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| VG: "How many should we buy?" |
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| Beating the rush: VG first in the queue outside his favourite French clothing emporium |
Friday 10 August 2012
First shopping stop
Thoughts from the Loire
We've arrived at Beaugenty sur Loire having covered 130k yesterday, the last 45 km being the result of hunting for a campsite. Far from being a chore, this was a glorious part of the ride, through stunning rural France alongside the Loire as the heat went out of the day and the sun set. Ahhhh, beautiful...
And we've hit 500k for the journey. Only 3500 to go....
So we are ahead of schedule and enjoying a couple days off to rest the legs and attend tour admin i.e. fix flag poles, mend sunnies, charge endless paraphernalia, patch up inflatable mattresses and give clothes their first wash. Currently, we're making the most of the luxurious facilities at the wonderful Hotel du L'Abbey. Seems slightly out of character for 2 grubby touring cyclists to be found in a five star overly perfumed hotel lounge bar, but when an opportunity to charge up kit and use wifi arises, it would be rude not to grab it.
So just a couple of further thoughts/comments from the road to amuse you on Friday afternoon:
- tragedy has been averted after my fragile tv arial flagpole broke on day 3, incurring the wrath of the Tour Committee which was quickly convened to discuss a suitable penalty for lack of appropriately hoisted flag. With judgement imminent, as we cruised through a lovely rural town, I spotted a row of freshly planted sapplings along the main street. One unfortunate drooping sappling later, I was chuffed with my new bamboo flagpole. Penalty averted (to the Tour Chairman's dismay) and the Dragon is once again proudly resplendent in all its glory.
- what is it with French loos? It is apparent that has been a severe pilfering of loo seats in french camp sites. They are a chunk of porcelain away from being a long drop. And why not put locks on all the doors? I mean, come on...
- French truckers (careful now...) We seem to have worked out the best method of getting them to honk as they pass. (and I mean the horn, rather than comment further on the state of french hygiene). It's a 3 stage process : the Wave (ie we are friendly and not giving you the Bird), the Point (ie, yes, we want you to do something) and as a last resort the Pulldown, mimicking the pulling down of the horn. Seems to work. Now for tractors..
- my beard. To Cheeks' delight our most common question is where is the second beard? All I can say is give me two months and I will also look like a shaggy homeless Devonan!
- I think I could live on baguettes and pate for the rest if my life
- its 30+ degrees and not a cloud in the sky... Marvelleux!
We'll be in the Loire for the next couple of days, soaking up the scenery, les chateaux, sampling the wine and hopefully going back to the awesome Chinese restaurant we piled into last night!
Abientot
C
And we've hit 500k for the journey. Only 3500 to go....
So we are ahead of schedule and enjoying a couple days off to rest the legs and attend tour admin i.e. fix flag poles, mend sunnies, charge endless paraphernalia, patch up inflatable mattresses and give clothes their first wash. Currently, we're making the most of the luxurious facilities at the wonderful Hotel du L'Abbey. Seems slightly out of character for 2 grubby touring cyclists to be found in a five star overly perfumed hotel lounge bar, but when an opportunity to charge up kit and use wifi arises, it would be rude not to grab it.
So just a couple of further thoughts/comments from the road to amuse you on Friday afternoon:
- tragedy has been averted after my fragile tv arial flagpole broke on day 3, incurring the wrath of the Tour Committee which was quickly convened to discuss a suitable penalty for lack of appropriately hoisted flag. With judgement imminent, as we cruised through a lovely rural town, I spotted a row of freshly planted sapplings along the main street. One unfortunate drooping sappling later, I was chuffed with my new bamboo flagpole. Penalty averted (to the Tour Chairman's dismay) and the Dragon is once again proudly resplendent in all its glory.
- what is it with French loos? It is apparent that has been a severe pilfering of loo seats in french camp sites. They are a chunk of porcelain away from being a long drop. And why not put locks on all the doors? I mean, come on...
- French truckers (careful now...) We seem to have worked out the best method of getting them to honk as they pass. (and I mean the horn, rather than comment further on the state of french hygiene). It's a 3 stage process : the Wave (ie we are friendly and not giving you the Bird), the Point (ie, yes, we want you to do something) and as a last resort the Pulldown, mimicking the pulling down of the horn. Seems to work. Now for tractors..
- my beard. To Cheeks' delight our most common question is where is the second beard? All I can say is give me two months and I will also look like a shaggy homeless Devonan!
- I think I could live on baguettes and pate for the rest if my life
- its 30+ degrees and not a cloud in the sky... Marvelleux!
We'll be in the Loire for the next couple of days, soaking up the scenery, les chateaux, sampling the wine and hopefully going back to the awesome Chinese restaurant we piled into last night!
Abientot
C
Wednesday 8 August 2012
French bonking and a load of old tripe
Finally worked out how to blog on the go. So as I'm hunkered down in my ridiculously small tent, under siege from mosquitos, what better time to update you as the sun goes down on day 4...
Myself and Humph, who I will refer to as Cheeks, as I never call him Humph, have finished our fourth straight day of cycling. Today's 118k means we're averaging just under 100k a day. On target and so far unscathed aside from minor chaffing.
Starting in Calais, we went south west stopping in Hardelot, Ault, Lyons la Foret and our current site just on from Dreux (I can't remember the name and I'm not running the mozzie gauntlet to get the map..).
It was at the end of day one as we approached Hardelot where Cheeks experienced the full effect of the French bonk. However a busty waitress, a sprite and some salty nuts were all it took to get him back on the job of the last 3k to the campsite at Condette. Here we we're given beers by an English couple who loved the journey we were undertaking. I think they also thought Cheeks might pass out from dehydration and took pity on us. Where Condette was fantastic, last night was rather dampened after I was given the resoponsibility of getting dinner. Now, we're on a budget of about £25 each a day for everything so bargain bangers got my vote. Except they were tripe and they stank to high heaven when opened so supper was rice and veg. I'm under strict shopping orders from now on.
The cycling is fantastic. We are covering good ground, seem to have left the headwind behind as we come inland. And we are loving the realisation we can eat anything and as much of it as we want. Weather wise, we are now 20k from Chartres and the temp is picking up. Glorious sun today and our farmers tans are coming on nicely.
Highlights:
- Responses from people we meet to the journey and its cause, brilliant
- Our tour shirts. Get us attention, free beer, requests for photographs, and regular hooting fron passing motorists
- French D roads and the mac. Why is French mac so much better than ours?
- French drivers doing their best to avoid us. Even if this means being completely on the opposite side of the road on a blind corner. Crazy but much appreciated. Please keep it up
- Hooting hauliers, when they realise what our wild gesticulating is all about
- Campsites always have space available. That's probably jinkxed us now
- Cheek's cooking, I might even learn an addition to my 2 stock dishes
- Belting out 1980s classics on long winding descents
- Olympic bragging rights over the French. How many golds did you say?
- Cruising round quite French countryside. England really is crowded
- Portable mini speakers. Van Morrison has never sounded so good
- Sudocream - explanation not needed
- Smoked almonds, the new nut of champions
- Mentos, the sweet of the gods
Not so high, highlights:
- My tent/coffin is woeful. If anyone is thinking of buying a one person tent to save weight/space, don't bother. If you are over 4ft and have anywhere approaching normal length arms, man up and take an extra kg and luxuriate in the space of a two person tent
- My dinner shopping - unless there are any tripe fans out there
- Realising I didn't bring a fork of spoon. Made Cheeks day
- My tent. So bad it deserves a second mention
So, on to Chartes tomorrow. Even chat from Cheeks wanting to plough through our rest day. Punchy stuff, but sounds good.
Saumur and the Loire await...
Myself and Humph, who I will refer to as Cheeks, as I never call him Humph, have finished our fourth straight day of cycling. Today's 118k means we're averaging just under 100k a day. On target and so far unscathed aside from minor chaffing.
Starting in Calais, we went south west stopping in Hardelot, Ault, Lyons la Foret and our current site just on from Dreux (I can't remember the name and I'm not running the mozzie gauntlet to get the map..).
It was at the end of day one as we approached Hardelot where Cheeks experienced the full effect of the French bonk. However a busty waitress, a sprite and some salty nuts were all it took to get him back on the job of the last 3k to the campsite at Condette. Here we we're given beers by an English couple who loved the journey we were undertaking. I think they also thought Cheeks might pass out from dehydration and took pity on us. Where Condette was fantastic, last night was rather dampened after I was given the resoponsibility of getting dinner. Now, we're on a budget of about £25 each a day for everything so bargain bangers got my vote. Except they were tripe and they stank to high heaven when opened so supper was rice and veg. I'm under strict shopping orders from now on.
The cycling is fantastic. We are covering good ground, seem to have left the headwind behind as we come inland. And we are loving the realisation we can eat anything and as much of it as we want. Weather wise, we are now 20k from Chartres and the temp is picking up. Glorious sun today and our farmers tans are coming on nicely.
Highlights:
- Responses from people we meet to the journey and its cause, brilliant
- Our tour shirts. Get us attention, free beer, requests for photographs, and regular hooting fron passing motorists
- French D roads and the mac. Why is French mac so much better than ours?
- French drivers doing their best to avoid us. Even if this means being completely on the opposite side of the road on a blind corner. Crazy but much appreciated. Please keep it up
- Hooting hauliers, when they realise what our wild gesticulating is all about
- Campsites always have space available. That's probably jinkxed us now
- Cheek's cooking, I might even learn an addition to my 2 stock dishes
- Belting out 1980s classics on long winding descents
- Olympic bragging rights over the French. How many golds did you say?
- Cruising round quite French countryside. England really is crowded
- Portable mini speakers. Van Morrison has never sounded so good
- Sudocream - explanation not needed
- Smoked almonds, the new nut of champions
- Mentos, the sweet of the gods
Not so high, highlights:
- My tent/coffin is woeful. If anyone is thinking of buying a one person tent to save weight/space, don't bother. If you are over 4ft and have anywhere approaching normal length arms, man up and take an extra kg and luxuriate in the space of a two person tent
- My dinner shopping - unless there are any tripe fans out there
- Realising I didn't bring a fork of spoon. Made Cheeks day
- My tent. So bad it deserves a second mention
So, on to Chartes tomorrow. Even chat from Cheeks wanting to plough through our rest day. Punchy stuff, but sounds good.
Saumur and the Loire await...
Sunday 5 August 2012
Farewell Blighty.. Allez Calais!!!
0700 hours - Wandsworth, London
As London snoozed in Olympic euphoria, dawn rose over Wandsworth and two stealthy figures made their way to the rendez-vous.
With panniers packed and flags flying the 'bearded bicyclers' took to the pedals headed for Calais.. next stop Le Continent..
Posted by Control Tower, SW18
As London snoozed in Olympic euphoria, dawn rose over Wandsworth and two stealthy figures made their way to the rendez-vous.
With panniers packed and flags flying the 'bearded bicyclers' took to the pedals headed for Calais.. next stop Le Continent..
Final photos, fleeting farewells.. and they're off..
Posted by Control Tower, SW18
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