Possible, but not Pleasant

Miles from Home - 5432.3 miles

Firsts / Highlights - Traveling by train with coupler bike

Miles Riden - 0.0 miles

Vertical Feet - 0 ft

Route - No ride.

Visualizza Lido di Jesolo in una mappa di dimensioni maggiori

There is no denying it. Travel BY bicycle is wonderful. Travel WITH a bicycle is not. The routine for getting from Riccione to Lido di Jesolo (outside Venice) started last night.

Here is the simple 27-step process to move between cities.

1) Disassemble bike
2) Pack bike (went pretty well)
3) Pack luggage
4) Load bike and lugguge into van
5) Take van from hotel to train station in Rimini
6) Unload bike and luggage
7) Carry and pull 80 pounds of bike, tools and luggage into train station
8) Lift all gear to go down stairs, under the tracks and back up stairs to the designated platform
9) Board train
10) Look for open seat while navigating a 2' wide hallway. Push the day pack, pull the bike and wear the day pack. It is not possible to turn sideways with the backpack on. It is necessary to take heal-to-toe size steps while pulling the bike because you cannot not walk beside to it - and allow other passengers to pass going the other direction.
11) In the seating compartment, hoist the backpack and day pack into the storage bin and store the bike in the hallway. Make friends as people trip over it.
12) Ride like a normal passenger for a few hours
13) Get off the train (see getting on the train)
14) Go down stairs, pass under tracks and up stairs with full floatilla in tow
15) Navigate 200 meters of sidewalk under construction to the bus station.
16) Wait 30 minutes for bus
17) Load bike and luggage into bus hold
18) Ride 85 degree bus for 1 hour
19) Exit bus
20) Unload bike and luggage
21) Wait 20 minutes to transfer to another bus
22) Load bike and luggage
23) Ride bus 15 minutes
24) Exit bus
25) Walk last 1/4 mile with all gear to hotel
26) Take bike and lugguge (via elevator, finally a break) to room.
27) Write about it

This move from city to city would not have been possible without the coupler Moots bike. I don't have any second thoughts about it being the right thing to do, but it would be a stretch to call it convenient.

Lessons learned today:
a) Get seat reservations even if they are not necessary. That limits the amount of moving around needed inside the train looking for a seat.
b) Schedule longer stays in fewer locations
c) Schedule some non-riding destinations where I can leave the bike behind, travel and return for the bike before moving on.
d) Don't get a nasty cold the day before traveling with a bike.

Now for the pay off. I'm off to catch a bus and a boat to have dinner in Venice, and hopefully catch some sunset pictures.