FNRttC The Fridays tour 2014

[StuAff]

I know, but there is no thread for the 1 August ride from Manchester to Morecambe.

Whoops. Misread that query.

 

[StuAff]

A privilege and a pleasure.

Creep.

 

[rvw]

For some of us, Marseille would also have to be along the coast, unless you can find a route through the Cevennes which is do-able for a mixed group. Sadly, the direct Avignon-London Eurostar service only seems to run during high summer (2014 dates are 28th June to 6th September) which probably doesn't help: it could be even hotter and hotels would be more awkward in busier months.

 

[mmmmartin]

Good point. For the south of France, early april is the driest month and temperatures are very similar to those we had on this trip - in the 20s. Early April is a UK school half term so that would allow school/university peeps to join in.
Thoughts?

 

[rvw]

It will surely be the full holiday, not just half-term? Easter Sunday 2015 is 5th April. Bank holidays have a tendency to muck up public transport, and some travel prices might go up then too. But (slightly) cooler weather sounds appealing!

 

[srw]

Bordeaux's gift to the cycling community. Spotted on the bike belonging to our B&B hostess, and with a little boutique in the Rue St James.
http://popins.fr

 

[Andrew Br]

The deep sleep of relief ETA in the yellow shirt of "win":-

14-06-22 The deep sleep of relief. by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr

 

[redfalo]

It will surely be the full holiday, not just half-term? Easter Sunday 2015 is 5th April. Bank holidays have a tendency to muck up public transport, and some travel prices might go up then too. But (slightly) cooler weather sounds appealing!

early May might work as well regarding temperatures. Accomodation should be cheaper and easier to find outside the Easter holiday window, and people may be planning "proper" holidays in that period?

suggesting several alternative time horizons and let people vote on www.doodle.com may be a convenient way to find the best compromise?

 

[mmmmartin]

Were the bikes in the van scratched or bashed at all? We need to know if the bubblewrap technique worked.
Comments, please.

 

[Andrew Br]

It's half-time ;-)

Helen's bike has several chips in the paintwork.
Some of them were caused by pedals, probably when the bikes were taken back to the centre of Caen after the other bikes were dropped off at the port, but others are in strange places (and they are definitely new since she looks over her bike regularly).
Helen's bike has a lovely paint job but the paint is very soft; this doesn't help.
Pedals off for future trips would be better, equally we could bubble-wrap her bike before we load it.

No complaints BTW; feedback in the way that Route Finder General, 1st Class (with Bar) would want it.

.

 

[StuAff]

The Viner had a thorough clean on Sunday, didn't notice anything untoward.

 

[Moodyman]

My bike got a clean on Sunday and there were no new marks, so well done Martin.

 

[mmmmartin]

Pedals off for future trips would be better, equally we could bubble-wrap her bike before we load it.

Good point, in future each bike could be pedal-less, with its own bubblewrap gilet, with front wheels removed and placed on top. Rebuilding the bikes was surprisingly quick: then again, we were supercharged and aware of the ticking of the clock of doom.

 

[mmmmartin]

In other exciting news, the other three on the recce party will soon each be receiving a very exciting Wiggle envelope with something in it. They will be delighted.

(They might be less delighted when they realise it is a secondhand Wiggle envelope and contains only a letter from me, a medal and a certificate of excellence for being the world's best recce rider.)

 

[Andrew Br]

Rebuilding the bikes was surprisingly quick: then again, we were supercharged and aware of the ticking of the clock of doom.

I understand that mmmmartin and that's why I said my comments were meant as observation rather than criticism.

It's great that the reccy party are getting some sort of recognition; they suffered so that we didn't have to.

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