www.BaltiCCycle.eu
  News routes rent-a-bike LCC Seaside Cycle Route BaltiCCycle Tours Press Services shop balticcycle.eu - Information & Service

BaltiCCycle Tours

Year

Description / Program / Conditions

BaltiCCycle (BC) is not a commercial tour, all organizers are volunteers, and the registration fee collected goes only for covering organizational expenses. Joining BC you become a part of the team, and we expect from you a good will and a right understanding of our principles and rules. Your assistance in organizing daily program and solving all difficulties is highly appreciated.

The BC 2017 tour “From the Basque Country to Apulia“ is scheduled for participants having experience in travels in mountains. You should be prepared for adventures, hot weather and unexpected obstacles on the road. The ride is open for everybody but before signing you should think about your potential to complete it not bringing troubles to yourself and others.

BC participants gather for the ride from different countries and continents. We recommend bringing on your bike a national flag or other symbol that local people could see us as international friendly cycling community.

Organizational rules. We try to keep our organizational principles similar to the previous BC tours, but each route is different; therefore, it is impossible to work out all details in advance.

  • Usually the daily cycling distance does not exceed ~70 km, in exceptional cases it will overrun 90 km.
  • The rest days are planned once a week or more often, if there are famous sights and events on the route.
  • We will sleep in tents in official camping sites, hostels (in big towns) or other suitable places.
  • The BC support car will carry our luggage the whole trip. The service of luggage transportation is limited to 20 kg in one standard bag (you will receive it), and it is included in the membership fee.
  • The maps with a marked day's route will be distributed during a map-meeting every morning as well as the day's program explained.
  • From sleeping to sleeping place you can travel individually or in small groups. When according to the program some common event is planned we will cycle in one group wearing T-shirts and other BC symbols.
  • In case of serious emergency, you can call the driver asking to transport to the nearest first aid or service centre. In case of injury, sickness or other reason when participant is not able to continue cycling for more than 2-3 days the organizers can offer to transport the cyclist and the bike, but not longer.
  • When planning the route, we try to avoid roads with high level of traffic but not everywhere it is possible. You should be very careful cycling on busy roads. The longer part of the route will go on asphalt roads.

Arrival/Departure. Costs of the arrival/departure are not included in the participation fee. You can join and finish the ride at any point of the route, and you have to plan yourself how to do it. We can pick you up for the additional fee (5 € per 10 km) in the radius of 50 km (100 km both ways). You should contact the ride organizers at least two days before. Leaving from the intermediate points of the route should be not a problem: the public transport connecting towns is available almost everywhere on the route. Though the ride schedule is fixed but the real dates in some parts of the route can be slightly shifted (plus/minus 1 day) because of unexpected obstacles. Have it in your mind when planning arrival. The main points of our route are well connected by cheap airlines with many European towns. It should be not a problem to join or leave the group at any point. Click here how to prepare your bicycle for a plane transport.

Ferries. We need such service in Sardinia. The ticket from Barcelona to Porto Torres costs 67 € – on deck, from Cagliari to Naples 51 € – on deck. Transportation of the bicycle is included in the ticket price. You can book tickets individually on the Grimaldi site (the first ferry) or the Tirenia site (the second ferry), especially if you prefer more comfort – these ticket prices are valid if you book before May 31. We can do it for you if you mark a standard ferry service on the Registration Form – but you must do it before May 15. Two more crossings by ferries in Sardinia to the San Pietro and Sant'Antioco islands are much shorter and cheaper, tickets we will buy there individually.

Catering. It depends only on you. It is recommended to bring along a gas stove for preparing meals in the campsites. The route goes through populated areas, and it will be not a big problem to find a restaurant or supermarket on the road. Because of heat you must remember to have drinks with you.

Vaccination. There is no any obligation, but it is always good to vaccinate against Hepatitis A and B viruses, ticks, Typhoid fever, Tetanus and Diphtheria.

Necessary equipment and documents:

  • bicycle prepared for travel (carriers with panniers or saddlebags, safe brakes, reflectors and lights); click here for the recommendations how to prepare the bike;
  • good bike wear for different weather conditions and sun protection creams and glasses;
  • cyclist first-aid kit (more parts and tools in the support car);
  • first-aid kit (more medicines in the support car);
  • valid passport;
  • INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL INSURANCE is obligatory; no group insurance is provided;
  • camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, gas stove etc.);
  • money for personal expenses i.e. bicycle repair, food, museums, ferries and other expenses);
  • mobile phone;
  • it is recommended to have a GPS navigation or off-line maps in mobile phone.

Children until 18. Children can take part in the ride only together with parents (one or both) or another adult who is authorized by notary to take care and is fully responsible for the juvenile.

Luggage transport. We strongly recommend to carry all necessary personal stuff in the panniers on your bike. The service of luggage transportation by the support car is limited to 20 kg in one standard bag you will receive; it is included in the registration fee. If you plan to transport any additional bag in the support car you have to indicate when registering and pay in advance (2 € per diem). Transportation of bicycle and luggage to the start / from the finish by the support car (must be delivered to a pointed place by yourself): one way - 40 €, both - 70 €. Number of places is limited.

Neither organizers nor drivers are responsible for safety of your luggage. You should insure your luggage against theft personally.

Membership fee. It is fixed 22 €/day, but if we have more than 30 participants for the whole route the membership fee will be reduced. The organisational costs of this ride are higher than usual in particular because of very expensive accommodation in Spain and Italy. Wild camping is these countries is mostly forbidden, and the price of a pitch in official campsite often overcomes the price of a bed in hostel.
You have to indicate the number of days you plan to travel in the table of the Registration Form, and your membership fee for the whole tour will be counted automatically. To organize the whole event with fewer troubles we ask everybody who has intention to take part in the ride to fill the Registration Form as soon as possible.
If the registration and the half of membership fee is not received until 1 months before your start, the whole fee increases by 10 % automatically as well as all discounts cancelled. The second half of participation fee must be paid 5 days before your start date; otherwise it increases by 10 % as well.

The membership fee will not be required from those local cyclists who help in organising the ride and will cycle less than 3 days. They have to cover only the sleeping costs. The organizers will appreciate if local participants will purchase a package with ride symbols (T-shirts, flag and sticker).

The membership fee includes:

  • sleeping places for a tent in fully equipped official campsites or hostels or in private land under simple conditions or wild camping when it is possible;
  • car following the group with all luggage, first-aid kit and basic bicycle repair instruments and tools; possibility to call the car in case of emergency;
  • transportation of 1 standard 20 kg bag 50 cm x 90 cm;
  • copies of maps with the marked route; list of recommended sights as well as a short description;
  • T-shirts (for more than 14-days participation), flag and sticker with BC2017 ride symbols;
  • daily consultation regarding the route and cultural program;
  • cosy surprises prepared by organizers or local authorities.

Discounts. The discounts are applicable only if the Registration Form and at least the half of membership fee is received not later than 1 month in advance before your start date. Discounts don’t accumulate.

  • 15% – BC veterans who cycled more than 100 days in the previous BC tours; if a cyclist reaches 100 BC days during the ride, the discount is counted from this day;
  • 10% – pupils and students (not more than 26 years old), and families (3 and more people);
  • 100% – participants who fully prepare some part of the route (maps, descriptions, camps) will NOT have to pay membership fee for that part of the route and for the same number of days in the same ride or the next BC rides or they receive other gratification agreed with organizers;
  • participants who obtain potential sponsors or support organizers before or during the expedition in another way will receive a privilege discount negotiated personally.

Additional paid service (optional):

booked by registration:

  • transportation of one additional personal luggage up to 20 kg (2 € per diem);
  • T-shirt with the logo of the ride – additional or for participants cycling 14 or less days – 10 €;
  • transportation of bicycle and luggage to the start / from the finish – 40 € one way, – 70 € both;
  • the ferry ticket on deck (if you prefer more comfort, make the booking yourself): from Barcelona to Porto Torres (67 €) and then from Cagliari to Naples (51 €); transportation of the bicycle is included in the ticket price. Note: the deadline for booking ferry tickets via BC is May 15.

booked during the ride:

  • bicycle spare parts (bike shop price);
  • possibility to use transport of organizers for arrival/departure to/from the ride in the radius of 50 km (5 € per 10 km).

Resignation rules. The date of resignation is fixed up when the resignation letter is received by organizers (before the ride by email bc2017@bicycl.lt or bc2017@bicycle.pl, during the ride it should be delivered to the leaders of expedition and confirmed by them). The date is important, because it determines the amount of refund which is returned in the following manner:

  • up to 30 days before the start: – 100 %;
  • 10-30 days before the start: – 70 %;
  • less than 10 days before the start – no money repaid, however 70 % are deposited in participant's account for the next years BC tour;
  • after 10 and more days of cycling – 80 % of unused money repaid or 90 % deposited in participant's account for the next years BC tour;
  • money is paid back under mentioned above circumstances within 30 days after the end of the expedition;
  • money is not paid back for the excluded from the tour participants;
  • if you decide to change the sleeping place provided by organizers to another, you will yourself cover a cost for it, the organizers don’t give money back if you don’t sleep with a group;
  • if due to some reasons the participant separates from the group for one or more days (nights) no refund for this lost time is applicable.

Organizers:

  • The coordinators: Sigitas Kučas, Maryla Zielińska, Giulia Brotto, Carlotta Dall’Aglio;
  • GMPR Lithuanian Fund: +37068659375, bc2017@bicycle.lt;
  • CROTOS – Travellers’ Association: +48 663 266 553, bc2017@bicycle.pl.





Friends:
catdays.net