Sun Trip 2020 preparation seminar

Preparation for the Sun Trip 2020 was organized this weekend in Lyon. It brought together 30 participants from the fifty or so registered participants and took place in an atmosphere that was studious, fascinating and friendly.
To effectively prepare for this solar bike rally, many themes were addressed:
– administrative aspects, border formalities and visas,
– possible routes and variants,
– the cultural differences of the countries crossed,
– the operation of solar bikes, the technical regulations,
– monitoring of meteorology and its impact on navigation,
– communication: video, social networks etc …

This weekend also allowed everyone to meet the other participants. There were many informal exchanges, between conferences and workshops, around meals or over a beer, at all hours of the day and night!
It was an opportunity for rich meetings between experienced suntripers and newcomers, between French and English speakers, between technicians and travelers … The enthusiasm and the joy of sharing were visible on the faces.

Saturday evening, we celebrated the Chinese New Year in the presence of the Chinese Consul in Lyon and the 3 Chinese SunTrip managers. On Sunday, Luc Giros presented his tour of Europe: more than 18,000 km traveled on the solar bike used by Mickaël Joguet during the Sun Trip 2018.

We would like to thank Florian Bailly for organizing this fruitful moment, as well as all the members of the organization who contributed to the smooth running of the event: Béatrice and Yannick, Christophe Bayard (Vécolo), Benoit Ganivet, Annick-Marie who brilliantly provided case-simultaneous translation for non-French speaking participants.

Visits: 197

A solar bike tour in the Pyrenees on France3 TV

In the show “Faut pas rêver”, Carolina De Salvo makes us discover the landscapes of Cerdanya and its solar installations before continuing a great crossing of the Pyrenees to Aragon in Spain.
Carolina’s journey begins on an old train to the isolated Estavar station. She joined Bernard Cauquil, inventor of a tandem that runs on solar energy. At the handlebars of the Twin Dragon Fly, Carolina continues her journey thanks to the sun, a wealth of this region where it shines more than 320 days a year! In Mont-Louis, she meets Denis who demonstrates the first solar oven in the world.

[Extract from the program dedicated to the solar bike]

Carolina continues her journey marked by unforgettable encounters, placed under the sign of the unconditional love of those who live in the heart of the Pyrenees!
[Link to the full show in replay ” Faut Pas Rêver: for love of the Pyrenees “ broadcast on Wednesday January 15 on France 3]

Visits: 209

The Sun Trip 2020 in L’Équipe.fr magazine

Today, a very nice article on the Sun Trip was published by L'Équipe magazine. Find the full article online at: https://www.lequipe.fr.

Here are some extracts below:
“In June, Sun Trip competitors will ride from Lyon to Canton in China on electro-solar assisted bikes. On the program: 12,000 km and fifteen countries crossed.

(©)

Browsing the Internet without looking at the compass too much, Jean-Marc Dubouloz, amateur cyclist, comes across a film relating the 2018 edition of the "Sun Trip". The images showed strange cyclists progressing on alpine slopes, over the plains of central Europe, or under the overwhelming sky of the Kazakh steppe. Pedaling lying under cover under their solar panels, or towing them on a trailer attached to their traditional bike, the Sun Trip competitors joined Lyon … Canton, 12,000 kilometers further!
Love at first sight from Jean-Marc Dubouloz: “I was amazed,” says this audiovisual entrepreneur. I immediately knew I wanted to do this. ”

(©)

Launched in 2013 by Florian Bailly, this extraordinary event aims to be a sort of “Terrestrial Vendée Globe”. […] The rule is simple: reach the final destination independently on “electro-solar assistance” bicycles (traditional or recumbent, cargo bikes, etc.). Any recharging on sector being strictly prohibited, the competitors will advance all the more quickly as the sky will be blue. Conversely, rainy and dull days require more muscular effort, promising both fatigue and shorter distances. […]

"What attracted me was this unique blend of human adventure and technology," says Dubouloz. The fiftieth is also passionate about the issue of soft mobility: […]the energy required for each participant to join Canton is for 1/3 of muscular origin and for 2/3 photovoltaic. […] On such a long adventure, you must reduce the risk of damage, and above all plan to repair by yourself. […]

The time limit for joining Canton is set at three and a half months. Our amateur cyclist is aiming for less than 60 days. June 1 will begin for him "the adventure of a lifetime".

Author: Olivier Haralambon
Posted January 13, 2020 on
https://www.lequipe.fr.

 

Visits: 208