It’s been a long time between posts. We’ve still been getting out on the bikes, still doing a bit of travel, but nothing big or blog-worthy… until now.

This June, we’re setting off on a ride from the UK to Spain.

We’re bike packing — or more honestly, credit card packing — staying in hotels each night with the promise of a proper bed, a good meal, and a schedule that’s challenging but manageable. A holiday, not an endurance event.

When I first mapped it out, it looked pretty cruisy: most days between 80 and 100km, with a few bigger ones pushing 130km.
But… when you’re on a gravel bike, carrying all your gear, to look half-decent both on the bike and at the bar each night, it’s a bit more effort than we first appreciated.

We know this because we did a four-day shakedown ride through rural NSW.

I filmed a couple of videos to see if it’s worth recording the journey properly when we head off in summer. It made us laugh — and helped us digest what we were actually doing — so we’ll capture the trip along the way.

The plan’s simple: three weeks riding through France and Spain, then a week in Santander to put our feet up before catching the ferry back to Portsmouth.

Part One:

Part Two: