
> centre-based, and the emphasis being on decent stops for coffee, lunch and cake.

My wife and I are hoping for a 4 day break in August around the Welsh borders and across Wales.
Currently planning the route, staying in B&Bs, but a similar sort of daily mileage.

Toby

 

[Michael Macclan]

Colin Blackburn wrote:
>
> I'm doing a week in August cycling around the border country near the Black Mountain (or is it
> Mountains, the bit nearest the border anyhow.) Nothing too strenuous, 30 to 60 miles a day,
> centre-based, and the emphasis being on decent stops for coffee, lunch and cake.

IMHO this is an excellent choice, an area that has held my imagination since first being taken to
Abergavenny when I was very young. These are the Black Mountains (Black Mountain is much further
West). Be sure to go along the Honddu Valley from Llanvihangel Crucorney to Hay-on-Wye if possible
and visit Llanthony Abbey. (YH still at Capel-y-ffin?) Golden Valley is also supposed to be
beautiful (further East at Peterchurch). I've not been there but I remember reading in an old
walking guide that there's a very interesting old church at Patrishow and, of course, the castles at
Skenfrith and White Castle.
--
Michael MacClancy

 

[Tony W]

"wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Sadly running own business means taking time off is a luxury and cannot
often
> be planned well in advance

Come on Helen. Relax. Mobile phone + PDA and you can take your office with you. It gives you an
incredible feeling of smugness to be talking to your most awkward customer while sampling the local
wine, sitting on the sun soaked terrace of some lovely cafe on the banks of one of Europe's great
rivers, bike propped up against a tree a few feet (whoops, sorry, metres) away. And they need never
know that you are not concentrating 100% on their stupid report!!

I answered a bundle of questions from one customer while strolling round the tourist sites of Delhi,
e-mailed him a quote later that day and had an order within a couple of days. The phone call cost a
fortune but it was worth it.

T

 

[The Big Baguett]

In article <[email protected]>, Tony W <[email protected]> writes
>
>"wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> Sadly running own business means taking time off is a luxury and cannot
>often
>> be planned well in advance
>
>
>Come on Helen. Relax. Mobile phone + PDA and you can take your office with you. It gives you an
>incredible feeling of smugness to be talking to your most awkward customer while sampling the local
>wine, sitting on the sun soaked terrace of some lovely cafe on the banks of one of Europe's great
>rivers, bike propped up against a tree a few feet (whoops, sorry, metres) away. And they need never
>know that you are not concentrating 100% on their stupid report!!

It's good if your business lends itself to this. I caused an old French woman great mirth when she
spotted me leaning on my bike in a remote part of Burgundy, chatting to a client on my mobile. He
thought I was in Oxford.

--
The Big Baguette

 

[Brian]

Colin Blackburn <[email protected]> wrote in news:MPG.18c833efd8dbdd9f989804@localhost:

> Okay, just to start another list thread and take my mind off someone else. Is anyone planning any
> cycling-based holidays this year? If so, tell all.
>
> I'm doing a week in August cycling around the border country near the Black Mountain (or is it
> Mountains, the bit nearest the border anyhow.) Nothing too strenuous, 30 to 60 miles a day,
> centre-based, and the emphasis being on decent stops for coffee, lunch and cake.
>
> I might do the North Pennine Cycleway in September if I can blag another week off work. Again not
> strenuous, over 5 or 6 days with lots of stopping for views and cakes.
>
> Colin

If I ever get round to buying a tent and getting fit, I may go for a cycle / camping weekend
somewhere....

--
Brian

 

[Tony Raven]

The Big Baguette <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> It's good if your business lends itself to this. I caused an old French woman great mirth when she
> spotted me leaning on my bike in a remote part of Burgundy, chatting to a client on my mobile. He
> thought I was in Oxford.

Next time you get through to a call centre, ask how the weather is. Most people never know their
call is being answered in India or Finland or a myriad of other places but not in the UK

Tony

--
http://www.raven-family.com

"I don't want any yes-men around me. I want everybody to tell me the truth even if it costs them
their job."

Samuel Goldwyn

 

[M Series]

End of April I'm off for a long weekend to my mates house on the Moselle. We are going cycling then
driving/cycling to see the Liege-Bastogne-Liege

In August we are doing Raid Pyrenean a strenuous 5 days !!!

"Colin Blackburn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MPG.18c833efd8dbdd9f989804@localhost...
> Okay, just to start another list thread and take my mind off someone else. Is anyone planning any
> cycling-based holidays this year? If so, tell all.
>
> I'm doing a week in August cycling around the border country near the Black Mountain (or is it
> Mountains, the bit nearest the border anyhow.) Nothing too strenuous, 30 to 60 miles a day,
> centre-based, and the emphasis being on decent stops for coffee, lunch and cake.
>
> I might do the North Pennine Cycleway in September if I can blag another week off work. Again not
> strenuous, over 5 or 6 days with lots of stopping for views and cakes.
>
> Colin

 

[Alan Braggins]

Colin Blackburn <[email protected]> writes:

> Okay, just to start another list thread and take my mind off someone else. Is anyone planning any
> cycling-based holidays this year? If so, tell all.

I've just been looking at www.bretonbikes.com. My wife's reaction was maybe one day, but not staying
in those little tiny tents with no bed.

 

[Gonzalez]

M Series wrote:

>In August we are doing Raid Pyrenean a strenuous 5 days !!!

Good luck to you! The Raid Pyrenean took me nine days - and that was hard enough.
--
remove remove to reply

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On Thu, 27 Feb 2003 14:41:22 -0000, Colin Blackburn <[email protected]> wrote:

>Okay, just to start another list thread and take my mind off someone else. Is anyone planning any
>cycling-based holidays this year? If so, tell all.

Taking the bikes on holiday is not the same as "a cycling holiday" IMO
- and we usually take the bikes on holiday. France this year, my second holiday off the UK (or
fourth if you include the Isle of Wight).

We'll be going to the York Rally this year, though. Maybe have those tandems by then

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

[Tony W]

"Colin Blackburn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MPG.18c833efd8dbdd9f989804@localhost...
> Okay, just to start another list thread and take my mind off someone else. Is anyone planning any
> cycling-based holidays this year? If so, tell all.
>
> I'm doing a week in August cycling around the border country near the Black Mountain (or is it
> Mountains, the bit nearest the border anyhow.) Nothing too strenuous, 30 to 60 miles a day,
> centre-based, and the emphasis being on decent stops for coffee, lunch and cake.
>
> I might do the North Pennine Cycleway in September if I can blag another week off work. Again not
> strenuous, over 5 or 6 days with lots of stopping for views and cakes.

Good grief -- summer is well beyond the planning horizon. I'm impressed that I know what the club
run is on Sunday and even more impressed that I know I'm booked for a w/e in the lakes in May.

T

 

[Taywood]

wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter wrote:
>> Come on Helen. Relax. Mobile phone + PDA and you can take your office with you.
>
> Oh no. Whole idea of a holiday is to get away from the stresses & strains of work and to unwind,
> relax, and be *away* from work! I tell you - if Vernon took work with him on holiday - he wouldn't
> have a holiday - he's a workaholic

Our worst ever holiday was a city break with two other couples. One guy was on the phone day and
night, a version of Mr Angry. We never found out what business he was in, he couldn't understand he
was being antisocial, to us and to his customers. We are now two couples!

 

[Russell Pinder]

"Tony W" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Colin Blackburn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:MPG.18c833efd8dbdd9f989804@localhost...
> > Okay, just to start another list thread and take my mind off someone else. Is anyone planning
> > any cycling-based holidays this year? If so, tell all.
> >
> > I'm doing a week in August cycling around the border country near the Black Mountain (or is it
> > Mountains, the bit nearest the border anyhow.) Nothing too strenuous, 30 to 60 miles a day,
> > centre-based, and the emphasis being on decent stops for coffee, lunch and cake.
> >
> > I might do the North Pennine Cycleway in September if I can blag another week off work. Again
> > not strenuous, over 5 or 6 days with lots of stopping for views and cakes.
>
>
> Good grief -- summer is well beyond the planning horizon. I'm impressed that I know what the club
> run is on Sunday and even more impressed that I know I'm booked for a w/e in the lakes in May.

We're going to Switzerland for a long weekend in August to do the Grand Raid Cristalp
http://www.grand-raid-cristalp.ch/ if that counts

Russ

 

[Colin Blackburn]

In article <b3lft8$1mvu5k$1@ID-161007.news.dfncis.de>, [email protected] says...
>
> Come on Helen. Relax. Mobile phone + PDA and you can take your office with you. It gives you an
> incredible feeling of smugness to be talking to your most awkward customer while sampling the
> local wine, sitting on the sun soaked terrace of some lovely cafe on the banks of one of Europe's
> great rivers, bike propped up against a tree a few feet (whoops, sorry, metres) away. And they
> need never know that you are not concentrating 100% on their stupid report!!

I remember calling a company, Breaks on Bikes[1], to sort out C2C transport. She apologised as she
was on holiday in Ireland. Still sorted out the booking though.

I also managed to carry on being an OU tutor during an extended stay in Vietnam (bicycle crazy!) due
the the wonders of the Internet and the explosion in its use in Vietnam.

Colin
[1] Thoroughly recommended. Michelle does pick-ups, drop-offs, and luggages transfers, if you want
to travel light, for the C2C and she's thoroughly nice too.

 

[Dave Kahn]

Colin Blackburn <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<MPG.18c833efd8dbdd9f989804@localhost>...
> Okay, just to start another list thread and take my mind off someone else. Is anyone planning any
> cycling-based holidays this year? If so, tell all.

Does a week off to do the Etape count?

--
Dave...

 

[Colin Blackburn]

In article <57db8bde.030228061[email protected]>, dkahn400 @yahoo.co.uk says...
> Colin Blackburn <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<MPG.18c833efd8dbdd9f989804@localhost>...
> > Okay, just to start another list thread and take my mind off someone else. Is anyone planning
> > any cycling-based holidays this year? If so, tell all.
>
> Does a week off to do the Etape count?

Are you getting paid to do it or are you paying to do it? If the former then no; if the latter yes.
However, the word masochist comes to mind.

Colin

 

[Chris French]

In message <[email protected]>, elyob <[email protected]> writes
>
>Went last year, after buying a tent. So, I expect to spend weekends touring about. Shame that the
>campsites all seemed to be families and couples only. Only reason I got in was because it was
>off-season .. and freeezing at night.

Really, very odd, I've never ever been turned away from a campsite
--
Chris French, Leeds