Passo dello Stelvio

Bormio, and the Mountains above the Stelvio

With the Giro d'Italia heading into the Dolomites and Alps this weekend I thought I'd look back at one of my favourite days cycling from 2010, when I spent a morning riding over the Stelvio Pass in the Italian Alps.  OK, so the Giro isn't going over the Stelvio this year, but the Stelvio is one of the most famous, and highest passes in Italy, and I've not ridden over the ones they're going over this year!  We were on holiday in Italy in July last year and rented a motorhome from Milan airport for 10 days to tour round the Italian Lakes.   The Italian town of Bormio is at the foot of the Stelvio on the western side and sits at the top of the Sondrio valley, about 2hours drive from the northern end of Lake Como.  So after a few days visiting Lake Maggiore, Lake Luggano and Lake Como, we worked our way up to Bormio for a couple of nights.

Bormio is clearly a regular feature of the Giro and is a pretty wee town.  I think the 2010 Giro had actually passed through the town a couple of months earlier on route to the Gavia Pass which is also near by. Having planned ahead I obviously had my bike with me and had done some web based research into potential riding for the holiday!  I found a great article on the Pez web site in which the riders completed the climb to the Stelvio twice in one day, from either side with a short hop over into neighbouring Switzerland, and decided this looked like an excellent route and the one I would follow too.

Preparation!

Being on holiday with the family means buggering off cycling all day doesn't make you particularly popular, so there was some compromising to be done....  In order to complete the circuit I estimated I would need a maximum of 6 hours.  Its approximately 60miles and I couldn't be sure what kind of average speed I might hope to achieve over such unfamiliar terrain!  To keep Laura happy I promised I'd be home by 12noon.  So a 6am departure was required!  This wasn't really a problem apart from the temperature at that time in the morning was bloody cold.  It meant I had the roads virtually to myself for the first ascent.

The hairpins are numbered on each side starting at 40 I think in Bormio and 49 on the eastern side.  Setting off I thought the numbering must be for the whole thing, i.e. 20 on one side and 20 on the other.... but no, its something like 25km and 40 hairpins from Bormio to the pass, at 2760m.  Having read the description on Pez
it mentions a waterfall and power station approximately half way up, but when I reached this point I simply could not believe I still was only half way there.  Then I passed a marking on the road - 15%, 10K... you're bloody joking.... The power station is at the top of a long valley and you can see it from a long way off.  As you approach it looks as though it must be the top of the climb, as its basically a wall with the road snaking back and forth across it.  Then as I got to the top to my horror I realised it just lead into another valley where the road continued to climb.  And the whole time there was a freezing cold block head wind!

Switchbacks at the Power station, halfway up, on the Bormio side

Through the second valley section the road climbs past a couple of old mountain refuge and the top of the pass gradually appear in the distance.  Cars occasionally pass, and you can watch them progress up the switch backs watching where the road goes and seeing how far there is still to cover.  A few miles before the summit there is an old closed hotel where a road branches off north toward the Swiss border.  First of all I had to tackle the final few K to the summit though.  This high up there is nothing to provide shelter and the road just weaves across the mountain side.  The pass featured a few hotels, people skiing (in July!) and the usual tourist shops.  By the time I got to the top it was 8.30.  2.5 hours of solid climbing.  Better crack on I thought if I was going to meet the 12noon eta!

1st time up!

The next section I descended back the way I'd just come up to the junction with the road into Switzerland and took the turn to the north over the Swiss border.  If I was cold going up I was frozen solid descending!  The descent into Switzerland stages off pretty fast and open with exciting switchbacks, but after a few K it turns into a gravel road surface which make it even more sporting.  Fortunately this doesn't go on forever and before long its back onto asphalt.  The final section of the steep descent was actually really good fun, tight switchbacks through pine trees, before passing through a small village and joining the main road.  This then takes you whizzing on down the hill, back across the border into Italy.  Finally starting to get warm by this stage!  Theres then a few miles along the valley floor to Prato allo Stelvio before the ascent on the Eastern side begins.

Trying to remember what I'd had to eat, and I think all I'd had was a couple of croissants and some juice, so by this stage I was starting to feel peckish.  I was hoping to find a nice wee cafe serving nice coffee and good cake, but unfortunately I couldnt find anywhere and ended up riding up the pass praying I'd come across something before I properly got the knock.  Fortunately there was a wee hotel a couple of K up the climb where I got good coffee and more croissants to fuel me a bit further.  Must have been about 9.30 by this stage, and other cyclists were starting to appear on the road.  As I climbed I starting coming across what seemed to be some kind of rolling road closure, but since I was on a bike the police let me ride through.  After a while they'd let the traffic go and I'd have literally hundreds of motor cycles roaring up the switchback after me.  I gradually worked out that there was some kind of sportive cycle event on and the police were closing the road for the cyclists, as I started picking off slower riders as I climbed.

The switchbacks on the east side of the pass are never ending, 49 of them each nicely numbered to let you know how many are left.  There obviously not all the same distance apart though which I found slightly annoying (being slightly OCD) as I couldnt set a target for ticking off switchbacks!  The final 5K you can clearly see the summit, and its not far away.... but the road goes back and forth so much it takes a long time.  I was very pleased when I reached the summit again to discover the sportivos had a big feed station near the summit, and since I was on a bike they didnt seem to mind me helping myself to a healthy amount of food!

My own personal road closure?

So finally the descent!  Mid-morning by this stage the traffic was much heavier both bicycles and motorcycles and cars, trucks, motor homes etc.  I  found another cyclist who seemed to have a fairly large pair of cojones and made it my mission to try and stay with him on the descent!  i was doing pretty well till I go to the tunnels. These are terrifying - 200+meters long, terrible road surface inside, and one has a bend in it, so you literally cannot see a thing.  Plus coming down in bright sunshine in sunglasses at 40mph into total darkness isn't my bag!  So I lost the wheel, and just enjoyed the remains of the descent and the stunning scenery.

I timed it well and made it back to the motor home almost exactly at 12.  Surprised how slow I was I guess, but totally pumped after an amazing run on the bike.  Unfortunately there wasnt time to try the Gavia or Mortirollo Passes which are also very near Bormio.  In the afternoon we went out in Bormio for lunch and a potter about, and the next day after a ride on the cable car to the near by ski station we drovn down through Aprica (finish town for an epic 2010 Giro stage) and on to Lake Iseo for a couple of nights, before coming home.  Unfortunately most of these pics were taken on a mobile phone, so they're poor.

West coast tour: Day 7

Sheildaig - Oban - Home.  The One Five Oh.  I decided on Wednesday night that I had to get home on Thursday.  Things were going on at home and I had to get back.  Easier said than done though, in Sheildaig, car in Oban 140miles away.  140miles by road via Inverness, Loch Ness and Ft William, not a route I was willing to ride - punishment of the wrong variety.  The original plan had been to cover the ground back to Oban via Skye, Mallaig, Ardnamurchan and Mull (connecting with ferries).  I made the mileage going that way at about 120-130 miles (2 x 65 mile days).  So theoretically doable in one big day.  Problem was the ferry times, as to do that route I had to get 3 different ferries and cover the ground between them them fast enough to get each in turn.  To get the last ferry from Craignure at 1900 I'd have to get the 1745 ferry from Lochaline, and to get to Lochaline in time I'd need to get the 1135 boat from Armadale, some 65miles away!  I worked this all out after a couple of pints in the hotel in Sheildaig!  Basically it meant a very early start and riding reasonably fast, but I decided it was doable.

I got up when I first woke up, and it was light.  The weather had broken, the tent was blowing about quite a bit and when I looked out there was a lot of cloud about.  I had to have breakfast, as if I skipped it I'd suffer later, so to full process of cooking porridge followed by the packing up faff was all completed and I got away just before 7am.  The first section of the ride (40 miles to Loch Alsh) is particularly brutal.  It started raining after I'd climbed the first hill andkept up for the next 2 hours.  The road to Loch Alsh is extremely hilly, the bit between Strathcarron and Auchtertyre being particularly bad.  There're bits where the road climbs away from the lochside at 14% for about a mile then drops straight back down to the loch again.  I kept pressing on and got to Kyle of Lochalsh with enough time left to make it to the ferry at Armadale, but I was starting to suffer by this stage.  The thought of food in Mallaig and the problems it would cause if I missed the boat kept me going though, and I got there at about 1115.

Once in Mallaig I got the food required to fuel me for a few more miles, but by the time I'd eaten and got underway again it was after 1pm.  Using my Garmin I was able to work out fairly easily that I wasn't going to make the 1745 boat at Lochaline.  Plan B was to head to the ferry at Corran instead, and then ride from Onich all the way down the coast.  So thats what I ended up doing.  Hills and headwind all the way up past Loch Ailort, Glenfinnan and along Loch Eil.  I keep coming to a corner thinking I must get a tail wind for the next section, but it was one of those days when the wind is always in your face!

The ferry at Corran was a relief - more food and a bit of a rest (free crossing with bikes!). By Onich I'd done 115miles, and the Garmin said it was 35 to Oban.  I stopped at the service station for more juice and food, where a guy in a camper van stopped me to comment on how well I was going.  I looked at him puzzled, and he said he'd been on the Mallaig ferry with me earlier in the day!  He was more surprised and impressed(?) when I told him how far I'd gone and still had to go!

The road from Balahulish to Connel is a bit of road I quite like, the scenery is good, and fortunately for me its quite flat.  I just pushed along as best I could.  I found I became quite fixated with the GPS, checking how far I had to go, how fast I was going, what the time was etc.  After 9+ hrs in the saddle its hard to keep concentrating I suppose.  I really dont think I could do a 12hour TT.  When I got back to the car the trip meter said 148 miles...... I rode straight past the car and cruised on for another mile.  Then turned round and rode back to the car..... 150.  Would have been a shame to got so close but not ticked that box!  Don't suppose I'll be riding that far again in a hurry.  I felt OK afterward.  I've felt worse thats for sure.  A 70mile road race can be tougher.

West coast tour: Day 6

Wild fire damage on Liathach

Dundonnel - Sheildaig.  More sun, and lots of hills!  After tea of fish and chips in Ullapool, I pushed on to camp at Dundonnel to try and reduce the amount of miles I needed to do to get to Torridon.  Arriving at Dundonnel late I ended up just camping by a lay-by, enjoying the last of the evening sun and heading to the local hotel for a couple of beers.

The ride round the coast to Altbea, Poolewe, and Gairloch was very scenic and really enjoyable, but hard work with lots of climbs and fast desents.  Lunch at Gairloch was large!  I'm having to put away a huge amount of food which is nice to eat, butmeans i'm continually thinking what I'll eat next and where I'll get it from.  Also getting a mix of carbs, protein, and avoiding too much sugary crap is tricky.  Eating apples and cakey bars whilst riding topped up with Lucozade and water keeps me going, but a big lunch of rolls, cheese, spinach, oatcakes, sundried tomatoes, bananas etc is also required.  Generally I just stop at shops and top up the supply of stuff I have on the bike.

Dinner at night is also large. I've been sticking to rice or pasta with veg, meat and sauce.  Rehydrated mushrooms have been good as they're tasty, lightweight, don't go off and add good flavour and texture to the meal.  Precooked chicken works well as you can fling it in with whatever and its got the protein needed.  Frozen prawns also worked well as I can buy them at lunch time and they'll be defrosted ready to eat at tea time.  I took a supply of boil in the bag rice and some pasta with me, as well as a selection of sachet sauces, so my evening meals have been pretty healthy, filling and nutritious.  Also particularly enjoying sundryed tomatoes with cheese!  Salty tomatoes go down a treat!  Today it was 3 rolls with ham, spinach and relish, a pack of oatcakes with cheese and tomatoes, an apple, and cakey bar for lunch!  The more I eat the less weight is in the bike!!

Breakfast is pretty good, although I've been having the same thing every day and getting a wee bit sick of it tbh!  It's been porridge with dried fruit mixed through it washed down with a black coffee.  A good kick start for the day and keeps me going till mid morning when I top up with more snacks!  The sachet porridge with dried skimmed milk has worked well and its tastey and good to get something hot, but I do like cereal with yoghurt in the morning, so have been missing that.  I've also found myself yearning for bacon rolls, but not given in yet.

After lunch at Gairloch there was a nice climb over to Loch Maree then a long push along to Linlochewe where I stopped for cake and coffee.  It was proper hot by this stage, and its easy to see why the area has had a lot of wild fires recently.  It it soo dry just now, and there is so much dead wood and heather lying about.  When I got down to Torridon the scale of the wild fire on the south west side of Liathach was amazing.  It must have been an amazing sight.  From the valey floor to almost right up to the summit for several miles has been burnt  -pic above.  I didnt stop in Torridon after all, but instead pushed on to Sheildaig for the night, as I'm considering riding up the Bealach-na-Ba tomorrow morning if the weathers good.

Garmin stats:

West coast tour: Day 5

Harris to Ullapool. Once again lots of sunshine today! Can't believe what a jammy git I am! Made an early start today so it was cold and windy when I set off. Seemed a shame to be leaving such a beautiful place. I said before that Barra was a highlight in the Outer Hebrides, well for me Harris is the other highlight. Ironically these are two islands I've been to before! I'd still say my favourite is Mingalay, but Harris is special!
I'd made my way round to Tarbert by 9am hoping to get to Stornoway by 12 in order to faff round town a bit before the ferry. Luckily the wind had shifted direction and I had a great tailwind for a change making speed good. Past Tarbet there is a large hill to be negociated. It certainly seemed large pushing half a ton of gear anyway! Must be about 2miles averaging 6-7% and max about 12%. Hard going! The descent on the other side was superb though! Pic above.
After that comes the crossing of Lewis. I've been to Lewis before several years ago and wasn't particularly inspired by it. It is rich in history and has some great scenery however it is the ugly sister alongside Harris. Fortunately the tailwind kept up and I flew?! northward averaging and impressive? 15mph and reaching Stornoway shortly before 12. Time for a bit of gift shopping, coffee&cake and restocking a few provisions.
They haven't full adapted to cafe culture in Stornoway yet unfortunately. Despite it being a beautiful sunny day and there being tables set out in the sun there was noone sat at them. You had to go into the coffee shop (via the library?!) buy you're food then return outside through the library again to use the tables. A bizarre customer experience but that seemed to be what was on offer! The food was good though, I had a large slice of apple pie with cream as reward for managing 47miles before lunch.
You meet some interesting people on ferries travelling alone. Yesterday I meet a cyclist who was riding from Barra to Stornoway in one day. This is posible going north if you catch the first boat in the morning from Barra to Eriskay. Its maybe about 110miles riding. Depending on the wind direction and traffic (single track roads are a PITA!) it could be an easy run or a major ball ache. I guess if you're a roadie living in the islands your choices of route are kind of limited. Not like living in Stirling where route options are endless.
Todays interesting punters were a couple of guys who were on a trip out to St Kilda the previous day with a company called Sea Venture (I think). Lucky with the weather they were, they said it was a brilliant day. I passed a place signposted for St Kilda view point yesterday but it was 1.5miles up a hill and the weather was kind of hazy, so I have it a miss. Some day it would be cool to go though.
Another highlight of the day I've pictured above. The Coast Guard were doing some training and winched a guy down to our boat a couple of times. Hard not to get a smile on your face seeing such an impressive aircraft hovering over head!

Garmin stats:

West coast tour: Day 4

North Uist to Harris. Sunburn! My ears are toast. Not complaining though. I think I only packed factor 20 thinking there was no way I'd need anything stronger. My Oakleys have been doing 15hour shifts, and although it doesn't feel hot on the bike, the sun is strong.

I'd thought this morning i might make it over to Lochmadday for a coffee and cake before heading for the afternoon ferry to Harris, but I underestimated the distance and just came direct to Bernaray for my refreshments before getting the boat. I didn't find North Uist an awful lot more appealing this morning but at least the roads were quiet and it was less built up round the north west corner. Open moorland with the tops of dunes and the sea in the distance. Some of the scenery is spectacular but for me it isn't a patch on what Harris has to offer. Berneray was ok and the ride north was good but it was the view out into the Sound of Harris that I found appealing. Hundreds of little rocky islands with a backdrop of hills in the distance.

The passage across the Sound of Harris is the craziest rock dodge I've ever been on! The boat takes an hour, but that's mainly because its going sideways round rocks half the time! Really beautiful crossing though, skooting between the islands. A guy I was talking to said the islanders plan to build a causeway across the channel eventually, similar to those between other islands. I think that would be a great shame as its a fantastic waterway. I would dread to have to navigate it in a boat however!

Harris definitely has the whow factor and it is just as dramatic as I remember it from when Laura and I visited several years ago. Sun sparkeling on turquoise water, white beaches, green hills and blue sky, its a brilliant place. When we visited before we camped at a place called Horgbost where there is a basic campsite next to a beautiful beach that looks across toward the hills and beaches on the other side of a large bay. I got here at 4 so its been nice to spent time chillin before tea. The last few days I've been on the go till 6 or later. Today I only did 35 miles though where as yesterday was 60. Tomorrow might be tough as I've got to get to Stornoway for the ferry to Ullapool by 1330 and its 40+ miles away with some hills. I'd I cut out the faffing and photo & cake stops I should make it no bother!

The pic shows Taranasy I think, and standing stone, which seem to be pretty common round here.

Garmin stats:

West coast tour: Day 3

South Uist to middle of nowhere (North Uist). Turned out a slightly longer day than expected. The plan I made this morning was to cruise leisurely northward stopping whereever I fancied eventually ending up in an idilic camping spot somewhere on Benbecula or North Uist. I've found my idilic camping spot but it took a bit more work and a few more miles than I expected!

The day started perfectly with bright sunshine and breeze to keep the flys away. Once again I slept like a log. 9hours without a problem! Porridge again and packed up by about 9am I thought I must be getting into the swing of touring, normally I'm champing at the bit by 8am! On the way back across the dunes I stoprd to inspect some old prehistoric dwellings which acording to the board had been inhabited from 1100BC till 200AD, some 900years! I thought that was pretty nuts! 900years in a crummy wee hut!

Anyway after marvelling at the lack of ambition of Uists ancestors to develop beyond the bronze age I pedaled across to Loch Boisdale to see if I could get a coffee and a cake. Far to much to expect on a Sunday morning in these parts though! The place was a ghost town. So I headed back for the road north and a few miles along it found a visitor center with a tea room. A little bit like the shop in The League of Gentlemen! But they had cake and the gift shop did post cards and it got me out of the wind so I was very happy. I also manager to plug in me blackberry to charge so it was all good! The guy there advised that I could get provisions at the coop on Benbecula but on North uist everything would be shut on a Sunday. So I headed off north again expecting to be at benbecula by about lunch time but u must have been going slow and it was clearly further than it looked as the time got to 1.30 and I was still some way off!

Touring is a good thing though because if you want to stop you can. So I found a nice spot at the side of a wee loch and had a beautiful hour sitting in the son eating cheese and oat cakes and stuff and enjoying the view! I carried on north again after than and felt strong enough to include a detoure to visit a closed smoke house shop. I love smoked fish and the sign said 2.5 miles so I thought I'd try but it was dead when I got there.

Benbecula had the coop I was needing and it does have some nice beaches on the west coast. But I was slightly disappointed as I was expecting it to be beach lovers utopia. And its not. The bit at the north end by the airport is pretty minging. Ok there's a huge beach you can see in the distance but there's also a scabby housing scheme an ex military base. The best buy about the north end of the island is the causeway across to north uist!

And if I'm being totally honest I haven't found North Uist a whole lot more appealing. The beaches are inaccessible hidden away behind miles of farm land the roads are smooth but the drivers are wankers and overall its not a patch on the southern islands. Barra has to be the highlight so far. What happened to the rule that you always waved when someone gave way on a single track road? Does it not apply to bikes? I've decided I'll just wave like an idiot at them anyway and hopefully it'll rub off!

Anyway I had a great meal tonight of beef with black bean sauce followed by sticky toffee pud with custard washed down with a bottle of red! Maybe that's way the fighting talk is coming out! Tomorrow is a shorter day with a run up to get the 1330 ferry across to Harris. Hopefully the wind won't get up in the night as my tent is pitched at the top of the beach in the sand and will blow away pretty easily!

Todays pic is a beautiful cottage I saw on South Uist this morning :-)

Garmin stats:

West coast tour: Day 2

Vattersay to South Uist. I had a pretty good nights sleep in my new tent. I was certainly comfy and cosy in my down bag on my therma rest! The tent is small though and I'm really glad the weather has been good as I'd be short of space for cooking eating and storage if it was wet. Its sunny though so life is good!

The day started cold grey and windy however I think it was mainly because I got up early because by 10 the sun was out and it was warming up. Plan for the day was to climb Heaval, the highest point on Barra (and the southern Hebrides), then ride up to get the ferry across to Eriskay.

The climb up Heaval was dead easy and I was at the top by 11. The views south toward Mingalay and Barrahead, and north toward Eriskay and the Uists are spectacular. I always enjoy the view across Castlebay to the beaches on Vattersay particulary though and it reminds me of the first time I came here a few years ago when Don and I sailed across from Coll. That was a cool trip! Its funny coming back as a cycle tourist rather than as a yachtsman as you see everything from a different perspective. Rather than being confined to the water you're confined to the land.
After the climb up the hill I still had a bit of time before lunch so took the longer route to the birth end of the island, going back through Castlebay and round the west coast. The beaches up the west side are breath taking and I had to keep stopping go get my camera out. I've now got about 50million pictures of beaches and I've only got as far as south uist yet!

Lunch was at the Barra airport (another beach). After that I had a pottle round the bay before heading over for the 3.30 ferry. Surprise surprise half the cycle tourists from the previous days ferry were already there. Infact I'd seen several of them earlier in the day and got a bit of chat going with one guy which was good. Touring on your own is good, but its nice to have a chat with other people as well sometimes. He was saying hed been staying in the hostel in Castlebay and got pretty hammered the previous night.

After the ferry docked I headed north again across the causeway onto South Uist with a tailwind driving me on. I've got myself camped at the top of a huge fine tonight on the west side of South Uist just north near somewhere called Garryhaille I think! Although tbh I'm about a mile from the nearest road as I had to bump across the machair to get here. Fortunately the Vodafone reception seems to be good here. Its bloody awful on Barra!

Sun is just setting over the Atlantic in front of me, time for a hot chocolate, some cake then bed! :-)

Garmin stats:

West coast tour: Day 1

Home to Vattersay. Set off yesterday with the drive up to Oban through the terrible public holiday traffic. Luckily I'd left a little spare time as it was 40mph the whole way up virtually. It was great to ditch the car again and head for the ferry to get away from it!

At the ferry it looked like half the world had turned up to go for a touring trip. The bikes out numbered the cars which was pretty cool. I was also surprised at the range of people going touring. There were several old over weight couples lots of older women as well as the skinny middle aged men that you expect.

The passage out to Barra was very smooth with just a bit of swell crossing the minch. Unfortunately I forgot you're not allowed back on the car deck once you're sailing so left my book water etc behind then had nothing to do for the 5hour crossing.

Once we got off at Castle Bay I had a plan to head round to Vattersay to camp for the night. I got round there no problem but had been expecting it to be easy to find a water supply which unfortunately it wasn't. Fortunately some guys in a camper can were kind enough to supply a bottle full and from now on I'm filling up whenever I get a chance!

So the first day was pretty good. The weather was excellent, I managed to do what I'd planned and haven't forgotten anything important! Only 6miles cycled so far!

Garmin stats:

Western Isles Tour Kit

4 weeks today the big Tour starts.  William and Kate(!) will be getting hitched, and I'll be making the most of my free day off work to head West for a new adventure.  Hopefully going cycle camping touring on the western isles at the start of May won't be too early in the season and the weather will be ok.  This weeks weather has provided a good reminder of how wet and windy it can be in Scotland, even in landlocked Stirling.  The thought of several days staying in a tent in the weather we've had this week isn't particularly inspiring, however it has prompted me to have a good look at my kit list and think about what I need to keep warm and comfortable.


Since deciding last year this was something I wanted to do I've been slowly accumulating the kit I think I'll need.  As posted before I already have a Giant TCX which I'll ride.  I've just given it a good service - its had new cables all round, a new chain and cassette in the last 2 months, and the wheels have been looked at too.  Only slightly dodgy part is the bottom bracket which is going to need replaced, but I think has a few thousand more miles in it yet.  I've fitted it with a freebie rear rack I'd got from Ian a while ago, and a Tubus Tara front rack I got 2nd hand off ebay.  Xmas and birthdays provided the Ortleib Roller panniers I'll be taking.  They're basically like dry bags that attach to the racks.  Once adjusted properly they're really secure and hopefully won't rattle too much and drive me nuts!

Clothing wise I've already got a huge amount of cycle clothing, so the problem is just deciding what to take. Hats, and waterproofs are obvious.  I'll probably go with 2 pairs of gloves (short and long finger), arm warmer and knee warmers to go with short sleeve jerseys and bibshorts, rather than taking tights and long jerseys.  Gilet, few pairs of socks, buff, and a pair of MTB shoes will cover bike wear.  Off the bike I've got a pair of Craphopper trousers, and Altura shorts that are water repelant and quick drying.  I think I'll avoid taking any cotton gear, and just take a couple of Lifa vests and a Mountain Hardware down gilet for on top.  How many pairs of boxers?  Given I'll be wearing cycling shorts a lot I think I'll probably just go for 3 pairs!  Last thing is a pair of light weight Addidas running shoes.  I've gone for these as they weigh bugger all, will dry really fast as they're basically a mesh upper, and they've good grip for any walking i might do.

Camping and cooking gear is a tricky one.  Obvious stuff is tent: I bought a Wild Coutry Aspect 1 in the sale (£75) weighing 2kg and has plenty room.  Sleeping bag I'm taking my Alpkit down bag, and Therma-rest 3/4 mat.  I've been debating buying a Therma-rest trekker chair which allows you to convert a mat into a seat with a back. £25 online, if i've spare cash later in the month I might still get one.  After looking at stoves a while ago I've decided to just go with the Trangia I've already got.  Its just the basic one, but I got a gas adapter for it a couple of years back which is brilliant.  I've just ordered a 'Light My Fire' meal set (compact spork, plate, bowl etc) and lighting flint. As well as this theres some washing up gear and swiss army knife.

Food wise I hope to cook most of my meals myself with the odd cafe lunch.  Buying most stuff en-route and hopefully saving some weight, I'll still start with some basics needed for any meal and top up where possible.  On top of that theres all the other gubbins that is needed - repair stuff for the bike (tools, spares etc), and luxuries(!) like a camera, phone, garmin (how do I charge these?!), book, maps, etc.  And not forgetting the wet wipes.....

Hopefully all this will fit in the panniers and I'll still be able to pedal the bike - I'll be trying this out in the next few days, so might post a picy.  I'm pretty confident the panniers will provide ample room, I think one problem is the more space you have the more stuff you take!  Who knows, maybe i'll not have room and need to chop some of the clothing off my list!  Pedalling up hill fully loaded will certainly be a test, as the TCX only has a compact double, so my crawler gear ratio is a 34/25, rather than what tourers probably often have which is a 30/27.  Hopefully I've got enough power in my legs to overcome this!!! well see.  Next post I'll do a route preview

Switzerland

The trip to Switzerland has been great so far. We arrived on Saturday evening and although it was pooring with rain in Geneva up here in St Cergue where Tom and Nat stay it was snowing. Their Chalet is up in the Jura mountains to the north of Lake Geneva. The village is actually at about 1200meters so its quite a climb up from the lochside. I'm not a great fan of traveling even though it was a pretty short flight so it was great to get a warm welcome and some nice dinner from Nat Tom and Sunny the dog.

Overnight there was a big dump of snow which kept up all day Sunday. We managed out for a couple of walks with the dog and a trip sledging with Oli which was good fun. On the drive up to St Cergue I found myself looking at the winding road thinking what a great place it would be to bring the bike. On Sunday morning I was glad I'd left it at home as there was snow everywhere. Its been cold and wind since then so far from ideal for bike riding anyway. Definitely come back in summer or autumn though as the roads are perfect and loads of potential loops round the mountains from here.

This morning Tom and I headed out to one of the local cross country ski centres to give that a bash. Tom has a set of skis and it was cheap and easy to hire a pair for me. We had a morning doing Classic XC on one of the red routes. It was really good fun and although my technique was obviously poor I got the hang of it pretty fast and we managed about 16km in a couple of hours. It is something I've fancied trying for a while but never had an opportunity before. I think next time I'd like to try the skating skis and they appeared a bit faster but the classics were certainly beginner friendly! The pic at the top is Tom on one of the trails.
Robin Wilkins
my blog: http://thewheelabout.blogspot.com