Bristol to Brindisi - Arrivee article, November 2013

[Giselle]

Delighted to find my copy of Arrivee on my doorstop this morning. Particularly as i'd submitted an article and wasn't sure if i'd made the cut. Sending a big thank you to Peter Moir for his excellent work on editing this edition and for including my article. A first for me, so very exciting.

This is just to say, if you do read it and would like any more information on the trip, including routes, places to stay I would be more than happy to share this with people.

[Ian H]

I was wondering about the fourth country, then remembered. I was the first to do Simon's version of Calais-Brindisi, back in 1998. The full write-up would be interesting.

[Henry]

Great write up thanks! Quite inspiring, as a fellow Bristol rider, who has not done any touring yet. Showed it to my girlfriend who has not been cycling that long, she said "I could do that" 

[Giselle]

I was wondering about the fourth country, then remembered. I was the first to do Simon's version of Calais-Brindisi, back in 1998. The full write-up would be interesting.

Thanks for your reply Ian. Yes, the 4th country was San Marino. We were in and out of there in a few hours, after sheltering in a rainy cafe for lunch.

Excellent to hear from somebody who has already completed the route. I'm not sure how much it has changed over the years, but it is an excellent route through France and Italy. I will be posting up an edited full version of the account in the next month, if that's useful for people.

[marcusjb]

A good read thank you!

Calais-Brindisi is definitely on "the list" for me.

[Giselle]

Great write up thanks! Quite inspiring, as a fellow Bristol rider, who has not done any touring yet. Showed it to my girlfriend who has not been cycling that long, she said "I could do that" 

Thanks for your reply Henry. If you like cycling, you will love touring. If you are not sure, I would just keep it to shorter distances to begin with and get used to being on the bike day after day, focus on the tea stops and lunches! The Bristol to London section would be an excellent introduction without having to plan a huge trip. Camping is great, but you have to carry a lot of stuff, so maybe stay in hotels and make it more of a holiday.

Great that your girlfriend is interested - she definitely could do it! The whole route, or sections of it would make a fab holiday. The complete route sheet is available from Simon Jones 'Calais-Brindisi' but happy to share our plan. 

[Giselle]

A good read thank you!

Calais-Brindisi is definitely on "the list" for me.

Thanks Marcusjb - do it next summer! I'm sure you could go a lot faster, so you don't need 7 weeks!

[frankly frankie]

There was a brief account of a pioneering Calais-Brindisi in a very early edition of Arrivee.  I might dig it out and scan it to pdf.  It was actually ridden as Brindisi-Calais in a little over 8 days. 
The 'Brindisi Seven' are/were:
Mark Brooking, Ray Craig, Peter Crump, Simon Doughty, Simon Jones, Mick Latimer, Jane Ramsdale.
They rode as 2 'teams' but reading between the lines individuals got lost and found at intervals along the way.

Great to read the Calais-Brindisi tradition being upheld.

[marcusjb]

^ I'd be very interested in reading that Frankie

[Ian H]

Simon Jones rode the Dartmoor Devil last weekend (and the Nat400 & LEL this year).
The original route was shorter and thus more difficult, having a higher min speed. Simon revamped it to just over 2,500km, which allows a minimum of 200km per day.

They rode as 2 'teams' but reading between the lines individuals got lost and found at intervals along the way.

Ray Craig told me the story about getting separated from the rest. Hard as he rode he never caught them. They thought he was ahead and were chasing him.

[frankly frankie]

^ I'd be very interested in reading that Frankie

There you go Brindisi-Calais 1984 (pdf) a reprint of a reprint.

[Giselle]

^ I'd be very interested in reading that Frankie

There you go Brindisi-Calais 1984 (pdf) a reprint of a reprint.

Thanks Frankly Frankie for posting that up. An excellent read, I have no idea how the Brindisi seven managed it in 8 days. That is a truly heroic achievement!

[Arry-R]

Barry Parslow (on 3 wheels) used to do these real long distance rides.  He rode Cape Trafalgar to Trafalgar Sq

[JBB]

"The 2200km 'Brindisi-Calais' had a time limit of 200 hours (or 220 for 'dames')"

So the girls got an extra 10%? That would put the cat among the pigeons if we did that now....

[Ian H]

"The 2200km 'Brindisi-Calais' had a time limit of 200 hours (or 220 for 'dames')"

So the girls got an extra 10%? That would put the cat among the pigeons if we did that now....

Those were different times [© Lou Reed].

[marcusjb]

^ I'd be very interested in reading that Frankie

There you go Brindisi-Calais 1984 (pdf) a reprint of a reprint.

Thanks Frankly Frankie for posting that up. An excellent read, I have no idea how the Brindisi seven managed it in 8 days. That is a truly heroic achievement!

Amazing stuff indeed! 

As I said, it's on the list for sure.

[zigzag]

There you go Brindisi-Calais 1984 (pdf) a reprint of a reprint.

i imagine it was considerably harder back then without advanced navigation, lights, quality bikes, widespread payment cards and reliable weather forecasts! even now it sounds a fair challenge, well done to the a&b teams.

[Ian H]

There you go Brindisi-Calais 1984 (pdf) a reprint of a reprint.

i imagine it was considerably harder back then without advanced navigation, lights, quality bikes, widespread payment cards and reliable weather forecasts! even now it sounds a fair challenge, well done to the a&b teams.

Nah. Just less to worry about.

[HK]

If you want to meet and talk to The Great Parslow, he'll be at the AGM and annual dinne in York. He's a great bloke to talk to, with his big rides going back to PBP 1966. Unfortunately blindness has stopped him riding a bike or trike. HK

[Phil W]

. Unfortunately blindness has stopped him riding a bike or trike. HK

How about stoking a tandem?

[HK]

This was tried. A brand new Longstaff with two wheels was purchased shortly after Barry went blind over 10 years ago. Unfortunately no regular pilots wanting to do a good days ride, so the tandem got sold (the stoker stem went on the back of our racing tandem as it has Swallow engraved on it).

Barry feels he's too old ride now at 70. However he is getting a new guide dog which should hopefully allow him to get out walking again as he was an endurance walker as well as bike rider. HK