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...