Day 11 - Brighton

I'm back home in Brighton and have completed my 'circuit' which started in Plymouth 12 days ago. Considering this is my first long distance cycling effort I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself.

A good last day France, perfect weather and a lovely cycle ride.  The only slight problem was that the ferry left at 8-30 rather than 6 (it's 6 most nights) so it was dark when I arrived in Newhaven. I don't have any lights (a mistake) so cycling back to Brighton was a bit of a challenge. It also meant hanging around in Dieppe for longer than anticipated.  To compensate the lunch, in a tiny restaurant near the harbour, was the best meal I've had in France.  I spent the afternoon recovering in the sun.

I left the hotel at about 8.30 in the morning.  There were 5 other cyclists there all going to Paris and the manager told me that cyclists were her biggest customer group in the summer.  She says she expects it to get even busier when the upgrade to the official London Paris route is completed next year.

Day 10 - Gournay-en-Bray

After yesterday's drama, today has been completely incident free. Leaving nothing to chance I'm staying in a hotel I identified last night and, apart from being conspicuously empty, it seems very nice.  After the trouble I got into from my wife me after last night's escapades, about being so mean, I might, on what will be my last night in France, treat myself to a decent meal.

There was nothing to hold me at the hotel this morning and despite the threat of the rush hour I decided to make an early escape.  I stopped for coffee and croissants in a bar and then headed back through dense traffic to St Cloud and into the beautiful Parc de St Cloud.

Paris seems to be surrounded by forests, lovely huge trees and luxuriant at this time of year.  I think they were planted to provide wood for the city, but they are now a rich traffic free recreational resource.  I went through several on the approach to Paris yesterday from the southeast (had a deer run out just in front of me) and it was the same story today.  So after the Parc de St Cloud, and after negotiating some busy junctions, I dropped into another forest at Marly-le-Roi and another one near Chambourcy.

Day 9 - Paris

If I had to sum up today's performance in a phrase than 'poor judgement' is the one I would have to use.

The trouble is, for no reason whatsoever I wanted to get myself in a position to get to Dieppe by Thursday.  I don't really need to be there for Friday, but the games I play with myself meant I wanted to better that 'target' by a day.  Somewhere in the back of my head that meant getting to, even through Paris today. I hadn't worked out where I was going to stay and given my tight fisted nature Paris was always going to be a problem.

Things started badly.  A few miles north of Nemurs I get a puncture in my front tyre. Now I haven't mentioned punctures, I felt it was tempting fate because I haven't had any, and given the ground I've been covering I think that's pretty good.  Indeed, I haven't since I bought this bike six months ago and its done loads of off road cycling.

Days 7 and 8 to Nemur

The weather and the terrain have slowed me down, but I'm now in Nemur readying myself for tomorrow's ride across Paris.

Yesterday the weather was terrible.  I set off from Blois early hoping to get to Orleans before the forecast rain but, despite a fast road and a lot of wind assistance, I still had 35km to go when the heavens opened up.  There was nothing to do but press on but I was cold and wet by the time I got there. I then spent ages, touring around Orleans (very nice) trying to find the hotel and when I did all I wanted to do was bunker down, dry out and get warmed up.

It stopped raining just long enough for me to go out for some food.  After returning to my room, I watched the World Cup Final.  As it finished huge booms echoed across the city. I was in the middle of a massive firework display.  No the French weren't welcoming a German victory - the fireworks were all part of the Bastille Day celebrations.

Day 6 To Bois

The helpful micro-climate which had followed me for the last four days finally got a better offer and today I had to put up with a fairly persistent drizzle.  If things are as bad tomorrow as the forecast suggests I may have to take evasive action.

Despite the weather I made great progress and the good surfaces nearly all the way managed the 150km which got me to Blois without too much trouble.

As you have probably noticed I'm not doing a lot of sightseeing (roaming around buildings in full Lycra is not a good look) but I am enjoying the scenery.  The villages are stunning, very French, and anyone trying to find locations for the three musketeers would be spoilt for choice. As well as the sightseeing I'm also missing out on the wine tasting, some of the most famous French wines come from around here, and even went past a bottle and glass sitting on a barrel with an invitation aimed specifically at cyclists.

Day 5 - To Saumur

Another day in France and another great day's cycling. I can't believe my luck - I seem to be blessed with my own micro-climate which involves both dry weather and wind from the west pushing me up the Loire valley.  Can't help but think that I'm accumulating a huge debt, which will have to be paid back sometime, perhaps the day after tomorrow when I reach Orleans and turn north.

Of course I'm not the only person benefiting, there are loads of other cyclists doing the route, huge numbers compared to the long distance hikes I'm used to.  Nearly all of them are heading west, into the wind, with great loads on their bikes and often pulling trolleys - looks hard work to me.

Today's route was also fast, most of it along empty country roads are hardly any of the rough tracks which was starting to cause even my well padded derriere some grief. It was nicely mixed as well, winding country lanes, long flat and straight stretches, where you just hammer along, as well paths which went right along the River Loire itself.

Days 3 and 4 Blains and Ancenis

Yesterday I made it all the way from Pontivy to Blains over 100 miles and much further than planned (although there is no real plan) and I was so knackered that all I could do last night was eat. Actually, I ate a lot and I think the guy at the hotel was just a little shocked by how much - still needs must.

I was going to stop at Redon which is about 60 miles, but the going was just so good - a metalled trail and some wind assistance - that I got there sooner than expected. It was a great cycle ride with the route going from paths shaded by huge beech, sweet chestnut and oak trees to the more open countryside. This stretch of the canal is navigable so as well as cyclists to wave at there were also men on boats.

I stopped for lunch at Josselin, a lovely little town with a particularly splendid medieval castle.  There were other cyclists at the river side and they very interested in my 'Croix de Fer' - I just describe it as a cyclocross bike and I think leave the false impression that I know what I'm talking about.