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Farcycal

@farcycal_

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Long, ridiculous bicycle rides.
London - Capetown 2012-13
UK - Naples via Sardinia w/👶🏻👧🏼 2024
Morocco 2018
France 2017
Picos De Europa 2014

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Tonight we went to try and find a flamingo. by @farcycal_

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2 years ago

We forgot to post this vid here. So here it is, for posterity, with hot, new reflections on long distance cycling with children 🤣…(Cont. in comments)

Music credits: Wilco, Love is Everywhere & Fireboy DML Bandana

1. Wild camping was much harder to do than we expected. When it’s just us we can throw up a tent anywhere but with two wee mouths to feed, and keep watered, we just didn’t feel we could risk not finding the right, safe spot in time for dinner. That meant we stuck to campsites which is less freeing & more expensive but was usually balanced by joy of a family swim.

2. It takes sooooooooo much time to pack up and down with two kids to entertain. Like a couple of hours every morning. This was invariably the most rubbish bit for them and we had to find ways to preempt tears & tantrums. Setting up a treasure hunt of kit bits and beach finds worked well for Mealla. Ùis was for the most part happy to chill and observe.

3. Traffic free or low traffic roads feel essential when you have little people in tow. That meant France was absolutely our favourite country to tour in. 90% of our journey in France was on designated cycle paths or super low traffic roads. Though we loved Spain, Sardinia & Italy, the roads, distances and lack of campsites made it all much harder. Eurovelo routes are great but sometimes a bit dull, in France you can pop on and off with ease.

4. We estimated we carried about 50kg each. This meant cycling in heat (40+) and up proper hills was especially tough and there was a point in Sardinia when it felt dangerous and unnecessary. So we took a bus to the south. The kids really picked up on our stress and so to keep everyone happy we had to keep checking in on our purpose…which was to have a really great time and to nurture not crush the kids sense of adventure.

#adventurecycling #surlylht #farcycal #travellingwithkids #lifebybike #bikewander #longdistancecycling #bigagnes #familytravels #kidsoutside #bikelife by @farcycal_

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2 years ago

During lockdown we’ve had time to sort through all the recovered photographs and footage we lost. We’ll work towards a proper short but here’s a teaser. Sound UP ~🎵 by Bicep. #bikelife #adventurecycling #worldbybike #farcycal #cycletouring #farcycal by @farcycal_

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6 years ago

A bowl full of cold, fresh peaches. That welcome says so much and not enough about our experience here. From the moment we rolled off the boat and up out of the wonderful chaos of Napoli we’ve been honked, waved, cheered and met with totally unexpected generosity. A pack of ice lollies from the back of a lorry. A beautiful silver spoon for Mealla. A tray of savoury pastries. A cold drink bought by a complete stranger.

It’s with very mixed feelings we ride our last 10k uphill this morning. This whole experience has been really challenging, I’ll share more of the hard bits some time, but I think we all finish more grounded, life affirmed, fitter and filled with the joy of connection - to each other, to strangers, to nature and to our bodies. What glorious life.

And now we get to do what we come here to do. Celebrate two beautiful people, choosing to ride it together. Yes yes yes. @jaxalthea we coming! Xxx taken in Teano by @farcycal_

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2 years ago

Folded pizza, killer hills and cockle warming cheek pulls for both bambinos. Seriously I’d heard that Italians love babies but I’ve never experienced anything like it. Old people literally crossing the road to pat, pull and bosie both kids. Resteraunts erupting in joy at their arrival. I’m so here for it. It’s so unthinking, so full of gusto, so natural…and such a a stark contrast to the way we interact with a strangers’ kids at home. SQUEEZE EM taken in Sardinia, Italy by @farcycal_

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2 years ago

Bits of beauty ✨ [Spain & Sardinia] by @farcycal_

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2 years ago

More to come on Sardinia but last night we fell asleep under the stars, tent roof off, by the sea, after ‘our hardest ever day of cycling’. That’s Diarm’s words and unlike me he’s not prone to exaggeration. We were still climbing hills at 7.45pm…today we rest🌙✨

#bicyclefamily #cycletouring #babyadventures #farcycal #kidsoutdoor #pedalpower #cyclinginsardinia taken in Sardegna by @farcycal_

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2 years ago

We made it over the mountains to Spain, after one of the best ever wrong turns. Climbing double what we intended to with some 9 - 12% but on totally car free winding roads. Total quiet. The air baked in the sublime scent of pine and fig trees. Cleopatra butterflies. Corrrrr it was so so so so good. After taking yet another wrong turn we had a fairly hair raising but ultimately safe descent. Next time we’ll heed the warning sign 😬. by @farcycal_

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2 years ago

Nantes - Argelès-sur-mer. Tomorrow we head up into the Catalan Pyrenees ⛰️✨❤️🙏 and over to Spain. Hoping for strong legs, good snacks & a border dance. 🪩

🎧 Auntie Flo - so in love

#cycletouring #familyonabike #babyadventures #kidsoutdoor #ev1 #ev8 #cyclinginfrance #longdistancecycling #adventurecycling #pedalpower taken in France by @farcycal_

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2 years ago

“I promise to be your ally in mischief and your comrade in adventure. Four sets of two wheels on an open road…”

That vow was very cockily written in the middle of fertility treatment. No kids. But here we bloody are. Dreams can come true. Look at me babe, I’m with you. Cheers Gabs & happy anniversary xx taken in France by @farcycal_

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2 years ago

We’re in beautiful Carcassone, having shredded up maps for crossing the country. New plan! We’re not doing a big mountain pass. What would thrill D & I is just not the same undertaking with kids. Three weeks in we still aren’t sure we’d even get up a 28k climb, in 36 degrees with the weight we’re carrying. If we did chances are it wouldn’t be fun and it has to be fun. At 4 and 11 months old we’re already asking a lot of the kids and we want them to be emboldened not dispirited by adventure. So we hopped on a train (a total pain in the arse actually see the sunset exhaustion on D’s face) to get us a bit further east and today we’re fixing bikes and babies (Derailleurs and diarrhoea). Tomorrow we head out on the canal du midi towards Narbonne and then we’ll hug the Mediterranean south to Barca. It is haaaat out there kids. xx

#bikingwithkids #francebybike #farcycal #kidsoutdoors #cycletouring #longdistancecycling #adventurecycling #pedalpower #sncf #carcassone by @farcycal_

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2 years ago

We’re weaving our way to La Rochelle for a weekend with some old mates. Week two has brought proper sunshine and all kinds of upbeat were bloody doing this energy. I am unfathomably proud of Mealla whose little legs keep turning day in day out. It feels so good to be getting stronger.

We’ve tried a couple of eurovelo routes before and not loved them but EV1 is an unexpected joy. We’re rolling south through oyster farms, sun dappled forests, red roofs and ceviche starters.

The kids are considering co-authoring a travel book on playgrounds and Mealla has started collecting for her book of European pressed flowers. “I love this world” she said the other day as we cruised through a forest. Me too Mealla me too.

Ùis has also been an absolute champ. Two new top teeth incoming…

#farcycal #longdistancecycling #babyadventures #francebybike #eurovelo1 #ev1 #france #getoutside #bicyletouring #pedalpower #cyclingwithkids by @farcycal_

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2 years ago