Cycling Europe, England: Great Shelford to Thame
My latest bicycle touring update, cycling in Europe: England, Great Shelford to Thame. 84 miles. What a long day, and certainly not by choice or design. Twelve hours on the road, ten hours physically peddling or pushing.
I’ve had a varied day with dual carriageway cycling: off-road cycling and an English version of Greenways. I’ve also had to push the bike a few times. The hills have just become too steep.
I had wanted to stop around forty miles ago. But I couldn’t find a campsite. And I still haven’t. I gave up in the end and have booked into a Travelodge. However, that’s not that simple these days. You can’t just turn up; oh no, you have to book online. I’d had enough by the time I’d found somewhere to stop, and the last thing I wanted to do was pratt around on my phone trying to book a room. I gave my phone to the girl on reception for her to do.
Just think, today’s mileage would have been the norm not that long ago. And I would have been fine. Today, I’m absolutely knackered, and I’m struggling to write tonight’s update. I’m off to bed. Good night, everyone.
Tour Information
It’s been years since I took this ride, but the memories (and the data) are all archived:
- Photos: See my photos on Flickr
- The route: View my route across Europe
- Videos: Check out my YouTube videos
- Tour page: Ride overview
Follow & Support
If you’re enjoying the ride and want to fuel my next mile, you can always support me by buying me a beer. Or subscribe to my blog and follow me as I travel around on my bike. As a subscriber, you’ll be among the first to receive news and updates on future tours. And, of course, you can always follow me on social media: Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, X, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. I’m also on Flickr, where you’ll find pictures from all my tours, along with regular photo updates that I generally publish each month.
If you want to find out if I’m away touring at the moment and check my location, visit the Where’s Garry page. And for an insight into the gear and logistics that keep me on the road, see my Life at 10mph Guide.