Thursday 19 April 2012

The Last Day on Video - we make the coast

Find here video footage of the last day

https://vimeo.com/40353743

It shows the last 50 miles of the 678 mile odyssey through France

Enjoy - we did!!!

Saturday 7 April 2012

Day 8 Film Footage

Thé penultimate day's footage has been posted - pléase go to:

http://vimeo.com/39955871

and enjoy

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Location:Lézignan-Corbières,France

The Penultimate Day

Yep, it's official we have just 50km left to do before we reach the end of the road - which is the Med at Cap d'Agde

Today was a belter - some 130km and an average of 25kmph (15mph)  - we spent the first part of the day on the canal from. Toulouse and the second on the road, tanking it from the high part of the pass

As we reached Carcassonne we decided to stop and spend some time being tourists! We visited La Cite - the old castle which was used in 'Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves' it was gorgeous!

Then I decided to blatter the last 30km to Corbieres and the hotel

Brilliant day's riding and pretty fast!

See the sea tomorrow - Yippee!!

Well you have to, don't you!

Cracking meal in Corbieres!!!!

Nothing was left at all on any plate whatsoever - this is what happens when you burn up some 5000 cals

Day 7 is online

Here is the Vimeo link to the day from Agen to Toulouse
Hope you like it!
http://vimeo.com/39936586

Friday 6 April 2012

Day 7 to Toulouse

It started with excellent weather and finished with thé mother of à thunderstorm - but we just got into thé hôtel as thé Rainier started falling - so our 100% dry record persists

Sadly though our bikes were outside last night - so it's oiling thé chians in thé morning before we set off on thé penultimate leg of thé ride.

À good day was had today as we left thé wonderful town of Agen and spent thé whole time on thé canal bank - some 118km later we found ourselves in thé middle of France's second city of Toulouse. Thérè followed à battle to get to thé SW of thé City - à ride that Gary and i know too well

Still safe and sound - it was food and sleep and à chance to catch up with some old friends - sleepppppp!


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Location:Avenue des Crêtes,Ramonville-Saint-Agne,France

On thé Canal to Agen

Here is the video of the day's ride from Castillon to Agen (on the Canal du Midi)

Http://vimeo.com/39912346

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Thé St. Emillion vidéo

Finally got it madè and uploaded to thé web

Safely into à hôtel in Toulouse before thé thunderstorm hit


St. Emillion
http://vimeo.com/39899349


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Location:Avenue Tolosane,Ramonville-Saint-Agne,France

Thursday 5 April 2012

On the Canal

Well we have finally made it to the "Way to the Med" - after 40km dash southwards from Castillion we hit the Canal du Midi at Le Reole.

Thus we are now on the 250 miles of flat cycling alongside one of France's great canals.

Today's ride of 112km has got us nicely on the road to Toulouse and all of it without (so far) any rain of note.

Night time sees us in a wonderful restaurant in the old centre of Agen where we are eating our way through a bucket of food - which is bloody excellent!

Wednesday 4 April 2012

Post Via Text from Rob

Due to a lack of Wifi (or WeeFee) as the French call it, this post is being made by an impostor.  
So, Rob has reported:
We are in Castillon by the river. (for those who don't know, Castillon is a small town on the Dordogne - the river in question - not too far from St Emilion).  We had a 94 km ride today and managed to stay dry despite being surrounded by clouds (editor's paraphrasing privileges applied).   Got a Chamber d'Hote on the hills above the town - the owner will take us in and out for a Castleout! (Your guess is as good as mine!) Bikes are well as are we. The canal at La Reole by lunch tomorrow and then hopefully Agen.

We are all having teas (no milk) and chocolat - very lucky so far with the weather but a chilly night is forecast tonight.  (Comment to me 'Does that sound familiar?')  For those who may have been living on a different planet in 2007 and not up to speed with the ride Rob and I did then, a detailed account can be found here  (NB, the first photo in this account was taken on the bridge crossing the Dordogne at Castillon so that's karma) Food in 90 mins. (Posted at 18:07 French time)


This photo was taken in 2007 while crossing the Dordogne at Castillon so in the absence of anything from Rob and team, enjoy the view.



Tuesday 3 April 2012

Day 3 Video is now Online

Please goth:

http://vimeo.com/m/39749575

Slightly out of order - hotel wifi!

Day 4 Video is on the web

Here are some shots of the ride from La Rochelle to Jonsac

http://vimeo.com/m/39731282

Expensive Latte!

Had a lovely stop at the cafe on the corner by the big bridge across the Charente in Saintes
Had a 3 Euro Latte - it was good!
It kicked ass and we needed it!

Two Thorns at Rest

Taken at Lunch on Tuesday




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On thé road to Saintes


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Pretty Shots

Just some nice shots of the gang on the road to Saintes!




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Location:Rue des Brouillauds,Jonzac,France

First Casualty


Yep Helen forgot to declip when stopping! All OK - relief!


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Location:Rue des Brouillauds,Jonzac,France

Made It - after another 120km

Currently in a Logis Hotel called the Hotel L'Ecu in Jonsac after putting in a 120km ride through the agricultural centre of France!

We left the sea and sun in La Rochelle and slowly made our way (at 12.5mph) towards Saintes. Having said that, we didn't get on the road till 9.30am due to some of us not waking on time! We must be getting tired!

We hit the road and made our way inland in a SE direction towards the river Charente. Lunch was had by the river and a few memories came back of when Gary and I stopped here - Quick coffee stop in Saintes and then we were on our way to Pons and finally here to Jonsac.

All getting tired and a few with muscles aching but what the heck! Tomorrow could see us at Saint Emillion - just love this country!

Tonight we may have a glass of Pinneau Charentes or two!


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Location:Rue Taillefer,Jonzac,France

Monday 2 April 2012

Day 3 in La Rochelle

Well we managed it and I must admit I never thought we would make it by the 4.30pm rule. As the clock ticked over, we entered the outskirts of the town and went straight to the Port - into the Tourist place and eh voila, we had the Hotel Paris booked

Not cheap but neither is La Rochelle - still the bikes are locked up in the Quad and in the open! They worked hard today!

Big mileage once again, as the towns slipped by - principally La Roche sur Yon and Lucon - through the marshes (wind behind us Gary) and into Rochelle

Big steak dinner tonight as a reward! Tomorrow will see leave the sea behind and head for Jonsac - fingers crossed it will be warm again!


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Location:Rue Gargoulleau,La Rochelle,France

Sunday 1 April 2012

Day 2 Vidéo is online

http://vimeo.com/39594417

All of thé action from our Day 2 on thé road

Now off for petit-déjeuner

See you all tonight

Rob


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Location:Le Petit Bois,Machecoul,France

Day 1 Vidéo is now àvailable

http://vimeo.com/39592317

Hope you like it!

Rob

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Day 2 - twas à 130km bruiser

Thé simple aim today was to get over thé Loire and into thé Vendée. This we did and duly finished in Machecoul

Accompanied by Dave and Richard we set off at 9am after à gréât breakfast ( and cheap) and immediately found our proposed route closed due to French Rally Cross - bugger! Big détour which explain's today's mileage ensued and pût us back an hour.

Still we carried on, blown by à cracking wind and knocked up à decent average speed as we sped through town after town. Finally, we reached thé Loire and caught thé frèe ferry over at Le Pellerin. We then completed thé last 25km to thé hôtel - big day, big wind, big sun - followed by big dinner and bed.

Nan night!


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Location:Le Petit Bois,Machecoul,France