MIZMAL and LEJOG are both on my bucket list!

I have never heard of LEJOG! It is now on my list. That looks awesome! Thanks!

MIZMAL was incredible! My descent off Gap of Dunloe.

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC

MIZMAL is the new little brother of LEJOG. Yep, so gotta do that descent!! I was on vacation with the wife in Ireland this past summer and will be all over Scotland this coming June. I assume you took your own bike. Peake Tours supports both rides and has a bike rental option. I've got a couple years before I can slot this into my schedule but that may factor into which company I go with. I'm also considering Pedal Britain for LEJOG. If you want to really push the limits you could go with the Deloitte Ride Across Britain (aka LEJOG) in 9 days. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9cCTTozxS0

I drove that in the spring and wish I had my bike there the whole time!

A bit OT, but Quest does an adventure race with the bike portion through Molls Gap and the Gap of Dunloe. Looks sweet!

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Strava

Man! Deloitte Ride Across Britain looks like it for next year! Thanks so much! I have been looking for next year!

I had a Ti road bike built with S&S couplers just for traveling. It packs up in a 26x26x10 inch case. It flew for free to Ireland and I paid $25 or $35 dollars coming back.

I did Cycle Greater Yellowstone this year for the second time. The mileage was short, but we had some nice climbs over 10,000 feet.

My buddy wants to do a Key West ride. Since you are in Florida, any recommendations there?

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC

That's funny. Although I live in Florida I never considered Key West a cycling destination (I have lived in England so that is why the other events call to me). There are a number of tour groups offering the Key West ride (like the one below), but 175 flat miles (going back and forth) in 6 days is just silly. You could just sign up for the Tour de Keys century ride and be done with it (Key Largo to Key West every September). Better yet, I would recommend the Cross Florida ride which is 170 miles in one day from Cocoa Beach on the Atlantic to near Weeki Wachi on the Gulf (there is a two-day option). The cross-Florida route is a flat 100 miles to start then the hills come (Florida hills that is - no climbs, just punchy little suckers).

https://www.floridakeysbikeride.com/

https://spacecoastfreewheelers.com/xfl/

I do a week tour every year in october with some freinds, we try to mix up destination,s but keep going back to Greece as it works well for us in terms of weather, cost, and hospitality of the residents. last week we did a tour from thessolonikki, upwards basically going from lake to lake, skirting across to north macednonia, and dow to the fringe of Mt olympus and back to thesoloniki, just over 400 miles in a week with bags on board, at circa 50 euro a day for accomodation and food.

essentially we look on booking. com for a hotel each morning that we can get to around 40-60 miles away, and plan a route on komoot/garmin connect. generally works well.

Last year we flew in to Naples, not the nicest of cities IMO, and headed south, good week but we did get a bit wet.

Here's a hidden gem of a location in northern Portugal, I'll admit that unless you have ties to the region there are probably better places to go for vacations, but if I had time in the spring I'd go to my family's home and just do repeats of this mountain climb, I was able to be out the door and at the summit in an hour (I live near Boston and the closest thing I have is Wachusett but that's a good drive/50 mile ride away). But there's definitely great riding around the country.

https://www.strava.com/segments/7819548?filter=overall

I may end up cussing you! I am registered for Deloitte Ride Across Britain 2020. I wanted to get in early for the hotel option, since there is a wee chance of rain while cycling in Britain. Then I start thinking, "Crap, that is 980 miles in 9 days! WTF am I thinking?" Training will be in order!

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC

A buddy and I did the Blue Ridge Parkway like this. Basically carried about 15 pounds of gear each, and went hotel to hotel, covering about 90 miles each day. We kept places booked a few days in advance. Planning the route each day was fairly simple, however. Head south on BRP.

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC

9 days is too short for this old man. When I go I will take a 14 day tour so I at least have time to stop for pictures. But your trip will be epic. I can only imagine that the finish will feel every bit as rewarding as ironman, probably more so. For the record, I have 15 Ironman finishes including Kona but completing Powerman Zofingen topped them all.

I carry a camera whenever I do a ride like this! I love shooting. Current gear is a Leica CL and two zooms in a Outer Shell handlebar bag.

I have 7 IMs, but now find other adventures more rewarding. MizMal was tough because of jet lag and one long rainy day. This one will be really tough.

I think my most rewarding/epic adventure was a completely unsanctioned and unlicensed 24 hour urban alley cat where I clocked 304 miles on a set route through downtown traffic two weeks after I finished IM Louisville. At about 3 in the morning I forgot how to shift, and had to nap for 3 hours, dropping out of first place into second. IM nutrition does not work for a 24 hour race.

Of course my favorite humble brag is always, "Alcatraz? Yeah, I made that swim. Yes, cold." ;-)

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC