Getting Ready to Roll

Bernadette on the Sheep's Head

Canterbury, England feels very much a world away from my current location in the wilds of West Cork, Ireland.  But with any luck,  I'll be lugging my gear and boxed bike out of the train station there on September 1, ready (or not) to begin a cycling trek on the Via Francigena for a few weeks.

Apparently there are records of the Via Francigena, known then are the Lombard Way or Frankish Route, dating back to the middle ages.  In the 10th century, Segeric the Serious who was Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, decided to use this route to walk the 2000 km from Canterbury to Rome to see the Pope.  And why not?  Segeric recorded his stops in a journal, in effect formalizing the Via Franicgena as we know it today.

I have neither the time or inspiration to literally follow Sigerac's foot steps to Rome.  While walking is a great interest of mine, I decided to try a cycling trip for a change of pace.  I plan to wheel along for the first half of the route through France to Switzerland and then if I have the time and energy, into Italy through the Grand St Bernard Pass - about 1000 km down the road.

Training for the ride has been challenging.  An atypical Irish summer fraught with gale force winds & torrential rain, a lingering summer cold and enormous hills have made for somewhat sporadic, wet and lung-burning rides here in West Cork.  Despite the obstacles I have managed to cycle 30 to 40 km about 4 times a week for the last couple of months.  And a bit like a gerbil on a treadmill, I've been fairly diligent about getting on the bike for all those short rides to the local pub in order to get my pint of beer.  This must count for something, right?  Right..... anyhow I am reasonably confident my efforts will see me in good stead at least for the beginning of the ride where it is relatively flat.  I'll be cycling with a friend who has a sporty new touring bike - a Surly Long Haul Trucker, thus my main objective will be keeping up with her on my not-so-sporty Brodie Infinity hybrid bike.  

Tomorrow Bernadette will go into a cardboard box ready for the flight to England.  In case you didn't know, Bernadette is not the friend I'll be cycling with - her name is Alison who will not be travelling in a cardboard box - but rather the name of my bike (please don't ask why the bike is called Bernadette - it was just one of those things I felt I had to do). Tuesday it's off to Canterbury, and on Wednesday the 2nd of September Alison and I start our ride.  

If you're curious about our progress or just want to make yourself feel righteous for staying safe at home by following our tales of getting lost, flea ridden hostels, numbed body parts and muscle spasms, you can sign up for an alert that let's you know when there's been a new post.  And, even better you can make comments like 'bon chemin', 'mind the wine', 'why didn't you get puncture proof tyres' or 'don't forget to wear your helmet' to your heart's content.

Until then...