StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Yes, looking forward to doing that for the second time in as many months
FNRttC The Fridays tour 2014
- Thread starter mmmmartin
- Start date
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AKA Bob
Riding a folding bike far too much of the time...
- Location
- Reading upon Thames
First day done, and @User13710 was right about the showers. Thankfully the worst was over by the time @mmmmartin had finished his first and second Briefings, and we headed out along the canal.
A bit more drizzle was all we really had, plus quite a lot of drips from the trees we stopped under to mend the first puncture. And then the second puncture, which happened to @User while his bike was stationary. Only on a Fridays trip...
It was nice enough to picnic for lunch in Conde sur Noireau, but quite hot for the flog up the horrible hill out of town. We started having some problems with our hydraulic brake (crossed fingers, now fixed) and there was one more visit from the p** fairy, but we arrived in Domfront with plenty of time for the aforesaid fettling of the brake (thanks, @srw!) and a nice shower. Supper will be very welcome: but the party at our B&B, up another vile hill, will not be joining those at the hotel at the bottom of the hill!
A bit more drizzle was all we really had, plus quite a lot of drips from the trees we stopped under to mend the first puncture. And then the second puncture, which happened to @User while his bike was stationary. Only on a Fridays trip...
It was nice enough to picnic for lunch in Conde sur Noireau, but quite hot for the flog up the horrible hill out of town. We started having some problems with our hydraulic brake (crossed fingers, now fixed) and there was one more visit from the p** fairy, but we arrived in Domfront with plenty of time for the aforesaid fettling of the brake (thanks, @srw!) and a nice shower. Supper will be very welcome: but the party at our B&B, up another vile hill, will not be joining those at the hotel at the bottom of the hill!
OP
OP
mmmmartin
Random geezer
Access to wifi allows an update from The Grand Routing Officer.
A few random thoughts:
A few random thoughts:
- We miss @ianmac62 but he is here in spirit because of the work he did on The Master Spreadsheet, the Order Of Luggage Delivery, and the map of each town for every day with the hotels marked on.... the man is a genius of organisation, this trip would be very hard without his work: every club should have one.
- Van driving is now split between me and his replacement (who often seems to be very puzzled at what he has let himself in for).
- There are some very fast people on bikes with very small wheels on this trip.
- Cometh the hour, cometh the man. @redfalo is leading the peeps using the track from the recce. Without his input this whole thing would be very tricky. Where the route deviates from the recce track, I step fearlessly into the beach.
- Ian Replacement and I are the proud owners of Europcar cycling shirts, we told everyone we were spotted as excellent billboards for its products and are being paid to wear them: truth is they were a freebie when we picked up the van. I should have asked for 23, obvs.....
- The route generally is going well although as expected the perfectly flat cycle paths on old railways that avoid all the hills have had a mixed reception on the ground that they were a bit boring. Such thoughts were banished today when instead of the crap cycle path they went along the main road: dead straight and massively hilly. At one point I was doing 50kph downhill in the van following @StuartG who was steady as a rock - onna Brompton.
- @Gordon P and @AlexB & richie were such a help on the recce, everyone is enjoying the benefits of their efforts.
- We had a picnic in Mayenne by the river in the sunshine. No beer was consumed. Well, not much.
- Yesterday we went through St Brice, the village dedicated to the patron saint of Fridays Tours.
- Tomorrow is Bistro Day. €10 lunch.What's not to like?
- Oh, I forgot to mention the 9.30 departure today was delayed by the mandatory faffage then because some idiot numpty van driver had been picking up all the luggage from three hotels then forgetting a bag containing all the worldly belongings of @User13710. The B&B chappie raced down to us in his car brandishing it. Phew!
- Weather still good, cooler than forecast but between 20 and 24 with a following breeze. Excellent for cycling.
- Er, that's it.
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StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
No budgies were smuggled, barbecued or otherwise harmed. Though The Grand Routing Officer's whistle caused chaos at local kennels.
srw
It's a bit more complicated than that...
It's a corruption of budget-smuggler. Apparently in the 1930s a journalist on the FT was given a preview of the Chancellor's speech at the swimming pool of their London club. He stuffed a copy down his swimming trunks enabling him to get a budget-day exclusive, much to the chagrin of Reuters who usually got the privilege. Ever since then the swimming pool has been strictly tackle out.
OP
OP
mmmmartin
Random geezer
Grand Routing Officer Upsum
Weather held, still a following wind. Laval exited, no probs. In fact the 9.30 rendezvous was made at 9.29, so we claim a first for a Fridays ride: earliness.
River side cycle path a bit gravelly so as we left it for the roads - largely deserted - the Mandatory Faffage was replaced wirh a Mandatory Tyre Check but this did not prevent a couple of punctures later.
Temperature constantly 25, sunny.
Lunch was a leisurely affair, at least for us if not for the poor overworked chef, the woman in charge of Le Bistro in Chateau Gontier, and a couple of locals roped in to help. Four courses, €14 - say no more. Inc wine, to boot. We set off slowly after that.
Uneventful riding through the normal beautiful French countryside on deserted roads in sunshine, so not much to report really. A visitation led to some impromptu sunbathing and people were evidently enjoying themselves: this will have to stop, obvs.
As we approached Death Bridge I found myself
A) wanting my mum and
B) wishing a gnarly old buzzard such as @Gordon P was on the ride.
However, with @Mice, eddie, mark, @StuAff sent on as advance party and @Andrew Br in front as the Responsible Adult with helen s and @User being calm at the back, the peloton formed up, blocked the road and despite me, resplendent in Hi Viz Gilet in the middle of the road, three rear lights flashing and generally bellowing instructions at the poor riders like a mother hen on acid, we somehow survived the anger of the two miles queue of traffic and made it across Death Bridge and Death Roundabout to the cycle path on the other side. It was a magnificent sight. The Friday peeps truly are a great bunch: nerves were kept. Grace under pressure, you can't beat it.
This made a welcome change from the recce, when we missed the turning and rode on to the dual carriageway, only gaining the cycle path by dragging the bikes through a hedge and over a ditch, into which I fell. Oh how we laughed!
Signing off now, I'm bushed.
Every breath I ever took on this earth has been preparing me for this trip. Those abed in England will one day curse themselves that they were not with us on this ride.
Weather held, still a following wind. Laval exited, no probs. In fact the 9.30 rendezvous was made at 9.29, so we claim a first for a Fridays ride: earliness.
River side cycle path a bit gravelly so as we left it for the roads - largely deserted - the Mandatory Faffage was replaced wirh a Mandatory Tyre Check but this did not prevent a couple of punctures later.
Temperature constantly 25, sunny.
Lunch was a leisurely affair, at least for us if not for the poor overworked chef, the woman in charge of Le Bistro in Chateau Gontier, and a couple of locals roped in to help. Four courses, €14 - say no more. Inc wine, to boot. We set off slowly after that.
Uneventful riding through the normal beautiful French countryside on deserted roads in sunshine, so not much to report really. A visitation led to some impromptu sunbathing and people were evidently enjoying themselves: this will have to stop, obvs.
As we approached Death Bridge I found myself
A) wanting my mum and
B) wishing a gnarly old buzzard such as @Gordon P was on the ride.
However, with @Mice, eddie, mark, @StuAff sent on as advance party and @Andrew Br in front as the Responsible Adult with helen s and @User being calm at the back, the peloton formed up, blocked the road and despite me, resplendent in Hi Viz Gilet in the middle of the road, three rear lights flashing and generally bellowing instructions at the poor riders like a mother hen on acid, we somehow survived the anger of the two miles queue of traffic and made it across Death Bridge and Death Roundabout to the cycle path on the other side. It was a magnificent sight. The Friday peeps truly are a great bunch: nerves were kept. Grace under pressure, you can't beat it.
This made a welcome change from the recce, when we missed the turning and rode on to the dual carriageway, only gaining the cycle path by dragging the bikes through a hedge and over a ditch, into which I fell. Oh how we laughed!
Signing off now, I'm bushed.
Every breath I ever took on this earth has been preparing me for this trip. Those abed in England will one day curse themselves that they were not with us on this ride.
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StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Another fantastic day. Le Bistro (yes, really) was somewhat chaotic- those who remember L'escapade in Carentan, epic delays etc, that had nothing on this place- mitigating circumstances as described by Martin, not least excellent food. People waited and waited for starters while others had mains. I ordered grilled ham, what arrived was beef....but I have no complaints, it was brilliant. La belle @theclaud would have been very much in demand as La Terminatrice de tout Faffage Extraordinare. Martin resorted to Simon's highly effective technique of just setting off. Bike now looks like it's been doing a spring classic or three after extensive mileage on (mostly OK) off-road paths. @ianrauk would despair at the dirty peloton. Cleaning will have to wait. The faster and less hill-phobic among us are thoroughly enjoying the rolling terrain, the less quick and flatlanders are still enjoying it, just at a more relaxed pace. Scenery gorgeous, food superb, company excellent, drivers patient. Even had a decent cup of tea. And tailwinds all the way (Campagnolo Zondas proving aptly effective in the conditions). This may induce envy. Sorry...
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OP
OP
mmmmartin
Random geezer
The streets around the hotel in Angers must be very clean. That damned cleaning lorry has been up and down the road about three times now. This is good, I suppose.
Friday peeps have been bullied into another 9.30 start, and as this day is about fun we're off to the steps of the cathedral where there will be a Group Photograph with the bikes and riders in tiers. The opportunity for Grande Faffage is quite, quite, beguiling.
Lunch, on a 65k day, provides yet more Faffage, and we're off to Alberto's. He's a very nice chap, Portuguese. After last night's footie, @redfalo will have his own table. In another town.
EDIT. Tailwind continues, 22kph forecast today, cloudy then sunny after lunch.
*makes mental note to ask the group if, after lunch, they want to descend the Agent Hilda Memorial Hill, which is the wrong hill, and then re-ascend it - just for fun. We ought to do it at least once on this trip.*
Friday peeps have been bullied into another 9.30 start, and as this day is about fun we're off to the steps of the cathedral where there will be a Group Photograph with the bikes and riders in tiers. The opportunity for Grande Faffage is quite, quite, beguiling.
Lunch, on a 65k day, provides yet more Faffage, and we're off to Alberto's. He's a very nice chap, Portuguese. After last night's footie, @redfalo will have his own table. In another town.
EDIT. Tailwind continues, 22kph forecast today, cloudy then sunny after lunch.
*makes mental note to ask the group if, after lunch, they want to descend the Agent Hilda Memorial Hill, which is the wrong hill, and then re-ascend it - just for fun. We ought to do it at least once on this trip.*
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Agent Hilda
The Babe
Agent H Not on Ride Upsum
The weather in London is cool and we have a following wind. It is not sunny.
The roads are smooth and exactly the same as they were yesterday
They still haven't finished Farringdon Station & the same bastards that tried to kill me last week tried to kill me this week
The Parks are wonderful but smell of foxes & cappuccinos
Louise is wearing a sensational frock on Breakfast News and Gary Linnekar is fit, but Thierry Henry is stealing the news by wearing a cardigan, with one button undone.
Agent H is undone by him
The football is illuminating btw and the Portuguese utterly miserable
At The Towers productivity is 100% and we have our first baby
MaxMara has run out of size 8 skinny fit jeans
Loving you loads you wonderful people
Agent H
The weather in London is cool and we have a following wind. It is not sunny.
The roads are smooth and exactly the same as they were yesterday
They still haven't finished Farringdon Station & the same bastards that tried to kill me last week tried to kill me this week
The Parks are wonderful but smell of foxes & cappuccinos
Louise is wearing a sensational frock on Breakfast News and Gary Linnekar is fit, but Thierry Henry is stealing the news by wearing a cardigan, with one button undone.
Agent H is undone by him
The football is illuminating btw and the Portuguese utterly miserable
At The Towers productivity is 100% and we have our first baby
MaxMara has run out of size 8 skinny fit jeans
Loving you loads you wonderful people
Agent H
Beebo
Firm and Fruity
- Location
- Hexleybeef
Tears of joy or tears of pain?
Andrew Br
Still part of the team !
- Location
- Chorlton Cum Hardy
We need to distinguish between "faffage" (general farking around) and "phaffage" (phucking around for photos).
More importantly, it's been another wonderful day and, not importantly, the Belgian goalkeeper is wearing the same colour of shirt as I wore today.
We also managed to mine a thin seam of smut and innuendo as we repeatedly inflated Wanda's tyre to get her to the hotel without fixing the puncture.
I'll resist the temptation to say that she was well satisfied with the results.
Oh, damn.
.
More importantly, it's been another wonderful day and, not importantly, the Belgian goalkeeper is wearing the same colour of shirt as I wore today.
We also managed to mine a thin seam of smut and innuendo as we repeatedly inflated Wanda's tyre to get her to the hotel without fixing the puncture.
I'll resist the temptation to say that she was well satisfied with the results.
Oh, damn.
.
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