Well, we've cycled from Calais to Paris! Today has only involved 3 climbs and has included the beautiful parks around Versailles, the suburbs of Paris and excitingly, the cobbles of central Paris. It's been sunny and wind free so my Help for Heroes cycle shirt even got an airing. We stopped for chocolat chaud in one of the parks as the Saturday morning runners ran by, idyllic.
As ever the crew were right there to cheer us in as we cycled towards The Eiffel Tower, there was even an armed guard, literally, the French military with guns across their chests! Andy had arranged a champagne reception out of champagne glasses too :)
We'd met a trio of guys from London as we lunched in Marines yesterday, they were cycling from Dieppe to Paris ( not as far as us I might add!) and guess who arrived at The Eiffle Tower with us, yep the same trio. We shared high fives and champagne before heading for the hotel ( with my well deserved ice cream cone)
Tonight's entertainment is going to a French Premiership Rugby match! Maybe I'll understand it more as it's French.
Off to find a nice restaurant for a meal before the match.
I do take my hat off to Andy for cycling across Canada for 72 days, while camping and cooking. These 5 days are about my limit and hotels are definitely a must for me. (He was on holiday though!)
Saturday, 21 September 2013
Friday, 20 September 2013
Orismont to Poissy 51 miles
Today was just how I'd hoped our riding holiday would be. Yes, there have been hills to climb and steep declines (one was 2000 metres long at 7%!) but the sun has shone and occasionally the wind was even on our backs. We've covered beautiful, rolling French countryside, dined outside a French cafe and had a jolly good time.
Our support crew have done a stirling job again ( except for when Murray stopped his car suddenly in front of me and I very, very nearly ran into the back of him - apparently his SatNav had suddenly told him to turn left) Murray took us back to where he picked us up yesterday so we haven't missed any of the ride. Sue has been taking plenty of action shots of us as they've driven around our cycling route. We couldn't have done this trip without them.
I won't lie, I'm shattered, my legs are aching as I lie in my bed at night but I don't feel as bad as I did when I first started doing things like squats, and I can sit down and get up without groaning (although I did take the lift to our second floor hotel room this afternoon)
We're off to dinner now. We've only got about 25 miles to do tomorrow and will blog again once I've touched The Eiffle Tower.
Our support crew have done a stirling job again ( except for when Murray stopped his car suddenly in front of me and I very, very nearly ran into the back of him - apparently his SatNav had suddenly told him to turn left) Murray took us back to where he picked us up yesterday so we haven't missed any of the ride. Sue has been taking plenty of action shots of us as they've driven around our cycling route. We couldn't have done this trip without them.
I won't lie, I'm shattered, my legs are aching as I lie in my bed at night but I don't feel as bad as I did when I first started doing things like squats, and I can sit down and get up without groaning (although I did take the lift to our second floor hotel room this afternoon)
We're off to dinner now. We've only got about 25 miles to do tomorrow and will blog again once I've touched The Eiffle Tower.
Thursday, 19 September 2013
Dieppe to St Orismont 54 miles
This journey is nothing if not an adventure. Today we were riding along The Avenue Verte, a disused railiway line stretching for 28 miles, it was beautiful as we rode through the heart of the French countryside, seeing areas we would never have seen from the road or in a car.
We were due to meet Murray and Sue for lunch after 28 miles, we were expecting to do 14 mph, the terrain was going to be mainly flat and the wind was going to be on our backs, so we'd be flying.....reality check! Andy added up wrong and 28 was actually 35, we were doing 10 mph because guess what 'THE WIND WAS IN OUR FACE' , the terrain was a very gradual incline made to feel much more severe because of the wind and all in all we didn't fly.
We didn't make lunch until 3pm, by which time most places were shut but the barman in a little corner bar offered us a ham sandwich ( no choice) He then fetched the bread from the Boulangerie over the road and delivered a much needed French stick with ham.
A route change and a helpful support crew picking us up after 54 miles made for another tiring day, sitting down is very tiring ( as Murray would say) The helpful crew will drop us off tomorrow where they picked us up so don't worry, all miles will be covered!
Another lovely evening meal, highlight of the day - hearing Tor has won an award for highest academic achievement in midwifery, lowlight not having Lois here to massage my sore bits. Murray offered and said he'd be discreet! The door to our room is locked!
We were due to meet Murray and Sue for lunch after 28 miles, we were expecting to do 14 mph, the terrain was going to be mainly flat and the wind was going to be on our backs, so we'd be flying.....reality check! Andy added up wrong and 28 was actually 35, we were doing 10 mph because guess what 'THE WIND WAS IN OUR FACE' , the terrain was a very gradual incline made to feel much more severe because of the wind and all in all we didn't fly.
We didn't make lunch until 3pm, by which time most places were shut but the barman in a little corner bar offered us a ham sandwich ( no choice) He then fetched the bread from the Boulangerie over the road and delivered a much needed French stick with ham.
A route change and a helpful support crew picking us up after 54 miles made for another tiring day, sitting down is very tiring ( as Murray would say) The helpful crew will drop us off tomorrow where they picked us up so don't worry, all miles will be covered!
Another lovely evening meal, highlight of the day - hearing Tor has won an award for highest academic achievement in midwifery, lowlight not having Lois here to massage my sore bits. Murray offered and said he'd be discreet! The door to our room is locked!
Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Le Touquet to Dieppe 68 miles
So, the ride today started in the rain but we were on cycle paths, which were flat, and the riding was very nice. We stopped for hot chocolate and a dry set of clothes courtesy of Murray and Sue after 20 miles and met them again for lunch after another 15.
Lunch was an experience. We stopped at a very French cafe - well it would be wouldn't it, we are in France after all! The waitress seemed to 'think there were 8 days in the week' (Sue's saying) It was 20 minutes after setting our table that she finally told us what we were going to have! Vegetable crepe, chicken and peas, desert - 10 euros. Nice but soooo slow, Andy was biting at the bit to get on with our ride - it was to be a long day riding today. I had to do a bit of maintenance plumbing upon visiting the ladies room and finally, an hour after stopping, we were off again.
Second half was not so much fun, for me at least. The pesky 'wind in my face' was back but to be fair the rain had stopped, the hills arrived and the flat was very exposed. I had a puncture ( but Andy fixed it while I handed him the tools and ate jelly babies) and after 65 miles ( my longest ride to date) I had a Georgia moment declaring 'I can't do it!'. To be clear, what I can't do is go downhill on the steep bits. It's scary and what if I fall off or can't stop at the bottom ( which was a river!) and the signs warned lorries to use their engines to slow down!
Anyway we'd left Le Touquet at 9 am and arrived in Dieppe at 7pm so I deserved the two piña coladas and caramel ice cream (jacket potato and salmon with salad for dinner) which I've just consumed. Apparently it's flat tomorrow and dry, yeah, yeah! Oh, one highlight of the day, Sue bought me a cyclist ornament, love it.
Lunch was an experience. We stopped at a very French cafe - well it would be wouldn't it, we are in France after all! The waitress seemed to 'think there were 8 days in the week' (Sue's saying) It was 20 minutes after setting our table that she finally told us what we were going to have! Vegetable crepe, chicken and peas, desert - 10 euros. Nice but soooo slow, Andy was biting at the bit to get on with our ride - it was to be a long day riding today. I had to do a bit of maintenance plumbing upon visiting the ladies room and finally, an hour after stopping, we were off again.
Second half was not so much fun, for me at least. The pesky 'wind in my face' was back but to be fair the rain had stopped, the hills arrived and the flat was very exposed. I had a puncture ( but Andy fixed it while I handed him the tools and ate jelly babies) and after 65 miles ( my longest ride to date) I had a Georgia moment declaring 'I can't do it!'. To be clear, what I can't do is go downhill on the steep bits. It's scary and what if I fall off or can't stop at the bottom ( which was a river!) and the signs warned lorries to use their engines to slow down!
Anyway we'd left Le Touquet at 9 am and arrived in Dieppe at 7pm so I deserved the two piña coladas and caramel ice cream (jacket potato and salmon with salad for dinner) which I've just consumed. Apparently it's flat tomorrow and dry, yeah, yeah! Oh, one highlight of the day, Sue bought me a cyclist ornament, love it.
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Calais to Le Touquet 48 miles
Pedalling downhill is novel, but necessary today as the wind was 'in our face' as predicted by the weatherman! I have no idea what speed the wind was but I know we only averaged 8 mph this morning because of it, mainly because to add to the wind we seemed to go up hill for miles :(
Highlight of the morning, or should I say lowlight was me falling off my bike for the first time ever. We were stopping at a view point and as Andy advised me to be careful of the gravel I wasn't! My front wheel went from under me, I fell, not so gracefully, to the ground and hit my hip, ankle and head. I won't be posting the picture of my injury as it doesn't look bad enough to win a sympathy vote, suffice to say I was a brave soldier and pedalled on.
We met Sue and Murray in Boulogne for lunch; omelette, hot chocolate but no pudding for me! The second half of the ride was much better. Still very windy and still needing to pedal downhill but hardly any uphill :) Unfortunately the weatherman got it right again and it started to rain at 2pm as predicted, so by the time we arrived at the beachside Ibis Hotel in Le Touquet we were rather wet. The highlight of the afternoon was me falling off my bike again. Definitely a highlight for Sue; we were at the hotel and I was just going to ride my bike a few yards to a secure store but as I got on I fell over a foot high wall into a garden display, taking my bike with me. I was graceful this time and my bike landed on its saddle and handlebars as if I'd placed it there!
We've been for a swim (recovery, apparently!) and will be going out for a well earned dinner soon (when Andy wakes up!) looking forward to tomorrow - seriously :)
Highlight of the morning, or should I say lowlight was me falling off my bike for the first time ever. We were stopping at a view point and as Andy advised me to be careful of the gravel I wasn't! My front wheel went from under me, I fell, not so gracefully, to the ground and hit my hip, ankle and head. I won't be posting the picture of my injury as it doesn't look bad enough to win a sympathy vote, suffice to say I was a brave soldier and pedalled on.
We met Sue and Murray in Boulogne for lunch; omelette, hot chocolate but no pudding for me! The second half of the ride was much better. Still very windy and still needing to pedal downhill but hardly any uphill :) Unfortunately the weatherman got it right again and it started to rain at 2pm as predicted, so by the time we arrived at the beachside Ibis Hotel in Le Touquet we were rather wet. The highlight of the afternoon was me falling off my bike again. Definitely a highlight for Sue; we were at the hotel and I was just going to ride my bike a few yards to a secure store but as I got on I fell over a foot high wall into a garden display, taking my bike with me. I was graceful this time and my bike landed on its saddle and handlebars as if I'd placed it there!
We've been for a swim (recovery, apparently!) and will be going out for a well earned dinner soon (when Andy wakes up!) looking forward to tomorrow - seriously :)
Monday, 16 September 2013
We're at The Ibis hotel at Calais ferry port ready to start our ride tomorrow. Contrary to the weather forecast the channel crossing was smooth. I hope they've got it wrong for tomorrow too as it's currently saying 65km/hr wind in our faces!!
Our first leg should be about 50 miles from Calais to Le Touquet via Boulogne. I say should be...!
Oh and I now know how we will be celebrating the completion of the trip - we have tickets to watch Racing Metro in Paris. 'Who?' I hear you ask. A rugby team needless to say. Woohoo.
Our first leg should be about 50 miles from Calais to Le Touquet via Boulogne. I say should be...!
Oh and I now know how we will be celebrating the completion of the trip - we have tickets to watch Racing Metro in Paris. 'Who?' I hear you ask. A rugby team needless to say. Woohoo.
Sunday, 8 September 2013
Last weekend of training
This has been my last training weekend, apparently I now taper until the ride. (For taper read do nothing!) Not because I don't want to ride this week but because my bike is being cleaned tomorrow for its holiday. (You're right, I'm happy with my interpretation of tapering)
The weekend plan was 20 miles on Saturday and a longer ride on Sunday. Schoolgirl error - I believed him. I didn't take my mid ride banana on Saturday as I thought I didn't need it, unfortunately for me 20 was actually 35 and my banana would have been appreciated. The ride was non-stop except for when I rescued a black lab pup who had escaped onto a main road. I also experienced my first road rage incident. Idiot in a big, black, shiny, open backed truck was shouting and hooting at 2 fellow cyclists coming in the opposite direction as he overtook them, I felt compelled to join in and gave him what for as he passed us. Fellow cyclists gave me a thumbs up and driver gave me a mouthful. We later spent 40 minutes riding in the opposite direction to a Sportif and must have said "hi" a hundred times; happy bunch these cyclists.
Today was less eventful. 20 was only 24, the weather was fine and apart from a bullock on the road everyone behaved themselves. (I left Andy to sort the bullock, not cute enough for me)
I might not have been too keen when the ride to Paris was first mentioned, or the second, third, forth, fifth (you get the picture) time it was mentioned until I eventually agreed. But I'm really looking forward to it now.
Friday, 6 September 2013
Watch this space!
On September 16th Zoe and Andy will be setting off on a cycle ride to Paris. Supported along the way by Murray and Sue Felstead they will be cycling from Calais to Dieppe along the coast and then inland to Paris finishing at the Eiffel Tower.
The trip involves 5 days cycling ( about 50 miles a day) interspersed with some sightseeing and restaurants along the way.
This is Zoe's first long distance cycle ride something she has trained hard for over the spring and summer.
Watch this Space for updates as the trip unfolds.
The trip involves 5 days cycling ( about 50 miles a day) interspersed with some sightseeing and restaurants along the way.
This is Zoe's first long distance cycle ride something she has trained hard for over the spring and summer.
Watch this Space for updates as the trip unfolds.
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