In a few hours time I’ll be setting off on my fully loaded steel touring bike (it weighs a ton) down to Dover. I have booked a ferry over to Dunkirk sailing at 6.00 am. When I booked the ferry I was focused on wringing out the most time possible I have off work before coming back on the 30th May. Now I’m thinking a few hours here and there wouldn’t make much difference and only a crazy fool sets off on a two week bike ride at midnight. Ahh well - I shall look back on the decision and laugh about it some time in the future.

I’ve planned a ride from Dunkirk, through Belgium, across the Netherlands, into Germany and onward to Berlin. The Brandenburg Gate marks the outward destination. From there I head back towards Dusseldorf, into Belgium, then to France and once more to Dunkirk.

I chose the Brandenburg Gate mainly because it’s about as far as I can ride East (hopefully with the wind behind me) and have enough time to ride back for the ferry home on the 30th. It’s historic location was to be honest an after thought.

I’ve split the distance up into 10 segments of about the same length - 205 km or so. I can ride 200 hilly kilometres in about 10 hours. I figure I’ll be able to do about the same on a fully loaded bike over flatter terrain in about the same time. Day afer day will take it’s toll but going on past experience I should be alright. It doesn’t matter much if it takes any longer since I have not booked anywhere to stay and will pitch a tent or lay down a bivy wherever seems suitable to do so at the end of each days ride. Plenty of campsites along the way should they be needed. There’s a bit of wiggle room for shorter days if it gets a bit too much from time to time.

Last year at I rode along the south and up the west coast of Ireland in May. The year before from South Foreland Point near Dover up to Cape Wrath on the north west tip of Scotland. I used cycle.travel for mapping out both rides. It did a great job of selecting quiet, scenic roads on both occasions so I have used it again for this journey. I transfer the GPX files to Ride with GPS which I sync with the Hammerhead Karoo on my bike for navigation. It works well.

In terms of lights and charging the Karoo and phone - I have a dynamo hub which I connect to a power bank and top that up as I ride in day light hours and charge the devices from it when I stop at night. If riding after dark I use the dynamo to power my lights.

Although I will never be that far from somewhere to buy food and drink I like to take a small stove with me to heat up water for a hot drink and noodles/soup at the start and end of each day so as not to be searching for someplace to get food and drink at those times. I have a well worn Trangia 25-2 Aluminium Cookset with Kettle and Spirit Burner and carry methylated spirts on my bike. Can you see how the weight slowly adds up?

It’s a choice between travelling light and or taking panniers. Since I choose to take panniers I also have a rack and you know how it is - the more carrying space you have the more you end up carrying to fill the room there is. All packed now. Whatever I may have forgotten I shall be going without it now.

My friend Dave will be riding with me. He’s travelling much lighter. That’s in terms of the bike he is riding and what he is taking with him. We’ve ridden plenty of miles together and are both happy with the principle of, “you do you”. This is just what we will be doing. Really looking forward to it. Hopefully we’ll finish the ride together this time.

Last year and the year before it was much warmer in May. The weather today has been horrible. Cold, wet and windy. No rain forecast for tonight. Hope it warms up a bit over the next two weeks.

No blog updates till I get back but do intend to post updates on progress and pictures to my Mastodon account most days.

Not long now. Just a few hours before the off…