The Plan

May 9, 2024

Since our retirement, travelling in Europe on our Bike Fridays has become a regularly scheduled activity. We find the biannual trips a great way to challenge ourselves in so many ways and going to Europe is not a bad excuse either! As the ski season ends and May rolls around, it is time to get serious about organizing our next cycling tour.

Scott anticipating his line down Greely Bowl at Revelstoke Mountain.

So – “where are you going next?”

We find all our European cycle tours to be incredible experiences and our last ride in the Basque Country was no exception. We also enjoyed using Toulouse as the starting and ending point for the trip because it has an easy to use airport, the city is interesting and very walkable, and it is located far enough south that it is blessed with warm weather in the shoulder seasons.

We really love the cycling in France as the road network offers some of the nicest quiet backroads, there are many interesting small towns along the way and the ability to easily buy quality food is embedded in the French lifestyle. Baguettes, croissants, pain aux raisins, and the cheeses! – yum!

Our rides in the Pyrenees were also highlights of our tour last fall. This is a very beautiful area with challenging but manageable rides. Putting it all together in the route idea blender led Scott to develop a ride from Toulouse that would take us south and east to the Mediterranean and then along the foothills of the Pyrenees to the Atlantic. Our route will be entirely within France and will finish near the border between France and Spain.

The French Pyrenees is well known to cyclists and the Cycleblaze group. It attracts riders from everywhere and the Tour de France regularly uses many of its cols in their annual races. Although we hope to be in position to experience a couple of these epic climbs, our routing is primarily in the lesser hills. There will still be some challenges for sure.

So there you have it. We are packing up now and will be in Toulouse for a few days in the first week of May. From there we will head south along the Canal du Midi. Tune in later for all the details as we start off on another Maggie May adventure.

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	11
Comment on this entry	Comment	13

Susan CarpenterIt's an area I've been interested in exploring so I am especially keen to follow along. Should be great fun.
Reply to this comment
7 months ago

Rachael AndersonWhat a great tour! I hope the weather cooperates. It’s been cold and wet in Northern Spain but getting better now.
Reply to this comment
7 months ago

Scott FenwickTo Rachael AndersonI have been very surprised with the weather you and Scott have been experiencing. The forecasts look to be warming up just as we plan on leaving Toulouse. It will be perfect timing.
Reply to this comment
7 months ago

Brad SharpAwesome ! I'm looking forward to feeling like I'm part of another epic cycling adventure and will be sharing a beer with you as I follow along. Cheers, and here's to good weather.
Reply to this comment
7 months ago

KAREN JONESWe’ll be cycling south of you in Mallorca, and then visiting Madrid from May 11 - 23. Guess you can’t make a detour 😆. Will be following your posts and riding France vicariously! Have fun and stay safe 🤗.
Reply to this comment
7 months ago

Jacquie GaudetYou’ll love the Pyrenees, as I guess you already know! Al and I were both there in 2016 (separately) and have looked forward to going back. We will follow you westward in June.
Reply to this comment
7 months ago

Patrick O'HaraNice to see this journal pop up! Looking forward to following along! Looks like a familiar route to us, and one we are looking forward to re-living through you both!
Reply to this comment
7 months ago

Joan WilliamsonWill be following you until I head to Barcelona .. too bad we couldn't connect while being "neighours" over there! Enjoy your trip ... see you on a patio when we're both back home! Travel safe!
Reply to this comment
7 months ago

Scott FenwickTo Patrick O'HaraPatrick, glad that you found us. I know about your experiences in these parts from a few years ago. You and Susanna were very brave to tackle some big hills so early on your tour. With the luxury of time we hope to work our way in to it a bit more gradually. Your descriptions and pictures are in part way we came this way.
Reply to this comment
7 months ago

Scott FenwickTo KAREN JONESKaren it looks like you and Bruce will have timed the weather perfectly. You will love Majorca as we really did. There are some stunning rides. Hope that you find your way to some of the epic climbs too!
Reply to this comment
7 months ago

Scott FenwickTo Rachael AndersonWe are sitting out a rainy day in Toulouse right now. But that is okay as these were preparation days and the nice weather window will arrive perfectly timed for our departure. I see that you and Scott have braved the more difficult stretch and will also see an improvement. I have been following along with you too. Looking forward to getting started!
Reply to this comment
7 months ago

Scott FenwickTo Jacquie GaudetThanks Jacquie. So many CBers on the road right now it will be tough to keep up. I will check in on your progress from time to time. Good luck!
Reply to this comment
7 months ago

Barry DevlinWe'd hoped to see you guys in Mexico last month. But your France travel plans sound awesome, so obviously you know how to have fun. Oui oui!
Reply to this comment
7 months ago