I'm writing this post whilst looking out to beautiful spring sunshine and glorious blue skies. For me, the weather plays such an important part in life, especially when bicycle touring. Not that I always let the weather control my cycling, but who doesn't prefer cycling in the sunshine as opposed to driving rain and gales?! Today I have dreamed of chilling out cycling along sleepy roads, eating great food and taking in the world at a slower pace. Escaping the everyday pressures of life for a little while. I think it is so important to find time to just chill, do something different and recharge. Bicycle touring really helps me with this. That back-to-basics way of life is a real pleasure. How about you - can you relate to this?

All this spring sunshine happiness leads perfectly to my first bicycle tour of 2016. If this weather continues, it looks like my mini bicycle tour riding down to southern France will be made even better! This bicycle tour will be the first I have joined from cycletouring.org and it is great that I'll be benefiting from something I created. The whole concept of cycletouring.org was thought up after I struggled to find people to go touring with. I have been waiting patiently for a tour to crop up and now I'll be off with another member on a mini-adventure. I like that I get to organically test the service I created. I get to see how it works from a user point of view, which is so important for the development of the service. I already have some new ideas for my to-do list!

Where am I off to on this bike tour?

I'm joining a tour submitted to the site by Simon from the UK. Simon is riding all the way from London to the South of Spain, and maybe into the Sahara desert! It is going to be a challenging kind of ride, with some long 100-mile+ days in the saddle planned. Unfortunately for me, I don't have the time to ride all the way, but will hook up with Simon in Northern France and will ride down to the South of France, before I turn back up and head to St Malo. I have to be back by a certain time, but won't let that stop me from having a good time. If you fancy coming along there are still places left on this tour.

With it only being a couple of weeks away, I have started thinking about my kit. I know I have everything I need, but it doesn't take much persuasion to look at new gear! I'm currently talking myself into getting a new lightweight frying pan, rather than taking the heavy one I have in my kitchen. All those extra grams add up and going lighter will speed me up is my reasoning! You would not believe the time I have spent looking at frying pans! I know, very sad, but I do love it!

I hope you are all planning your bike tours and getting out there having adventures? Whatever the weather in your part of the world, do try to get out on tour, meet new people and have fun! And why not get involved with cycletouring.org and give joining a bicycle tour a try? Even if you just meet someone for a day cycling. You don't know what adventures you will have until you give it a try.

Happy Cycling!