A favour required.

[MarkF]

GerryH very kindly agreed to help me last year with storing some cycle bags, I was going to cycle Barcelona to Malaga. Unfortunately I had an accident and plans were put on hold from months whilst I recuperated. I've turned 50 whilst in re-hab and have decided to "go for it" whilst I still can.

June, we (I've roped in my 56 year old cousin) will be cycling from Bilbao, along the Cantabrian and Asturian coast to Gijon, then following (roughly) the Ruta Del Plata. http://www.rutadelaplata.com/ Hopefully, late June, we'll be arriving in Malaga, we then fly out to visit relatives in the UK.

We won't be using cycle bags this time. What I need is, preferably, 2 cardboard bike boxes, cycle shops are always happy to give them away, you take off your pedals, front wheel, turn the handlebars and your bike drops straight in, bingo! Just as they are delivered to the shops. What would do the job, is plenty of cardboard and we'd make do with packing tape. The airlines are not too fussy as long as the bike is secure within packaging.

Can anybody help? Happy to collect in or around Malaga, late June, payment? I don't know, lunch?

[Enrique]

Hi MarkF,
You could get in touch with a cycle shop and get them to save you some boxes.
From and old post...........

"Not near Cartama but a very good shop near the repsol garage next to the Larios Shopping centre in Malaga. Opposite side of road from El Corte Ingles. They stock TREK etc."

A quick search should throw up some info like.........

http://www.trekbicyclestore.com/malaga/

As a bonus get yourself a Garmin Edge 200 and you can "Map" your route as you go along, save it and get a break down of your daily stats.

[markwilding]

Good luck with your trip and keep us posted. If possible I'd like to give a little moral support when you go through Bilbao.

[MarkF]

Enrique, thank you for your suggestion, I may contact the shop nearer the time. However, I am still keen for help because I don't have a fixed day of arrival in Malaga and if I know somebody has the boxes then I'll sleep easy. Getting into Malaga the day I fly out and arriving at the shop to "Mark who"?, "What boxes"? Wouldn't be good.

The Garmin looks good but I can barely operate my mobile phone.

Mark, we fly in to Bilbao June 8th, once we've built the bikes up we'll be cycling in to the City early evening. Leaving for Santander the next morning, happy to meet up.

[Enrique]

Hi MarkF,
The Garmin Edge 200 is easier than a mobile phone to operate just four buttons. It can store up to 130hrs , you just need an account on Garmin Connect to upload your data via a computer.

[MarkF]

A very helpful man in Malaga is providing the boxes, all problems solved.

[Enrique]

Hi MarkF,
Good you're fixed up, was working on getting two for you, picked up one today.
Post a write up of your travels when done

[MarkF]

Hi Enrique,

Many thanks! I'll be writing a blog (or something) with plenty of pics, I'll give a link in May. I took your advice and emailed 3 bike shops, each of them offered to help.