50km per day reasonable?

[Mota]

Hi,
Good advice!
I will do the Portuguese camino at July, with my 13 years old son. We will do allmost 250km in 5 days. In your opnion, it's 50km per day reazonable?

[Edit - Ivar: I made this a new thread. The question is related to cycling]

 

[naplesdon]

If you are on a bike with a 13 year old.

 

[Mota]

If you are on a bike with a 13 year old.

Yes, I didn't mentioned, se will use bicycles.
We should be ok. But I really would like to ear na opnion from some one that allready did this journey.
For us, it will be a new experience. We are used to do max 30km, on plain terrain. In a easy way.

 

[mgtstorey]

If it is any help I did Leon to santiago on bicycle doing 50 to 60 km per day, some days it took 7 hours as the mountains very difficult but you will enjoy it, I road bike n 80 km no prob to me but the mountain bike on this terrain is difficult but u will be grand. Take a few breaks each day n enjoy.
I plan on doing this route next year so would be interested in how u get on. Enjoy, wish my 13 year old would come with me. Get a bit on mountain bike experience on hills before u go

 

[naplesdon]

I walked the Portuguese from Porto to Santiago and for the most part it is quite manageable but I have no bike experience. I think you need to explain which 250 km of the Portuguese you are planning. I can tell you this much that there is particularly steep climb out of Ponte do Lima on which you would find yourself walking your bikes.

 

[Mota]

If it is any help I did Leon to santiago on bicycle doing 50 to 60 km per day, some days it took 7 hours as the mountains very difficult but you will enjoy it, I road bike n 80 km no prob to me but the mountain bike on this terrain is difficult but u will be grand. Take a few breaks each day n enjoy.
I plan on doing this route next year so would be interested in how u get on. Enjoy, wish my 13 year old would come with me. Get a bit on mountain bike experience on hills before u go

We are expecting some dificulty terrain. We adore ride bicycle, we will do it enjoying the journey. I believe that the landscape view will be fantastic.

 

[evanlow]

I believe it's 70 km a day average (some days more and some days less, some days flatter terrain and vice versa).

Deduct some km for any additional factors and I think it is not an issue in your case.

Also I think the terrain in the Portuguese route are relatively better than Frances or via de la Plata.

 

[Prætor]

Should be no problem. I did Le Puy-SdC/Finisterre with average 84 km pr. day.

 

[Mota]

Thank you every one to share experiencies.

 

[naplesdon]

A great experience for a 13 year old boy with father. Fantastic.

 

[Gerry & Heather O'Neill]

Hi Mota,
When we did our Camino we started the journey doing 50 + klms per day, but found we enjoyed it much more when we cut back and did less. On strange roads and off road tracks things take a little longer and you want to take the time to enjoy the journey.
Here is the link to our blog from last year.
http://portugalcaminobike.blogspot.com.au/

 

[newfydog]

If you are off road on a rugged trail 50 km can be a heck of a day. People always ask how far we go in a day, and I reply 25-100 km. Fifty is not a bad average though.

 

[Saint Mike II]

From my perspective how far you ride each day really depends upon a couple of factors: available time to complete the Camino - if you have 3 weeks then you can ride 40-50 km per day and take days off to explore the major cities (Burgos/Leon), if you only have 15-17 days then you need to cover the extra Kms each day; your level of fitness - probably a bit like how you prepared (similar to walking the Camino) if you are down on fitness at the start then it might be better to take in slowly -30/40 km for the first couple of days; lastly - weather - strong winds (especially head winds), rain turning the "off-road" sections into mud tracks will slow you down or require you to get back on the roads. Riding in heavy rain is definitely not my idea of "fun". I have built rest days and weather days into my schedule but still expect to make it to SDC in 20 or 22 days - which includes two or three city rest days and a couple of short days to go exploring.
Remember - this is your Camino (yours and your son's) so how far you ride each day is really up to you. Buen Camino.

 

[newfydog]

I have built rest days and weather days into my schedule.

Rest days are far more important biking than walking. A day off does not do much for me walking, but I feel 100% better after a day off the bike. Also, a walker doesn't really want to go walk around the town for a rest day, but it fells really good on a bike trip.

 

[LVDWD]

Rest days are far more important biking than walking. A day off does not do much for me walking, but I feel 100% better after a day off the bike. Also, a walker doesn't really want to go walk around the town for a rest day, but it fells really good on a bike trip.

If you are off road on a rugged trail 50 km can be a heck of a day. People always ask how far we go in a day, and I reply 25-100 km. Fifty is not a bad average though.

Agree with newfydog 25 to 100 k the norm. Easy to do 100k on the no push days on the Meseta if you want. But on the tougher stages where you are on the trail with rugged terrain then you might be down to around 30k, for example SJPP to Roncevalles going on the Napolean route thats a hard flog of around 30 and its enough especially if you have some bad weather. You could make more that day but then you will miss the wonderful experience of being bossed around by the Dutch (I think) hospitaleros! Takes you back to your school days or if you were in the military boot camp (well maybe not as bad as that)
Going back to the weather that is a big factor, a couple of days on the meseta I was confronted by head winds in the wake of a lingering Hurricance in Bermuda I believe-did not make 100k on those days and I think I was happy to stop after 40k or less.

 

[Jou64]

Hi,

we ride with mountain bikes on the original pilgrim route. How much you can make is mostly a matter of terrain. In Switzerland 50 Km are challenging. In not to steep terrain it may go up to 75Km. If you cycle on streets 100Km are no problem.
Article and videos about the trip

Cheers Jou64

 

[Saint Mike II]

I rode from Pamplona to Santiago and of the 650 km I estimate I rode 500 km following the walkers Camino. Some of the way I was walking and even carrying the bike. At some point in time I WILL transcribe my journal and highlight the worst places. However the above notwithstanding 50 km is doable - I rode from Burgos to Castrojeriz in around 5 hours following the Camino (including walking down mule killer hill into Hornillos - too many rocks and too many pilgrims for my safety and theirs). I think I also walked the last 200 metres into Hontanas for similar reasons. (IMHO if you are on a bike you also need to be aware of the walkers and "try to fit in" ! )

 

[Kiwi-family]

These guys will not be near the Meseta or Napoleon route as they are doing the Portuguese! It's mostly rolling countryside, with the main exception being the climb out of Ponte d Lima.