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Long-Distance Cycling In The Netherlands & Luxembourg
If you have read “Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie” you may recall that I am a fan of Luxembourg. It was such an interesting place. I suppose I’m mainly referring to the capital itself rather...
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Cádiz: El Museo De Cádiz, Part 1
On the Sykes/CyclingEurope Luxembourg scale of local museum quality (where the Luxembourg City History Museum scores a straight 10 – more details here), the Museo de Cádiz that I’ve just visited comes...
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Three Kings, From London To Barcelona
Here are three guys who cycled along a similar route to me but from London Barcelona taking in large chunks of my 2010 journey from England to Italy and then my 2013 across southern France and into...
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Cycling The Eurovelo 1/3: The Maps
While maps are on my mind (see previous post)… I have a newly discovered love for Marco Polo maps. But before I get on to them, let’s back track a little. I can’t imagine there will ever be a day when...
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Cycling In Belgium
My journey across the continent continues… I have already posted planning notes on cycling through Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. Here are my planning notes for Belgium after which only France...
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Preconceptions Of Cádiz, Andalucia, Spain
A few weeks ago I moved away from Reading in Berkshire having lived there for just over fifteen years. I can clearly remember my first visit to the town in Spring 1999 when I was summoned to the...
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Cycling Day 41: Borgloon To Maastricht
Click here to see the detailed statistics of today’s cycle. Tonight has been chuffing cold! I have now crawled into the tent at the campsite a few kilometres south of Maastricht wearing four upper...
View ArticleCycling Five Countries In One Day?
Is it possible? I cycled eight countries in nearly four months back in 2015 but five in one day? According to Karsten Koehler, yes it was and in April 2016 he set about proving his suspicion by heading...
View ArticleRemember Crossing Europe On The EuroVelo 5?
I’m currently reminiscing, putting together a short presentation* for my visit to Brussels next week where I’ve been asked to reflect upon my 2010 cycle from the UK to southern Italy along the EuroVelo...
View ArticleOfficial Launch Of The EuroVelo 5 – Via Romea (Francigena) App
From the EuroVélo website… (and the reason why I was in Brussels last week): “A new application has been launched for smart phones and tablets to help people plan and then cycle the route of EuroVelo 5...
View Article“Infectious Stuff”! Oh Dear…(!)
My cousin is a teacher of English language in Portugal. He works for the British Council in the beautiful hilltop city of Coimbra some 40 kilometres from the Atlantic coast. I’d certainly recommend it...
View ArticleGood Vibrations: “On Yer Bike!” 5*
Another five-star review of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie; “Looking for something different I stumbled upon Crossing Europe on a Bike called Reggie and found it surprising...
View ArticleAround The World In… Who Cares!
My weekend is visitor free! I make it sound as though I have people staying here all the time; this is not the case and it was great to see Matt, Ross & Pirrko but it did make for a non-stop...
View ArticleMatt Krog & The Eurovelo 6: Day 16
Saturday 28th July Rest in Basel “I was hesitant to leave France. Firstly I would miss it. France had been an amazing experience and as much as I wanted to enter a new country, I felt there was also...
View ArticleMatt Krog & The Eurovelo 6: Days 27 – 30 (Munich)
Wednesday 8th August Rest in Munich “In the morning Andi wrote down some things I should check out in the city. I decided to head to Englisher Gardens, the largest city park. The river that runs...
View ArticleMemories Of The Gotthard Pass
I’ve just caught up with last Monday’s Cycle Show on ITV4 which contained an interesting piece on cycling up to the Stelvio Pass in the Italian Alps. Some stunning images and it’s worth watching on the...
View ArticleThe 10 Countries In 10 Days Cycling Challenge
If you are a reader of Cycling Active magazine and have an ability to spot detail amongst all the bike-related info., you may have noticed a mention of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called...
View ArticleEquipment For A Cycling Tour: The Thoughts Of Billy Romp
Occasionally, readers of this website put such time & effort into writing a comment that it is worthy of elevation to an entire blog post of its own. The wonderfully-named Billy Romp (he joins Otto...
View ArticleCycling Day 13: Tirana To Ulcinj
I can highly recommend this type of holiday if you want to delve into the variety of accommodation on offer within Europe. Last night I was having a shower in a wet room and then donning a white bath...
View ArticleWarning: Detailed (And I Mean Detailed) Maps Of The EuroVelo Network
One for the maps geeks. (Of which I am one…) You may wish to turn away if you have a dodgy internet connection as clicking on the links below is likely to test your patience in terms of download time,...
View ArticleMaubeuge Has A Beautiful Sky!
Just look at how blue it is and how fluffy the clouds are…. The town itself is less beautiful although my hotel – the building on the photo – has the same interior designer as the boudoirs at the...
View ArticleThe Magnificent Meuse
When I woke up this morning, I would have been hard pressed to tell you that the Meuse was in France let alone in the area I was travelling in. It has, however, transformed what was becoming a bit of a...
View ArticleMouzon to ?
A bit of indecision this morning as to which direction to head in. Verdun was a possibility but it doesn’t seem to have much to offer other than a battlefield. So Luxembourg it still is; quite a...
View ArticleStats for Charleville-Mézières to Luxembourg
A bloody long way, especially the last 20 kilometres of predominantly up hill climbs; Cycling time: 7 hrs 45 mins Distance: 150.21 kilometres Average speed: 19.3 kms/hr Maximum speed: 63.5 kms/hr...
View ArticleLuxury in Luxembourg
What a domestic scene this is… But it is well-rewarded after the longest day so far. I was woken this morning by Michael Jackson. Fear not, he had not come back to life to visit a campsite in the...
View ArticleAs I Was Saying…
….before my eyes shut while typing the previous post last night. Much of yesterday’s route was dotted with remnants from the Second World War; lots of pillar boxes and a couple of monuments. The number...
View ArticleA Day in Luxembourg
I have loved the last six days of cycling but it has been equally good to have a very relaxing day off in a laid back place like Luxembourg. After a full English breakfast (!) at the hotel I strolled...
View Article24 Hour Eating at Pizza Hut
I’m facing 12 on the terrace of Pizza Hut in central Luxembourg city. Behind me at 7 are three Americans in their 20s, full of tall stories and tales of their European adventures. They speak English to...
View ArticleLuxembourg Roads in Reading?
Probably asking too much but I can dream… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/uk-england-berkshire-10755178?SThisEM
View ArticleBack On The Eurovelo 5
Hotels are all very good but they don’t half spoil you! I’ve just had another slap up breakfast after another extremely good night’s sleep. But I’m desperate to get back on the road again!! Cooped up...
View ArticleSchengen
Having picked my way south east across the corn fields of Luxembourg, a task made a little more difficult by the stiff, cold wind trying to push me back to the capital, it was a relief to arrive at the...
View ArticleThionville – Don’t Rush
Does 3,20€ seem a lot for a bottle of Diet Coke? Just paused for lunch (which they can’t serve me in this bar…) at Thionville. Not a pretty place so I won’t be stopping long. This is very different...
View ArticleStress En Suisse
Let’s start with the stats; Cycling time: 6 hrs 14 mins 34 secs Distance: 103.41 kms Average speed: 16.4 kms/hr Maximum speed: 51.6 kms/hr Eurovelo 5 total: 1,426.6 kms Just a note on the statistics;...
View ArticleStatus Report
More people have been curious as to how the bike is holding up rather than me! I’ll take that as a positive vote of confidence in my abilities to get through this in one piece. So the bike, Reggie...
View ArticleHalf-Way
I’m not sure whether it is or not but crossing over into Italy at some point tomorrow will feel like it. I’ve notched up just under 1,600 kilometres in two and a half weeks; the estimate was for a...
View ArticleStatistics For The Day To Pisa
Cycling time: 7 hrs 3 mins 47 secs Distance: 150.57 kms (Is that a record? How many did I do en route to Luxembourg?) Average: 21.3 kms/hr Maximum speed: 49.4 kms/hr Eurovelo 5 distance: 2,227.8 kms If...
View ArticleRome: Piazza Navona
If you can remember that far back, when I was in Luxembourg a few weeks ago, I visited an excellent museum all about the history of the city itself. It was well-presented, informative, interesting and...
View ArticleEurovelo 5 in 200 Words?
This is the fifth attempt at writing the content of this post; all previous efforts have disappeared before they arrive on the blog itself. I am wondering if it has anything to do with “upgrading” my...
View ArticleOrange(s) & Lemons
Here’s a little story that, in the past hour has had its denouement. Kind of… Before I set off on my trip along the Eurovelo 5, I made sure that I wasn’t going to be stung by any hefty mobile phone...
View ArticleBoring Week
I watched with amazement this week the tunneling efforts of the Swiss (as well as the Chileans of course) who have managed to bore their way through 37 kilometres of Alpine rock under the St Gotthard...
View ArticleSouth Coast To Brussels…Or Luxembourg?
Toby writes… I am an eighteen year old student who is looking for inspiration and perhaps a few suggestions from an experienced rider such as yourself. Me and my friend decided, a while ago, to do a...
View ArticleWhat’s The Cost Of Eurovelo 5?
Joe Durnall has emailed; I hope you don’t mind me emailing. I intend to ride the Eurovelo 5 to Rome this coming summer, and wondered if you could give me any indication of the costs of such a venture?...
View ArticleThe Royal Wedding
I really enjoyed that. Only the most hardened of cynics would fail to do so, even the republican ones. The whole thing was beautifully done, especially the music in Westminster Abbey and the bit at the...
View ArticleEurovelo 5, The Book; Update!
I know you are all out there checking the blog avidly every day to see if a publication date has yet been set for my book recounting my little adventure of summer 2010 along the Eurovelo 5 from...
View ArticleThe Henley Standard
The Henley Standard writes: A teacher has had a book of his tales of cycling across Europe published. Mr Sykes, who teaches French at Gillotts School in Henley, rode 2,000 miles from his home town of...
View ArticleThunderthighs To The Rescue
You’re probably wondering how this is going to end. A few days ago I found something on the Internet that intrigued me. It was on a site called Bikely.com. The site is a route bank for cyclists; you...
View ArticleThe Bike Touring Survival Guide / Bike Touring / Bicycle Traveler
My eBookshelf has three new touring-related publications, one of which mentions me! From left to right, the first two – The Bike Touring Survival Guide & Bike Touring – come from the Travelling Two...
View ArticleEuroVelo 19: The Meuse Cycle Route
I cycled a bit of this way back in 2010. It was an impressive, if rather damp, section of the route to southern Italy, my version of the EuroVelo 5. The EuroVelo 19, coming in at around 1,000 km is a...
View ArticleThe Cycling Europe Podcast: Episode 070 – Crossing Europe On A Bike Called...
“The academic year must have been a difficult one as when the summer holidays arrived, secondary school teacher Andrew Sykes was happy to do as little as possible. But while sitting on his sofa...
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