A European adventure by PSCC Steve Phillips.

After a 34-hour ferry crossing from Portsmouth, I finally landed in Bilbao to begin my

adventure: cycling up the west coast of France, following the Vélodyssée (EuroVelo 1) long-distance cycle route. The first two days through Spain were tough, with 3,000 feet of climbing on day one and 3,750 feet on day two. This was all on my mountain bike, carrying 21 kg of gear!

I hadn't booked any campsites, unsure how far I'd get each day, but luckily, they were fairly quiet in June, so finding a spot was never a problem. I've never seen so many club riders out over a weekend, all looking sharp in their kits. Finally, on the third day, I reached France, where the signs for the Vélodyssée began – though they were easily missed in the towns. Temperatures usually hovered in the mid-to-late 20s, making hydration a top priority. Eating plenty was crucial too, as I was spending about six hours a day in the saddle. The coastline, as you'd expect, was stunning, dotted with pretty villages. However, this wasn't a sightseeing holiday; getting the miles in was more important since I only had 14 days to complete the trip. Most roads had dedicated cycle paths alongside them, with priority over traffic – which was never an issue, as the driving was exceptionally good. I never had a problem with drivers at any time. All the campsites were good, offering clean showers and toilets. Prices ranged from €8 to €19, and most offered food, even if it was just pizza or burgers.

Near Bordeaux, it took over two days to ride through a forest on a tarmacked path. This sometimes felt very isolated; I only occasionally saw others going the opposite way. I had expected to meet up with fellow bikepackers to ride with, but it never really happened. I saw a diverse range of people along the way: families with young children bikepacking, couples who must have been in their 80s, a guy on a unicycle, and even a man with a prosthetic leg. The French section is much flatter, allowing for more miles each day; I achieved a maximum of 89 miles in one go. My legs felt strong most of the time, until the last couple of days when tiredness began to set in. On day nine, saddle soreness became rather uncomfortable, and my wrists and hands began to ache due to the lack of hand positions on a mountain bike. The last few days followed the stunning Brest/Nantes canal once I was out of the city, then an old railway line, and finally quiet lanes into Saint-Malo.

Bilbao to saint Malo camp site.

The Stats: 811 miles covered 11.5 days total riding 23,645 ft climbing 70.52 miles average per day 12.48 mph average speed per day 21 kg (46 lb) baggage (not including water and food) Usually in the tent and asleep by 9:30 PM Woken up at 5:00 AM by birdsong chorus Saw 3 otters!

Conclusion I'm so glad I did it! I definitely overpacked clothes I didn't wear. The campsites were consistently good and always friendly. I think a gravel bike would have been better for spreading the weight around. Charging my phone was never a problem, as there were always sockets in the toilet blocks that everyone used."

Steve Phillips, an extrordinary fellow.