Salut Darragh. Nice to hear from you. Planning dates not fully confirmed yet as lmwaiting to have 2024 work programme early Jan. Im from Donegal close to Inishowen. Happy to keep in contact & maybe meet up if we’re thinking around same dates. Cordialement. Camino Velo.
@VELO,
Myself and my fiancé are planning to leave Pamplona on the morning of the 3rd June (if all our planning falls into place and we get the time and dates we want) we plan to be in Léon by the 11th/12th of June for her birthday and finishing in Santiago sometime around the 18th.
We have a ball park figure of +/- 50 km per day.
If I have to give you some advice (not sure if you’re experienced in bike touring so please take this in the in the good faith of which it’s given, as the saying goes, never tell yer granny how to suck eggs) Please do get a bell for the bike, but you mentioned already you’re hiring one so I’m sure it will all ready have one attached, so use it.
Helemet, also a good idea, I’m not going to lie, I’ve come off the bike a few times and gotten a few scuffed knees and bruises too, trust me on the helmet, I’d rather have and not need it .. if you catch my drift.
Pack light you do not need half the stuff you think you’ll need, you don’t need that laptop or that expensive camera, or the tripod, I know, slight exaggeration, but you’d be surprised what people think that they came just strap to the bike and go.
Just use your phone camera, less to pack and no faffing with cables and charging
My main packing list the last time I cycled was 4 sets of clothing including the clothes I was wearing on that particular day, a pair of flip flops to wear at the end of the day, toiletries a sleeping bag and a few extra bits to cover the change in the weather, a light jumper for the evenings or for a cooler day, and a rain jacket just in case.
Again keep it light, extra weight is extra energy spent getting you from point a to point b.
Don’t forget there will be days where you will feel like all you’ve done is just push a bike up hill, so don’t over load it.
Pack plenty of water at least 1.5 to 2 litres of water with you strapped to your bike at all times. You never know. Have food with you, keep snacks, chocolate, nuts, fruit. Cycling every day you’re going to need the calories, the first time I cycled the Camino, I got so excited, on the first day I for got to fill my water bottles and didn’t pack any food, so about 45lm in the tank ran dry … to use the professional cycling term, I bonked!
So even if it’s just a banana.. or some trail mix .. or a couple of snickers bars .. just remember to have something on the bike with you at all times.
Lastly, eat, eat all the food, particularly breakfast, get a decent meal in to you in the morning. You’ll need the energy,
That’s all for now, if you need anything else just ask.
All the best
Darragh
