Hi all,
Happy New Year and all that stuff; in tandem with the other thread about looking back over 2024, this thread is about looking forward to 2025 and telling us about the plans you have - hopefully to inspire others or maybe just to write down the stuff to which you've half committed.
2 Questions:
- What biking plans do you have this year?
- What other plans do you have this year?

To start: biking plans for this year involve a fair bit more mountain biking than the last few years. I really want to do the 10 Under the Ben (again), the 3,6,12 in Newnham Park, and a few shorter MTB races. Obviously the BB200/300 in October (as it would be rude not to), and a few club weekends away to Wales, Yorkshire and ?? Plus a potential week in Majorca on road bikes. General plan is to fight the ageing battle and be ready for a race in New Zealand in Jan 26 (Tour de Waipounamu). And increase my VV score from 32x32 to 40x40 (this task seems to take far more time than it should just to fill in the odd missing square 2 hours ride away).

Other plans involve a trip to New Zealand in Jan/Feb to see daughter, upgrading our camper van to a bigger van (copying John C!), and travelling around Europe a bit more, and maybe giving up work (again). Plus overall keep my head in a good place and body from falling over.....

Good idea - always need one of these threads, even if most of us fail to get the plans done!

Bike plans are to ride as much as possible. I've quit working as a teacher to be a freelance author and examiner/moderator so can now work whenever and wherever suits. Hardest bit seems to be getting my lazy backside out the door! Specific plans are:

• BB300
  Something European in the spring - maybe pack some climbing boots and ride to Fontainebleau, or try to watch some of the classic road races?
  More local overnight rides - I got a Rab siltarp and bivy bag for Christmas, so now they need using which is great but remote working means I probably need to see people in real life too
  More local rides in general, ideally with friends as I seem to slip into a habit of going out alone
  Family riding weekend(s), I went for an excellent 2 day ride with pub stop with my brother and dad (for his 75th birthday) last summer, and want to do plenty more while health allows, and possibly bring my kids along too.

Other plans depend on health, I'd love to get a Bob Graham done, which has been a plan since winter 2019, but Covid, poorly timed chemo cycles for my son and plantar fasciitis have stopped me so far... fingers crossed for 2025! Other major plan is a family road trip in the summer. My daughter's a women's football fanatic so we've got Euros quarter & semi final tickets for Basel and Geneva in July. As both my wife and I work flexibly and remotely we're hoping to spend a month in the Black Forest/Alps/Dordogne/anywhere else interesting en-route...
I'm volunteering on a school ski trip in March, which may well lead to another week in the snow as my daughter is very jealous and wants to go too.

Best laid plans and all that

Having had a pretty poor year riding wise last year I think I need a target or two to aim for.

• Actually do some bivvies!
• I'd quite like to do The Old Chalk Way https://bikepacking.com/routes/old-chalk-way/ - not done much in the south (King Alfred's Way and Cotswolds loop basically being it) plus linear routes have their own charm.
• The Cumbrian Traverse - this is walking/running(?) across the Lakes from Broughton in the south up to Keswick. A sort of counter route to the Joss Naylor Challenge which goes E-W. No time limit so it'll be a bit more chilled.
• Get up to Scotland - last year was the first for about a decade that I didn't make it up there for at least one trip.

Our recent addition probably puts paid to getting away with Cath for trips until he settles down and can deal with being left with someone else.

No firm plans at all other than Winter Event next weekend, assuming nobody goes on strike yet again. After that, come what may. Looking forward is also easier than looking backwards, so yes I'll look forward .

Slightly different from plans, one aim is to continue to try and minimise one's impact. "No impact" would mean living in a hole and not eating, and nobody's perfect, and many go way beyond my efforts, but it's not purely altruistic either. Taking pleasure from small things has its own reward. I have no requirement to travel huge distances for amusement for example - some of the things I've seen and done on '24's BaMs have been exciting, surprising, educational, hilarious, sociable, challenging and daft. That'll do me. Read loads of books, make some sauerkraut, plant some more trees, be nice to Mrs P (full time aim, she's never satisfied that woman ).

whitestone wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2025 2:49 pm
[*]The Cumbrian Traverse - this is walking/running(?) across the Lakes from Broughton in the south up to Keswick. A sort of counter route to the Joss Naylor Challenge which goes E-W. No time limit so it'll be a bit more chilled.

I ran this a few years ago with a group of mates. Lovely day out and although we weren't hanging around much, it was nicer without the time pressure of something like a BG

Bike plans:

-The Bright Midnight race in Norway, and getting fit enough to enjoy it.
-Audaxing - probably another RRtY and SR. It's a fun and effective way to get fit on a bike that I can do with a couple of mates.
-Usual MTB stuff - jenride(s), BB200/300 etc.

Non-bike plans (with Kirsty)
- Download festival
- 2 week interrail holiday - last year's was so good we're doing it again. Likely heading east this time

Plans? Ha! I'm not falling for that. Last year I said something like

get out for longer/higher/farther/more culinarily pleasing/generally dafter adventures, in all kinds of weather. I'll likely be returning to some of last year's spots but will be looking for new ones too (East Lothian, Fife, Pentlands proper, and some cheeky urban ones. Maybe a Highlands trip in the summer). Subject to circumstances it would be cool to meet up with some folk off here

which stands, but realistically: Build bamboo bike. Ride bamboo bike. BaM. Maybe the Capital Trail. More rides with daughter one and/or two. SWB.

That'll do.

2025 - More gigs with my daughter + Hurricane Festival in Germany with both my kids.

Cycling, Strathpuffer solos for me and Tom next week.

Jennrides.

Planning a month on the bike in the summer with Tom. Switzerland Austria and Germany centric for a change.

whitestone wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2025 2:49 pm I'd quite like to do The Old Chalk Way https://bikepacking.com/routes/old-chalk-way/

The Icknield Way passes a mile from our house. So if you do do it, you're welcome to stop in for a cuppa.

- What biking plans do you have this year?

None, other than trying to ride one of them occasionally.

- What other plans do you have this year?

Other than trying to stay sane, I appear to have inadvertently picked up vintage audio as a new special interest. Just accidentality won some Kef Reference 105.1 speakers on eBay, so once the divorce has happened, I'll be turning the current living room into a vinyl listening room. Don't suppose anyone's got a spare Quad 405, or 909 power amp kicking around that I could have...?

plans dont seem to pan out for me, i tend to succeed more if i just decide a go.

but bikewise we have a few idea's floating about.
heading to Belgium in a month to take in 3 cx races, based in Brugges.
then possibly heading to Norway again in june for a couple of weeks touring. Oslo to Bergen then the glorious train ride back.
then Brittany in september for a week or two touring from Roscoff.

will be doing RTTS again, as it was ace.
maybe a audax or 2.
and to try and top 6K miles this year.

all good fun.

First event is a marathon race in Spain next month, then I'll be trying to get some rides in such as the Lakeland 200 and Badger divide. Tried to get in the HT550 but didn't make the cut so I'm hopefully going to get some more routes under my belt that will meet the criteria for a 2026 entry. I'm 55 this year so it'll probably be the last time I try to get in.
I saw a mention of the Old Chalk Way and that's one I'd like to do too. I live in Suffolk a few miles from the Icknield Way so could pretty much finish on my doorstep if I didn't fancy carrying on to the coast.

Tbh the biggest hope I've got for this year is a less wet one..

For the first time in 2-3 years I am actually starting to feel better and looking forward to the new year, I am hoping for an all clear on my next MRI in six months, remaining brain tumour and seizure free is my main goal. My physio is going well and I am looking to get back on the bike for regular rides after a 3 year absence, my aim is to start going out for bivvies again this summer, fairly close to home, and with a good escape route if needed. Seeing everyone's rides on here has been a source of motivation on some very dark days, I thank you all for that, lastly I want to start blogging again and taking photo's.

will be doing RTTS again, as it was ace.

Forgot about RTTS. My brother-in-law wants to do it this year, on a tandem

Where to start

Get my arse back on a pushbike in some meaningful way.
Finish the transformation of barn into 'luxury' workshop ... this will free up more time for the other things on this list.
Ride my Buell and AJS more but this might depend on what the weather decides - can't be worse than last year can it?
Finish my Z1 and my brothers Triumph chop.
Write a book of short stories with a talented artist - my words her illustrations.
See if I really have succeeded in building the worlds fastest monkey bike.

No doubt, there'll be plenty of sidetracks and diversions along the way that will impact the above but I figure you've got to start somewhere.

I was asked the same question a few days ago and realised I have no plans past May....and I'll have used up almost all my annual leave by then

Bike plans:

- Atlas Mountain Race in Feb.
The closer it gets the more scared and worried I get!
- Running Tor Divide event in May in the Peak.
It has grown far beyond what I anticipated, which is great but also takes a lot of work in the background. It'll be worth it though.
- NYM300.
I signed up in a whim with a few mates. I'm still not sure if I'll be able to do it but i hope so.
- BB300?
I have no idea how much riding I'll do this summer but if I don't slacken too much I'd like to give it a go.

Off the bike plans:
- visiting Japan with my other half in May/June.
It'll be a good way to spend some quality time together after spending too much time around cycling at the beginning of the year.

Bike/off-the bike:
I need to start visiting my family in Italy more often. Theyre not getting any younger unfortunately.
Work and personal finances currently don't allow multiple trips throughout the year, and I've been wondering if I should start organising and guiding cycling holidays in my neck of the woods (Tuscany/Umbria) back home. I'd combine that with some unpaid leave from work but hopefully cut my losses with some extra income...
It's a tricky one and I'm sure it looks easy from the outside but it really isn't.

Cycling: local bivvies, but in places I've not bivvied before .

Non-cycling: complete my Sports Diver course and spend more time volunteering with the Nautical Archaeology Society .

For mostly try to enjoy cycling more.

Thanks to the excellent suggestions on my previous post, I've ditched the 2025 miles target (though I'll be logging rides as I genuinely enjoy this.)
I think the '40 miles a week', whilst not arduous, did take quite a bit of the pleasure out of cycling as I ended up riding more or less the same 12 mile loop "to get the miles in"
This year I want fewer, longer rides with a purpose. To which end I'm restarting doing Geocaching but limiting it to a single cache in any localised area per ride, though on a longer ride I may collect 2 or 3.
I'll still be after my BCQ point as and when.
I'll also be ticking off all the local churches as a side task.

Also just taking time to talk to people, have a cup of tea and a cake, or a pint, enjoy the views, watch the wild life.

I sadly can't do the WRT this year as I'm on call over that weekend.
But I'm hoping to do a 2/3 nighter a couple of weeks later based on the Marches Castle Way but with local knowledge modifications... https://www.cyclinguk.org/routes/marche ... full-route
Also my Wimbledon avoidance route is looking like being catching a train to Southampton then ride back to Ludlow, taking it various sections of KAW/Ridgeway, Cotswolds, River Severn .... advice to be garnered in the Playing out section...
Maybe SWWB ... but not if a storm is forecast.

Other wise, taking the Motorhome on a trip to central Scotland in March, route is flexible. Probably meander up to Inverness then back. The road through Tomintoul looks great though I'm not sure if it's passable in March in a moho.
Look at dropping a day (or maybe two) at work in due course with the view to retire early in 2026 (I'll be 59 in January '26) but THE FEAR is hard to overcome.... knowing just how much we'll need seems impossible to calculate, though I suspect it's less than most other retiring couples as we're both frugal, and don't ski, play golf or like holidays in hot / far flung places (hence the motorhome ( bought and paid for)).

I'm hoping it'll be a great year.

Had a look for last year's version of this thread and I didn't contribute, so had a look for the year before's and it turns out my plans are still exactly the same...

Main on-bike plan will be Sea To Peak in July. That will necessitate an off-the bike plan of getting my French back up to a decent conversational level, and I suppose I can start that today Also linked to that will be getting my fitness up to a point where I can actually ride that far in 2 weeks.

I haven't finished an ITT in about 3 years I think, genuinely can't remember the last time I turned up for something and completed it Definitely need to change that this year - BB300, NYM300 and Dales Divide all very much in my sights.

Beyond that it'll be trying to achieve a better work/life balance; reconnect with friends I've lost touch/am losing touch with; get better at playing guitar (might do the Grade 6 exam).

Well:

Got my first surfing lesson on Monday so will see how that goes!
Am off to Morocco in a couple of weeks to get some vitamin D.
Other than that I have bought tickets to a heavy metal festival in Brittany in August.
A friend who lives in Switzerland has lost her job and is asking me to maybe go fetch her and her cat home with my van in February, so that's ferries and fuel paid. May visit the Black Forest on the way down...

Other plans I am kicking around are:
Newcastle Amsterdam ferry in April and cycling around that area, maybe down to Bruges and visit some Trappist monasteries.
I would quite like to get in to the Alps in summer - maybe campervan, maybe motorcycle... Not sure.
Denmark seems to be calling me too - might Monkey bike that!
Would also like to do some cycling and camping around Argyll.

slarge wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2025 1:53 pm To start: biking plans for this year involve a fair bit more mountain biking than the last few years.

You decided against the big event in E Europe Steve? Too much faff?

More mtb, less gravel bike
In for the Highland Trail and also hope to do the NYM 300 and BB300. I'm going to have another go at getting down to the WRT by train and also use the train more for some of my trips as it worked well last year.
SSUK doon sooth, hopefully joining forces with Lazarus

Against my better judgement I was persuaded by a friend to go to the 'Adventure Bike' festival in June which is near to Stratford upon Avon. I'm hoping it will follow the standard bike rally format of sitting in a field drinking beer and telling lies but some of the stuff that is on, and the speakers, seem a bit suspect. I'm right in the middle of the attendee demographic though!

I'm 'buying' 2 weeks additional leave which should enable the above whilst still being able to spend lots of time with Mum and Dad.

If we collectively get all this ^ done, we're gonna be knackered

Hopefully off to Morocco for a couple of months shortly to do the updated route of Caravans off Bikepacking.com with alterations and extra bits. Back to the UK for a couple of months to get mum moved down closer to my sister's place before hopefully throught the Stans in Central Asia.

Simples for me....

...on bike to just do more riding. There are still a bunch of local routes to get round and from there I'm looking to see some sweet bivvy spots. Rebellion Way near Easter time and at least one, but maybe a couple of multi-day in Scotland. I'd like to aim for a trip to The Netherlands but looming issues might rule that out.

Off the bike, it's trying to have less screen time, more reading and pick up the guitar again. Got a couple of gigs booked for spring and planning more of those throughout the year. Also, trying to finish some DIY that needs doing following renovations.