Introduction

ZURICH TO AMSTERDAM BY BICYCLE

TUESDAY 10TH  JUNE TO WEDNESDAY 30TH  JULY 2014

After reading about Greg’s many European cycle trips and seeing the photos, Wendy was really keen to do at least one trip with him after she retired.  So, in Apr 13, we started planning.  Airfares were booked by Sep 13 for departure in Jun 14.  Accommodation for the first 2 weeks was also booked.  Various school holidays, etc in and around the areas we would be visiting was making decent accommodation rather hard to find so we got in early.   It is just so easy to book everything on-line these days.   

In preparing our legs, we did about four rides a week, some short and hard (20-30km) some longer, one was even 110km. Fitness is not a problem with either of us, however the fitter one is the easier the rides on tour will be.  As our daily distances on the tour are relatively short, 35 to 80km, and as there will be no rush, we don't need to be super fit, but needed to condition the legs and bum for sometimes long days in the saddle.

In between the training rides we completed a test ride complete with all the panniers, handlebar bags and luggage on board. Everything went well and it all felt good.

Two days before leaving, both bikes were packed in their respective Qantas cardboard bike boxes ($22 from Qantas). The boxes will be dumped at the Zurich Airport as we fly out of Amsterdam. Each weighed in at 18.5kg. Wendy said it's the amount of packing, mainly newspaper, Greg put around the vulnerable parts, but it's better to be sure than sorry. Qantas has been very kind to Greg's bike over many, many years. Hope they continue with that excellent record (perhaps it was this statement that made things go very wrong on the return journey – see last entry!?)

Our luggage was very similar in weight; however, we had two very different packing lists.


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