How quickly do your nails grow?!
I will read the daily reports on my laptop.
1 Like
You mean taking scissors?
I imagined needing to mend something with tie wraps and cutting the ends off on my first trip, hence the scissors were on the kit list.
They stayed on because I have intermittent nail splitting on certain nails which comes and goes. One has been splitting badly in recent months and if I don’t trim they can catch and be very painful.
I did spend time thinking about whether to leave them but they made the cut 
5 Likes
Enjoyed that @Cobbie , nice work 
. That cafe in Swansea got rave reviews from some of the para team too but unfortunately I never made it there.
You covered about the same distance in the same time as we did for our NC500 trip (we went to Orkney too) & that was pretty tough going so kudos.
2 Likes
Thanks. An NC500 variant going up the west coast and back south on the islands is probably my next trip.
The cafe is, fairly predictably, called ‘The Observatory’ as I just discovered. I stopped at several good cafes so this didn’t stand out that much, but it was definitely the most welcome given the conditions.
The cafe in the post office in Montgomery was very good too - recency bias is probably influencing me here!
The International Welsh Rarebit Centre in Defynnog in the Beacons won top prize 4 years ago for their gooseberry tart.
5 Likes
The roads & views from Ullapool to the norh tip could quite possibly be the best you’ll find, alt least on a good weather day.
3 Likes
Yep, that’s where I’m thinking of going - starting from Somewhere near Kyle of Lochalsh (will need to finesse this to get there on public transport). Up the west coast to Cape Wrath and loop back inland south to Ullapool. Ferry to Harris, cycle to Lewis, ferry to Skye and a final day cycling back across Skye.
I’m not going to work out the details too much until there’s clarity over the ferry timetable … will pick it up next March maybe. I’ve mapped it on Strava and it works on daily distances /places to stay so I’m pencilling in for May next year. 
2 Likes
Definitely avoid Midge season! (I see you picked May).
1 Like
Anyone ever have any issues with taking bikes into hotel rooms? I love mine so much I want to go have a naughty weekend away.
Obviously I’ll be as respectful as possible, carried through the lobby and will put something on floor so bike isn’t directly on carpet etc
1 Like
Big chain hotels have never protested. It’s the small, owner/operator type, hotels that have tended to stop you before you go in and insist your bike goes in a storage room.
2 Likes
Pretty much this. Chains like Premier Inn (no idea of Aus equivalent) are fine, provincial hotels and B&Bs are often more difficult.
When I did my first trip round Wales, I didn’t really give this much thought but ended up with my bike being stored in less than ideal places (once outside the back of the B&B and later in the trip, in some kind of unlocked shed behind a pub).
In September last year I was more careful and planned all this. Chain hotels don’t really exist away from the south coast of Wales but most websites actually mentioned whether they had bike storage and (unlike chain hotels) they are easy enough to ring up and ask. In 5 nights away I had:
- Room
- Locked Garage
- Locked laundry room
- Admin office
- Dedicated bike shed
6 Likes
Putting it in a bike bra helps. Then it’s mostly covered. There’s cheap ones on eBay.
1 Like
I could do with one of those for cycling over bumpy ground 
8 Likes
Independent hotel, but I found a Q&A on Booking.com, with hotel answering a Q about people storing BMX bikes in the room for travelling, so that’s positive. But that’s different to me going out on rides each day, especially with a drissely forecast next week.
Might try call them tomorrow to confirm, or just turn up. A locked laundry or luggage room indoors would be happy with
1 Like
Premier inns implicitly state that bikes are welcome, so much so that I looked at multi-day routes using their hotels every night. Would avoid camping faff, would mean you could have clean clothes and a good nights sleep every night. Also would mean bigger distances would be possible as much less kit on the bike.
2 Likes
Premier Inn are gold standard for cycling IMHO.
Not too pricey, big rooms, decent(ish) breakfast that you can get very early.
Did a great tri club weekend trip a few years ago, Cheltenham to Chester, staying in premier Inns in Hereford and Shrewsbury on the way. Takes all the hassle out of it.
3 Likes
The clues in the name Premier Inn 
Your a marketer’s dream.
3 Likes
I’ll have you know, I’ve also stayed in some of the very Best Western’s 
4 Likes
Don’t ever go trekking in Nepal, you’d be very disappointed with the Hilton in Manang
OK. After the success of last year’s little solstice(ish) adventure with a couple of my mates - getting a train up to London after work on a Friday and riding home again - i’m thinking about it again. Rather than being a good fitness bumper for my late summer IM like last year, this time it’ll be about a month after a HIM that i’m targeting as my A race this season (as is one of the other 2 guys). So we should be in decent shape (i hope).
Really liked the concept of last year’s adventure, so keen to build on that. By concept i mean a nice long line on a map! Draft one is complete, and looks quite neat on paper at least. Once again, can get a train after work and be there 11pm or so. Straight on the bikes and head off.
Will see what the boys think, but i like the look of this route. Haven’t paid any attention to route specifics yet, but it’s about 360km as it is.
11 Likes