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Recent content by james-o

  1. J

    Cycling bells a must!

    Jaws101 has a good point, as does the OP re bells. I rode the Camino France in 2012 (with a bell) and there were quite a few riders who were either packing a lot lighter than us (and we were minimally-packed!) or were just out on a day ride - small rucsacks and that was it. I think we saw less...
  2. J

    New target for the driven!

    That does make a difference ) I simply saw two different ways of the camino being a springboard for promotion - something I don't have an issue with as long as the experince of those travelling on it is not interrupted. That's the world we're in, people need to be heard sometimes. Bragging...
  3. J

    New target for the driven!

    You couldn't ride the walker's path in 35hrs, it'd never be a 'time triallers' route for all the right reasons. Exactly, open roads on the tarmac route. I totally appreciate the point about the nature of the Camino, but it's the same as racing along many ancient routes that have now become...
  4. J

    New target for the driven!

    Good effort! Do some think that someone who cycles that far, 35hrs near non-stop, learns nothing? Digging deep into your reserves for even half that time would be a lesson.
  5. J

    Cycling the VDLP

    Good pics + report, thanks for posting. re beam racks on seatposts - I used one once for a week long road tour, but I'd be wary of them for longer / rougher off-road routes. Seatposts and that area of the frame aren't always up to it - it depends on the bike really. We met a guy with a broken...
  6. J

    Cycling the Camino in Crocs?

    That descent is sooooo good!
  7. J

    Your advice - Cycling the actual Camino Frances ????

    Torrent, PM replied to before I saw this post sorry. The frame bag was made by Alpkit.com in the UK who are working on some bike luggage projects, I don't know the litre capacity but I'd guess around 10l. My kit list was a normal compact/light bivi camping gear, a light down bag and down gillet...
  8. J

    Your advice - Cycling the actual Camino Frances ????

    I think this is a important point. Bells are not heard easily by walkers with hats and big rucsacs. Riders need to slow down anyway, that's just common sense. But we don't ask for anyone to yield a right of way and this is the jist of my post - a bell just lets you know I'm there and on a bike...
  9. J

    Your advice - Cycling the actual Camino Frances ????

    We rode the entire walker's route in early May. It's a great trail, easy most of the time with lovely views, a couple of really fun sections and some challenging short pieces. A pic of my bike set up - Softpacks only, no panniers, luggage and kit about 18lbs inc all my bivi gear. With this...
  10. J

    Post-camino tattoo?

    I'd say so. And Ironman tats .. that's known as willy-waving.. :) (sorry) Doing something for your own reasons counts. Memories last. Doing something and needing to mark it out so people can see it and know it is a bit attention-seeking imo -you won't need the reminder yourself if the message...
  11. J

    Travelling by bike.

    We rode the walkers / off-road route last month. Recomendations - do it early season as it's busy enough then, mid-season could be too busy unless you use the road routes? Also, use a bell ) Anything more than that, you may need to be more specifc in your questions. It's a really nice ride but...
  12. J

    Wild camping and bikes on / around Camino Frances

    HI Toby, yeah it usually is most important to just pass slowly with courtesy, but if there's a general feeling that bells are welcome, let's use them. There's days around here that I think my average speed would be higher if I just used a bell, rather than the latest upgrade or new tyres etc...
  13. J

    Wild camping and bikes on / around Camino Frances

    Hi David, You raise a good point. I've trekked on foot in places before and felt a greater connection in some ways, to both place and people. However on this trip I'm riding with a friend who has chosen this route, I'm a passenger as well as a keen one for random adventure opportunity. I hope...
  14. J

    Wild camping and bikes on / around Camino Frances

    Hi Dennis, that was something I picked up looking through a few posts. Locally I find bells to be no more or less use than a 'hello' from a slowed-down approach - bells tend to have the wrong effect too often, as you say, "You'll find the walkers will jump if frightened, and often into your path...
  15. J

    Availability of Gas

    Screw-fits are rare in France, perhaps Spain too. I can never find gas cans to fit my MSR pocket rocket in France and always need to use a bulkier stove that fits the blue coleman(?) cans they have there.

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