Now that I’m back in the “real” world, I’ve updated all my posts for the days of the L2P so if you want to know more about what we did, I suggest you go back and re-read from the beginning.  At least if I’ve written it all down I have a record/momento of the whole thing.  If anyone owes me sponsorship money, or would like to sponsor me, now would be a good time to pay up 🙂

Total Time 23:20:08
Total Distance 336.18 miles
Average Speed 14.35 mph

That’s a whole heap of cycling!  It was a fantastic trip.  Really well organised and run, by the Discover Adventure guys.  Lovely people, great scenery, pretty good weather, and some great riding.  I probably wouldn’t do it again – I don’t really do repeats – but I’d recommend it to anyone 🙂

Time 7:55:24
Distance 117.3
Average Speed 14.7

In the Novotel on the outskirts Chartres after a long day;  My left knee went before lunch, many many hours ago,  and I didn’t get my hands on decent drugs until the last water stop 16 miles out.  Cycling with one leg is not easy – downhill and flat is ok, but uphill is a disaster when you can’t put any weight on it 🙁  But the last 16 miles?  I caned it *grin*.  Got up to 30mph for a bit, was mostly at 25ish on flat smooth roads, wind beneath my wings, just flying.  I’m quite fast sometimes you know! 😉  I even towed people with me! Can’t believe I can do a day like this 3 days in – it’s pretty much like the Dragon – but without all the pasta and rest days!  How cool is that?  But I’m REALLY going to hurt tomorrow.  Thank goodness it’s “only” 50 odd miles…and I’m looking forward to rolling into Paris, drugged up to the eyeballs, and ready for my champagne 🙂

(taken over from Hubby…)

After a couple of beers in the bar the evening before, and the bad night’s sleep at the Holiday Inn, on top of a day’s cycling, I was tired enough to sleep like a baby on the ferry.  I find ferry cabins kinda womb like anyway – warm, constant noise, rocking…  We were up at 6am, kitted up, and off to the buffet for continental breakfast plus extra cereal.  The way back to the cabins was a rabbit warren, and we managed to get lost several times on the way back to them and also back to our bikes…traipsing around getting funny looks from all the “normal” people.

There was a long wait once off the ferry at St Malo to get underway which was a tad tedious, but we finally set off a bit after 9am.  We cycled as a 5 with Jon, and Richard/John/Yank (long story) and others, and we made a pretty good team.  It was fairly flat up until the 1st stop, and it was infinitely nicer cycling in France than it had been the day before.  All those lovely road surfaces & polite drivers who leave you loads of space – very nice thankyou.  There were longer hills up and down later but nothing too mad – just long drags.  Kevin and Ian were busy “not racing”…  We instigated the “coffee stop”, a tool to break up the journey, go to the loo (no such things at water/food stops on the French legs), to drink coffee and orangina.  At the last stop we were lingering in the sun, having seriously augmented the takings of the sleepy little cafe we’d found, but we could see some properly hideous weather looming behind us, and decided to head off and race the rain in.

We reached Mayenne and split up, off to the four various hotels being used.  Mine was another 4 miles out…with a couple of the biggest hills of the day on main roads to get there…but boy was it ever worth it!  It turned out to be a recently renovated and converted chateau and outbuildings.   The room was modern and stylish, with a fab walk in shower which I made much use of before going and sitting on the terrace for a couple of beers.  By now the rain had arrived, and a steady stream of very wet and cold cyclists who’d been stuck in it for hours were coming in, making me feel quite guilty…kinda *grin*.

Dinner was fab – three courses, veg terrine, magret de canard, sorbet – all very civilised.  The Star Inn crowd welcomed me onto their table, which was very nice of them as I’d have been kinda on my own otherwise without my little peleton.

Time 5:57:44
Distance 85.58
Average Speed 14.3

I didn’t feel as bad as I thought I would after two days in the saddle.  I did have a few issues – namely my left shoulder and knee, and ibuprofen had ceased to be a luxury and become a necessity!  The route was much easier than Day 1 though, and much more sociable.  Day 2 was done.  Day 3 – the longest of the lot – loomed…

(taken over from Hubby)

So the day came, after a distinctly average night’s sleep, or lack of one.  I got all my stuff ready, feeling rather apprehensive, and a bit lonesome.  Everyone gathered in the car park, and I didn’t know anyone.  Bill introduced himself to me as we were waiting, and I found the PHUK.dis mob who I’d “met” online, which helped a bit.  After the briefing we finally set off, following the orange arrows that were to guide us all the way to Paris.

It wasn’t the best ride.  Lots of gusty headwind, grey gloomy English roads, and a whole heap of hills.  The stops were good – all at or near pubs so with toilet facilities.  We lunched in a nice park near Jane Austen’s house, on the inevitable pasta and carbs.  I managed to get a tad lost near Farnham and had to retrace my steps, but apart from that the route went fine.  My cycle computer stopped working for a bit as I discovered the magnet was a tad knackered, so the mechanic crew taped it on to the spoke with black tape.  Not attractive, but it did the job.  You know how I like to have my figures!

Time 5:47:00
Distance 78.3
Average Speed 13.5

I think the average speed was pretty much down to the hills.  To have the South “Downs” you have to have the South “Ups” and there were some corkers.  In fact there wasn’t much decent flat to get going on at all.  Somewhere along the way I met Jon and we cycled together on and off for a while.  The last huge climb up Portland Hill before Portsmouth was a corker…but I made it up without getting off and even spent some time at the top admiring the views over the harbour.  Luckily as I know the scenery there vaguely, I knew where the top was, so I just plodded my way up.  I’d left Jon behind so headed down into a busy Portsmouth on my own where I met Kevin and Ian for the first time and we headed off to the “holding” stop together.

Gradually it felt like the L2P was getting started.  Our little group grew, as Lorne (in impressively psychedelic kit) joined us, and Bill too, and we had quite a laugh killing time before we were allowed to head off to the ferry.  By the time we were on the ferry I had people to go spend time with in the bar, had found Sophie who was to be my roomy for the trip, and was feeling much better about it all.  Day 1 was done 🙂

(taken over from Hubby)

Yes. Tomorrow. (*insert panicky noise here*). When it is highly unlikely that the sun will come out. Did I mention that I can actually make it rain?

So. Haircut completed. Bags packed. Final PT drops done. Legs denuded. Nails painted (which will clearly make me go much faster). Routes to and from Chessington printed out. Instructions for hubby done.

Still to do: Find car keys.  (I know I put them down SOMEWHERE!).  Have bath, in attempt to relax.  Ponder on why there is a banana on the landing.  (Really – there is).  Choose CDs for the journey. Panic. Locate can of Red Bull just in case. Worry. Put bike in car. Panic. Load up car with bags etc. Worry. Eat pasta. LEAVE!!!

At which point I’ll be done. Ready as I can be. En route.

*****aaargh!!!*****

*grin*

A bientôt! 🙂