Greenrock’s blog

Short and sweaty – summer rides in the Alps and Pyrenees

Thu, 19 May 2011 10:58:59 +0100

A col a day keeps the doctor away!

This summer we’ll be running our shorter cycling tours in the French Alps, the French Pyrenees and also Provence, featuring the infamous Mont Ventoux. The tours are between 3 and 5 days long – perfect if time off work is an issue for you and you want to maximise your fitness gains. Click the tour name for more information and get ready to conquer some cols!

Cols of the Pyrenees – Monday 4 to Sunday 10 July 2011

Mt Ventoux and Provence – Friday 15 to Sunday 17 July 2011

Cols of the Alps – Tuesday 19 to Sunday 24 July 2011

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Greenrock’s Joe Mearns is chosen for World Record team!

Tue, 3 May 2011 11:56:50 +0100

A new British bid to break the powerboat Circumnavigation Record..

In November this year Greenrock’s Managing Director Joe Mearns will join Alan Priddy’s crew of seven aboard Good Heart, an 80ft wave-piercing superboat. They’re aiming to beat Earthrace’s Around the World powerboat record (60 days, 23 hours, 49 minutes) with a sub-50 day voyage!

Joe has been chosen for his team spirit and exceptional ability to remain calm under pressure. His family has a long naval history and you could say that Joe’s love of boats verges on a compulsion. At the moment he has three (including a 43 metre Dutch barge), which is nearly as many as his bicycles (five)!

For more information see www.circumnavigationrecord.com and to follow the project as it progresses sign up to: www.facebook.com/circumnavigationrecord

New tour... Everest by Bike (Tibet)

Tue, 8 Jun 2010 11:34:13 +0100

Ride on the roof of the world from Lhasa to Mt Everest’s Base Camp!

Head east for the ultimate high altitude bike tour. Everest by Bike has it all: the former palace of the Dalai Lama, sacred lakes, yaks, Himalayan panoramas, Tibetan culture and Buddhist monasteries. Then there is the modern political reality of China: make up your own mind about the influence of Beijing in Tibet. We hub through Kathmandu, a buzzing Himalayan capital with great food, mountain views and fun shopping if you’re keen on a bargain and fake outdoors kit.

This ride is nearly all tarmac and we carry your luggage for you but there are long climbs at high altitude so some training will stand you in very good stead: contact us if you’d like some advice on this.

For photos (including a slideshow) and an elevation profile of the route from Lhasa to Kathmandu see
http://www.himalayabybike.com/HBB_new/Tibet_route_info.html

For full details about our Everest by Bike tour click here

Chalet package for Tour de France in July

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 11:23:08 +0100

Combine a Pyrenean cycling long weekend with seeing two mountain stages of the 2010 Tour de France!

This year’s Tour de France passes just 30km from our chalet in the French Pyrenean ski resort of Les Monts d’Olmes. We are offering a special weekend package of cycle rides to witness the race go past combined with lodging for up to six people in our cycle chalet. All meals and transfers are provided.

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The Stages

Friday 16 July 2010
Fly to France. We pick you up from Toulouse / Carcassonne airports and drive you up to the chalet. Supper in the chalet and introduction to this region. You tell us how much cycling you want to do and we’ll suggest the best routes for you. Today the Tour riders finish over 378 km from the chalet, at Mende in the Lozère prefecture.

Saturday 17 July 2010
While the Tour covers today’s stage of 196 km from Rodez to Revel, you have two choices. The first is to tackle our mountain étape featuring the section from Mirepoix to Ax-3-Domaines in tomorrow’s Tour route and the climb up the Port de Pailheres (2001 m / 6565 ft), the most beautiful col in the Pyrenees. Please note: this route is subject to Tour de France preparations. The second choice is a less mountainous ride through the foothills of the Pyrenees through the amazing spectacle of the Mas d’Azil (which features on Monday’s Tour stage), through the medieval town of Mirepoix, around pretty Lac Montbel and past the citadel of Mont Segur, the last bastion of the Cathar faith against the Catholics in 1244. The Tour riders finish today’s stage in the Haute Garonne, just over 100km from our chalet.

Sunday 18 July 2010
Today we see the Tour as it passes just 30km from the chalet on its way from Revel to Ax-3-Domaines. You decide where you’d like to watch the riders and we’ll get you there. Expect crowds and an amazing atmosphere. After the Tour passes we continue riding then return to the chalet for a hearty supper.

Monday 19 July 2010
Another full day of cycling. We can either ride out to the Tour again as it makes its way west from Pamiers to Bagneres-de-Luchon, or explore the Ariège further. Tell us what you like best (fast and flat, cols, short / long distance etc) and we will tailor today’s route just for you.

Tuesday 20 July 2010
After breakfast in the chalet we drive down the mountain for your flight home.
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Included
• Transfers to and from Toulouse or Carcassonne airports
• All meals (breakfast and supper at the chalet, we’ll make you baguettes for lunch with fruit, drinks and snacks)
• Laminated route maps (Michelin mapping)
• Vehicle support
• Three nights accommodation

Excluded
• Flights
• Alcohol

Price:
£370 each (6 people)
£450 each (4 people)

Getting there
The nearest airports are Toulouse (EasyJet and British Airways, 1hr 30 mins from chalet) and Carcassonne (Ryan Air, 1 hr 5 mins from chalet). The car journey from the London area to Les Monts d’Olmes is about 800 miles using any of the northern French ferry ports.

BYOB (Bring your own bike)
Please bring your own bike.

For more about Chalet Flory see www.mont-dolmes.com/Welcome.html

Pyrenean cycling weekends from just £185 per person!

Wed, 2 Jun 2010 16:13:09 +0100

Train like a pro at Greenrock’s cycling chalet high up in the French Pyrenees!

Just for this summer we are offering a special cycling package: a fully-supported cycling weekend in our chalet in the French Pyrenees from just £185 per person. We’ll meet you at the airport in France, bring you to the chalet and introduce you to the fantastic road cycling in this part of the world. You can then enjoy two full days of cycling. For mountain bikers there are 230km of VTT trails starting from the chalet, including a downhill course at the ski resort itself.

Included
• Transfers to and from Toulouse or Carcassonne airports
• All meals (breakfast and supper at the chalet, we’ll make you baguettes for lunch with fruit, drinks and snacks)
• Laminated route maps (Michelin mapping)
• Vehicle support (for roadies)
• Two nights accommodation

Excluded
• Flights
• Alcohol

We don’t mind whether you come for the weekend or during the week: the prices remain the same. Bring friends and save money!

Sample itinerary:
Friday – arrive on lunchtime flight from UK. We pick you up, drive you into the mountains to the chalet, give you supper and introduce you to this region.
Saturday – full day cycling. Breakfast and supper at the chalet. We’ll give you lunch on the road.
Sunday – full day cycling. Breakfast and supper in the chalet. We’ll give you lunch on the road.
Monday – After breakfast we drive you to the airport for your flight home.

Price:
£185 each (6 people)
£225 each (4 people)

Getting there
The nearest airports are Toulouse (EasyJet and British Airways, 1hr 30 mins from chalet) and Carcassonne (Ryan Air, 1 hr 5 mins from chalet). The car journey from the London area to Les Monts d’Olmes is about 800 miles using any of the northern French ferry ports.

BYOB (Bring your own bike)
We’d recommend bringing your own bike but if you’d rather forgo the hassle and expense of flying with a bike then you can rent mountain bikes in the resort itself.

For more information about Chalet Flory see www.mont-dolmes.com/Welcome.html