|
|
My complete Le Tour de Europe route, color varies for individual days, from Duncansby Head, Scotland (green circle, top-left), where I began on 21 August, to Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey (red circle, bottom-right), where I finished on 22 October when I reached the Asia side of the Bosphorus. Official numbers are 63 days, 4392 miles (7,027 km) by bicycle (ferry crossings excluded), and 230,751 feet (70,333 meters) of climbing, equivalent to nearly eight times up Mount Everest (29,029 feet, 8,850 meters) from sea level.
Concept and Introduction:
Relative to all of my previous bicycle tours, by any measure including distance, ascent, and number of countries visited, Le Tour de Europe remains my most ambitious tour to date, a complete transect of the European-subcontinent. Among many possibilities, I chose to start at Duncansby Head, the northeastern-most headland in Scotland, and finish in Istanbul, Turkey half-way across the Bosphorus, the strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara that represents part of the conceptual suture between Europe and Asia.
One of the reasons I wanted to start at the top of Scotland was a deep connection, a kinship, to that space that I felt on previous visits, one of them by bicycle in the autumn of 2017 from Hamburg, Germany. Another was my desire to integrate the Outer Hebrides, Inner Hebrides, and Ireland into my itinerary, places I've often dreamed of visiting. Lastly, by starting at the top of Scotland and then making my way west then south before actually turning east towards my goal, Istanbul, I was ensuring that I would have ample opportunity to celebrate the journey versus focusing purely on the physical and mental challenges associated with riding a bicycle from some Point A to Point B across Europe.
My route through Scotland, including the archipelagos known as the Outer and Inner Hebrides, encompassed 543 miles on the bike with 33,081 feet of elevation gain, all of this was avoidable if I had started, e.g., in London. Similarly, from Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, where I made landfall to Lismore in south-central Ireland where I finally turned east towards very, very far away Istanbul, I cycled another 557 miles with 30,501 feet of elevation gain along the way. All of this, too, was unnecessary. However, I have no regrets, in hindsight. The journey through Scotland and Ireland was special beyond words, and the memories are now alive and living in my heart.
Within view of the Atlantic Ocean to the south, I turned east at Lismore, Ireland, in County Waterford, an exceptional place to bicycle and a scenic highlight from the tour. From there, I made my way to the ferry at Rosslare then across St. George's Channel to Fishguard, Wales. Days later, and after a wonderful visit with Ian Bright and his family (friends from the tour that I met on a ferry boat crossing from Lochboisdale to Mallaig in Scotland), I was on another boat, this time crossing the English Channel to Cherbourg, France. Once on the European mainland, I was free to fly across France then Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Turkey.
The tour began officially on 21 August 2019 when I arrived, by bicycle, to Duncansby Head after a short but nonetheless eventful ride from Wick, Scotland where a train deposited me the night before following a red-eye flight from Denver, Colorado (19 August). Sixty-three days later, on 22 October 2019, I successfully arrived, by bicycle and ferry, to the middle of the Bosphorus. The map at the top of this page provides my complete route from Duncansby Head, Scotland to Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey, colors for the most part represent a day’s cycle. Official numbers are 63 days, 4392 miles (7,027 km) by bicycle (ferry crossings excluded), and 230,751 feet (70,333 meters) of climbing, equivalent to nearly 8 times up Mount Everest (29,029 feet, 8,850 meters) from sea level.
Below, friends, family, and strangers that visit Andre Breton Cycling will find country-by-country recollections from my tour; click the chapter titles for those details including many images. I managed to write-up my recollections for many of the countries I visited while I was still on tour. However, fatigue finally caught-up with me, and the writing stopped when I reached Slovenia. Since returning to the United States on 28 October, I've rebooted and completed (4 March 2020) the writing project including deep edits to material I wrote when I was en route to Istanbul.
One of the reasons I wanted to start at the top of Scotland was a deep connection, a kinship, to that space that I felt on previous visits, one of them by bicycle in the autumn of 2017 from Hamburg, Germany. Another was my desire to integrate the Outer Hebrides, Inner Hebrides, and Ireland into my itinerary, places I've often dreamed of visiting. Lastly, by starting at the top of Scotland and then making my way west then south before actually turning east towards my goal, Istanbul, I was ensuring that I would have ample opportunity to celebrate the journey versus focusing purely on the physical and mental challenges associated with riding a bicycle from some Point A to Point B across Europe.
My route through Scotland, including the archipelagos known as the Outer and Inner Hebrides, encompassed 543 miles on the bike with 33,081 feet of elevation gain, all of this was avoidable if I had started, e.g., in London. Similarly, from Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, where I made landfall to Lismore in south-central Ireland where I finally turned east towards very, very far away Istanbul, I cycled another 557 miles with 30,501 feet of elevation gain along the way. All of this, too, was unnecessary. However, I have no regrets, in hindsight. The journey through Scotland and Ireland was special beyond words, and the memories are now alive and living in my heart.
Within view of the Atlantic Ocean to the south, I turned east at Lismore, Ireland, in County Waterford, an exceptional place to bicycle and a scenic highlight from the tour. From there, I made my way to the ferry at Rosslare then across St. George's Channel to Fishguard, Wales. Days later, and after a wonderful visit with Ian Bright and his family (friends from the tour that I met on a ferry boat crossing from Lochboisdale to Mallaig in Scotland), I was on another boat, this time crossing the English Channel to Cherbourg, France. Once on the European mainland, I was free to fly across France then Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Turkey.
The tour began officially on 21 August 2019 when I arrived, by bicycle, to Duncansby Head after a short but nonetheless eventful ride from Wick, Scotland where a train deposited me the night before following a red-eye flight from Denver, Colorado (19 August). Sixty-three days later, on 22 October 2019, I successfully arrived, by bicycle and ferry, to the middle of the Bosphorus. The map at the top of this page provides my complete route from Duncansby Head, Scotland to Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey, colors for the most part represent a day’s cycle. Official numbers are 63 days, 4392 miles (7,027 km) by bicycle (ferry crossings excluded), and 230,751 feet (70,333 meters) of climbing, equivalent to nearly 8 times up Mount Everest (29,029 feet, 8,850 meters) from sea level.
Below, friends, family, and strangers that visit Andre Breton Cycling will find country-by-country recollections from my tour; click the chapter titles for those details including many images. I managed to write-up my recollections for many of the countries I visited while I was still on tour. However, fatigue finally caught-up with me, and the writing stopped when I reached Slovenia. Since returning to the United States on 28 October, I've rebooted and completed (4 March 2020) the writing project including deep edits to material I wrote when I was en route to Istanbul.
Colorado, USA to Wick, Scotland:
|
August 19-20, 2019. My flights from Denver and Newark were both delayed by about two hours. By the time I arrived to Edinburgh, sleepless from the night before, I was already about three hours behind schedule. But there remained no reason to be concerned, I still had plenty of time to catch my train departing Waverley in downtown Edinburgh at 1:33 pm. At least that was the case until I proceeded to make a series of avoidable and time consuming errors primarily with my Garmin 1030, which I was still getting to know at that time. Through this combination of unforeseen delays, once inside Waverley I was forced to make anxious haste from ticket machine to track-20 including ascending and descending several flights of stairs whilst carrying a heavy bike.
Delays and self-inflicted drama withstanding, about three hours later I arrived to Inverness, where I had a scheduled 90 minute lay-over. By chance, I encountered Isabelle, a traveler from Utrecht, Netherlands and the time passed quickly as a result. Hours later, at just before 11 pm, I was the last man standing on the Inverness to Wick train when I arrived and found my kind host for the evening, Simon, kindly waiting. Following a quick intro to the flat I concluded a very long pair of days with a restless sleep that was nonetheless far better than my lack of any sleep the night before. |
|
Country-By-Country Chapters:
21-29 August 2019
Duncansby Head to Port Ellen, Islay on a Route that Celebrates the Journey.
542.9 miles on the bike with 33,081 feet of climbing, equivalent to one ascent up Mount Everest from sea level plus 3000 bonus feet. Above and below, ferry crossings are always excluded for mileage estimates.
Duncansby Head to Port Ellen, Islay on a Route that Celebrates the Journey.
542.9 miles on the bike with 33,081 feet of climbing, equivalent to one ascent up Mount Everest from sea level plus 3000 bonus feet. Above and below, ferry crossings are always excluded for mileage estimates.
29 August to 2 September 2019
Ballycastle to Rosslare, Ireland Through the Middle and Over the Knockmealdowns.
A total of 556.6 miles with 30,501 feet of climbing, equivalent to one ascent of Mount Everest from sea level.
Ballycastle to Rosslare, Ireland Through the Middle and Over the Knockmealdowns.
A total of 556.6 miles with 30,501 feet of climbing, equivalent to one ascent of Mount Everest from sea level.
2-6 September, 2019.
Fishguard, Wales to Poole, England, Straight Up, Straight Down, Eventually Back to the Sea.
276.4 miles with 18,557 feet of ascent, equivalent (plus a bit) to ascending to Mount Everest base camp from sea level.
Fishguard, Wales to Poole, England, Straight Up, Straight Down, Eventually Back to the Sea.
276.4 miles with 18,557 feet of ascent, equivalent (plus a bit) to ascending to Mount Everest base camp from sea level.
6-12 September, 2019
Cherbourg to Cure, France via Normandy and the Jura Mountains.
A total of 620 miles with about 29,140 feet of climbing, nearly one-time up Mount Everest from sea level.
Cherbourg to Cure, France via Normandy and the Jura Mountains.
A total of 620 miles with about 29,140 feet of climbing, nearly one-time up Mount Everest from sea level.
12-16 September 2019.
Nyon, Switzerland to Balvers, Lichtenstein in the Company of the Bernese Oberland.
306 miles with 19,704 feet of climbing, another climb to Mount Everest base camp from sea level.
Nyon, Switzerland to Balvers, Lichtenstein in the Company of the Bernese Oberland.
306 miles with 19,704 feet of climbing, another climb to Mount Everest base camp from sea level.
18-20 September 2019.
Feldkirch, Austria to Brenner, Italy through the Clouds at St. Christoph.
166 miles with 8756 feet of climbing.
Feldkirch, Austria to Brenner, Italy through the Clouds at St. Christoph.
166 miles with 8756 feet of climbing.
20-27 September 2019.
Brenner to Fusine Confine, Italy Including a Long (3 nights) Rest Outside of Verona.
443 miles with 13,700 feet of climbing.
Brenner to Fusine Confine, Italy Including a Long (3 nights) Rest Outside of Verona.
443 miles with 13,700 feet of climbing.
27-29 September 2019.
An Inspired Tour of Slovenia in Search of the Endurance Legend, Jure Robič.
168 miles with 8074 feet of climbing.
An Inspired Tour of Slovenia in Search of the Endurance Legend, Jure Robič.
168 miles with 8074 feet of climbing.
29 September to 7 October 2019.
Croatia by Boat and Bicycle.
438 miles (by bike) with 27460 feet of climbing.
Croatia by Boat and Bicycle.
438 miles (by bike) with 27460 feet of climbing.
7-12 October 2019.
Six Days of Adventure in the Country of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
190 miles with 11330 feet of climbing.
Six Days of Adventure in the Country of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
190 miles with 11330 feet of climbing.
12-15 October 2019.
Into the Heart of the Dinaric Alps Amidst the Wonderful People of Serbia.
301 miles with 18260 feet of climbing.
Into the Heart of the Dinaric Alps Amidst the Wonderful People of Serbia.
301 miles with 18260 feet of climbing.
15-19 October 2019.
Bulgaria via Sofia and the Valleys Below the Balkan Mountains.
299 miles with 7803 feet of climbing.
Bulgaria via Sofia and the Valleys Below the Balkan Mountains.
299 miles with 7803 feet of climbing.
19-22 October 2019.
Turkey Brought to you by the Turkish People with Open Hearts.
213 miles with 11490 feet of climbing.
Turkey Brought to you by the Turkish People with Open Hearts.
213 miles with 11490 feet of climbing.
I established a handful of new friendships from chance encounters on this tour, in many cases I managed to make a connection to them through some form of social media, a rare few were captured in a photo. Here's a sample of those wonderful people that added so much to my experience on the tour through their curiosity, kindness, and generosity, For a complete list, visit each chapter of my travelogue including photos that follow the text.
|
|
Left, ferry from Lochboisdale, South Uist, Outer Hebrides bound for Mallaig, Scotland, Caroline Bright and her two children George and Nia. Right, visiting the Bright Family at their home in Newport, Wales, added a friendship with Nicola, left, that's Ian Bright in the middle.
Pottlebane, Aughnagarnon, Co. Cavan, Ireland, 30 August 2019. On a wet, windy day rolling through the heart of Ireland, I was detected by two farm dogs as I made my way along a tractor track. The result, I wasn't eaten, instead I did lots of eating in the kitchen of these two exceptionally friendly farmers. Sadly, I've forgotten both of their names but I'm hoping to recover that information through Facebook soon.
|
|
Left, Gabri and David caught up to me as I was riding along the east shore of Lake Garda, Italy, on 21 Sept 2019. and I was happy to fall in behind David, who happens to be a giant! This also put me behind Gabri's wheel, a privilege that I also enjoyed. Right, chanced on Brian, youngster in the background, he was washing a bus not far from Passage East, Ireland, with a hot water power washer that I was given permission to use by his father maybe, right-front. A marvelous group of people. Niamhs, young lady, center-front, brought me two scones with butter (!) after I told her I was addicted to them. Ignore the facial expression, I'm squinting to see the camera through a strong reflection, I was all smiles inside with one scone eaten and another in my pocket.
|
|
Left, Claudia was my host in Balvers, Lichtenstein, and her son Dario, a AAA under-18 hockey player in the USA for two years; they adopted me right away and I stayed an extra night, I could have stayed much longer, wonderful people. Right, a very nice fellow that I clung to because he was putting-out so many watts on most of my ride from Ora to Lake Garda, Italy (21 Sept 2019). He asked me where I was going (pointed at my GPS) and he led me on a local tour, through villages, etc, all the way to the lake, 50 ish miles. I never caught his name, I tried but he spoke no English and I speak essentially no Italian. A pity I've lost track of him, but it was a ride filled with friendship shared by an Italian and an American that love to ride bikes.
Arnavutköy, Turkey, a burb of Istanbul where the new airport was constructed just a few years ago. I stayed here one night before closing the gap to the city itself. Along the way, well after dark, I met the owner (right), cook (background), and server (left) at Hal Hatir Kebap, a fabulous restaurant.