Tag: h2m

I don’t generally plan large rides in consecutive years – partly to give my body a break, but mostly to give my mind a break from the constant need to stay reasonably fit. So I guess I’ll have to pretend this summer’s 1,800km ride is just a short little tour. Although as I finally get back to some actual training after a long bout of Flu it does not feel that way. The legs are surprisingly strong given my lack of riding – some leftover fitness still from all those kilometres last year. The lungs are in catchup though. Anyhow, enough about that – what is the tour all about?

Continue reading “Where next?”

Sidmouth to Poole

The ferry from Poole was an early morning crossing, meaning the most practical approach was a leisurely ride down the day before and an overnight stop somewhere near the port. So in theory I could have left home quite late. Except my ‘training’, if it could really be called that, had been very light with the plan to ride myself fit over the opening days. And one of the toughest legs of the whole ride was the first one, on what promised to be a hot day. So I decided to leave early, get the first of 3 chunky climbs out of the way, and then grab some breakfast. I guess it was around 7:15 as I rolled down the drive and out of our road. I was accompanied by an odd sensation for a couple of reasons. Firstly, despite having lived here for 6 years, I was leaving our village by a route I had never ridden before. Secondly, was how unusual it was for me to begin a big ride by heading away from home (the only other occasion being my jaunt down to Lands End and back).

Continue reading “H2M – Day 1”

Poole to Isigny-sur-Mer

It has to be said I enjoyed the simple pleasure of a hotel breakfast, basic as it was, rather than rushing to pack up and get rolling. Sure, it was still an early start (I was down as the restaurant was just opening) – but that was entirely about making it to the ferry for my crossing rather than an urgent need to get cracking on another day of monumental mileage. In fact, even if I added the included the kilometres from here to the port with those on the other side in France I’d still be under 100km for the day – almost more time spent on the boat than the bike. I could get used to this way of riding. I don’t recall now if I spoke to anyone at breakfast, beyond exchanging the usual pleasantries – I have a vague recollection of an elderly couple next to me inquiring on my journey.

Continue reading “H2M – Day 2”

Isigny-sur-Mer to Cormeilles

Sipping tea in bed, I reviewed the day ahead. The wind direction looked kind, the distance was modest with few enough hilly sections that I could see and count them. There was a threat of rising heat in the afternoon though, so I resisted the temptation to linger and headed for breakfast as soon as the restaurant was open. It’s unusual for me to get more than 5 or 6 hours sleep on long rides, so the 7+ hours I’d got last night was almost as big a bonus as not having to ride out at 5am and scout for breakfast along the road.

Continue reading “H2M – Day 3”

Cormeilles to Verneuil-sur-Seine

I forget whether it had rained in the night or if there was just a heavy dew, but everything was damp outside as I emerged. I’d taken my laundry in the night before, so it was no more than a slightly wet saddle to contend with and there was breakfast first during which it’d probably dry – especially as it stood in the sun somewhat as I wheeled back around to the garden where the entrance to the main house and breakfast room were. A man I took to be the owner, somewhat older than me, offered juice, coffee, a selection of pastries, and some cheese to go with the fresh hunks of baguette. Simple, standard fare but perfect to start me off for first couple of hours riding of the day. His English was patchy but better than my French – and between those we managed some pleasantries and a description of my destination for the day: Paris, or at least the suburbs just this side of the city itself. He bade me “bon courage” as I slurped down the last of my coffee and kitted up to roll out. I really hoped the new sunscreen worked and give my face a chance to heal slowly.

Continue reading “H2M – Day 4”

Verneuil-sur-Seine to Château-Thierry

Everything I touched seemed loud. The espresso machine ground and grumbled away, the bowls clanked, the fridge door shouted out as if I’d slammed it shut with far my force than I had. As much as I tried to tiptoe around quietly to avoid waking the other guests, every move I made seemed to echo around the breakfast alcove and permeate up to the rooms above in amplified form. In the end, I gave up trying, finished gathering provisions and head for the table outside to eat in the peaceful still of the morning. Handily, this was also right alongside where my park was parked so I could kit up between mouthfuls of food and coffee. The weather and route check were a mixed bag – following canals meant a day of little in the way of climbing, but it would be hotter than anything those so far.

Continue reading “H2M – Day 5”

Meltdown

In order to explain Day 6 I need to start at the end of Day 5, on that walk back from dinner at the brasserie. As I crossed the road by the roundabout and trudged back up the hill to the B&B I knew something was wrong. My body felt out of whack, but not in a way I could immediately identify. Initially, it was more of a vague notion of being overly fatigued for my level of exertion and also a sensation of gliding along in something of a mental fog. Something was rotten in the state of Denmark (to paraphrase the bard).

Continue reading “H2M – Day 6”

Saint-Dizier to Lunéville

The first properly early alarm call of the tour, although when it buzzed me into life at 04:15 it really didn’t feel that bad. There may have been some lingering physiological problems, but lack of sleep wasn’t one of them. Instinctively, my long distance event routine kicked in – alternating between stuffing bags, stuffing down food, and gearing up. Never just one thing at a time – that’s wasteful when you need to get going. Which I did – partly because I knew I had to take a super easy pace today, and also because there was no let-up in the forecast. Warm, hot, then hotter. A few hours of cool was the best I could hope for, and that meant mounting up early.

Continue reading “H2M – Day 7”

Lunéville to Altenheim

Memory is a funny thing. Writing this blog a few months later, I don’t have a lot of recollection of the events of that morning (although it must have been the usual routine anyway). But I do still remember a lurid dream which I was still in the middle of when the watch alarm pulled me out of my sleep. I was involved in some James Bond-esque chase high up on the yellow crane arms of the trash loading warehouse. Given I have no head for heights, it was something of a relief to be woken from it TBH.

Continue reading “H2M – Day 8”

Altenheim to Wehra

Sure enough, the owner’s dad had opened up the garage and I was kitted up and rolling out quickly. Although I’d barely even got pedalling before I saw the supermarket on my left, and swung around into the car park. Leaving a bike propped outside while you grab suppliers is always a little nervy, but in this case it was quiet – there was almost no one around. Plus I could pretty much see the bike for most of the time I was shopping. Which wasn’t long. NC4K insincts kicked in and I knew exactly what I was shopping for. Minutes later I was sat outside tucking into what I hoped would be the last “home-made” breakfast of the tour. The idea of the shorter days was to enjoy proper breakfasts, but when circumstances change, you adapt.

Continue reading “H2M – Day 9”