2000 mile route

[teethgrinder]

Anyone know of a 2000 mile route I could follow?
Looking for easy naigation, interesting route to follow, not too fiddly and not passing through many, if any big cities as I won't have time for faffing but on the other hand, I don't really want a bash along busy roads.
Bail out options would be handy too, incase I run out of time to finish, which might not be unlikely. I only have 11 days, but will aim to do the ride in 10 or even less if I can.
Or something a bit shorter that I can add a bit onto.

What about that ride which includes Sustrans Route 1? The Sustrans route is mostly rubbish, at least, what I've ridden of it is. It goes around a circle around the coast of the north sea or something. There was  a CTC mag article about it some years ago.

Or any other easy to get to route, preferably with easy to follow instructions. I don't have a sat nav.

Can I get a Tour De France route sheet anywhere?


I'd rather not spend a lot of time planning routes.

[Andrij]

Perhaps do some of the North Sea Cycle Route?
 

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Have you considered Eurodiagonales? They would be the sort of distance you are looking for but I'm not sure how detailed the routesheets are?

[Greenbank]

Ask RossBD about his UK Peneperipheral.

No longer on the Audax UK perms page but the PDF is here: http://www.bentley-davies.co.uk/Permanents/Peneperipheral.pdf

Up to 5100km if you do the lot.

[teethgrinder]

Perhaps do some of the North Sea Cycle Route?
 

Yes, that's the one I was thinking of. I'll have a nosey at that website, cheers.

Have you considered Eurodiagonales? They would be the sort of distance you are looking for but I'm not sure how detailed the routesheets are?

I'd prefer to avoid travelling to and from a ride by plane or train. It's hassle and will take extra time.  The North Sea Circle has the advantage of having ferries en route to get me home again (still time consuming, but hassle free compared to flying. No need to bag up my bike and all the messing about)
It's also an international cycle route, probably signposted and will probably have places to eat and sleep along the route and probably be reasonably well documented.

Ask RossBD about his UK Peneperipheral.

No longer on the Audax UK perms page but the PDF is here: http://www.bentley-davies.co.uk/Permanents/Peneperipheral.pdf

Up to 5100km if you do the lot.

Hmm, never though of that. I don't want to mess around with brevet cards, but if there's a routesheet, it might be a goer. Might be a bit on the fiddly side though.


God ideas though.

[Adam]

Why not head out east from MK until you reach the sea, turn right, and just keep the sea on your left for 2,000 miles?

[Wowbagger]

Or go to France and do a cirumnavigation. That's got to be close to 2000 miles.

We are considering a Rome to Home tour, probably for next year. The trouble is that I'd really like to do such a tour in the spring and it's hard to justify the time off work. I reckon it would be to hot in Juloy and August.

I fancy taking the tandem up the Alps!  

Edit: Rome to Calais is only 1000 or so miles by the most direct route. Perhaps you could do an "Out and Back" by different routes?  

[LittleWheelsandBig]

http://diagonales.homelinux.net/adf/?page=1&menu=1 Just start from Dunkerque and do three Diagonales de France to finish at Dunkerque. Ferry both ways.

[gordon taylor]

Perhaps do some of the North Sea Cycle Route?
 

Yes, that's the one I was thinking of. I'll have a nosey at that website, cheers.

Hmm. Do you like little gates and boring dykes and messing about down tracks?

Bergen Loop...  Finished and grumpy.


I did round Ireland last year (at Wowbagger's suggestion) which was much better. My route was 1300 miles but I missed out a lot of the long south western peninsulas. A proper coastal route would be close to 2000 miles.

[teethgrinder]

Why not head out east from MK until you reach the sea, turn right, and just keep the sea on your left for 2,000 miles?

It wouldn't be much of a ride. Either messing about with maps along back lanes and retracing. A lot of fiddling about, or roads like the A259, which passes through lots of seaside towns like Eastbourne, Brighton and Worthing. Not as easy as it sounds to keep a simple route and a lot of town centre riding which is slow and hazardous.

Or go to France and do a cirumnavigation. That's got to be close to 2000 miles.

We are considering a Rome to Home tour, probably for next year. The trouble is that I'd really like to do such a tour in the spring and it's hard to justify the time off work. I reckon it would be to hot in Juloy and August.

I fancy taking the tandem up the Alps!  

Edit: Rome to Calais is only 1000 or so miles by the most direct route. Perhaps you could do an "Out and Back" by different routes?  

I was thining of going to Italy and back, as far as would make up 2000 miles. Rome did come to mind.
It'd just be handy to have a route I can easily follow. I'll be riding 200 miles a day, so won't want to be stopping every few miles to look at the map. I suppose the other thing to do would just be to keep riding until I've done the miles.

Les Diagonales de France Just start from Dunkerque and do three Diagonales de France to finish at Dunkerque. Ferry both ways.

That could well be the winner. The North Sea ride looks like it'd be naff cycle lanes. Great for leisure touring on the mountain bike, but not for 200mpd thrash rides.
Like the ferry both ways too. Looks like it'd have a mixture of flatland and big mountain climbs as well.

[Wowbagger]

I'll be riding 200 miles a day, so won't want to be stopping every few miles to look at the map.

This is where a GPS comes into its own.

[teethgrinder]

I did round Ireland last year (at Wowbagger's suggestion) which was much better. My route was 1300 miles but I missed out a lot of the long south western peninsulas. A proper coastal route would be close to 2000 miles.

That's a good idea too. It's at least 400 miles to the ferry and back, depending on which ferry I catch so I could stick with the 1300 mile route and add a bit of Wales on at the end if I'm on for the full 2000 miles.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Karl Hrouda has done all the Diagonales. Perhaps it would be worthwhile chatting to him. Perhaps some other AUKs have done some too. Noel Simpson and Sophie Matter would also be useful contacts.

[teethgrinder]

I'll be riding 200 miles a day, so won't want to be stopping every few miles to look at the map.

This is where a GPS comes into its own.

Yes, they're very good. I hope to get one one day. But in the meantime, I know that i can pretty well memorise a long route along main roads. I can probably do MK, Dover, Lands End Durness, JOG and back to MK, the shortest possible route without using a map. I can certainly get to all those places in that order without a map, but may need a map for remembering some of the route and sticking to the shortest possible route.
Back lanes are nice to cycle along if you're not pressed for time, but even if you know the way, they slow you down a bit. Quiet main roads and B roads are very good, especially if you're rolling along at evens most of the time as I hope to be doing (fitness permitting, it'll be late April/early May) That means I'm looking for a route which uses as few roads as possible to avoid slowing down to make turns every few minutes.
.

[iakobski]

How about Dieppe - Santiago de Compostela and back, 1015 miles each way.

French secondary roads = smooth straight and fast, then when you get into Spain the old dual carriageways/A roads E-W Pamplona to Santiago have been superceded by the new motorways so barely a motor vehicle on them.

Add to that you can get a "pilgrim" brevet card which gives you access to bunkhouses/church halls along the route for between free and €5 a night.

[roddalitz]

Have a look at the Rhein, then 20 miles to the start of the Danube, all the way to the Black Sea. See Bikeline.com for maps.

[gordon taylor]

In terms of navigation, the Pacific Highway is the easiest - just hammer on down (or up) Highway 101.
You've done bits of the States before IIRC?
Is it worth the price of a plane ticket to LA or Seattle for a two week trip?

[gordon taylor]

Melbourne to Perth is 2000 miles.
I think there might be six junctions on that road. 

Hmmmmmm??

Emirates claims to be having a "Spring Sale" on tickets to Oz.

[Galloper]

A few comments, I recently bought the bikeline maps for the Rhine and they're pants, the worst cycle maps I've ever seen, seem to be more about tourist info with maps scattered across the pages.   And certainly not ideal for 200mpd.

As to the Pacific coastal route, I've ridden from just north of LA to San Diego.   101 is very highly trafficed in places.   There is an ACA route which is pretty good but  again, not geared to fast mileage.

There is a CTC route - Manche to Mer which might be suitable.

[gordon taylor]

Something in Scandinavia? Perhaps the Norwegian coast? I did a tiny bit of that in teh deep south (at one third of your speed) and it was brutal...
Howling winds, freezing cold, stupid gradients, long tunnels... Stavanger to Trondheim would be right up your street.     

[LEE]

200 miles a day for 10 days?

I know you're quick TG but will you have time to appreciate anything on that schedule?

Is it just about doing miles or having a nice time?  (You are probably one of a few who can combine both).

If I had 10 spare days to kill I'd be packing a tent on the back and doing 50 miles a day via an unhealthy number of bars and restaurants.

[teethgrinder]

I've ridden some of route 101, including the Golden Gate Bridge.
And route 1. Yes, if I was filthy rich, that'd be a good ride. If I had enough money to travel to Australia or America, finding a 2000 mile straight forward route would be a doddle.

So far, I think it's between the Irish Coast and the 3 diaganols in France. The ride to Spain and back looks good too.

[teethgrinder]

200 miles a day for 10 days?

I know you're quick TG but will you have time to appreciate anything on that schedule?

Is it just about doing miles or having a nice time?  (You are probably one of a few who can combine both).

If I had 10 spare days to kill I'd be packing a tent on the back and doing 50 miles a day via an unhealthy number of bars and restaurants.

It's about doing the miles, or more to the point, seeing if I can manage it at that time of year. There's a good chance I won't manage it, or will end up having a hard time trying and only just managing it.
I like camping and touring too, but I also like to test myself sometimes.
After a ride like this, PBP will be a doddle. That's when I'll stop to visit a bar or coffee shop and sit back and enjoy the ride.
I'm riding this for similar reasons for riding the Grand Triangle in 11 days and riding 24 hour TTs. There's more to cycling than just appreciating your surroundings. You can make it what you want it to be. This is just something different to touring, but I finds that an interesting route helps. I could easily plan a 2000 mile route on Googlemaps along familiar roads, but I'd rather see something new.

[perpetual dan]

Round the national parks would be about 2000 miles, but you might have to spend time planning the route and maybe is more of a tour.

[gordon taylor]

...PBP will be a doddle...
 

I love your turn of phrase.