#7Countries7Passes - Planning Stage 2

"The best laid plans of Mice and Men often go awry". Planning provides you with reassurance though; purpose, and some element of comfort, when a challenge lies ahead.

My plans for the #7Countries7Passes Tour are progressing well, so I though I would fill you in on the route, the schedule and the finer details.




The Route

The route has remained largely unchanged since my first plans were laid in this blog post: 'Introducing the 7Countries7Passes Tour'.

The only development is that I have added another day going down through Germany, to make the mileage a bit more manageable, and to take in a more scenic route through the Black Forest.


Start location - Copenhagen, Denmark
I love travel. I don't really like planes, trains and automobiles. With that in mind, I always try to combine my trips abroad, to make the most of the airport/travel time.

This August, I'm racing the Hansen's Cykellob with the GripGrab team, so starting my tour from the beautiful Danish city of Copenhagen, shortly after the race, seemed like a great bet.


Checkpoints - Villengen (Germany) - Merano (Italy) - Corbieres (France)
Travel is always better when you can share experiences with friends and family. There aren't many of my riding buddies that would want to do 10 or 12 hour consecutive days in the saddle, but it is always nice to visit friends in far-off places.

On this tour, I begin with GripGrab in Denmark; then travel down through Germany to visit my sister in Villengen. From there, it is into the mountains to visit relatives in Merano (South Tyrol), and stay for a rest day at the beautiful Hotel Terme Meran. Then finally, I head across the South of France to the Corbieres, where my good friends Gus and Sarah Farmer are based.


Finish - Andorra
Andorra has always been a mysterious country to me... an island in the mountains.

I have been keen to visit the country for some time, and the Salvador Dali Sculpture in Andorra la Vella seemed like a fitting place to finish this tour. The sculpture symbolises the 'Nobility of Time'; suggesting how time rules everything, and you should make the most of every minute you have.

On my penultimate day of the tour, I will ride into Andorra on a mammoth 5k+ metre ascent day. Then, after a good nights sleep in a hotel (one of very few non-wild camping nights), I plan to offload my kit, and ride the final day back into France down the GR7 gravel path; hopefully accompanied by Augustus Farmer. It should be a great finish to an incredible journey.


The Countries
  1. Denmark
  2. Germany
  3. Switzerland
  4. Austria
  5. Italy
  6. France
  7. Andorra

The Passes/Highlights
  • Start: Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen (Denmark)
  • Checkpoint 1: Villingen (Germany)
  • Pass 1: Hochtannbergpass (1675m) (Austria)
  • Pass 2: Timmelsjoch (2474m) (Austria/Italy)
  • Checkpoint 2: Merano (Italy)
  • Pass 3: Stelvio Pass and Umbrailpass (2757m) (Italy/Switzerland)
  • Pass 4: Col de Montgenèvre (1854m) (France)
  • Pass 5: Mont Ventoux (1911m) (France)
  • Checkpoint 3: The Farmers' (France)
  • Pass 6: Col de Pailhères (2001m) (France)
  • Pass 7: Port d'Envalira (2408m) (Andorra)
  • Finish: Salvador Dali Sculpture (Andorra) 



The Schedule

Below is an outline of my day-to-day route plans. There are some big days in terms of distance, and some mammoth days in terms of climbing. 

Strava calculates the totals to be 3,000 kilometres of riding, with 50,000 metres of elevation gain. 




The Details

I will leave the finer details on kit choice and bike set-up to a later blog piece, but here is a taster…

The tour will be completed on my Kona Rove Ti. I decided that for this ride, I would fit a rear pannier rack, accommodating two Arkel panniers. The thinking behind this is that most of the ride will be on surfaced roads, so a rack seems worth the added stability, despite the small weight penalty. I will also be using a frame-bag and handlebar pack from Restrap.

Kit choices, both apparel and camping gear, will be made on the basis of weight versus performance. There is little point in taking a lightweight sleeping bag, if it won't keep you warm on the top of a mountain; or of taking a minimalist waterproof jacket, if you need to ride for days in the rain.

There is some superb kit in the line-up so far, from brands like Gore Bike Wear, GripGrab, Sportful, Nordisk, POC and Vaude. My kit choices have developed significantly from those for the 'Coasts and Cols' tour, so I look forward to sharing more about them soon…

The Kona ROVE Ti, ready to rove


My previous kit selection on the 'Coasts and Cols' Tour. Some interesting developments since then



The Anticipation

The #7Countries7Passes tour is set to be an incredible journey, challenge and experience.

15 days of riding. 21 categorised climbs. 7 different cultures. 4 different mountain ranges.

It is set to be a great bicycle touring adventure...



Labels:


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review – Scicon Aerocomfort 3.0 TSA Road Bike Bag

Image
The best-selling Scicon Aerocomfort Bike Bag has received some significant design updates. With thru-axle compatibility, added protection, and an overall lighter weight—the Scicon Aerocomfort 3.0  is even more of a market-leader than before. Back in 2013, I reviewed the Scicon Aerocomfort 2.0 ( read the review here ). That bag has had some significant use: for transporting bikes on planes, trains, and even yachts. With many of my bikes  now having thru-axle designs though, the Aerocomfort 2.0 had required some questionable 'bodging' on my part to make it usable. I was therefore relieved when the new 3.0 was released—this new design is much improved. Thru-Axle Compatibility One of the biggest differences with the Scicon Aerocomfort 3.0 Bike Bag is that it will accommodate 12 mm thru axles on the front and rear of the patented suspension frame system. To fit thru-axles, you simply remove the QR inserts in the suspension frame, then use your bike's existing axles t...
Keep reading

Review – Gobik Envy Polartec NeoShell LS Winter Jacket

Image
The Gobik Polartec Long Sleeve Envy Jacket is a close-fitting outer layer made from Polartec's innovative NeoShell® fabric—the world's most breathable waterproof fabric. This is a winter cycling jacket that feels more like a long sleeve jersey, thanks to its stretch and performance cut; but it offers the protection of a deep winter outer shell. Polartec® NeoShell® was developed by the American brand to offer the optimal balance of waterproof protection and breathability that is sought-after in active wear. The fabric is used in hiking jackets, cycling jackets, and waterproof trousers with tremendous success, and this deployment in the Gobik Polartec Long Sleeve Jacket is a strong example of utilising the fabric well. The NeoShell® fabric provides a high stretch bonded three-layer covering, with taped seams to prevent water from seeping in. The high cut collar, lower cut rear hem and YKK® Vislon® AquaGuard® zipper all enhance the protection and coverage provided by the jack...
Keep reading

Review – Selle Italia SLR Boost Gravel Superflow Saddle S3

Image
The Selle Italia SLR Boost Gravel Superflow Saddle is designed for gravel bike riding. Featuring gel inserts to reduce vibration, titanium saddle rails to absorb trail buzz, and a sleek low-profile design to offer style and performance—this is a saddle made for adventure. The SLR Boost Gravel is Selle Italia's latest offering for the growing Gravel segment of the market; engineered specifically to enhance riding comfort on difficult terrain and during endurance gravel events. Available in two sizes, I opted for the smaller version (S3), and have been testing it out over the last month… I have become a great advocate of the cut-away design for saddles—it offers greater flexibility in the centre of the saddle and reduces pressure on the sensitive perineum region. The SLR Boost Gravel Superflow is a superb example of this kind of saddle design; with a cutaway section, short nose, and flared sides to effectively support your seat bones. To improve comfort on rough terrain, Selle...
Keep reading

SwissStop Disc Brake Pads Comparison Test Review – Are All Disc Brake Pads Made Equal?

Image
The market for disc brake pads for gravel bikes, mountain bikes and road bikes is saturated; there are hundreds of different brands producing disc brake pads claiming to last longer and perform better than the competition. So, what is the difference between a set of low cost disc brake pads from eBay/Amazon versus the high-end pads from SwissStop? Are SwissStop disc brake pads worth the extra money? To find out, I have been doing some extensive disc brake pad testing over the last few months. October to February is obviously a period of wet winter riding, and I have been testing the following list of brake pads on road, gravel and mountain bikes—to create the ultimate test for any disc brake set-up. The disc brake pads on test:  SwissStop Disc 34 RS (Shimano Road/Gravel)  SwissStop Disc 32 RS (SRAM Road/Gravel)  SwissStop Disc 31 E (MTB SRAM Avid)  Superstar Sintered Shimano Road Disc Brake Pads (Shimano Road/Gravel)  SOMMET Resin and Semi-Metallic Disc Brak...
Keep reading

Recipe – The Ultimate High Energy Flapjacks

Image
This traditional flapjack recipe is packed full of energy for long days on the bike. The oats supply a great low-GI fuel source, while the dried fruit offers instant energy and sweetness. Whether on or off the bike, these flapjack bars are a great high-energy snack for cycling. You can adapt the recipe by adding in other dried fruit, seeds, nuts, and spices to make these even more varied and flavoursome. I particularly like pumpkin seeds and chopped crystallised ginger added to the mix. Ingredients 200g butter 100g brown sugar 1 tbsp golden syrup ½ tbsp black treacle 300g porridge oats 100g raisins 75g soft-dried figs 50g soft-dried apricots Method Set the oven to 150°C or 140°C for fan-assisted oven. Place the shelf in the middle Stick a big pan on the scales and measure in the butter and brown sugar Heat the pan on the hob until the butter and sugar are all melted Add a tablespoon of golden syrup and half a tablespoon of treacle to the mix Add the porridge oats and y...
Keep reading