Having just done (most of) the Great North Trail in one go, and had a brilliant time, what would the collective recommend that we do next?
I'm torn between something similar, or doing something a bit more relaxed and gentle, ie a bit more or a touristy bike tour with gentler terrain.
Torino Nice Rally
Good shout, thanks. Keep 'em coming people.
Having just done (most of) the Great North Trail in one go,
Hang on, hang on ...
Such nonchalance! Ooh - I've just ticked off a 827 mile route, reduced it to a one-liner, and already moving onto the 'next thing'!
I think, before any of us answer your question, the least you can do is tell us a bit more about 'how was it', the highs and lows, bike, gear, and PHOTOS!
Jeez. Standards on here are slipping ...
Montanas Vacias has been on my to do list ever since I first read about it, will hopefully be able to finally ride it next May.
Having just done (most of) the Great North Trail in one go,
Hang on, hang on ...
Such nonchalance! Ooh - I've just ticked off a 827 mile route, reduced it to a one-liner, and already moving onto the 'next thing'!
I think, before any of us answer your question, the least you can do is tell us a bit more about 'how was it', the highs and lows, bike, gear, and PHOTOS!
Jeez. Standards on here are slipping ...
Point taken. I honestly didn't think that people would be that interested and didn't want to bore them. But if enough people want it, then I'll do one.
'how was it'
TL:DR it was brilliant and occasionally brutal. Sometimes simultaneously. I'd strongly recommend it to anyone thinking of trying it, because it's honestly one of the best things I've ever done.
Well, I'd certainly love to hear it! As it's something I'd like to do over the next couple i years, so would be interested to hear how do-able it is!
This looks fantastic, but on the tough end of the scale rather than the touring end. I think lots of people struggled with a couple of the cutoffs and scratched from the race itself but still continued to finish the route regardless which I think says a lot for how interesting it was as a ride:
Also further afield but discussing with my friend who rode the Great Divide this summer, he's looking to go back and ride the first section again as it was by far the most interesting but with less kit. So we're hatching a plan to go out for the start of the Tour Divide (as signing up to the actual 'race' is free) and doing the grand depart with everyone, then just seeing how far we get in 3-4 weeks before transferring back to the start and home.
Oh and I'd also be interested in a write-up on your trip if you did fancy doing one!
Having looked at that Trans pyrenees race I find the route surprising. They use far more tarmac than necessary. At several points there are nice alternative off-road descents that can be ridden on a gravel bike rather than busy roads or hike-a-bike.
Having looked at that Trans pyrenees race I find the route surprising. They use far more tarmac than necessary.
Maybe they like roads, Albion is quite a road-biased brand and the organisers are the same people who run the TransContinental. Road touring / bikepacking is under-rated imho. Time-trialling along a truck route through Hungary etc can do one though : )
TPR is a free route race - it's less about "interesting" than it is about as fast as possible. Shorter gravel vs longer road makes for some really tough decisions along the way.
So why have they given a route? The fastest will be a road bike with as little gravel as possible from what I know of the red line on their map. Having been involved with the organisation of Raids and Triathlons in France it strikes me that the whole thing is illegal anyhow. Getting the agreement of that many communes/prefectures for a "race" of that length would require a TDF level of organisation. And even if they did the marshalling and safety requirements would bankrupt them.
There are mandatory sections (parcours) that you have to complete, and control points you have to visit. How you choose to get between them is up to you. I've met the team behind it, and I'm sure it's all above board. TPR has now run 5 times, and TCR 11. TCR is probably the most well known of all of the bikepacking races.
Don't tempt me to ask the local Maire if he's authorised it. If there are timed sections and a results list it's a race.
https://do****cher.cc/results/2019/transpyrenees-2019
Of course it's a race. It's in the name.
By all means dig into it and raise it with whichever authorities you deem fit. I've got no skin in this game.
TCR went across the Pyrenees this year. The winner was a Frenchman, he was personally congratulated by the president. These races aren't being run by stealth.
@Edukator - Why are you so bothered? Let people get on with if they want to...
Not my thing, but I couldn't g.a.s if others want to race, they're not hurting anyone.
I'm just refering to the legislation. I note that most of the "race" takes place in Spain. The return through France doesn't seem to be timed. There are currently over 100 riders signed up so it still needs to respect the rules which include ensuring the safety of both the public and riders. The organisers can't possibly assure that if the route choice in France is free as you suggest. I've no skin in this game either but the way you've presented it would make it illegal in France.
Well, that went off on a depressing and pointless tangent ...
As I say, I'm confident that the organisers have worked with the relevant authorities and everything is above board. These aren't fly by night races, TCR often hits mainstream news.
A +1 for hearing about the Great North Trail! Pics, write up, highs and lows - bring it on! Did you bivvy / wildcamp or regular camp or what?
As for what to do next, this always seems to get a good report: https://badlands.cc/
It's run every year as a gravel race but it's also "open" as a ride-it-yourself route. I've done a fair bit of road riding (which is also stunning) in that area and in the last couple of years we've always seen bikepackers taking it on as a challenge route. The guy I stay with out there has done the race version 3 or 4 times.
We've just come back from Málaga after the best week I've ever had on a bike.
The inspiration was the badlands but we didn't want that much commitment and Málaga was chosen because the flights were cheaper.
So we ended up riding from Málaga North to Riogordo, joining a route called the Altravesur, see bikepacking.com as far as Trevélez, then back to me Málaga.
Absolutely stunning scenery, my highest bivvy at 1750m, my longest off-road descent at 850m, my longest off-road climb at 1300m. Stunning.
what would the collective recommend that we do next?
I was going to suggest 'devise your own route based around something you're interested in?' but fortunately Ed beat me to the grumpy old man response.
Yeah, good point, sorry for the negativity, a new rule for myself - don't post on positive threads after reading the UK government or Farrage thread. It's grim in there tonight.
And I agree about devising one's own route. I should have said just that rather than looking at the French part of the Pyreneen one and thinking it nothing special. I've done the organised-bags-transported race and raid type thing and found it all a bit lets assault the mountains with a load of people and motor vehicles. Just a few people on bikes is more my style. There's a good route over the Massif Central in France which IMO lends itself more to long distance MTB or gravel than the Pyrenees.
A couple of distant alternatives...
This is supposed to be good if a bit tough. It would likely not be what many people would expect of Australia (no desert). You could do it as part of an event or solo.
The Hunt 1000 Australian Alps Trail - BIKEPACKING.com
This would arguably be more remote, but easier.
Munda Biddi Trail - BIKEPACKING.com
I saw a few batches of photos on Insta from this one earlier this year. Looked amazing. Def. one to look at if you're interested in the lower key end of things.
F.A.Q. & Tips – Illyrian Loop – Seven Serpents https://share.google/Qk5CEc9FnZt9QLiJb
I see there's a fillum linked at the bottom of that page. I'll be checking that out later.
Yeah, good point, sorry for the negativity, a new rule for myself - don't post on positive threads after reading the UK government or Farrage thread. It's grim in there tonight.
And I agree about devising one's own route. I should have said just that rather than looking at the French part of the Pyreneen one and thinking it nothing special. I've done the organised-bags-transported race and raid type thing and found it all a bit lets assault the mountains with a load of people and motor vehicles. Just a few people on bikes is more my style. There's a good route over the Massif Central in France which IMO lends itself more to long distance MTB or gravel than the Pyrenees.
I am going to defend you Edukator.
I took it all as HOW are the managing it? rather than "thats naughty i'm telling"
This might be a bit long for you (Cycling tourism: Baltic Sea cycle route - EuroVelo - EuroVelo), but I was thinking of doing that on my motorbike one day.
What I meant to suggest was the northern part of EV11 (Cycling tourism: East Europe cycle route - EuroVelo - EuroVelo) coming down from the Arctic Sea coast to the top of the Baltic Sea. You'd want to do it in summer though.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Trip report being drafted as we speak.
I did the GNT a couple of years ago and found it both ace and tough in places. How we laughed trying to ride up the Corrieyairack Pass and the first couple of days leave a very lasting impression...
Road biased, I did the Route du Grandes Alpes last year which was also superb and tough and the Wild Atlantic Way a month or so ago which is a bit of an epic. Mostly superb and a bit spiteful in places.
Mixed surface, I also did a Marchers Way/Trans Cambrian Way/Traws Eryri mash up earlier this year that was a bastard, in a nice way. Type 2 fun at its best...
Food for thought...
After having a big think for my next tour I'm off to do the Carretera Austral. Big, remote, challenging, lots of foreign culture and avoid the darkness of our winter.