In 2018, on a mammoth 4 months’ cycle touring separation from Godzone, we contemplated taking the Bodensee to Konigsee route to Salzburg. Instead, we took a brief sojourn with friends in Switzerland. While that experience was perhaps more relaxing than cycle touring in Bavaria, the time has come for us to revisit the route, or at least part of it, from the other end this time. Our exciting end goal is reaching family and a new granddaughter in the UK. 

The proposed three stages of our cycle route are: Bavaria, France and Kent. This sounds a little like the cast of a Shakespearean play, but broadly that’s it. We don’t expect any other countries to pop up on our horizon, but who knows?

Since we’re traveling at high season, we’ve had to try organising accommodation for the first couple of weeks, something unusual for us. Beyond that, we’ll have to go with the flow to some extent. We’re taking a tent and have been able to find some camping grounds in the early part of our route. Enquiries to the most hospitable have generously said that if you’re cycle touring, just roll up. Let’s hope that works. 

Distances between each stop early in our ride are fairly short and as some camping grounds demand a 4 night stay, we’ll possibly be travelling at a fairly leisurely pace to start. As for the French leg, I still harbour a wish to cycle through Paris, but don’t want to make it part of an Olympic event, so currently it just remains a tentative goal, though we have looked at some possible routes.

It’s still less than ten years since 2016 when we started serious cycle touring, with our ‘follow that river’ jaunt, and the novelty hasn’t yet worn off. In fact, having in the past used vans, buses and trains over many European and UK kilometres, cycling is definitely our preference. Our Autumn ride in the NZ Tasman district this year shook out a few cobwebs but we only done local rides since.  We’ve never been particularly high tech, and though we’re open to change, we’ll probably continue with phones and relying on  Komoot as in the past. Ann’s still pedaling her Giant Liv and I, my Kona Sutra, both having served us well in the past. Long may that last. If I assemble them correctly they should continue to do so.

The Auckland Autumn seems to have had its final fling, and early winter has been mostly balmy - the lettuces are all picked, the Rocket rocketing, the avocados finished and the walnuts bagged. Citrus won’t be ready for a couple of months at least.                                                                                              Time to go.

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