As we ride up the hills, we are usually overtaken by some skinny frenchman in lycra with a cheery 'bonjour'. Since they all weigh less than 60 kilos soaking wet and all ride bikes that weigh "huit kilos" I think they have a bit of an advantage over me and my bike.
however on saturday we came upon a cycle event for part of the route - must have been 50-60 cyclists on a club ride - and most of them should not have been wearing lycra!
Monday, 8 September 2008
back online
Didnt realise it would be so difficult to find internet access. also didnt know that no one in France has a Qwerty keyboard so typing is v frustrating.
Day 7 - departed from Chagny this morning in blue skies and sunshine and after 10 miles on the road to Givry we are now on the Voie Verte for 40 miles - old railway line with tarmac surface - level, and quite quick. our stop tonight is Villefranche sur Saone in the heart of Beaujolais. We have already cycled past Rully, Mercurey, Chassagne Montrachet, St Aubin and Santenay. Gets more like a restaurant wine list as we head south. Should be at Cluny for lunch time and perhaps close enough for a glass or two of Pouilly Fuisse or St Veran with our picnic.
When we last wrote - on day 4 in Chateau Thierry - Oli had finished the pastries by the time I caught up with him and we had a wet ride to Montmirail where the plat du jour was Lapin a la moutarde washed down with a very nice red burgundy. The afternoon got brighter and we finished in Nogent sur Seine - finally crossed the Seine - 301 miles from Calais. There were only two ther guests in the hotel but they still gave us a room on the third floor (no lift) at the far end of the corridor. Had the restaurant to ourselves - although later joined by a couple who looked like they were on a naughty (only had one course and rushed off to their room). For Graham's benefit - Oli had Salmon in a fruit de mer sauce and I had hake in tarragon. since we were in the region of Aube en Champagne, it would have been rude not to drink the local fizz!
Still seeing war graves as we ride along and also FFR monuments to those shot by the germans - mostly in 1944. I'm reading Ben Elton's "First Casualty" which is about the first war and a great story if you see a copy. Still true today - as blair and campbell proved - Truth is always the first casualty of war!
Day 5 took us via St Florentin to Ancy le Franc - should have had the afternoon on the canal but the path was more cart track than cycle path so we stuck to the road. smart hotel with pool but not v friendly. couldn't do an early breakfast for us and wouldn't open the pool early either. However they did have a very posh restaurant - as Oli said they gave you new cutlery with each course.
Since we were now in burgundy, we had cremant to start and a lovely tonerrois red with dinner --Boeuf for me and Raie au moutarde for Oli. It is hard work trying to get all these calories in. lots of bread and croissants at breakfast, coffee and patisserie for elevenses and now settled into buying savoury pastries for a picnic lunch. there was a great charcuterie across from the hotel so we could load up for the next day.
Day 6 took us from Ancy to Chagny - again had hoped to spend most of day on canal but only managed about 40k before we were forced back the road. it was overcast for most of the day but we seemed to miss most of the rain - a couple of little showers but nothing more. It was always planned to be our longest day and after tea at Bligny sur Ouche, we cycled up a 10% hill for about 25 mins. then on to Bel Air where we could look down on all of Burgundy - great view but a little hazy. once we started down the hill towards Chagny it got a lot warmer -even on the 7 mile downhill stretch.
very good hotel in Chagny - lots of other cyclists - australians and germans - and a secure garage for our bikes. Since it was Sunday evening the restaurant choice was a little limited but found a small brasserie where we got escargots to start - allowed Oli his Julia Roberts moment with the tongs! Lovely piece of entrecote charollais for me Boeuf for Oli - Grand cru Rully was as local as we could get - worth the ride just for that!
Day 7 - departed from Chagny this morning in blue skies and sunshine and after 10 miles on the road to Givry we are now on the Voie Verte for 40 miles - old railway line with tarmac surface - level, and quite quick. our stop tonight is Villefranche sur Saone in the heart of Beaujolais. We have already cycled past Rully, Mercurey, Chassagne Montrachet, St Aubin and Santenay. Gets more like a restaurant wine list as we head south. Should be at Cluny for lunch time and perhaps close enough for a glass or two of Pouilly Fuisse or St Veran with our picnic.
When we last wrote - on day 4 in Chateau Thierry - Oli had finished the pastries by the time I caught up with him and we had a wet ride to Montmirail where the plat du jour was Lapin a la moutarde washed down with a very nice red burgundy. The afternoon got brighter and we finished in Nogent sur Seine - finally crossed the Seine - 301 miles from Calais. There were only two ther guests in the hotel but they still gave us a room on the third floor (no lift) at the far end of the corridor. Had the restaurant to ourselves - although later joined by a couple who looked like they were on a naughty (only had one course and rushed off to their room). For Graham's benefit - Oli had Salmon in a fruit de mer sauce and I had hake in tarragon. since we were in the region of Aube en Champagne, it would have been rude not to drink the local fizz!
Still seeing war graves as we ride along and also FFR monuments to those shot by the germans - mostly in 1944. I'm reading Ben Elton's "First Casualty" which is about the first war and a great story if you see a copy. Still true today - as blair and campbell proved - Truth is always the first casualty of war!
Day 5 took us via St Florentin to Ancy le Franc - should have had the afternoon on the canal but the path was more cart track than cycle path so we stuck to the road. smart hotel with pool but not v friendly. couldn't do an early breakfast for us and wouldn't open the pool early either. However they did have a very posh restaurant - as Oli said they gave you new cutlery with each course.
Since we were now in burgundy, we had cremant to start and a lovely tonerrois red with dinner --Boeuf for me and Raie au moutarde for Oli. It is hard work trying to get all these calories in. lots of bread and croissants at breakfast, coffee and patisserie for elevenses and now settled into buying savoury pastries for a picnic lunch. there was a great charcuterie across from the hotel so we could load up for the next day.
Day 6 took us from Ancy to Chagny - again had hoped to spend most of day on canal but only managed about 40k before we were forced back the road. it was overcast for most of the day but we seemed to miss most of the rain - a couple of little showers but nothing more. It was always planned to be our longest day and after tea at Bligny sur Ouche, we cycled up a 10% hill for about 25 mins. then on to Bel Air where we could look down on all of Burgundy - great view but a little hazy. once we started down the hill towards Chagny it got a lot warmer -even on the 7 mile downhill stretch.
very good hotel in Chagny - lots of other cyclists - australians and germans - and a secure garage for our bikes. Since it was Sunday evening the restaurant choice was a little limited but found a small brasserie where we got escargots to start - allowed Oli his Julia Roberts moment with the tongs! Lovely piece of entrecote charollais for me Boeuf for Oli - Grand cru Rully was as local as we could get - worth the ride just for that!
Sunday, 7 September 2008
Day 6 - Ancy le France to Chagny
Still no internet access so PA clocking up some overtime...
Stats today - day 6
Distance travelled 81.8 miles (impressive!)
Average speed 11.4mph
Max 32.2mph
Time 7.08 hrs
Total 452 miles
Weather for the day - dry but overcast for most of the day, sunshine late afternoon. Only very little rain, but still strong head wind for much of the day.
PA says - I do know they were cycling along part of the Canal de Bourgogne today, stopped for a picnic lunch enroute when a short sharp shower of rain sent them on their way again. After a big climb uphill, the last 7 miles into Chagny was all down hill - a nice way to end the day!
ps Half way there, all downhill from now on...
Stats today - day 6
Distance travelled 81.8 miles (impressive!)
Average speed 11.4mph
Max 32.2mph
Time 7.08 hrs
Total 452 miles
Weather for the day - dry but overcast for most of the day, sunshine late afternoon. Only very little rain, but still strong head wind for much of the day.
PA says - I do know they were cycling along part of the Canal de Bourgogne today, stopped for a picnic lunch enroute when a short sharp shower of rain sent them on their way again. After a big climb uphill, the last 7 miles into Chagny was all down hill - a nice way to end the day!
ps Half way there, all downhill from now on...
Saturday, 6 September 2008
Saturday, 6th September 2008
Bon soir from the Barbican... unable to find internet access in Ancy le France, details sent by text for the PA to type up. So stats to date
Day 4 (Fri 5 Sept) / Day 5 (Sat 6 Sept)
Distance travelled 70.9 miles / 68.3miles
Average speed 10.6mph / 10.8mph
Max speed 32.5mph / 32.7mph
Time 6.37 hrs / 6.16 hrs
Total distance 301 miles / 370 miles
Day 4 Soissons to Nogent Sur Seine - grey cool start. Rain from coffee time 'til tea time and strong head wind all day.
Day 5 Nogent sur Seine to Ancy le France - dry all day and sunshine in late pm. Still strong head wind for much of the day.
Hopefully the intrepid cyclists will be able to stop at an internet cafe tomorrow (although it will be Sunday not much open in France on a Sunday) so they can write a bit more other than weather reports!
Day 4 (Fri 5 Sept) / Day 5 (Sat 6 Sept)
Distance travelled 70.9 miles / 68.3miles
Average speed 10.6mph / 10.8mph
Max speed 32.5mph / 32.7mph
Time 6.37 hrs / 6.16 hrs
Total distance 301 miles / 370 miles
Day 4 Soissons to Nogent Sur Seine - grey cool start. Rain from coffee time 'til tea time and strong head wind all day.
Day 5 Nogent sur Seine to Ancy le France - dry all day and sunshine in late pm. Still strong head wind for much of the day.
Hopefully the intrepid cyclists will be able to stop at an internet cafe tomorrow (although it will be Sunday not much open in France on a Sunday) so they can write a bit more other than weather reports!
Friday, 5 September 2008
En France
Bonjour from Chateau Thierry on the morning of Day 4. the first internet access we have found.
First some Stats:
Lots more to write but still have 50 miles to ride today. we were on the road at 7.30am so that we could afford time to find somewhere with internet - pity it has a very odd keyboard which is very frustrating. Off now to join Oli at the patisserie
First some Stats:
Day two / Day three
Distance travelled 78.3 miles / 77.3miles
Average speed 11.4mph / 10.6mph
Max 31.1mph / 27.6mph
time 6.47 hrs / 7.12 hrs
Total 153 miles / 230miles
Early start from Dover to check in for ferry and after p+o breakfast - filling but expensive- we landed in Calais at 11.00 and after a few wrong turns found the road we wanted - grey and overcast but stayed dry and we cycled along a couple of canals watching the grey herons fishing.
we managed 30 miles before a very pleasant lunch in a restaurant in Lumbres - La Clairiere - and then discovered in conversation with the patron that our afternoon ride to Arras was 15 miles more than I had calculated - great ride over rolling hills and a couple of big climbs. Oli was surprised the first time it rained in France and disappointed the second time - particularly because of the force of the crosswind and the hailstorm that followed.
After that, the last 2 hours into Arras was tremendous - clear sky and sunshine - which encouraged our tired legs. finally got to the hotel by about 8.00pm. My first experience of Formule 1 - talk about reducing hotel keeping to the bare essentials.
Thursday was always going to be big day with 77 miles to do but we started in sunshine and apart from a couple of v short showers had sun all day - however we also had a headwind all day which was like riding though treacle for most of the time.
Great pastries with coffee in Bapaume and lunch outside in nthe sunshine at Ham but still the wind blew. great downhill finish into Soissons where we found a bike shop so that I could get some chain lube. Oli got a new cycling cap which he says is worth cycling 900 miles for. our hotel tonight was in a similar style but this time we had to bring the bikes into the room with us. greqt photo of the room, us and the washing line if I can find somewhere to upload it.
Our route has taken past countless war grave sites - French, British, South African, Canadian, Australian and German - and the towns and villages all sound familiar from history lessons. We stopped for a while at Sailly Sailliset and sat in the peace of the Commonwealth cemetery for a while - perhaps we should get our politicians to do that regularly so that they dont rush into more wars. Rode past Armentieres this morning which brought back a whole new set of songs to sing as we rode along - just as well no one could hear.Lots more to write but still have 50 miles to ride today. we were on the road at 7.30am so that we could afford time to find somewhere with internet - pity it has a very odd keyboard which is very frustrating. Off now to join Oli at the patisserie
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
Day One - Hackney to Dover
Well, we started at last.
Daily statistics
Distance cycled: 75.2 miles
Time on road: 6.00hrs
Average speed: 12.4 mph
Max speed: 35.00mph
Faults: none
Injuries: None
Had a great send off from the Headway House - in addition to family and friends and staff and volunteers - we had a group of attenders who were all standing outside in the rain to wave us off! Pity Martin wasn't there - we had to make our own tea!
Did I mention that it was raining?? We left in the rain and cycled all the way to Rochester before it stopped. I spent the morning thinking positive thoughts about cycling in the rain:-
Made it to Dover in one piece after 19 miles riding on the dual carriageway - because it saved miles - and arrived in blue skies and sunshine. Travel inn for the night and a pint of Guinness / Cider to celebrate. Started watching the TV weather forecast but then decided there was no point, we'll be cycling whether rain or shine - or headwinds - and it is probably best not to know.
Early start for the ferry in the morning so off to discover who wins the snoring competition!
Daily statistics
Distance cycled: 75.2 miles
Time on road: 6.00hrs
Average speed: 12.4 mph
Max speed: 35.00mph
Faults: none
Injuries: None
Had a great send off from the Headway House - in addition to family and friends and staff and volunteers - we had a group of attenders who were all standing outside in the rain to wave us off! Pity Martin wasn't there - we had to make our own tea!
Did I mention that it was raining?? We left in the rain and cycled all the way to Rochester before it stopped. I spent the morning thinking positive thoughts about cycling in the rain:-
- It kept us cool
- It was a lot better than being in Lafayette Louisiana (where I lived for three years) suffering from Hurricane Gustav
- It kept us Hydrated
- It could have been cold
Made it to Dover in one piece after 19 miles riding on the dual carriageway - because it saved miles - and arrived in blue skies and sunshine. Travel inn for the night and a pint of Guinness / Cider to celebrate. Started watching the TV weather forecast but then decided there was no point, we'll be cycling whether rain or shine - or headwinds - and it is probably best not to know.
Early start for the ferry in the morning so off to discover who wins the snoring competition!
Monday, 1 September 2008
No more preparations
Well that's it. Have packed away all the planning stuff. Hotels, ferries etc all confirmed and route decided. Have cut up £50 worth of IGN maps to carry only what is necessary and saved 500g in the process.
Didn't manage any cycling over the weekend and found a displacement activity each day to avoid the gym - if I'm not fit enough now, its too late! Did manage a birthday party on Saturday night and a great lunch on Sunday so think that was much more appropriate.
Came across a great cycling opportunity for those of you who don't get on a bike regularly. When I was at Peter & Karen's birthday bash on Saturday I met a guy called Neil Luddington who runs Lord Jolly Bicycle Tours . He organises guided bicycle tours of central London and manages to keep to cycle paths and off road tracks. Sounds like a great way to see London - have a look at the site and have a go or recommend it to friends and visitors. Only runs during the summer months but worth bookmarking for next year!!
From tomorrow, my posts to the blog will be dependent on finding internet access along the way but it shouldn't be too difficult. Hope I can keep positive and enjoy the trip - have been really hacked by recent tv shows about "trips of a lifetime" where all they do is complain about how tough it is! If I start to moan too much, then someone tell me.
We are setting off from the Headway House tomorrow and hope to be on the road by 10.00 for a longish ride to Dover. Only disappointment so far is that it looks like being wet for the first 3-4 days. Oh, was that a moan? still haven't started yet so don't think it counts!
in touch soon...
Didn't manage any cycling over the weekend and found a displacement activity each day to avoid the gym - if I'm not fit enough now, its too late! Did manage a birthday party on Saturday night and a great lunch on Sunday so think that was much more appropriate.
Came across a great cycling opportunity for those of you who don't get on a bike regularly. When I was at Peter & Karen's birthday bash on Saturday I met a guy called Neil Luddington who runs Lord Jolly Bicycle Tours . He organises guided bicycle tours of central London and manages to keep to cycle paths and off road tracks. Sounds like a great way to see London - have a look at the site and have a go or recommend it to friends and visitors. Only runs during the summer months but worth bookmarking for next year!!
From tomorrow, my posts to the blog will be dependent on finding internet access along the way but it shouldn't be too difficult. Hope I can keep positive and enjoy the trip - have been really hacked by recent tv shows about "trips of a lifetime" where all they do is complain about how tough it is! If I start to moan too much, then someone tell me.
We are setting off from the Headway House tomorrow and hope to be on the road by 10.00 for a longish ride to Dover. Only disappointment so far is that it looks like being wet for the first 3-4 days. Oh, was that a moan? still haven't started yet so don't think it counts!
in touch soon...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
