We've set ourselves the challenge to cycle through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.
Starting in Calais, we'll be travelling through Dunkirk, Bruges, Brussels, Maastricht and arriving in Cologne.
The trip will be longer than this year's London to Paris ride, but it should be considerably less hilly (that's the plan anyway!)
We'll be raising money for a charity again (likely Macmillan) and hope to exceed this year's collection of £6000
Thursday, 23 July 2009
The next challenge...
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
The unpleasantness is already starting to fade
With the bottom back to "comfortable" and the legs well on the way to recovery it's amazing just how quickly the unpleasantness has started to fade. Getting home, reading the blog and finding out that I raised my target of £1000 has really given me a sense of accomplishment that I think was lost of the day of completion. In fact the charity aspect had all but receeded into the memory banks. I'm sure with every passing day and week the achievement and dare I say the desire to do something similar again will grow.
To all those people who thought the incessant moaning about how hard it was and how sore and tired we all were was a bit much I can assure you it really was horrible. And with nothing else to focus on for hours at a time it was pretty much the only topic of conversation.
It was a very odd experience because it was at the lowest points that I felt the most enthusiastic about the trip. I guess it was the tough stuff that made it an adventure and a challenge and therefore worthwhile. I'm glad I've done it and nearly 48 hours after completing it I would consider doing something similar.
Finally a big thanks to Adam, Neal, Richard, all those that sponsored us and took an interest.
The final thanks is to Zoe who's been supportive of the whole endeavour. Allowing me time to train, making sure she came over to Paris to see us in and not getting tired of my moaning about how hard it was.
Thank you all and I'll see you all again next year! (Maybe)
To all those people who thought the incessant moaning about how hard it was and how sore and tired we all were was a bit much I can assure you it really was horrible. And with nothing else to focus on for hours at a time it was pretty much the only topic of conversation.
It was a very odd experience because it was at the lowest points that I felt the most enthusiastic about the trip. I guess it was the tough stuff that made it an adventure and a challenge and therefore worthwhile. I'm glad I've done it and nearly 48 hours after completing it I would consider doing something similar.
Finally a big thanks to Adam, Neal, Richard, all those that sponsored us and took an interest.
The final thanks is to Zoe who's been supportive of the whole endeavour. Allowing me time to train, making sure she came over to Paris to see us in and not getting tired of my moaning about how hard it was.
Thank you all and I'll see you all again next year! (Maybe)
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
On the train home - NEAL
Adam asked what I would do differently next time. The answer was quick to come. I'd be the one waving them off!!!
We have had some lengthy dicussions about what enjoyment can be attained from this sort of endeavour. On any scale of cost\benefit analysis, 11 hours of deeply painful riding on the first day compared with the 5 minutes of elation (actually more relief I feel) at reaching dover, firmly falls the side of not enjoyable.
I have joined the ranks of those people who have looked deep within their souls and learnt something about themselves.
I have learnt that I can cycle 273 hilly miles in 4 days.
I have learnt that when I think I can't go on, I can.
I have learnt that I can climb multiple double chevron hills.
I have learnt that I can do all this with a rucksack on my back.
But most of all I have learnt that I don't like doing it!!! I'd rather sit and watch football!!!
Au revoir mon amie (I never liked french at school either)
NEAL
On the Eurostar
Walking to the Gare de Nord this morning was interesting. It feels (and I'm sure LOOKS) like I'm walking like Herman Munster!
Both Neal and I woke before our alarms this morning. Paris was deserted as we walked to the station. We walked past the most delicious smelling bakery, yes you read that right - PAST it! We even passed up the Sex Shop offering "zapping". Not only could we not even IMAGINE what that would consist of, but we presumed it would either hurt or delight...or possibly both.
I'm really looking forward now to seeing my lovely family and most especially seeing Hannah my lovely wife.
Thinking back over the trip, the experience has been quite surreal. My brain has already begun the process of deleting the more unpleasant memories to make space for unrealistic nostalgic moments!
Things I would do different next time:
Pack EVEN lighter
Consider paniers
Take the D roads earlier or bring a proper GPS
Consider finding a different way to reach Dover that avoids all of Kent's hills
Learn more French
Invite a sports massuse along
A lot of the above could quite easily be replaced or struck off the list if we could have sorted a support driver. I would have liked to have been able to film more of the experience. Poor old Rich, who brought his camera along did a lot of the filming. As you may have picked up, we really only filmed or took pictures and blogged when we had the time to do so, which is a shame.
This train ride, as Neal pointed out to me earlier is making a mockery of our efforts. It's going to be stopping Calais in no time at all!!
I've asked Neal and Spencer and I'd ask Rich too once we're all home, to write more of what they remember of this tour. We hope to put up the video on YouTube for you all to see. I'll put the photos up on Flikr and once all the written accounts are complete I'll try to assemble them into chronological order.
It'd be quite nice if you had some specific questions about our trip or experience that you wanted to ask, if you could email them to me and I'll put up a Q&A post to finish this blog.
Finally from me, I wanted to thank all of you who sponsored me. Before I left, I believe I'd crossed the £1000 mark, which I'm really pleased with, so thanks for that everyone.
Adam
Monday, 25 May 2009
The end is not quite nigh
Here I am sat in the final restaurant in Paris about to fall asleep. Today, as has already been mentioned was a scorcher. Luckily the cycling gods finally decided to give us a break and it seemed that most of the journey was actually downhill, which created a nice breeze. The downside of that was that going up any hill caused a dead calm, which was difficult to breathe in, as the air was hot.
Riding in Paris was chaos. Everyman for himself, which is okay if everyone understands this concept. We were all darting in and out of the traffic in the style of dispatch riders. Arc de triumph was a great experience. People warned me that they would not like to drive a car around it, let alone cycle around it!
Despite phoning Sarah at 3.30 to say we'd arrived, it wasn't until 7.30 that Adam and I got into our hotel room.
As the subject indicates we will still have to get on our bikes tomorrow morning to ride from St Pancras to Paddington. Does this riding ever end??
In respect to my physical state, I'm hoping not to have to use my legs for the next 3 months. This is definately the last bit of excercise I do for the rest of this year!
The only chaffing I got was from walking back from the train station to the hotel - oh the irony! My "nappy pants" are clearly designed for 270+ miles of cycling but not 30 minutes of walking.
I am also glad not to have to wear, for the fifth consecutive day, my set of unwashed cycling gear. I can't even begin to imagine the amount of fluid that I have lost through those clothes.
Viva las tour!!!
NEAL
Paris
We're finally here! Neal and I have dropped our bikes with some dodgy looking chaps in some outbuilding at the Gare de Nord. Neal bought his ticket and we walked, nay stumbled home.
Paris is VERY hot. As we approached the Arc de Triomphe it was 34 degrees and humid, not great cycling weather!
Today was a really good day's cycling. Apart from the temperature, we made really good progress and maintained a very good average speed of about 14.5 mph despite a couple of big hills.
I took some of the advice from the pro yesterday and kept a high cadence (fast pedalling), which really helped me, especially up the hills.
It was some quite slow going after Van Gogh's home due to an increasing density of traffic lights. As we got into the Paris suburbs, the maps Spen had brought really lacked sufficient detail to get us where we needed to go, so ended up relying on the GPS which was VERY helpful. The downside to that was the battery died on the phone (which we use to update the blog) when we got to the Arc de Triomphe. Which unfortunately meant that I couldn't update you all on the mini-adventure that has been what's happened since the Arc de Triomphe...
So to fill you in on how things went after I sent the victory post. We went for a victory lap around the Arc and to be honest it wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it might be. Neal correctly described it as real-life Frogger. It was a total rush, and combined with the amazing feeling of riding to Paris (which is still sinking in) I was feeling very very good.
We decided to stop for some more pictures at the Arc but were promptly moved along by an overly officious police woman telling us we had to move the bikes! After some 300 miles we couldn't believe it, but none of us could be bothered to argue! We all needed water and were planning on meeting Zoe and Kirsty at the Eifel tower after a late change in plans by Spencer before we left.
We stopped off at some expensive food hall and were massively ripped off for the water. At this point Zoe had spoken to Spencer to tell us the hotel we were booked in at had no hot water and the A/C had packed up, the result of which meant they had moved us to a different hotel. Because of THAT they were now running behind and would't be at the Eifel tower for a while.
At this point Spen suggested we cycle down the Champs Ellyses, which to be honest was the last thing I wanted to do. I just needed some shade and water and then get to the hotel.
Eventually after the cobbled streets of the Champs Ellyses, which in the sun and with a blue sky looked stunning and a quick detour around the Place de la Concorde we headed to the Tower. We found Zoe and Peterson, Kirsty and Archie, and celebrated our arrival in Paris by spraying some (cheap) Champagne over the place - Formula 1 style.
We all made our way to the hotel which is in the Opera district I believe. Once we'd found the hotel Spencer started having some discussions with the hotel after there was some concern expressed by the girls about the rooms. He also wanted to sort out where his and Rich's bikes were going to go as they're staying until Wednesday.
That I think brings you up to date. Neal are sat at a restaurant at the moment waiting for our food after which we're crashing out ready for our very early start tomorrow which will take us home!
Once home, I don't anticipate full movement to return to my legs for a week! I'm really really tired, but already thinking about doing another!!
Han, just want to let you know how much I love you and miss you. Thanks for all of your support in helping me get this far.
Will, Josie and Rufus - I'm looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow!
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Paris is VERY hot. As we approached the Arc de Triomphe it was 34 degrees and humid, not great cycling weather!
Today was a really good day's cycling. Apart from the temperature, we made really good progress and maintained a very good average speed of about 14.5 mph despite a couple of big hills.
I took some of the advice from the pro yesterday and kept a high cadence (fast pedalling), which really helped me, especially up the hills.
It was some quite slow going after Van Gogh's home due to an increasing density of traffic lights. As we got into the Paris suburbs, the maps Spen had brought really lacked sufficient detail to get us where we needed to go, so ended up relying on the GPS which was VERY helpful. The downside to that was the battery died on the phone (which we use to update the blog) when we got to the Arc de Triomphe. Which unfortunately meant that I couldn't update you all on the mini-adventure that has been what's happened since the Arc de Triomphe...
So to fill you in on how things went after I sent the victory post. We went for a victory lap around the Arc and to be honest it wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it might be. Neal correctly described it as real-life Frogger. It was a total rush, and combined with the amazing feeling of riding to Paris (which is still sinking in) I was feeling very very good.
We decided to stop for some more pictures at the Arc but were promptly moved along by an overly officious police woman telling us we had to move the bikes! After some 300 miles we couldn't believe it, but none of us could be bothered to argue! We all needed water and were planning on meeting Zoe and Kirsty at the Eifel tower after a late change in plans by Spencer before we left.
We stopped off at some expensive food hall and were massively ripped off for the water. At this point Zoe had spoken to Spencer to tell us the hotel we were booked in at had no hot water and the A/C had packed up, the result of which meant they had moved us to a different hotel. Because of THAT they were now running behind and would't be at the Eifel tower for a while.
At this point Spen suggested we cycle down the Champs Ellyses, which to be honest was the last thing I wanted to do. I just needed some shade and water and then get to the hotel.
Eventually after the cobbled streets of the Champs Ellyses, which in the sun and with a blue sky looked stunning and a quick detour around the Place de la Concorde we headed to the Tower. We found Zoe and Peterson, Kirsty and Archie, and celebrated our arrival in Paris by spraying some (cheap) Champagne over the place - Formula 1 style.
We all made our way to the hotel which is in the Opera district I believe. Once we'd found the hotel Spencer started having some discussions with the hotel after there was some concern expressed by the girls about the rooms. He also wanted to sort out where his and Rich's bikes were going to go as they're staying until Wednesday.
That I think brings you up to date. Neal are sat at a restaurant at the moment waiting for our food after which we're crashing out ready for our very early start tomorrow which will take us home!
Once home, I don't anticipate full movement to return to my legs for a week! I'm really really tired, but already thinking about doing another!!
Han, just want to let you know how much I love you and miss you. Thanks for all of your support in helping me get this far.
Will, Josie and Rufus - I'm looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow!
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Pims o'clock
We're making great progress today, we're currently in Auvers-sur-Oise (home of Van Gogh). We've stopped outside a "Shoppi" to get water and some delicious Pims.
We just crossed paths with some guys doing Paris to London!
Systems Check
Feet: OK
Ankles :OK
Calves: SORE, TIGHT, Left calf sunburnt
Knees: OK but dodgy knee played up yesterday
Quads: ACHE, TIGHT and SORE also Burnt
Glutes: ACHE but OK
Back muscles: OK
Belly: Still plump! Where are all the calories being expended from?
Shoulders: TIGHT
Arms: TIRED, Cramping and right inner elbow burned.
Ankles :OK
Calves: SORE, TIGHT, Left calf sunburnt
Knees: OK but dodgy knee played up yesterday
Quads: ACHE, TIGHT and SORE also Burnt
Glutes: ACHE but OK
Back muscles: OK
Belly: Still plump! Where are all the calories being expended from?
Shoulders: TIGHT
Arms: TIRED, Cramping and right inner elbow burned.
Well you get the picture! I'm feeling pretty rough this morning 50 miles seems quite a ways away, but I'm optimistic. We made such good time yesterday, getting here while it was light.
Retribution from my quads
My quads are close to failing me this morning. I woke up soaked in sweat last night. Could be the thought of another 50 miles today. All my dreams consisted of telling people why I couldn't walk and that was the reason I was in a wheel chair!!!
My beard is going great guns.
Sunday, 24 May 2009
Finally having a french meal
Well here we all are having completed our third days riding sat in an open air restaurant in Beauvais having a proper french meal. I am having some sort of pancake for starters, steak tartare and creme brulee.
At the hotel we spent quite some time speaking to a 75 year old who was an ex professional cyclist. He really liked to talk ,but he was fascinating. He pointed out in the nicest possible way all the mistakes we have made. Firstly he said that we should have only done 97 miles on the first day if we were club riders. He also said that wearing a rucksack was a bad idea and that we should never do that. So much kudos to me for managing what I have done, despite a professionals reservations. Hardcore.
Hopefully tomorrow will be over as quickly as possible.
So close and yet...
For anyone who happens to be checking the blog at this precise moment may be wondering why exactly I'm not just powering through after all it looks as though we're so close (as indeed we are) but it's so hot and there is (hopefully only) one more long climb. I needed to stop, catch my breath in the shade for a bit and wait for Spencer and Neal to catch up....which they have now done so I best crack on.
Allez!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The hills are alive with the sound of moaning - Spencer
Weirdly I can no longer walk but can still cycle. I've clearly started to evolve into an organism that has adapted to the use of it's legs while only on a bike. Upright mobility has stopped. Everything hurts and I'm ungratefully cursing anyone who thought anything less than £1000 in sponsorship was appropriate!!!!!!! Damn you all!!!
We're flying!
We've just stopped in Grandvilliers. We're actually going to get lunch today. We past two more people who are doing the same trip, and we keep crossing paths with the 3 chaps from yesterday. They wussed out in Poix before the only double chevron on today's route.
I managed to get up the double chevron hill this time without stopping and we were rewarded later with a really lovely long downhill (which helps dry the sweaty bits).
It feels like we've only been going uphill today. Only inclines and the odd long medium hill.
We changed our route before we set off based on yesterday's fair going on the 'D' road.
It's funny watching us walk to the restaurant (oops that's now closed), none of us can walk right!!
Not long to Beauvis now.
I managed to get up the double chevron hill this time without stopping and we were rewarded later with a really lovely long downhill (which helps dry the sweaty bits).
It feels like we've only been going uphill today. Only inclines and the odd long medium hill.
We changed our route before we set off based on yesterday's fair going on the 'D' road.
It's funny watching us walk to the restaurant (oops that's now closed), none of us can walk right!!
Not long to Beauvis now.
Day 3 - Spencer
Well you learn a lot in situations like this. Mainly that Richard is a violent sleeper. Having to share a double bed I was in danger of being beaten to death with his flailing arms. I suspect it was just a reaction to my apparent snoring.
It's getting pretty hard at the moment - very sore muscles but still the eagerness to complete Day 3.
Leaving England
Note from Hannah:
Adam tried sending this from the ferry, but alas it failed. Since he had spent significant time and effort creating it, he asked that I publish it anyway, even though it's all out of order with the rest of the blog now! The pictures are good though, so it's worth it for that too! As I sit on the ferry, surrounded by noisy excited teenagers I have no
idea where to begin to describe today, it's been so crazy.
At various point I genuinely didn't think my legs could carry me any
further, then I'd get a second/third/fourth wind. When Spen announced
we had gone the wrong way, I felt so deflated. There we some comic
moments, an old man who almost sent us the wrong way and a car that
drove past us with a megaphone shouting "pathetic" at us.
Without doubt the best bit was finally reaching Dover, I can't
describe the feeling but I was so elated!
We're all going to be crazy stiff and sore tomorrow.
Looks like we've reach Calais, so I'll finish up. No permanent damage
to those that fell off, and I'm pleased my knee held up.
Final Statistic from Day 1
Average speed: 11.9 mph
Total miles: 97.5 miles
Top speed: 37.5 mph (at Shooters Hill)
Third day soreness
Well everything is now tired. Official!!
Yesterday was tough, as much mentally as it was physically. The mileage was only supposed to be 65 miles, but turned out to be 72. We seemed to be really struggling with the time and getting nowhere fast. On the plus side I managed to do my first double chevron hill (9-13 degrees) which felt and looked like a wall. With 43 km to go I decided to put my head down and just cane it. I was flying. With 14 km to go and another hill in front of me, my chain came off and I had to stop. At which point my phone went off. Adam and the boys were concerned that I had got lost, because they hadn't seen me for ages. I must have been miles ahead of them because I had to wait some time for them to catch up. However, the problem once you stop is starting again. My bum takes about 5 mins to stop hurting after I start going again.
hopefully we will be able to eat up the miles today. It is going to be tough, as everyones muscles are rather sore now.
I love you Sarah, Laszlo and Ellis, looking forward to seeing you again.
NEAL
Forgot to mention
I know this will have no meaning to any of you but I was so chuffed to have achieved it. As we were only going to Abberville and it really didn't have the same milestone appeal as Dover or Paris I really needed a goal. At the 40 mile mark I was determined to get our average from the sub 10 mph to 12 mph, the same as yesterday.
Well, just outside Abberville we managed it! Yay us!
Yesterday's vital statistics:
Average speed: 12 mph
Top speed: 35 mph (pedal powered)
Total milage: 72.48 miles
Total time travelled: 6 h 2 mins
To put my father's mind at rest...
We've so far not been able to pick up the comments. Getting on the web on the phone is not very easy and so navigating the blog to read the comments has been impossible so far.
I caught up with I think all of them this morning.
I managed to change the setting so that your comments will get emailed to me, and thus less troublesome to pick up.
It's not especially easy to blog as we go, and may not be able to respond to all comments, but if you do have any thing you'd like to add or ask us about do leave a comment and I'll try to ask the appropriate person.
With any luck today will give us some more time for such activities.
It's looking like another fine start to the day. Hope you all have a nice sunday!
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Saturday, 23 May 2009
Well, we made it!
Firstly just to explain why there haven't been many updates today which will set the background for the rest of this post.
Also forgive spelling mistakes/poor grammar, I'm physically and mentally tired
We left Calais this morning at about 11.00 local time after having a really good sleep and a pretty below average breakfast (although the sausages were quite good). All of our backsides were killing when we hit the road. As I said in an earlier post, Calais actually looks like a really nice town and behind our hotel there seemed to be a town market which Neal and I wished we had had more time to explore the town and particularly the market.
We headed out of Calais and the sun was already very warm. The countryside was nice and made for fair cycling. I don't know what caused it considering the conditions but it seemed that we were making really slow progress. We stopped at a "Shoppi" and bought some really ripe bananas, some delicious french Jaffa cakes (remember those from our honeymoon Han? Don't tell me I don't look after you!!) and some water.
I'm really glad I bought the second water bottle as I was handing it to the others at various stages, it was some hot hard going.
By the time I posted about the "double chevron" we had only gone some 20ish miles and the time was really escaping us. The terrain had changed to more hilly conditions as we approached some forest between Alincthun and Desvres. Every time we looked at the map it seemed we weren't eating up any miles at all and it was really dis-spirting. We had been averaging under 10 mph.
The original plan was to stop in Montreuil for lunch, but the more the time got on (it was 4pm by the time we reached Desvres) the more obvious it became that we simply wouldn't have time.
We left Desvres and were headed to Montreuil, it was there that I started to feel the same pain I had been having that caused me to have physio, just as we hit this HUGE long and steep hill! I started to have some huge doubts about whether I'd be able to complete the route/trip and wondered what I'd do. I managed to reach the top by changing my footing.
By this time (in fact quite a while before) the weather had changed to be much more cloudy/overcast. I fell quite a way behind as we cycled through this valley with me knee giving me some serious gyp. That went away thankfully and I managed to catch up, as the roads were reasonable (the surface plays SUCH a big part in your speed) and quite flat Spen and I tool the lead and were determined to pick up the pace. The road to Montrieul more or less remained level and we made some good progress and started to bump up our overall average speed. However it did seem that we'd never get there.
Cycling is such an interesting mental battle. Every stretch of road brings it's own challenges. So although our next town seemed to be moving away from us, I got a big psychological boost when we hit 40 miles.
We eventually got to Montreuil and stopped in a small grocery shop where we hatched a plan to buy some cheese from there and some bread from the boulangerie. In the end we bottled it as we could ask or see how they'd cut the cheese up in such a way that we could eat it. So we walked out with some bananas, nuts and water!!
In fact the town was a really odd experience all round. We had parked our bikes outside a house from out of which walked a lady with no hand and later as we were eating our very meagre lunch, we started chatting to this guy (who was missing a finger - I'll let you speculate why the only two people we saw there were missing appendages). He was very friendly and very drunk but was also happy to talk to us. He took a parculiar interest in Richard and kept reaching out to touch his bum, DID rub his nipple and could escape without a kiss!
As a result of the poor pace throughout the day, apart from some video shot just outside Calais, we were pretty up against it and had to press on.
I hope the GPS thing is working out alright. I'm not sure what's causing it, I suspect the GPS receiver is hibernating but after what doesn't seem like very long at all, I realise that our progress may not appear in real time which is a shame. I try to dig the phone and GPS out at every stop to allow it to update.
We ate tonight at a chain restaurant called Buffalo Grill, I got the impression that it wasn't Spencer or Rich's first choice at all, but speaking for myself I really wanted to stuff myself, and managed to. Foie gras and snails just wouldn't have cut it.
I don't feel as tired as I did last night in Calais, but it will be hard to sink my bottom onto the saddle as it is every time we stop. Once you've been going 5 or 10 minutes you get used to it.
Tonight I'm sleeping with Neal in a double-bed after a room booking error by Spen. I've already told him I have a headache so don't expect any monkey business.
Good night!
Double chevron
We're just about to hit our first double chevron hill. Seeing as we've only experienced singles (which were bad enough) we're curious at what it's going to be like!
Hard going
It's probably a combination of the heat (it's much hotter today) the tired legs or quite what, but it's much tougher going today.
We're all taking on a lot more water than yesterday and keeping the sun block topped up.
I'm glad I brought two bottles as there doesn't seem to be anywhere to buy.
Just met 3 people who are doing the same route as us!
Calais
Just while we wait for Spencer to finish trying to dry his cycling gear, I thought I'd write a few words.
I always thought that Calais was supposed to be a bit of a dump, from what I'd heard. From our window I doesn't look all that bad.
Neal and I slept like logs last night, I slept uninterupted until I found myself suddenly completely awake about 8 hours later.
I'd like to know how many calories we burned yesterday. Beyond the number of miles, the intensity of some of the climbs makes me wonder. Neal, looking at him self in the mirror this morning said he thought he'd definately lost weight! :)
Yesterday as I was popping the dexrose sweets like they were M&Ms, the thought crossed my mind whether I was actually balancing the calories/energy. Ne said this morning that one packet was about 300 calories, which might explain how I managed to get through a complete packet in the last 20 miles yesterday!
I'll pass this to Neal now so he can write a few words...
Ouuccchhhh!
Slept like a baby last night. Black out blinds in the hotel room ensured a great nights sleep. I have just stuffed myself with a combination of pain au chocolate, museli (carbohydrates) scrambled eggs, sausages and bacon (protein) and lashings of orange juice. Hopefully a good start to the day. On a bad note my bum is sore to the touch (I keep telling Adam not to touch it, but he just ignores me and won't leave me alone). Auvoir.
New muscles
I've woken up this morning and have discovered some muscles I never knew I had. The bad news is they're aching and stiff.
I'm not looking forward to sitting my saddle this morning. I know my backside is going to be VERY VERY sore.
It's a beautiful morning here in Calais. We've all had breakfast (cereals plus some sausages for protein) and we're as raring to go as you can be after having done almost 100 miles yesterday!
Friday, 22 May 2009
My last post
Seems it didn't make it to the blog. Might have something to do with the 8mb of photos I attached.
Also seems that the picture of the injury didn't make it up either?
I'm going to post them all individually...
Holy Moly!!!!
Who ever coined the phrase "England's garden" to describe Kent was clearly on drugs. No one has ever seen a garden that is as steeply hilly as Kent!!! Cycling for 11 hours up and down hills is quite the ordeal. The soles of my feet hurt, my bum is going to be sore tomorrow and I really need a bath. Goodnight and good luck to us tomorrow.
Well that was hard
Firstly let me say how much I hate my new nemesis: The Kent Countryside. After 90 miles of the so called rolling hills I can tell you there is nothing rolling about them.
Of course it doesn't help realising you've been going the wrong way for miles. The sinking feeling was enough to make Neal cry!
Well after 12.5 hours we made it to Dover by the skin of our teeth as it went dark within 30 minutes of arriving.
Good night Zoe and give Peterson a kiss from me.
Ferry
The ferry feels very far away! I don't think we're going to make our planned ferry...
Some KILLER hills since the last update, Neal and Rich have both fallen off.
Everyone is knackered!
Lost
So after trailing behind to take some photos for the Blog I stopped to pack the camera away (onto the second set aof batteries already Rich!). After setting off to catch the pack up, there was a very misleading signpost which pointed to Aylesford Village. Knowing that we were headed to Aylesford, I took a left. Turns out everyone else had gone right!
I thus ended up in Eccles (not of the cake fame), miles away from everyone else. So while everyone else took a nice 20 minute break, I was cycling to catch up.
We've stopped now for lunch and my legs thank me.
Vital statistics:
Average speed: 13mph
Total distance : 46.72 miles (everyone else 44)
First day, half time
The bee sting has subsided. Adam got lost. Sitting outside a village (Bearstead) pub. Contemplating having to do it all again. Had to use my despatching skills in London, mounting the kerb to beat the buses. The countryside is unforgiving, with many ups and downs, feels mainly ups.
PS on a plus note, I did partake of some roadside fennel
STOP
as dictated by Neal
From Rich to /kirst and archie
Really enjoying it so far lovely weather and great views in the countryside. I just wish spencer would stop touching me as it makes me feel uncomfortable. LOVE RICH
First Injury!
There was some confusion in the melee, and a couple of us wondered what a beaver was doing in Bexley, let alone in his helmet!
The pictures show us at Tower Bridge after meeting Richard and the horrific injury.
Vital statistics:
Average speed: 13 mph
Top speed: 37.5 mph
Distance covered: 20.5 miles
Here we go!!!!
Good morning starshine world says hello!!
Well here we are still sat at Spencers. I was expecting to have been cycling for 30 minutes by now. It is just like the Hurley boys to be putting off doing some exercise. A clean of the teeth and off we go. Wish us luck and the spread betting on whose knees fail them first starts now!!! Go go go go go go!!!
Well here we are still sat at Spencers. I was expecting to have been cycling for 30 minutes by now. It is just like the Hurley boys to be putting off doing some exercise. A clean of the teeth and off we go. Wish us luck and the spread betting on whose knees fail them first starts now!!! Go go go go go go!!!
Thursday, 21 May 2009
One more sleep!
I'm laid on Spencer's lounge floor on a very comfy matress having not very long ago devoured some delicious turkish food.
Neal's just posting something on the blog from Spen's laptop.
I can hardly wait, can't believe that in the morning we'll all be setting off on the longest journey I've ever been on that hasn't been powered by fossil fuel! I'm only talking the first day's route too.
Spen dropped a bombshell on us by saying that we'd actually be doing an extra 10 miles tomorrow, so 90-odd instead on the 80 I was already aprehensive about! :)
Well it's late, and I really should get to sleep, we're setting off at 7.00 tomorrow and meeting up with Richard at Tower Bridge for the first photo opp!
Adam
An amateurs last meal
Well not long now before we "bring the pain"!! First of all let me thank my wife for finally setting up my just giving page. I do hope she changes the picture, because I look like a total retard. While travelling to London to meet up with Spencer, my younger brother Adam informed me that our first leg (London to Dover) has actually had another 10 miles added to it. Surely Dover has not floated off into the channel by 10 miles has it??? I do remember the phenomenon of long shore drift from GCSE geography, BUT THAT NEVER ADDED 10 MORE MILES TO A JOURNEY!! What is going on??
In the spirit of "dead men walking" we had our last meal before the big day. Adam insisted we go and get a kebab. Thankfully we are currently in north London and there are planty of proper Turkish barbeque places where you can some really tasty healthy food, not those hunks of spit roasted alsastians dripping with low density lipoproteins. I had something which I currently can neither pronounce or spell, but I must say that it was the best £2 I have spent in a long time. Delicious!!!
In the spirit of "dead men walking" we had our last meal before the big day. Adam insisted we go and get a kebab. Thankfully we are currently in north London and there are planty of proper Turkish barbeque places where you can some really tasty healthy food, not those hunks of spit roasted alsastians dripping with low density lipoproteins. I had something which I currently can neither pronounce or spell, but I must say that it was the best £2 I have spent in a long time. Delicious!!!
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
Pre-tour nerves
I set off to work this morning thinking to myself that today would be my final day in work before the tour. On Monday, it was hard not to think about heading to France on Friday morning. As I dropped my bike off at Halfords for it’s service, I had a sudden flutter of butterflies in my stomach. I was nervous that I hadn’t bought everything I knew I would need, I spent a few panicked moments wandering aimlessly around Halford’s bike section looking at various accessories.
Now, less than 48 hours before we set off, the nerves have been replaced by excitement. As long as the kit I’ve ordered from wiggle.co.uk arrives today, which it should, I'll be entirely ready to go!
I've enjoyed preparing for the tour, and even after a brief scare with a knee injury and rehabilitation after our first ride together I can’t believe we’re about to do this! The thought of arriving in Paris under our own steam is very exciting.
I’ve managed to raise over £800 so far, and hope that some of the people that promised to sponsor me will get their cash in over the next couple of days!
Now, less than 48 hours before we set off, the nerves have been replaced by excitement. As long as the kit I’ve ordered from wiggle.co.uk arrives today, which it should, I'll be entirely ready to go!
I've enjoyed preparing for the tour, and even after a brief scare with a knee injury and rehabilitation after our first ride together I can’t believe we’re about to do this! The thought of arriving in Paris under our own steam is very exciting.
I’ve managed to raise over £800 so far, and hope that some of the people that promised to sponsor me will get their cash in over the next couple of days!
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
48 hours to go now and everything seems to be organised. Everything except the Macmillan branded cycling jerseys. Both Adam and myself have the uncomfortable thought that we are having to order Extra Large sizes on the eve of the ride. Clearly the training had little effect on the waistline!
I can't wait to see everyone on Thursday night and to get underway on Friday.
I can't wait to see everyone on Thursday night and to get underway on Friday.
Thursday, 16 April 2009
So the adventure starts here.
I thought I'd start the account of our London to Paris adventure off with a brief roll call of the other titles we were considering for the blog. In no particular order we had: King of the Foothills (my personal favourite), Paris or Bust, The French Connection etc.
We kept with Tour de Amateurs in a nod to the french inspired theme of the trip and also to acknowledge the novice nature of the endeavour.
Anyway this "blog" (is there not a prettier word for this type of posting?) is here to track the build up and hopefully successful completion of our independently organised and run London to Paris bike ride/tour. I'm hoping that my brothers and fellow participants will add to this with there own experiences.
I will end this first posting with the reason I decided to do this. Firstly, because I was inspired by a spirit of adventure to see the world on a bike after watching a documentary of a guy called Mark Beaumont who unsupported cycled around the world in 195 days. See www.markbeaumontonline.com or www.pedallingaround.com
I was blown away by the feat and the sheer scale of the endeavour. I also thought "How exciting is that!!". To travel the whole world under your own steam.
Secondly, I'm genuinely excited about sharing the experience with my brothers and one of my best friends riding alongside me knowing that in 4 days we will be riding into Paris. I can't wait.
Thirdly, it's a great way to raise money for charity. We are doing this for Macmillan Cancer Support and between use we hope to raise over £4,000. We have decided not to do this journey via the usual charity event as when we looked into it we felt that the organisers took too much of the total raised for themselves and we wanted all the money to go directly to Macmillan. Please see my charity page at:
www.justgiving.com/spencerhurley1
I thought I'd start the account of our London to Paris adventure off with a brief roll call of the other titles we were considering for the blog. In no particular order we had: King of the Foothills (my personal favourite), Paris or Bust, The French Connection etc.
We kept with Tour de Amateurs in a nod to the french inspired theme of the trip and also to acknowledge the novice nature of the endeavour.
Anyway this "blog" (is there not a prettier word for this type of posting?) is here to track the build up and hopefully successful completion of our independently organised and run London to Paris bike ride/tour. I'm hoping that my brothers and fellow participants will add to this with there own experiences.
I will end this first posting with the reason I decided to do this. Firstly, because I was inspired by a spirit of adventure to see the world on a bike after watching a documentary of a guy called Mark Beaumont who unsupported cycled around the world in 195 days. See www.markbeaumontonline.com or www.pedallingaround.com
I was blown away by the feat and the sheer scale of the endeavour. I also thought "How exciting is that!!". To travel the whole world under your own steam.
Secondly, I'm genuinely excited about sharing the experience with my brothers and one of my best friends riding alongside me knowing that in 4 days we will be riding into Paris. I can't wait.
Thirdly, it's a great way to raise money for charity. We are doing this for Macmillan Cancer Support and between use we hope to raise over £4,000. We have decided not to do this journey via the usual charity event as when we looked into it we felt that the organisers took too much of the total raised for themselves and we wanted all the money to go directly to Macmillan. Please see my charity page at:
www.justgiving.com/spencerhurley1
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