OK, so this year we didn't do a real bike tour, more like a vacation where we brought our bikes, rode 4/7 days, hiked, and did some city walking. We both enjoyed this type of trip. However, next year is calling. My first thought was to plan a longer type trip in September or October, after I most likely will have my clinical mental health counselor license hours, and before I take a new job. I'd really like to just quit my job and take a vacation. I *can* do that, but last night, our friends asked what we have been thinking of. We haven't done a bike trip with them since 2011. She can't travel in Sept. or October. So, 3 things on my list are riding in France, Portugal, and Ireland. We really want to do Portugal with the company we used for Spain, but that's only in the fall. So, we've come up with the following options.
1. 6 day/5 night relatively flat riding tour in the Loire Valley of France. This would be more of a "vacation," in that there would be no real training involved as there's little climbing here. Mileage is fine, about 200 miles (Backroads)
2) 10 day ride across France. Not sure of the difficulty here, waiting to get details (Ciclismo). It's rated as intermediate, but I want to see the elevation profile.
3 ) 6 day/5 night very hilly riding in Ireland. Other factors are possible rain, wind, narrow roads, etc mileage about 200, +/- 50, depending on which options you do.Backroads
4) 8 days/7 night trip in Ireland which is not as hilly as the above with Ciclismo

I don't have that much desire to see Ireland, but it's easy to get there and a little bit of a shorter flight from Boston. Of course, riding any place other than home is good. I would bring my own bike with the couplers definitely for the hilly Ireland trip, but maybe not for the others. Backroads lets you upgrade to a Ruby Pro for a price, but I am a bit concerned about the SRAM after 12 years with Shimano. I don't do well with mechanical changes. Their own bikes are not as nice, aluminum, etc, though they do have my size. Probably would take my own bike for the Ciclismo trips, if we did that. And, I swore I would not ever take a trip with Ciclismo after they didn't hire my son for a sales/marketing job, and were very unprofessional about the way they conducted the whole thing (gee, let's see, he's fluent in Italian and a cyclist, with business experience). Well, it's their loss and he's making a lot more money now.
We can always do Portugal the next year, or even in Spring 2014. I will be turning 60 in November 2013; this might be part of my celebration, but it's not really hinging on that. I think i'd rather spend my birthday with my family, or do something really unique (and riding is kind of not unique for me).
I'd like opinions from anyone who has ridden in the Loire Valley or Ireland....