Prologue

Why…”The Stone Ride”…?

Simply a catchy acronym to hide the madness of the proposed bicycle ride from the Southernmost point TO the Northernmost point of Europe!!

Roughly……:

And that does not really even cover the half of it! For we first need to ride to that most Southern point….and then we need to get back from the Northern point! And it is far too much to do in a single year..

So the plan is to detour to the UK…..and leave the bikes there in July…before recommencing the madness in April 2026!

The two noted destinations comprise:

Cape Tripiti at the Southernmost point of the little island of Gavdos, which lies off Crete! …..and…

Nordcapp (North Cape)…on the island of Mageroya, off the North coast of Norway….but connected to it by a terrifyingly long and steep tunnel!

Cape Tripiti lies at 34-48’-02”N…well South of of the north coasts of Morocoo, Tunisia and Algeria!

The Arctic Circle lies at 66-34’N

And North Cape sits at 71-10’-21”N….just to put everything into geometric context! Fucking cold…that means!!

A challenge….for the sake of a challenge!!

My sixth mad bike ride!

Me…and four riding companions…..Martin (his fourth MBR ride) hands over to Iain (also his fourth) in Crete…who hands over to Andrew Diack (friend and neighbour), an MBR virgin, although we did spend a couple of weeks riding round Andalusia and Northern Morocco a few years ago…who in turn hands over to Corey (who is returning despite the miserable weather of last year for his second MBR!) to take us up to Uk.

17 border crossings…and far too many kms to think about! 

And Martin and I both are starting this ride ‘out of condition’! Not sure I have ever really been in good condition…but right now I am not feeling it!

I realise I have only spent 77 days in my own bed at home over the last twelve months! And even during that too-brief time….we had over 180 visitors!! Haha…! And usually visitors mean too much beer, too much food and too many cigarettes!!

When I say 180 visitors…I should clarify that to say 180 visitor-nights…and half of those were grandkids!!

It was a gloriously busy and hectic time…but a time with very little biking!!

En route to Europe this year…Liz and had a fantastic (but largely bike-free) six week trip through Cambodia and Vietnam…..again, not great preparation for a monster ride!!

So as I prepare to leave, trying to be ready to mitigate all those things which might go wrong (there really are so very many!)….I am adding ‘ill-prepared and over-weight body’ to the list!!

After so many ridiculously long rides…it is sort of surprising (to me) that I get so nervous before setting off again. But I do!

So…here goes!! All that minutiae of preparation is done. And when we hit the road…most of these pre-ride nerves will fall by the wayside. 

No accommodation booked. 

Just take things as they come. 

And enjoy the freedom….shackled to a bike for three months!! Haha