Last year, the grand plan was to tackle another segment of EuroVelo 1, a cycling trip running N–>S from Norway to Gibraltar. I had previously completed the Wild Atlantic Way (an official part of EuroVelo 1) and had separately completed Dublin to Bordeaux. Now it was time to do Bordeaux to Gibraltar.

Except.

When I arrived in Bordeaux (one of my favourite cities), I felt a little ‘off’. After finding my airbnb, and assembling my bike, I decided I had better do a Covid test to eliminate that unwelcome possibility. Disaster! Positive.! And it was one of those “wiped out” experiences – 4 days’ worth. With long distances and non-trivial climbs (as much as 4,000′ ) in prospect, I took the decision to abandon the trip.

For this year’s trip, I thought about completing my Danube jaunt (having completed the fist half of that 2,850km journey some years earlier). But the Danube empties into the Black Sea between Romania and the Ukraine. Pass.

Back to EuroVelo – and Lo! there is a separate route for the Rhine – EuroVelo 15:

So, off we go – starting on Sunday 13th. A Group of 1. 1,500-1800 km, depending on the exact route chosen.

Adventures lie ahead.