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Post by Richard on Apr 20, 2015 20:49:23 GMT
Last October my mate greg rode solo to Paris. He invited me to join but I was very busy at work and couldn't take the time off and have regretted it ever since (but the good news is that my Project delivered successfully!). I'd been thinking of sorting out a repeat journey with greg ever since. Then a few weeks ago alansd posted up on STW looking for ideas for a two day epic from London. As you all know, Al loves his epic rides and we threw a few ideas around with the STW hordes. Over the next week or so and following a string of text messages to greg he devised a ride to Paris that would maximise riding time whilst minimising time away from home for those with newish wives and young kids. You know, the ones that are still full of hope for the future and not old and jaded like the rest of us. A few dates were chucked in and we've come up with the following itinerary for the Bank Holiday weekend of 22nd/23rd May. - Leave Ewell/Cheam circ 19-30 Friday evening and ride circa 90km (55 miles) to Newhaven on the South coast. It will be dark/dusk by the time we arrive so lights required
- Arrive circa 22-30
- Catch the 00:30 ferry from Newhaven and catch some zzz’s
- Ferry docks in Dieppe, France at 05:30 Saturday morning (local time – four hour ferry crossing)
- Ride the 190 km (120 miles) to Paris following mainly the Avenue Vert which is the route Greg rode last year so hopefully he has the route down to perfection/ironed out any difficult junctions etc. It will be dark/dusk when we leave so lights required
- Late afternoon Saturday, arrive in Paris, chillax, get a beer
- Make way to Gare du Nord, Paris
- Catch the 20:30 Eurostar back to London
- Arrive St Pancras, London circa 22:00 Saturday night and make our way home
Should be great fun. already looking forward to it.
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alansd
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Post by alansd on Apr 20, 2015 21:24:56 GMT
Cheers for posting this up Richard Really looking forward to it. Am struggling to decide what bike to take...first world problems! I am leaning towards the cross bike and am investigating racks so will be able to carry some of the extr kit without too much problem
Do we need a mapping gps or will the 500 do?
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Post by Richard on Apr 20, 2015 21:33:13 GMT
Do we need a mapping gps or will the 500 do? Greg only has a 500 and coped okay with this on his own. Me too so between us we should be able to cope. The beauty of him already having ridden the route should make things easier.
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Post by Richard on Apr 20, 2015 21:36:42 GMT
Logistics - list of things we are likely to need (feel free to add things):
- food and drink - pump (I have a decent frame mounted pump) - spare tubes - tyre levers - puncture repair kit - allen keys - folding tyre (should only need one between us unless we are really unlucky) - arm warmers - shower proof jacket - cash - credit card - list of local bike shops en route - garmin preloaded with route - ferry ticket/Eurostar confirmation etc. - front & rear lights
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Post by robmanns2007 on Apr 20, 2015 21:58:37 GMT
Gutted i cant come but dont envy riding the 120 miles in France after 4 hours broken sleep on a noisy dirty smelly hard floored ferry!!! You have my best wishes for 2 dry days and a tailwind You may want to add the following to your list, Chain tool Powerlink Gear cable Sun cream Ear plugs Speak to Cas about ideas and advice on bags that attach to the frame. Let me know your route from Ewell as I may well try to get over to you straight from work and cycle the first 20 miles or so with you as I assume you'll be heading some where towards Crawley area.
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Post by Richard on Apr 21, 2015 5:35:10 GMT
Cheers Rob,
Shame you can't make it. There's just four of us:
me Alan Greg Stevo
I should have also added to the list above:
still camera Gopro
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alansd
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Post by alansd on Apr 21, 2015 5:44:12 GMT
Stevo....
Didn't realise it was an uplift day !
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Post by robmanns2007 on Apr 21, 2015 6:06:25 GMT
Stevo??!! He's only going for the ferry "fry up"
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Post by Richard on May 18, 2015 21:32:41 GMT
Getting excited about this now. - Uploaded the 3 route segments to my Garmin - got a little pile of stuff in my room ready for the big day - including the ferry crossing and Eurostar return confirmation - am tapering this week in temrs of riding effort - bought a shedload of gels and power bars today - also bought a nice looking Castelli Squadra rain jacket that folds up into my rear pocket just in case the weather is bad/it gets cold at night or on the boat or at 5-30 am on Saturday morning! Oh and alansd and greg: boyos, remember your PASSPORTS and E111/EHIC if you have one!
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alansd
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Post by alansd on May 18, 2015 22:08:45 GMT
Tried uploading the route but farming connect is not playing ball. Will try again tomorrow.
Going to stock up on gels/bars tomorrow and bought an insulated bottle so I can have a hot coffee for the 5 am start! Hydration tabs also and a recovery drink for as soon as we stop Friday evening will hopefully help sat morning.
Getting a bit nervous as my riding has been dwindling due to kids. Dud 55 miles last Monday morning after 35 the Sunday evening and legs were fine. Half the distance but similar climbing...
Keeping a close eye on the forecast but at the moment it looks good!
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Post by Richard on May 19, 2015 7:44:12 GMT
you will be fine Alan, just think you could be 50 and slow like me! Farming Connect? Is this some kind of dating site for folk in Norwich? Mine loaded okay on my Garmin 500. I just clicked on Greg's link for each section and 'saved as course' and then clicked 'upload to device' and all worked okay for me. Here's a few things to remember based on email exchanges: - Don't forget your passport! - Dig out those commuting lights/flashy's and charge them - print out bike drop notice for Eurostar - 2nd pair of socks in case it gets wet - chamois cream - It's sad but Stevo can't make it - I will be bringing my GoPro and stills camera. Anyone out there reading this that has a GoPro and want to lend it to me for the trip? would be good to have a second cam to ensure I capture everything (as per batbling on our first alps trip I will of course be recording the full 4-hour ferry crossing;) ) Aiming to leave my house in Ewell circa 7pm this Friday. Bring. It. On.!
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Dandy Mole
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Post by Dandy Mole on May 19, 2015 8:19:33 GMT
Good luck, guys. Sounds like an epic trip .... but too epic for me !
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Post by robmanns2007 on May 19, 2015 18:08:29 GMT
I reckon I could be at your house by a bit after 7pm as ii will be coming straight from work. Would that work for you?
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Post by Richard on May 19, 2015 18:58:03 GMT
I reckon I could be at your house by a bit after 7pm as ii will be coming straight from work. Would that work for you? Yeah, that's good Rob
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alansd
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Post by alansd on May 19, 2015 19:18:23 GMT
Rob, you could meet them in Banstead to save dropping down then climbing back up. Welcome to drop by my gaff about 710 and we can roll round the corner to meet the rest of the peloton!
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terry
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Post by terry on May 19, 2015 19:58:14 GMT
Good luck to you all, now I have more time I might join you next time, I be on a bike in Greece or sitting by the sea having a beer. Be gentle on them Alan! Have a good trip and don't forget in France you need to carry a warning triangle, a high visibility vest each, a breathalyser kit each (the bulky ones)dimmed lights for riding on the right etc.... Sorry Richard I am taking my Go Pro on holiday...
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Post by robmanns2007 on May 19, 2015 20:44:16 GMT
Yep agreed Alan - that makes more sense for all and means Rich and Greg can set off without having to wait for me to rock up! Can you PM me your address and I'll be with you by 7.10pm - thanks
Terry, You're not going to Thassos are you?
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Post by Fishybob666 on May 20, 2015 19:30:26 GMT
Sounds like a great adventure ride, would love to do it next time with a bit more notice and training. Please tell me you're planning on riding up the Champs Elyses?
Richard, you're welcome to borrow my Gopro 3 black with a 32gb card, spare battery and some mounts, if you can make it to my house. Let me know?
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Post by Richard on May 20, 2015 19:50:07 GMT
Sounds like a great adventure ride, would love to do it next time with a bit more notice and training. Please tell me you're planning on riding up the Champs Elyses? Richard, you're welcome to borrow my Gopro 3 black with a 32gb card, spare battery and some mounts, if you can make it to my house. Let me know? sounds great Laurent, thanks. Will aim to get around there tomorrow evening?
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Post by Richard on May 20, 2015 19:54:31 GMT
Sounds like a great adventure ride, would love to do it next time with a bit more notice and training. Please tell me you're planning on riding up the Champs Elyses? Richard, you're welcome to borrow my Gopro 3 black with a 32gb card, spare battery and some mounts, if you can make it to my house. Let me know? final leg into gay Paree here connect.garmin.com/modern/course/9612343We don't visit the Champs Elysees but we do finish under La Tour Eiffel, how's that?
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Post by Fishybob666 on May 20, 2015 20:18:50 GMT
Sounds like a great adventure ride, would love to do it next time with a bit more notice and training. Please tell me you're planning on riding up the Champs Elyses? Richard, you're welcome to borrow my Gopro 3 black with a 32gb card, spare battery and some mounts, if you can make it to my house. Let me know? final leg into gay Paree here connect.garmin.com/modern/course/9612343We don't visit the Champs Elysees but we do finish under La Tour Eiffel, how's that? Ok that's good enough, you have my French blessing. Although I imagne you'll still be riding from there to the Gare du Nord for the Eurostar?
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Post by Fishybob666 on May 20, 2015 20:19:35 GMT
Sounds like a great adventure ride, would love to do it next time with a bit more notice and training. Please tell me you're planning on riding up the Champs Elyses? Richard, you're welcome to borrow my Gopro 3 black with a 32gb card, spare battery and some mounts, if you can make it to my house. Let me know? sounds great Laurent, thanks. Will aim to get around there tomorrow evening? Yep, I'll txt ya
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terry
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Post by terry on May 21, 2015 0:24:45 GMT
Terry, You're not going to Thassos are you? [/quote] No Lemnos...
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Post by Richard on May 21, 2015 20:51:53 GMT
Not Lesbos then?
Just been around to visit Laurent to collect his GoPro (thanks for the loan matey) and then out to the garage to fit my 5,0000 lumen light and to put the battery on charge and what a beautiful evening it is. Here's hoping tomorrow evening will be the same #fingerscrossed
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Post by Fishybob666 on May 22, 2015 14:11:15 GMT
Just been around to visit Laurent to collect his GoPro (thanks for the loan matey) Yeah, just make sure they don't fight for it when you arrive ! Enjoy the ride and i look forward to that high quality video
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Post by Richard on May 22, 2015 14:52:48 GMT
C'est la vie! Au revoir mes amis!
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batbling
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Post by batbling on May 22, 2015 16:54:48 GMT
Any ride where you need to take a passport has to be a great one ! Ride safe Dawg and dont let those Truckers on the ferry take advantage of you
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Post by Richard on May 22, 2015 17:23:35 GMT
Any ride where you need to take a passport has to be a great one ! Ride safe Dawg and dont let those Truckers on the ferry take advantage of you I'll try not to let them catch me with my trousers down
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Post by Richard on May 22, 2015 22:56:13 GMT
So, we are on our way. I was feeling very nervous earlier on this evening as zero hour approached and greg rolled up to my place at 7-10 and we headed up towards Banstead to meet alansd and @robmanns who was going to ride the first 20 miles or so with us. We head off following the standard L2B route down to Nutfield and beyond. Rob waves goodbye just past Outwood and its just the three of us. Its a beautiful evening and the miles roll by and we arer soon at Turners hill which is roughly the halfway point to Brighton. Down the other side and there's over 10k of descending and we make great time. Its soon dusk and we have a fright on one steep descent. I get down on the drops and go to overtake Greg in a narrow culvert in the road at about 35mph when a huge deer emerges from the right and dashes across to the left and crashes into the undergrowth and disappears. Greg, Alan and I are shrieking and shouting like girls, high on the adrenaline of a close call. I tell you, this was one big fooking deer that would have taken us out if we had hit it. A stop to get our lights working and we plough on. We are all three of us veterans of winter commuting and the darkness and the high car count doesn't phase us as we pound out mile after mile. Just before Lewes and just after a horrible section of about ten km's of dusty gravel recently dumped on the road we see a young couple on a tandem. They don't have lights having set out from Peckham about seven hours ago and are also heading to Newhaven for the same ferry. We ride with them to give them the benefit of our lights plus to save them referring to a paper map arriving in Newhaven at about 11pm and head to McDonalds although I only ever eat these when I'm drunk so I pass. Down to the ferry terminal and there's loads of cyclists here. Its easy getting onto the ferry and we find three leather reclining chairs and settle into them for the crossing. I'm glad I bought some spare layerd so that I can get ouy of this sweaty gear. We are still in port at the moment but I'm gonna try and get some shut eye now in preparation for the big day tomorrow.
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Post by Richard on May 23, 2015 6:31:25 GMT
So trying to sleep on the ferry was exactly as I expected and we docked at 04:30 uk time 05:30 CET and were on the road before 06:00 CET. Found the avenue verte easily enough and have knocked out a brisk 55km before breakfast. Now stopped in forge le eaux for croissant and breaking the habit of a lifetime a coffee! Special occassions mean special treats! Still got 100 miles to go
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