For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
I enjoyed seeing bikers. Much respect to you all....I wouldn't attempt it. I especially enjoyed seeing bikers during a long day when no other pilgrims were seen for hours. It not only made me feel I was actually getting somewhere but if I needed help they could get it faster than a walker could.Politeness, tolerance and common sense are great. That has been my experience, both as a cyclist and a walker.
But in an ideal world, it would be better if there were separate paths.
I MUCH prefer the relative "annoyance" of bells...lots of bells...
I will continue to lobby for bells, or other alerting devices, as long as bike riders share upaved Camino paths with those walking..
Good idea. Consider pinning a note on whatever it is, saying "I'm cycling the Camino and found this at..."I never had to go for help, but occasionally I find a jacket, or zip off pant legs left at a rest stop. I hang them on the bike, move them down the trail a few days and leave them in a visible spot.
At the risk of accruing even more penalty points from a moderator (I am already on 'double/secret probation'), I will simply concur with your post.
I agree that there are both responsible and irresponsible cycle riders. This is the same demographic that nearly killed me in 2013.
They drove to the top of Alto de Perdón, beyond Pamplona. Their "lark" was intended to be a doenhill run into Pamplona. We, walking pilgrims, were simply obstacles in the way...
Personally I appreciated a warning bell when the cyclist was some way back as it made me jump to suddenly realise I had a cyclist Immediatly behind that I hadn't heard approach . An aggressive ding, ding,ding right behind you wouldn't be good, for sure, but I like to know there's someone nearby as I'm often in another world and likely to step the wrong way into the path of a cyclist. A few times I had no idea until the cyclist suddenly appeared at my side and it was disconcerting. I wouldn't bounce too well In a collision so please, let walkers know you're there, maybe talk loudly or sing/ whistle!We recently spent some time biking on the LePuy route, part of our Tour of the Beast of the Gevaudan (La Bete du Gevaudan, a celebrated wolf who terrorized the region in the 1760's). We had not been on the trail for many years, and it certainly is more crowded these days. Once again, we passed hundreds of pilgrims absolutely no conflicts or collisions with the people on foot.
There are regular threads here extolling the virtues of ringing a bell to warn of your approach. While I suppose that is better than storming past, it is frequently unnecessary, and sometimes obnoxious. "DING DING DING, get out of my way" is no way to bike the trails. Better to slow down to their speed, say hello, and come around them where there is room. I find it best to pass when I can go off the track a bit and leave the walkers on their trajectory. I find the bell often causes them to leap out of the way and stop, something which must get old after too many bikes.
The only time I dinged the bell was when we came upon a group walking four abreast. My wife came up, said hello, and a couple of them moved over. She said in French that a second bike was coming, but they didn't understand and quickly blocked the entire path again so I dinged the bell to let them know there was another.
Here we are with a pelerin named Alain. I got talking to him on the long climb out of LePuy, comparing itineraries, hometowns etc. We determined that we might meet again, because our loop went north, then brought us backwards on part of the trail in a week. Sure enough, a week later we met, and were greeted with hugs and stories.
View attachment 34545
Great photo and now we really know that there is a Mrs Newfydog. CheersWe recently spent some time biking on the LePuy route, part of our Tour of the Beast of the Gevaudan (La Bete du Gevaudan, a celebrated wolf who terrorized the region in the 1760's). We had not been on the trail for many years, and it certainly is more crowded these days. Once again, we passed hundreds of pilgrims absolutely no conflicts or collisions with the people on foot.
The only time I dinged the bell was when we came upon a group walking four abreast. My wife came up, said hello, and a couple of them moved over. She said in French that a second bike was coming, but they didn't understand and quickly blocked the entire path again so I dinged the bell to let them know there was another.
Here we are with a pelerin named Alain. I got talking to him on the long climb out of LePuy, comparing itineraries, hometowns etc. We determined that we might meet again, because our loop went north, then brought us backwards on part of the trail in a week. Sure enough, a week later we met, and were greeted with hugs and stories.
View attachment 34545
Much 20thI agree that there are both responsible and irresponsible cycle riders. This is the same demographic that nearly killed me in 2013.
They drove to the top of Alto de Perdón, beyond Pamplona. Their "lark" was intended to be a doenhill run into Pamplona. We, walking pilgrims, were simply obstacles in the way...
someone in authority should step in to arbitrate the issue. My near-death experience only heightened that ire.
I hope this helps.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?