Author Topic: Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS  (Read 1551 times)

Nick H.

Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS
« on: 12 May, 2018, 06:39:25 pm »
Haven't been on my bike since 2010. ME/CFS and other health problems have meant I spend most of my time asleep or in my armchair. But I have a new plan....a successful benefits tribunal means I can afford to go somewhere. So I'm thinking I'll try a month of gentle touring and camping and hostelling. I want to go to Norway. But I can't commit in advance to a flight or deal with dismantling the bike to go on a plane. So I could just turn up at the airport and buy a flight at the last minute and risk putting a complete bike in the hold. Or I could just wobble to the Dover ferry and turn left at Calais and see how I get on.

Re: Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS
« Reply #1 on: 12 May, 2018, 06:50:33 pm »
I think the days of putting a naked bike on a plane are long gone, unfortunately. Aren't there ferries that go somewhat nearer your destination?
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mattc

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Re: Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS
« Reply #2 on: 12 May, 2018, 07:06:06 pm »
The CTC plastic bag approach* (other brands available, YPYM etc!) is pretty safe WITH COMPATIBLE AIRLINES (B.A for example). Certainly not AS safe as a hard case, but nothing is certain when you get on a plane :P

I have also done train-to-Dover, ferry-to-Calais, and that was great; for a ride whose purpose was to ride Belgium-Lux-Germany-Alsace-SwissAlps ... ! If you're heading for Norway, it seems like adding a lot of KMs.

The very best of British Luck!


*You need to turn the handlebars, so not COMPLETELY tool-free. But you can practice that, and it takes seconds  :thumbsup:
Has never ridden RAAM
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No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

LittleWheelsandBig

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Re: Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS
« Reply #3 on: 12 May, 2018, 07:23:34 pm »
And remove pedals?

There are a couple of QR pedals that HK likes on her Brompton and Moulton. They don't need tools to fit or remove.

Ferry to Hook of Holland gets you a bit closer. Not sure what passenger ferries end up further north. https://www.seat61.com/Norway.htm and https://www.seat61.com/Netherlands.htm might give you some options.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

mattc

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Re: Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS
« Reply #4 on: 12 May, 2018, 07:42:11 pm »
And remove pedals?
Nope, didn't need to. [Good thing really, as I broke an airport allen key later trying to shift mine for a Sleazyjet flight - but that's another irrelevant story ... ]

I've only done this once - I would advise any traveller to research these things further to be safe. e.g. Lots of threads on the CyclingUK forum.

But I can say that a big part of the attraction was the lack of disassembly.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS
« Reply #5 on: 12 May, 2018, 07:59:23 pm »
If Norway is your wish DFDS do a freight service direct but it isn't cheap and without going deeper I can't tell whether bicycles would cause problems.
50 years ago there was a service direct out of Newcastle to either Bergen (where I went when my granny took us skiing) or Stavanger but this unfortunately no longer exists.
The various suggested options through germany and Denmark might be OK for a freight route but I suspect might be a lot of faff for a cycle-tour (unless you are very itinerant or cool).

Re: Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS
« Reply #6 on: 12 May, 2018, 08:08:38 pm »
Sounds like a great ride. How about a train to get nearer Norway if the plane logistics don’t appeal?


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Nick H.

Re: Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS
« Reply #7 on: 12 May, 2018, 09:12:31 pm »
 I do actually have S&S couplings. So maybe I could just check the bike as ordinary luggage in cheapo bags which go in the bin afterwards. No sports equipment surcharge.  The min bag size would be 32 x 32 x 25 or so. The reassembly takes ages...the pannier racks, the tri bars etc. Perhaps I should practice it so I can do it at the airport without blowing a gasket.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS
« Reply #8 on: 12 May, 2018, 10:19:59 pm »
Norway is quite hilly for 'gentle' touring. How about starting small with a little trip round the low countries?
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Nick H.

Re: Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS
« Reply #9 on: 13 May, 2018, 01:26:34 am »
Plenty of flat roads near the coast. Lots of tunnels and ferries to avoid the mountains. And it has other pluses like considerate drivers, not much traffic, wild camping allowed anywhere, everyone speaks English, huge investment in cycle paths, helpful people, low crime, lots of good campsites.  Such a low stress society it's almost like one of those sci-fi films where the perfect life has been achieved at a terrible cost, e.g. everyone over 30 being made into Soylent Green.

Re: Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS
« Reply #10 on: 13 May, 2018, 07:28:05 am »
I double check that all the tunnels you are thinking of useing are passable on a bike.
http://www.cycletourer.co.uk/maps/tunnelmaplrge.shtml

Luck .............  ;D

Nick H.

Re: Hoping to go for a gentle tour to beat ME/CFS
« Reply #11 on: 13 May, 2018, 05:57:24 pm »
I don't plan ahead that much - last time the Norwegian police took us for a lovely drive in their van!  They don't have much else to do, it was the highlight of their week!