northbend 

They're Schwalbe Marathon Mondial DD's. Great tires

northbend 

Most Euros are aware of the huge storm that hit the Netherlands and Northern Germany. Hurricane force winds, really nasty.

Mario is weathering it out in his tent in Northern Germany close to the town of Husum. I've been in contact with him and he's OK.

botty kayer

Glorious pics that the tourist board of each country you visited would proudly show on their own websites.

And I really enjoyed the write up too, and was welling up as you returned your mum's keepsakes to her special place, very poignant.

You definitely had the authentic Irish weather experience by the look of it. 5 years ago when I went on my first trip to Ireland for my mum's 70th birthday, and connected with and learned more about my family history there, and managed to sneak in a few days cycling. We were there for a week and it did not rain once, and I even came home with a suntan, which the locals kept assuring me was something of a minor miracle. I had a similar experience as you cycling the gap of Dunloe and through Killarney National Park, that made me fall in love with the enchanting Emerald Isle, and it still rates as one of the best days cycling I've ever done.

France does indeed look amazing for cycling but just looks too hot for me in the summer months. And I've heard nothing but rave reviews for how easy it is to get around by bike in the Germanic countries, both on well marked and maintained cycle routes, but also on the train network.

My only disappointment is your trip is over already, I was willing you on and looking forward to reading of your adventures through the rest of Europe, but will have to wait for your return for the next installment.

Looks like you had a great trip with the pics and memories to last a lifetime, thanks for sharing so we could come along for the ride

ehcoplex 

That was spectacular and inspiring!

northbend 

Thanks BK, coming from you that's a real compliment. Your posts and photos within them are among my favorites.

Although I wish I had more to countries and impressions to share, that'll have to be another day in the future.
Right now I am enjoying some rest at home. I finally feel well enough to get on the bike again for an easy spin.

I just heard that my ride partner Mario just finished his journey up in Husum, Germany. I am so happy for him and relieved knowing what he went through earlier this week, waiting out that nasty storm in his tent.
And, after traveling with him for such a long time, he's like a brother to me now and I didn't entirely feel like my trip was over until he has finished.
Swimming in the Mosel on our rest day by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

And also a big thank you to gugie for making those custom racks they worked really well and looked great adding to the pleasure of the trip.
Especially when we'd run into other bike enthusiasts who looked over them with keen interest.

Spaghetti Legs 

Welcome home Matt and congrats on a great adventure! Also glad Mario safely completed the trip. I’m really intrigued by thoughts of a trip like that for myself but I’m not sure I can sleep on the ground as much as you did. I may pester you for some route maps one day.

As you know my wife and I honeymooned on bikes on the Dingle Peninsula 27 years ago and went back for a car based reprise a couple of weeks behind you. Conor Pass was completely boxed in with fog this time with visibility about a 100 feet. We rode it in the rain in 1996 but the previous couple of days were brilliant sunshine. I think the proper mindset for western Ireland is be mentally and physically prepared for rain every day and if it doesn’t you’ll feel like you’re in heaven! I learned also on this last trip that the area around Dunquin and Blasket Islands was used to film some of the newer Star Wars installments, so you’re not too far off on The Hobbit references.

davester

Wowza! That was an absolutely superlative travelogue, both in the quality of the photographs and the "just right" amount of descriptive text. The trip looks to have been a nonstop cornucopia of delights. You now have me jonesing to get back to Europe to do some touring. Your trip brings to mind my last (and only) European tour which was in 1976. For that trip I started in England, crossed to France, then rode all through France and Switzerland before crossing back and riding all through England. Sadly, in those days of film I didn't take nearly enough photographs so most of those memories live purely in my head. Now that I'm retired it's time to start planning again!

DiabloScott

I've never been lured by Ireland, until I connected with a distant cousin from Belfast and we follow each other on Strava. He posts the most amazing photos on his rides - the pipes are callin'.

retswerb

What a great travelogue indeed - thanks for sharing your journey with the rest of us too. Interesting to hear how easy your camping experience in France seemed to be - how much pre-planning did it take vs how much were you just finding places on the fly?

nlerner

Thanks for sharing that wonderful journey with us, Matt. I waited until this morning to read/savor the entire account and throughly enjoyed it. Glad your back is feeling better and that your bike has returned, too!

northbend 

In France the only pre-planned stay was at the campground in Mont St. Michel because that place is very popular. We saw bikers get turned away because they hadn't reserved a spot in advance. Every other camping spot was just on the fly. we'd start looking at google maps around noon for a place to camp that night. The goal was to be at a place by 6pm to make sure the registration office was open..

northbend 

Sorry, can't let this thread go just yet. I love this picture. It says so much about how the French see the bicycle. They are seen everywhere, used by everyone.
Mario was in a grocery store while I watched the bikes outside. This elderly woman came out with her shopping basket full of goods.
Hefting it onto her bike was a bit of a struggle but she went about it patiently then walked home with it using the bike to carry the load for her.
Bikes being used by everyone everywhere. by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

northbend 

....or the way the Irish present death through their cemeteries. They're out in the open for all to see, often in very scenic locations.
They're spread about the countryside like dandelions even filling up old church ruins like this.

It's very different from France - orderly and kind of sterile or Germany where they are hidden from view behind walls or gates as if to push the prospect of death as far away from the living as possible.
I think Ireland would be the best place to be planted once you pass away.

Where we met Joe by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Timoleague Abbey by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

I think there is no better final resting place than Ireland. by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

steine13

I'm a little late to the party, having discovered this thread last night from a picture shown elsewhere.

I'm glad to year you had a great time. The Rhine valley is a beautiful place.
My mom was born and raised in Rüdesheim, where you camped a couple nights, and I grew up two miles upstream in less touristy, twelve-hundred-year-old Geisenheim.
I go back twice a year to spend time with my mom and dad, and I keep a worthy bike there. #zerobike

The picture below is from this past February.

cheers -mathias







In the vineyards above Rüdesheim, looking south across the Rhine to Bingen