We crossed the Pont de Normandie today, an impressively huge structure spanning the Seine river at Le Havre, which we had to cross one way or another. We were swept off the main roads onto a cycle path which led up onto the bridge and then spat us out onto a narrow cycle lane running alongside the motorway over the bridge. When I say "lane", I mean there was a white line between us and the hurtling lorries. And when I say "narrow", dgym's trike only just fit. It was a brutal climb up to the apex of the bridge, from which it would have been a lovely view, had the landscape been less industrial, or the weather a little brighter. The wind from passing lorries, normally a nuisance, was actually helpful in pulling us up the slope a little. We didn't get close enough to the other bridge to really tell, but I'm fairly sure it's the better option!
Hills are deceptive things. You see the road rising ahead of you on a straight stretch, and perspective can make it seem far more daunting that it really is. Or you will be heading for what you think is the top, only to find it isn't. Perhaps you've just got round a bend only to find yet another stretch of upwardly-sloping road, when you thought there couldn't possibly be any more. Often, hills become less intimidating once you're close up to them, perhaps you're already half way up before you even realise it. And then there are those that, once you're up close to them, you realise you're about to pedal up a cliff face. We found one of those today, just as we'd got clear of Le Havre. We cycled parallel to the bottom of this cliff for a good couple of miles, knowing we'd have to get up it somehow, at some point. The anticipation was horrible - reminded me of the London to Brighton ride, in which I had the fear of Ditchling Beacon for most of the way - the South Downs loomed up in front of us and yes, it did turn out to be a rather nasty climb. However, this one was different - and actually quite pleasant. It wound very gently up the cliff face, it barely seemed to be even taking us upwards, and none of it was actually steep. It was really quite well done, and a great example of why it's best not to presume anything about a hill before you've tried it.
The search for internet goes on. Today the tourist office at Bolbec directed us to a hotel just out of town, up a long and grinding hill, which supposedly had internet. When I asked about this at the hotel reception, the receptionist looked me as if I was on drugs. The hotel was too pricey to be worth it otherwise, so we rolled back down, unimpressed, and went for the cheapest in town.
Tomorrow, we hope to reach Dieppe.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Thursday 13th April - Wanadon't
My bicycle has been eating my legs. It has teeth, and they bite me. Yesterday the outer chainring sliced up my right leg while I was trying to manoeuvre myself next to dgym in a parking space. Today I was leaning against it, slipped, and the bicycle and I toppled over, leaving five scrape-marks across my left shin. Add to that the bramble scratches I got while clambering into a ditch to attend to lavatory matters, and my legs are looking a bit beaten up. I have also been beaten quite severely around the head by the Freckle Monster. I haven't had proper freckles for years, and I'm pretty sure I never had this many.
We hit a monster hill today around Auberville, as the road forced us away from the coast - unfortunately there were no jolly little Frenchmen to jump out and cheer us on. Perhaps it only happens when the sun's out. It was a lovely long descent back down to the sea, but we didn't feel like going much further after that.
This morning we got to the post office, bought an internet card and had the world's most awkward internet session ever. It was an eMac with a very funny keyboard - some of the letters were swapped around or moved up or down a row. Being a touch typist, I was lost - dgym's a hunt-and-peck kind of guy, so he was OK and seemed to get used to it very quickly. And, it being a Mac, everything was a bit strange anyway.
This evening, we almost got our wifi - we got to Blonville sur Mer, just short of our target of Deauville, and decided we'd done enough for the day. Questioning at the tourist office for wifi hotels proved fruitful, and after much phoning around, we were directed to a hotel just a few doors down. The nice lady gave us the WEP key and allowed dgym to fiddle around with the wifi box (a Wanadoo, of course) until he was blue in the face, but with no luck. Still, it's a nice enough place, we have a sea view, and I'm hoping I can persuade dgym to come out for a paddle in a little while.
Distance so far is 319 miles - we've been on the road for a week.
We hit a monster hill today around Auberville, as the road forced us away from the coast - unfortunately there were no jolly little Frenchmen to jump out and cheer us on. Perhaps it only happens when the sun's out. It was a lovely long descent back down to the sea, but we didn't feel like going much further after that.
This morning we got to the post office, bought an internet card and had the world's most awkward internet session ever. It was an eMac with a very funny keyboard - some of the letters were swapped around or moved up or down a row. Being a touch typist, I was lost - dgym's a hunt-and-peck kind of guy, so he was OK and seemed to get used to it very quickly. And, it being a Mac, everything was a bit strange anyway.
This evening, we almost got our wifi - we got to Blonville sur Mer, just short of our target of Deauville, and decided we'd done enough for the day. Questioning at the tourist office for wifi hotels proved fruitful, and after much phoning around, we were directed to a hotel just a few doors down. The nice lady gave us the WEP key and allowed dgym to fiddle around with the wifi box (a Wanadoo, of course) until he was blue in the face, but with no luck. Still, it's a nice enough place, we have a sea view, and I'm hoping I can persuade dgym to come out for a paddle in a little while.
Distance so far is 319 miles - we've been on the road for a week.
Wednesday 12th April - Bayeux
So it's true - they really do leap out at you and start cheering you up hills. We were struggling up a slope... uh... I don't remember where now. Probably somewhere near Carantan... when this little French chap appeared out of his driveway and, miming a pedalling motion, started calling out "Go, go, go!" Or something like that.
So we have still have failed to find internet, whether it be wireless or in cafe form. We saw a hotel last night with free wifi in St Vaast-la-Hougue, unfortunately we had already got another hotel for the night. The closest we came was an internet cafe this evening in Bayeux. I ran excitedly down the street towards it (knowing it would have closed for the day, but there's always tomorrow morning and it was still exciting), only to find that it had closed permanently. Grr! And they seem to love their WEP here (wifi encryption) - in England, most wifi routers are Belkin and unsecured by default - it's easy to find one and hop on. Wanadoo are quite prevalent here, and their routers seem to have WEP switched on by default. However, we have been informed at the hotel that post offices generally provide internet access, so we will try that tomorrow.
We're spending the night in Bayeux, having ridden 67 miles today, that makes a nice average of 50 over yesterday and today. The terrain has been beautifully flat so far and I think our legs are in recovery now as we managed to average about 12mph today rather than our usual 10. Bayeux is really pretty, the high street has some lovely old half-timbered buildings. It's twinned with Dorchester, which is where we were just three days ago.
I'm a little worried about what we'll do over Easter - apparently it's a big deal here, and a lot of things close. We'll need to stay fairly close to big towns to maximise our chances of food, water and shelter.
So we have still have failed to find internet, whether it be wireless or in cafe form. We saw a hotel last night with free wifi in St Vaast-la-Hougue, unfortunately we had already got another hotel for the night. The closest we came was an internet cafe this evening in Bayeux. I ran excitedly down the street towards it (knowing it would have closed for the day, but there's always tomorrow morning and it was still exciting), only to find that it had closed permanently. Grr! And they seem to love their WEP here (wifi encryption) - in England, most wifi routers are Belkin and unsecured by default - it's easy to find one and hop on. Wanadoo are quite prevalent here, and their routers seem to have WEP switched on by default. However, we have been informed at the hotel that post offices generally provide internet access, so we will try that tomorrow.
We're spending the night in Bayeux, having ridden 67 miles today, that makes a nice average of 50 over yesterday and today. The terrain has been beautifully flat so far and I think our legs are in recovery now as we managed to average about 12mph today rather than our usual 10. Bayeux is really pretty, the high street has some lovely old half-timbered buildings. It's twinned with Dorchester, which is where we were just three days ago.I'm a little worried about what we'll do over Easter - apparently it's a big deal here, and a lot of things close. We'll need to stay fairly close to big towns to maximise our chances of food, water and shelter.
Tuesday 11th April - Bonjour, nous sommes en France.
We were excited to get going this morning and get out onto the coastal road. We had been warned by many people about the big hill going out of Cherbourg - I guess this must have been on the main roads, as we managed to avoid it.
Cherbourg has lots of cycle paths, consisting of two lanes, each of which is at least the width of your average UK cycle path, and accommodates dgym's trike nicely. The only problem is that both cycle paths and roads are crossed by numerous railway tracks, some of which are at funny angles, so you have to be careful about crossing them.
Once we left Cherbourg, the cycle path stopped and we ended up following the Route Val de Saire through quiet, picturesque coastal roads and past tiny villages. Drivers were very patient, unhurried and considerate, and were few and far betweeen (With the exception of the guy who right-hooked me in St Vaast). We exchanged lots of waves and bonjours with fellow cyclists, walkers and random bystanders.
The weather was lovely and sunny all morning, but started to pick up a wind around lunchtime, which was quite brutal by mid-afternoon, so we stopped in Quettehou for the night, after 33 miles. There was a lovely moment going through the quiet little streets of Quettehou, dgym ahead of me, and as I passed a small shop I saw the elderly shopkeeper, cheek pressed up against the window, gaping in awe. It was like a scene from a car advert. "Ohhh - eet eez ze latest Peugeot!"
Finally - for all the panda-lovers and cow-lovers out there, we have also discovered a new species - the PandaCow. Moo!
Monday 10th April: Last day in England
Hel
Today we've come 36 miles from Dorchester to Poole, via Corfe Castle and Studland, which is a beautiful part of the country. We weren't sure whether we'd have time to do Studland, and considered taking the main road straight into Poole, but I'm really glad we ended up on the scenic route. It's fairly hilly, but not outstandingly so and there are some lovely views over Poole harbour. For beauty/hilliness ratio, it's highly recommended. When you reach the end of the road, you will also have the privilege of taking an insanely short ferry trip across the harbour entrance, to get you back into Poole. We didn't get around to finding chilli icecream, perhaps another time!
It's exciting to be leaving the country. We've been rushing around the past couple of days trying to get to people's houses and meet ferries and so on. From tomorrow onwards, nothing is booked or planned.
The hotel (Beausejour) we stayed in was basic, and the room was tiny, but it was nice and close to the ferry port and served its purpose. I was pleasantly surprised when we asked if there was anywhere we could leave the bikes - I wasn't expecting much as the hotel was terraced with other buildings in a narrow backstreet, but we were led down the street to a secure garage.
With the exception of Friday's showers, the weather's been beautiful so far, lots of sunshine although every so often a cloud passes across the sun and you shiver and remember it's still only April.
We have cycled 168 miles so far.
Grey Mouse
Well it's been a pretty dull few days for me - I've been shut away inside a dark pannier since Friday, while Hel and Dgym have been having all the fun. Oh well, at least they're doing all the pedalling - I'd have difficulty with that, since my legs are very short. And life in the pannier got a bit better once Hel threw in some cherry bakewells.
Anyway - things got a bit better for me today when they took me out and I got to see Corfe Castle, which has about as many bits missing as I do. Here I am, enjoying a bit of sunshine.
Today we've come 36 miles from Dorchester to Poole, via Corfe Castle and Studland, which is a beautiful part of the country. We weren't sure whether we'd have time to do Studland, and considered taking the main road straight into Poole, but I'm really glad we ended up on the scenic route. It's fairly hilly, but not outstandingly so and there are some lovely views over Poole harbour. For beauty/hilliness ratio, it's highly recommended. When you reach the end of the road, you will also have the privilege of taking an insanely short ferry trip across the harbour entrance, to get you back into Poole. We didn't get around to finding chilli icecream, perhaps another time!
It's exciting to be leaving the country. We've been rushing around the past couple of days trying to get to people's houses and meet ferries and so on. From tomorrow onwards, nothing is booked or planned.
The hotel (Beausejour) we stayed in was basic, and the room was tiny, but it was nice and close to the ferry port and served its purpose. I was pleasantly surprised when we asked if there was anywhere we could leave the bikes - I wasn't expecting much as the hotel was terraced with other buildings in a narrow backstreet, but we were led down the street to a secure garage.
With the exception of Friday's showers, the weather's been beautiful so far, lots of sunshine although every so often a cloud passes across the sun and you shiver and remember it's still only April.
We have cycled 168 miles so far.
Grey Mouse
Well it's been a pretty dull few days for me - I've been shut away inside a dark pannier since Friday, while Hel and Dgym have been having all the fun. Oh well, at least they're doing all the pedalling - I'd have difficulty with that, since my legs are very short. And life in the pannier got a bit better once Hel threw in some cherry bakewells.Anyway - things got a bit better for me today when they took me out and I got to see Corfe Castle, which has about as many bits missing as I do. Here I am, enjoying a bit of sunshine.
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