Two months to go !

Kev & Mike - Amsterdam to Inverness - 7,000 kms !

Mike & Kev - The Bodinsee after completing the Konigsee route in 2011

Yes it's another "Boys Own" adventure as the lads attempt to cycle some 7,000 unsupported km's over 3 months taking in some of the finest scenery that Europe and the UK has to offer !

Starting in Amsterdam, and assuming that we can get Kev out of the local Adult "lollyshops", the plan is to cycle through the lowlands of Holland and Belgium to the Ardennes region near the French border before taking in the beautiful scenery of the Moselle & Rhine rivers. Heading inland we break out the off road gear and cross the scenic Black Forest & Jura regions of Germany and Switzerland then cross the mountains of Grenoble before undertaking what should be an amazing spiritual journey along the Camino (1,800kms) to Nthn Spain.

Back tracking slightly we follow the Camino Primitivo to the magnificent Picos Mtns area (where Kev will maintain 24 hour guard duty against roaming bears) to Santander for our  Ferry back to Plymouth and the UK.

Suitably prepared this time, the hills of Devon should present little problem (thanks Bob !) as we wind our way along various Sustrans routes through Wales, The Peak District and Yorkshire before doing our own version of a coast to coast cycle from St Bees in the Lake District to Holy Island on the Nth Sea.

A breeze (not) through Edinburgh's rabbit warren of streets and some exciting cycling will take us past outstandingly scenic and remote Scottish glens to Loch Ness and our finishing point after 7,000km's at Inverness !

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It is now 2 years on since our last such Epic cycle where we completed a tough UK End to End ride in never ending rain by way of the Outer Hebrides. As a warm down we also journeyed over to Europe for 2 addittional months cyling amongst some incredibly picturesque European scenery !

With Kev and self now almost recovered from the physical & mental trauma of spending 3 months together we have decided to give it another go but this time applying the learnings from our 2011 ride !



1) Kev will be tethered by rope, bells and if necessary an electric cattle prod to ensure he does not stray or take wrong turns !

2)  We will be packing tent and camping supplies and while expecting to be constantly lost we will at least have a tarp to throw over our heads for the night instead of sleeping in the local co-op !

3) We will avoid all bridle trails after our excrutitating 2011 Makinholes experience !

http://litchy76.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/day-11-hpp.html

4) For Kev's benefit I will learn how to ask for a salad roll with extra beetroot, mayo and no cucumber in 22 different languages !


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Late cycle advetnure starters, our first O/S cycle trip was with Bike Asia trip through the Yunnan province in China in 2007 with the Warbies. Since then we have been fortunate enough to have  undertaken some amazing rides, seeing some incredible scenery and meeting many terrific people who share a similar "adventuresome" spirit and love of life !


China - 2007

New Zealand Sth Island - 2010

Lhasa to Kathmandu - 2010

Mt.Everest Base Camp - 2010

UK End to End - 2011

Outer Hebrides - 2011
 
France - 2011

Milan to Interlaken - 2011 

The Bodinsee - 2011

Peru - 2012


The adage that you are never too old could not be truer for those who enjoy being on a "treadly", loving the sense of freedom it brings as well as the ability to be at one with self as the world goes slowly by!  
   

Mike tested by the conditions in Peru - 2012 

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The plan for our 2013 adventure is to cycle out of Schipol Airport on May the 5th 2013 and if form is true we expect to be lost shortly after !

En route we're certainly up for any company (a rough itinerary is posted below) and already have a few takers with Kiwi Ross (Peru Redspokes 2012) joining us in Basle for a few weeks, our good friend Angela (Tibet Redspokes 2010 ) considering doing a section of our UK coast to coast ride and friends and fellow travellers Kev and Julia (Tibet Redspokes 2010)  threatening to cycle us into oblivion in Dorset following our UK leg in August!


We both look forward to sharing our adventures and hearing from you along the way !

Mega Mike !


5/5 - 12/5

Amsterdam to Verdun (France)

13/5  - 20/5

Verdun to Koblenz (Rhine)

21/5 - 28/5

Koblenz to Courgenay (Switzerland - Jura)

29/5 - 5/6

Cougenay to La Chappelle (France)

6/6 - 13/6

La Chappelle to Cahors (France)

14/6 - 21/6

Cahors to Burgos (Spain)

22/6 - 28/6

Burgos to Santiago de Compestalla (Spain)

29/6 - 10/7

Santiago to Santander (Spain - ferry)

11/7 - 18/7

Plymouth to Bangor (Wales)

19/7 - 26/7

Bangor to St Bees

27/7 - 5/8

St Bees to Inverness

We wind down with hopefully a few days cycling in or around Dorset before flying out from Paris on 13 August with Kev heading home to OZ and Mike up for more punishment with the Redspokes crew in India! 

India Himalayas - Redspokes 

Our contact e-mails while away are

Mike  = M_Litchfield@hotmail.com

Kev = Kevinhenley@hotmail.com