Sittingbourne To Paris Bike Ride - The Demelza 101
Well, after nearly a year of training, the day finally came and 96 riders including "us"1 set off on 30th April on our 4 day ride to Paris. There's so much stuff on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube then it seems pointless repeating it all here.
However, it's worth saying that it was one of the best things I've done in a long time and I would do it again in a heartbeat. In fact, most of us agreed that we could have cycled back the next day.
Out of 170+ punctures, we had - none. Out of all the breakdowns, we had - none. Out of all the hills, I walked - none; as Alan said "that's ain't gonna happen!".
Apart from cycling through the Somme and instinctively saluted a War Cemetery, there are two things that stood out above all the other things that stood out, one was arriving at lunch at the green of a beautiful old French village and noticing that the Church walls were a little worse for wear. "Yes", we were told, "those are bullet holes from when the German soldiers lined up the French Resistance and shot them.", and, the German Shepard dog that had great fun making us run the gauntlet through his village. Having spotted him chasing some guys in front I was prepared and unclipped from the cleats ready to give him swift kick if necessary. I was saved by the 40' artic that came down the road. The dog stopped where he was and barked after me, "Next time Mon Ami, next time" and promptly began stalking his next victim.
We stood for most of the time in the bar of the Eurostar on the way back watching the French countryside rush by at over 180mph. After about 2 hours of rape fields and asparagus crops, Chris kept staring out of the window and said, "Y'know, it makes you realise just how fucking far we actually cycled..."
1The eight of us in "Dad's Army"
However, it's worth saying that it was one of the best things I've done in a long time and I would do it again in a heartbeat. In fact, most of us agreed that we could have cycled back the next day.
Out of 170+ punctures, we had - none. Out of all the breakdowns, we had - none. Out of all the hills, I walked - none; as Alan said "that's ain't gonna happen!".
Apart from cycling through the Somme and instinctively saluted a War Cemetery, there are two things that stood out above all the other things that stood out, one was arriving at lunch at the green of a beautiful old French village and noticing that the Church walls were a little worse for wear. "Yes", we were told, "those are bullet holes from when the German soldiers lined up the French Resistance and shot them.", and, the German Shepard dog that had great fun making us run the gauntlet through his village. Having spotted him chasing some guys in front I was prepared and unclipped from the cleats ready to give him swift kick if necessary. I was saved by the 40' artic that came down the road. The dog stopped where he was and barked after me, "Next time Mon Ami, next time" and promptly began stalking his next victim.
We stood for most of the time in the bar of the Eurostar on the way back watching the French countryside rush by at over 180mph. After about 2 hours of rape fields and asparagus crops, Chris kept staring out of the window and said, "Y'know, it makes you realise just how fucking far we actually cycled..."
1The eight of us in "Dad's Army"
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