An epic 17 day cycling holiday, Manche to Med.

Saturday 11th June 2016 New Alresford to Portsmouth.

‎11th June 2016. Home to Portsmouth Ferry Terminal.

Left home just after 11.40 in light spits and spots of rain . 

Made good time to Cheriton with my two full panniers of about 20 lbs. Then came the hill to the Milburys, made it easily albeit lower gear than usual. In Bishops Waltham just missed the carnival procession. Headed through Wickham to Boarhunt where I had a coffee in Mud Island G.C. Next on to Southwick where another event was taking place. Many steam engines jeeps and other historic vehicles. 

Arrived in Portsmouth City around two o'clock. Went to Southsea to have a picnic lunch while watching the ferries.Then toured more of the old city and old dock area. Eventually got to the RV near the ferry terminal. Others arrived in dribs and drabs. We all  had a drink and a meal. Now we are all safely on board awaiting departure. A good mixture of folk. Three from Hampshire two from Canada one from Scotland and one from Wales. Now am getting ready for bed.

12th June Ouistreham to Falaise.

We set off from the ship about 7 CET and rode along Sword beach where the Canadians landed on D Day. Took some photos. 

The Group.

One of many war memorials.

First it was dry but around 7.45 it started to rain, at times quite hard, but mainly just enough to get us cold and damp. Should have brought gloves. Then rode to Caen along a super 'green way' cycle path. 10 miles almost dead flat. Near Pegasus Bridge we had to share the path with half marathon runners who were celebrating "Over Lord".

The river was interesting not only because of its history but also as a thriving port. Stopped for coffee in the town where the owner of the coffee shop told us to go to the boulangerie to get our pastries. Imagine that happening in England!

After Caen the route was on mainly D and unclassified roads. Some were rough and there were some potholes.

The rain came and went and the sun came out too. For lunch we dropped into a small town and bought picnic stuff in a number of shops. Sat on a bench in a small park to eat it .

Lots of villages, lots of agriculture. Crops growing included rape, barley, maize, linseed and grass. Cows in some places. Spotted ones, "Dalmatian" I said, Fiona said "Well Spotted".

Near the end of the route a proper hill long and steep rising to about 700 feet. I was not last up it. Even overtook someone else!

Then the rain came back for the last 7 km so we were glad to arrive in good time.

Now showered an changed, looking forward to dinner tonight.

Found a new use for hair dryer, on wet clothes. 

There are 15 of us cycling including the leader.

A great bunch. Only problem is they all seem to have had much more touring experience than me so I have much to learn.

Monday 13 June Falaise to Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe.

William the Conquerer's Castle.

Window in the Cathedral.

Had a brilliant day today. Only about 47 miles but a dry day for once. We rode through more farming areas with a mixture of arable and livestock. Linseed field was superb. We stopped at several interesting places. We had problems with cafés not being open on a Monday. However we did eventually find a coffee stop in St Bourg St Leonard and then we carried on to Almeneches where we had a picnic lunch in the town centre. Then we went on to Sees where there is a very interesting cathedral.

 From here to the hotel was a gentle ride made harder by a road closure so we had to deviate. Our hotel was in Le Mele sur Sarthe, a very pleasant family style hotel. We have just had a great meal, very French, but with the added excitement of a 50th birthday celebration. 

En route we also visited Chambois which was liberated in August after a battle of some 76 days to finally clear Normandy of the Germans. 
We have our longest day tomorrow, of about 72 miles. The group is already getting along really well, despite differences in ages and abilities. 

Tuesday 14 June Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe to Vendôme.

Distances so far Sat 36 Sun 43 Mon 47 Tues 74 Total 200 miles.

Had a very long day today. Left hotel at 8.30 and got to Vendome at 6 by the time we showered it was time for dinner. Just finished that.

One of our picnics.

We had a much better day for weather with lots of sunshine early on. Rain came for the last 20 miles. I managed to get detached from the others being neither fast enough to keep up with the fast group or slow enough to be with the others. 
This is the map until I got "lost":

Eventually I was reunited with them all and was saved the task of finding my own way. Thank goodness.

We had a real chain gang of about 10 going at 15 mph in the rain over that last stretch. We all agreed what great fun that was. Pink Pal would know what that feels like from her LeJog experience.

Our overall speed for the day was about 12mph. Much easier day tomorrow.

Map after I was reunited:

Wed. 15 June Vendôme to Amboise.

Just getting ready for another day of fun. The country has been mainly agricultural with a lot of cereal crops and peas, rape, and yesterday a few sunflowers. In one area it was very much like England with hedges and small fields with cows. Only the architecture and the electric poles told one it was France. Lots of swallows and swifts skimming along the streets just a few feet ahead of us. We have been making our lunches from the support van and picnicking.

We had a good morning riding from Vendome on the river Loir to

Blois on the river Loire. All very confusing! Sat in the sun drinking coffee watching the river flowing by. 

Au bord de La Loire.

Very easy riding all day with only one or two climbs. We followed the Loire along cycle paths. Had a picnic on benches by the river. Met a Polish man walking from Poland to Santiago dear Compostela. Gave him lunch. 
Lots of cyclists for the first time. One group from Canada another from Lancashire also a couple from Finland. Even a couple of French. For the first time it seemed like we were really on holiday and not just out having cycling fun.

The group all get on well together and we have had many laughs.

The pair running it all are great too!

Today we covered 50 miles

Two of the group had never done more than 63 before yesterday when we did 74. 

Thursday 16 June Amboise to Loches.

Arrived at Loches after a fab day sight seeing. We spent about 3 hours at Chenonceau Chateau. It was very interesting.

Had picnic lunch in a shelter with about 50 French kids.

It's pouring with rain now as we sit outside a cafe partaking of the local wine. We are under a big canopy.

We only did about 30 miles today. It is a real fun ride with lots of shouts of car back, car ahead etc.

Only 3 punctures so far. Posh has been superb, one of the best free wheelers! Keep passing the others when freewheeling down hill.

Lovely roses in this village near Loches.

It has been a great experience. I have made ten new friends. (I knew 3 already) we have so much fun and laughter. Of course I am getting on well with the ladies as well as the blokes.

I have ridden about 275 miles since noon on Saturday. Tough day coming Saturday then a rest day. 

Friday17 June Loches to Argenton-sur-Creuse.

Left Loches just before 9am and headed for Argenton. The first 10 kms were on roads I knew from last year. I left the others behind and they eventually hunted down Breakaway Bryce.

It was a showery day, but we managed to dodge most. We did have some shelter for our picnic lunch when we got under some conker trees and held umbrellas over the picnic table. 

We seem to have set a regular routine where the faster riders pull away from me with me in spot 8 or 9. I gradually lose sight of the leaders and the others drop away behind so I find myself on my own.

I don't mind this as I go at my own speed with no pressure 

Sometimes, like today, a group of us get together and ride at a higher speed and take turns on the front 

We had heavy rain with thunder last night while we were at dinner.

We arrived here quite early today as we need to refresh for a much hillier day tomorrow.

Another 52 miles covered 

Only problem I have had so far was a sore toe. Cut my toenail and that is now OK.

I nearly fell off my bike yesterday when Michael told us a funny true story and I was convulsed with laughter. 

It has been a very enjoyable ride from the social side as well as enjoying the very rural countryside.

Must now meet up with the others for our evening beer before dinner.

Saturday 18 June Argenton to Peyrat le Château.

Our toughest ride yet.
We did it in a shade over 6 hours moving time. 8.5 overall.

A big change in the countryside with a lot of hills. Mainly dairy farming with small fields with hedges or fences. We went through several wooded areas too. Lovely scents of pine and lot of acacia trees. Flowers very much like in England. Cooler than I expected long sleeves on almost the whole time.

Another great picnic spot.

The Lake Opposite the Hotel.

We are now more than half way. I have ridden nearly 400 miles in 8 days. Phew! Another long day tomorrow.

Food has been excellent, we even had "amuse bouche" before our starters last night. Plenty of wine most nights too. Each day we have picnic lunch. 

Sunday 19 June Peyrat le Château to Mauriac.

A second day of much climbing.

We started to climb for over 3 miles immediately from the hotel. At the top we found a large lake. Lovely pine forests with lots of very yellow broom. We found our group had doubled in size as we have climbed being joined by a group of French cyclists. 

One of the many lakes.

We had a companionable time for a while until they took a different route. However we found our paths crossing a couple more times.

I am having a great time. It has been much colder than I thought it would be but everso much as I expected for the hilliness. Yesterday we climbed to about 3,000 feet with a total of 6,700 feet climbed. Did not have to walk as the gradients were manageable

We had difficulty in finding any where to have a coffee. The villages are looking quite run down in this area. The forests were interspersed with many small farms with a dozen or so cows. Most of the pasture is of poor quality. The scenery was magnificent with moon daises everywhere. Red campion here instead of the white which we saw earlier. 

Wild Flowers.

Saw a black kite, a jay and many swifts.

We had our reward for all the climbing a run downhill at high speed for over 2 miles. I touched 41.45 mph the fastest I have ever been. We stopped for another picnic in a town square. Hardly saw anyone in the town.

Another climb before another fun descent. This one following the river it was very sinuous and a test for my bike handling skills. I was alone at this point thank goodness, no one to tangle with. 

Crossed the river Dordogne by suspension bride and began the last climb of the day about 4 miles in all gradient variable but not hard enough to need to walk. manged to switch my Garmin off just 3 miles from the end so have added a little red tail to the map and added the figures together.

Monday 2oth June. Rest Day.

Slept well last night. Off out to-do some sightseeing round Mauriac now. Here are some of the sights we saw both in Mauriac and on our way the next day.

Tuesday 21 June Mauriac to Lacapelle-Viescamp. 

For once it has been lovely sunny weather. We only did about 38 miles but we did have 4 significant climbs. One was harder than the others needing the granny gear for 3 miles then a more gentle climb for another three. 

One of several dams we saw.

We were in beautiful country with deep valleys and level plateaus in between. A number of lakes most man made. Never the less very beautiful.

We found a good picnic place in the shade by the river. Had a leisurely lunch.

Two punctures for Phil and a stripped pedal thread for John spoilt an otherwise perfect day. Have just had a dip in the hotel pool.

I am still managing to keep up my own pace, usually behind a number of other people but ahead of some too.

Anne and I actually were first to the Hotel as some of the faster ones stopped to take pictures. Well that's what they said

Saw several large birds. Possibly eagles, also damsel flies and a dead pine marten. Still lots of moon daises, heather and wagtails on the river.

At one point we had to negotiate busy road works slipping past the large machine stripping the tarmac on a bridge with only a gap of 3 feet

They would never have allowed us to do that in the UK.

Wednesday 22nd June  Lacapelle-Viescamp to Estaing.

Arrived Estaing at 5 pm. A 54 mile ride with many more hills climbed before lunch. Our reward was a fantastic 5 mile descent into the Lot Gorge. Here we had our picnic by the River Lot. 

Stunning views as we descended and more as we followed the river afterwards. Many wild flowers again including heather.

The climbs and descents are not steep but are often very long. 3 or 4 miles sometimes. Usually sinuous with many switch backs. I used my granny gear for miles at a time. The worst part of the ride was a stretch of 5 kms with excessive lose gravel. We came down a hill almost as slow as going up.

Exhausted but proud to have done it!

For the second day running it has been sunny and hot, about 30 deg C. I am now sporting a cyclists tan. I found the heat not too bad. 

Kept drinking water and had cold drinks at our refreshment stops.

It has been a wonderful experience and I am so pleased that I chose to do it.

Thursday 23rd June. Estaing to Meyrueis.

An outstanding ride. Almost audax  length at 99 kms

Much harder than most audax with three tough climbs the last one at the end,  only about 7% but over 8 kms long.

Our reward was to move from the Lot Valley to the Tarn Gorge. 

Half way along the Tarn Gorge.

Even more outstanding. It was so incredible with weird rock formations and houses perched high up on the gentler slopes . We saw lots of flowers, wild thyme everywhere so one could smell it

Still lots of familiar flowers but others I had not seen before.

It was most wonderful day, which will be hard to better.

Time for dinner now 

 Friday 24th June Meyrueis to La Vigan.

Another fabulous day. Only 44 miles but amazing climbs and descents. I loved every minute, even the climbs. We climbed to well over 5,000 feet and felt on top of the world with smaller mountains all around. 

Six of the seven who went to the top of Mont Aigoual.
John was busy checking out either the flowers or the coffee.

We have descended around 4,000 ft since then most of it in one go. The switch backs came thick and fast and were great fun.Hands got tired braking for the corners. We have stopped many times for pictures. 

Typical hillside with broom and pines

Wild flowers continue to amaze.
One stretch of about a km was like a continuous rock garden. Masses of bright yellow broom. The scents are lovely too. Trees cover many of the hills giving us a lot of shelter.

It is very hot now around 33 deg C.

Yesterday we had strong wind in our faces for many miles which helped keep us cool, less today 

Have seen humming bird hawk moths several times and lizards.

The food last night was great but with 5 courses and another 30 French cyclists tucking in it took over 3 hours, so that is why I didn't get more posted.

Lots of orchids in the wooded areas 

.The couple who are leading us have looked after us brilliantly, keeping us fed and more importantly watered. I drank over 5 litres of water less today as it was shorter. 

Only two days left now I think most of us will be disappointed when we finish 

Saturday 25th June. La Vigan to Aniane.

A truly fantastic day today.

Each day seems to be better than the previous one.

We rode into a totally different landscape. Much more scrubby than before. Masses of box, wild dog rose, scrub oak. All kinds of flowers and butterflies. Then we came to the lip of a canyon. I have never seen anything like it. It is called Le cirque de  Navacelles. After admiring it we descended to the bottom and climbed up the other side. I had to get off and walk a short bit at the bottom and near the top about another 300 yards. It was real hard. 

The Canyon. Spot the road we climbed.

One of the riders had a narrow escape when he went over the edge, fortunately he chose a place which wasn't sheer and was cut and bruised and his bike only slightly damaged. A few yards further on he would have fallen several hundred feet.

Another guy fell on lose gravel and we had two punctures, so not the best day for them.

We did some other climbs and descents too, the last one bringing us into the  Herault valley where there are lots of vineyards.

At the hotel we had a swim and I have just been given a birthday present a card and a lovely Donkey picture.

Everybody has been so kind heaping kind comments on me. 

Tomorrow is our last day just a short 40 miles to the beach.

It has been the most incredible birthday!

Many thanks to you all for the many birthday wishes.

Looking forward to boring you all with tales of derring-do and showing you  some of the many photos.

Sunday 26th June. Aniane to St. Jean de Vedas.

We have done it! We have been in the sea and are now changing into civvies ready for the ride home in the coach.

We had a comparatively easy last day, only minor hills and around 40 miles. There has been a lot more traffic and more vineyards. Weather has been hot but not too hot.


At one point we were caught by a large group of local cyclists. Three or four of us sat on their wheels and then Nic passed them just to show how fast he is. I managed to hang on for about 2 miles, then had to wait for the rest of our gang to catch up!

Au bord de la Med.

I had a little time away from the beach on my own and got chatting with a young French man and his two children. I had a portion of frites with a 25 cls of red wine for 4.50 euros. 

He was very interested in our journey. We chatted in a mixture of French and English.

Checking out the TDF Jersies.

A few pictures of me on my journey:

Supporting Wales!

Wales Too!

Winners of the KOM Seniors and Juniors.

KOM Before I was awarded the spotted socks by Fiona!

Now on the bus, my bike is loaded along with my bags. Lots more to be loaded.

Monday 27th  June. South |Mimms Services to Sunninghill.

Good morning everyone. I am back from the best cycle trip I have ever ridden. It was challenging, exciting, exhilarating, and I was blessed with a lovely group of folk who encouraged me with their fun and laughter along the way.

I finished off my Odessy by cycling from South Mimms Services to Sunninghill where my daughter Sarah picked me up. 

The final day being one of complete contrast with traffic with me almost all the time, instead of the country roads of France. In a way that was fun too; 39 miles ridden to bring the total to 779.

Thanks to the other 15 on the trip who helped to give me the most memorable birthday ever on the 25th.

I was reminded of the realities of life rather rudely this morning when at 8.34 one of "THOSE" calls woke me.