Category: cycling

Cycling Portugal

On By Rick McIn cycling, travel1 Comment

I rode Portugal November 2021. November is considered off-season. There were very few tourists.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

Cycling Alentejo and the Algarve is very popular, especially with German tourists.

For me Alentejo was much better. Very undeveloped. Low population density.

The Algarve is overdeveloped. And not in any way more scenic.

Weather was good. But I did have one BIG rainstorm.

I mostly followed the EuroVelo 1 Atlantic Coast Route using an app called Mapy.cz recommended to me by two Polish cyclists. Other cyclists recommended RideWithGPS. I’ll try that on my next trip.

It’s not much signed. Not clear. The EV1 in France — by comparison — is well signed and much better maintained.

I was quick to go off route if something looked interesting either left or right. Ended up getting lost and having to backtrack quite often.

With a week long touring bike rental from BikeIberia here’s what I ended up doing:

Lisbon > train to Setubal > ferry to Costa de Gale
Night 1 – Small room beside a small town bar in Comporta
Night 2 – Great hostel in Porto Covo
Night 3 – Tenting near Odeceixe
Night 4 – Great hostel in Sagres (huge rain storm)
Night 5 – Sagres
Night 6 – Hostel Portimao
Night 7 – Great hostel in Faro

Cost was about 30 EUR (US$33.85) / day for 7 days. Cost / day is less if you book for longer.

That included a good bike, well maintained. Helmet, handlebar bag, 2 waterproof panniers, toolkit, spare tube, pump and lock.

BEST of all — you can drop the bike anywhere you want in Portugal and Spain at no cost. The company picks it up on your last day. Brilliant.

Click PLAY or watch an EV1 promo video on YouTube.

I’m already considering riding one of the Camino de Santiago routes in future. Perhaps Lisbon to Santiago along the coast.

I slept most nights in a hostel, the best of which was MUTE in Porto Covo, where I had started my Fisherman’s Trail hike the week prior.

sunset from the MUTE hostel balcony

I would have slept in the tent more often, BUT nights are long in November. And it was colder than I expected.

In general, I took the scenic route closest to the Atlantic.

Beaches in November are deserted.

I ate one restaurant meal a day.

Free coffee at the hostels. Or on the trail.

I’d detour to tourist attractions.

I easily finished at Faro within my 7-day rental. Probably the least charming town en route.

Small coastal villages are best for me.

I’ll be back to Portugal / Spain to rent AGAIN from the same Lisbon based company. This is the easiest way in the world to do cycle touring.

Tree to Sea Bike Touring Loop, Vancouver Island

On By Rick McIn cycling, travel1 Comment

I’m looking forward to exploring the northern half of Vancouver Island by bike.

Sometime.

I’ll do some variation of the Tree to Sea Loop, 1000-kilometres on gravel around the lesser-known areas on the north end of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It’s 90% unpaved.

Highlights include massive valleys, oceanside villages, towering coastal mountains, and deep fjords via an impressive patchwork of forest service roads.

Right now the route requires a water taxi from Tahsis to Zeballos, which will be replaced by the Unity Trail that will eventually connect the two communities.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Birthday Party in LISBON

On By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, travel2 Comments

I’m 64-years-young on November 2nd.

I’ll be celebrating in Lisbon, Portugal. You know — the most vaccinated nation in the world? 😇

No quarantine. No covid test. BLAST. Connecting in Montreal, I was one of about 10 connecting passengers informed that we did need a Covid test before getting on the plane. I got a 20 minute test at the airport for $150. Very confusing as Portugal allows vaccinated passengers to arrive without a test on TAP airlines and others. I blame Air Transat for poor communication.

I’ll be hiking famed Fisherman’s Trail. And Seven Hanging Valleys.

Renting a touring bicycle from BikeIberia.

BUT if anyone asks, I’m there mainly looking to get some dental work done. North American dentists are the most overpaid in the world.

searching for a dentist

As usual, I’m flying to Europe on Air Transat. Cheapest by far — BUT they don’t have many flights / week.

As it happens, I celebrated my 53rd birthday in Porto, Portugal. So this is something of a re-do.

Weight of BIKE not important

On By Rick McIn cycling1 Comment

When I started bike touring, I carried significantly more luggage than most on a somewhat heavier bike. YET I seemed to make about average mileage each day.

It’s not a race.

AND — if this video is correct — carrying 1 extra kilogram over 100 km results in only about a 2 minute time penalty.

SO — I’ll carry all the weight I want on future trips. I have a lot of capacity volume on my new bike.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Cycling Scottish “Bothies”

On By Rick McIn cycling, travelLeave a comment

Alastair Humphreys likes to cycle to remote huts in Scotland.

The Mountain Bothies Association administers about 100 such huts.

“… No tap, no sink, no beds, no lights, and, even if there is a fireplace, perhaps nothing to burn …”

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Best GoPro Mounts

On By Rick McIn cycling, videoLeave a comment

I’m using the GoPro Hero 7. Stabilization is quite good for an action cam.

I don’t need to upgrade to the Gopro 10.

I tried using different mounts while cycling.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

EASIEST is the handlebar mount. Turn on the GoPro whenever you might want to show the trail. Quickly remove it to use off the bike anywhere along the road.

BEST is the selfie stick. But you end up riding with only one hand. Or trying to connect a tripod to the bike.

I’m planning to use the Blendr system for the handlebar mount. Rock solid.

1st BIKEPACKING trip on my new Checkpoint

On By Rick McIn cycling, travelLeave a comment

In 2020 I enjoyed 14 multi-day trips on my Ghost. The 15th in November … I didn’t enjoy quite so much.

In 2021 this is only my 2nd multi-day cycling adventure. About 90km return. Overnight camping on Horne Lake. 22 hours total.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube. A peaceful, windless September night.

My first overnight TEST of the Checkpoint ALR 4  with full load. Mixed trail, highway and gravel.

Checkpoint passed with flying colours.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Re-editing my OLD Videos

On By Rick McIn cycling, videoLeave a comment

My main HOBBY during pandemic has been video editing.

When I go back to watch some of my old edits, I’m usually unhappy 😕 with some decisions I made at the time.

A couple of times I’ve gone back and improved them. Satisfying. 🙂

For example, I was quite happy with some parts of my 2021 video cycling around Parksville. But a few things BUGGED me.

It didn’t take long to make the changes. Here’s the NEW shorter version. I posted it on a different YouTube channel to avoid later confusion.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

My NEW Touring Bicycle

On By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, travel4 Comments

Due to the pandemic, it’s very difficult to TEST RIDE bikes. Shops simply don’t have much inventory.

I knew that the Trek Checkpoint line were often included in lists of top Gravel Bikes for All Terrain.

I was looking for something more rugged and with more carrying capacity than my otherwise excellent Ghost.

I ended up with the Checkpoint ALR 4 … mainly because I lucked into finding one in stock at West Point Cycles in Vancouver. Still — it took over 4 months to get the accessories I wanted.

This bike is Aluminum, not steel, so it’s relatively light at 10.26 kg / 22.62 lbs. Carbon fork.

It’s got a ton of attachments. I special ordered the deluxe BONTRAGER racks front and back. I’ll load up with 4 full size panniers for longer trips.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I bought an inexpensive (CAD $43) 25 litre rear top pannier bag for those trips I want even MORE capacity.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I upgraded the tires to BONTAGER HARD-CASE editions. That should mean fewer flats. Just in case, I have a saddle bag basic repair kit.

After considering wearing bike shoes, I’m happy to have decided on flashy flats with adjustable straps. Deftrap nylon platform pedals.

I’ve hidden an AirTag so can locate the bike with the FindMy app.

Internal cables are tidier.

I now have the option to use drop bar grips — but I normally prefer flat bars. Happily, I can switch between several handlebar positions on this rig.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I put a quad lock for my phone central on the Blendr Stem. It has two attachments, normally my light and GoPro.

Once in a while I’ll take off the saddlebags and use it like a mountain bike.

Click PLAY or see it action on YouTube.

What is the Rule of 430?

… a formula that demonstrates replacing about 430 driving miles with 430 riding miles can offset the carbon cost of your new bike. Anything above 430 miles, and your bike is now carbon-negative.

Future BIG bikepacking trips I’m considering include: