Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
Happy Birthday Chris! May you continue to age gracefully... (you get to drop the 'graceful' bit eventually)
FNRttC FNRtC to Newhaven, Dieppe and Paris
- Thread starter dellzeqq
- Start date
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clarion
Guru
- Location
- Exiled from Hyperborea
Hope you're all having a fun and dry run to the port.
I've just got back home (well, and fed Zev, although Kai's buggered off somewhere, so no breakfast for him yet).
The ride to Newhaven was dry and mild, taking a fairly flat route, albeit slightly busier in places. Having said that, the overall level of "busy-ness" on the roads, was lower than usual, since it was a Thursday rather than Friday evening, and they always seem to be noticeably quieter.
It think en-route, we had relatively few mechanicals. One chap had an inner tube explode with a fair concussion, and eventually replaced the tyre with a new one, acquired earlier by User10571 and Miranda. Miranda had a squeak, that seemed to appear and disappear from time to time, and I'm not sure anyone managed to discover what was causing it, but it didn't seem to affect progress, so presumably was something relatively trivial.
We had to resort to using the Ferry Terminal's cafe for breakfast, because the alternative cafe didn't open until late enough that it would have been difficult for those with a ferry to catch. Their breakfast was actually pretty good, if a fairly routine full English cooked breakfast.
Five of us left the remainder getting themselves booked onto the ferry, and took the coast road along to Brighton. It was an improvement upon the last time I did it, two years ago, since what used to be pedestrians only, now allows cycling around the bottom of the cliffs, avoiding some up and downs, and made for a relatively relaxing bimble along the front.
At Brighton, we got a train with barely a wait, although unfortunately it did stop at Gatwick Airport, which meant my carriage instantly filled up with a crowd of people who didn't seem to realise that they didn't all have to get on the same carriage (the rest of the train wasn't crowded). This meant I had to wheel the bike out vertically. Yet again proof, that given the chance, it's always worth getting a train that doesn't stop at Gatwick!
So, a largely uneventful ride to Newhaven, but very pleasant, and relatively speedy, with only about twenty of us. We did hammer along for some short periods, which did wonders for getting the blood pumping!
I'm sure that at some point, the remainder will be along to tell us how well the ferry journey is going, and how much alcohol they haven't consumed. This will of course depend on the alleged free Wi-Fi on the ferry, or failing that the free Wi-Fi in at least one of the hotels. If a defining silence ensues, either the free Wi-Fi was a delusion, or they've been locked up following a interesting tale involving several crates of beer, Miranda's slighty borked camera, and a dodgy passport.
The ride to Newhaven was dry and mild, taking a fairly flat route, albeit slightly busier in places. Having said that, the overall level of "busy-ness" on the roads, was lower than usual, since it was a Thursday rather than Friday evening, and they always seem to be noticeably quieter.
It think en-route, we had relatively few mechanicals. One chap had an inner tube explode with a fair concussion, and eventually replaced the tyre with a new one, acquired earlier by User10571 and Miranda. Miranda had a squeak, that seemed to appear and disappear from time to time, and I'm not sure anyone managed to discover what was causing it, but it didn't seem to affect progress, so presumably was something relatively trivial.
We had to resort to using the Ferry Terminal's cafe for breakfast, because the alternative cafe didn't open until late enough that it would have been difficult for those with a ferry to catch. Their breakfast was actually pretty good, if a fairly routine full English cooked breakfast.
Five of us left the remainder getting themselves booked onto the ferry, and took the coast road along to Brighton. It was an improvement upon the last time I did it, two years ago, since what used to be pedestrians only, now allows cycling around the bottom of the cliffs, avoiding some up and downs, and made for a relatively relaxing bimble along the front.
At Brighton, we got a train with barely a wait, although unfortunately it did stop at Gatwick Airport, which meant my carriage instantly filled up with a crowd of people who didn't seem to realise that they didn't all have to get on the same carriage (the rest of the train wasn't crowded). This meant I had to wheel the bike out vertically. Yet again proof, that given the chance, it's always worth getting a train that doesn't stop at Gatwick!
So, a largely uneventful ride to Newhaven, but very pleasant, and relatively speedy, with only about twenty of us. We did hammer along for some short periods, which did wonders for getting the blood pumping!
I'm sure that at some point, the remainder will be along to tell us how well the ferry journey is going, and how much alcohol they haven't consumed. This will of course depend on the alleged free Wi-Fi on the ferry, or failing that the free Wi-Fi in at least one of the hotels. If a defining silence ensues, either the free Wi-Fi was a delusion, or they've been locked up following a interesting tale involving several crates of beer, Miranda's slighty borked camera, and a dodgy passport.
Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
In the interests of sobriety I write.
Davy didn't make it past one pint in Dieppe.
Tall Mart did...and Ian had to collect him from casualty about 1am Saturday.(he's such a lightweight).
George slipped of a pedal, hurt his leg, broke a spoke and was hanging about in hospital last night.
Other things may have happened...like Davy and TallMart drinking to forget in Dieppe.
They certainly forgot their bikes!
And tonight was spent in Brasserie Flo...where the waiters would all get a start in team slow!
A bientot!
Davy didn't make it past one pint in Dieppe.
Tall Mart did...and Ian had to collect him from casualty about 1am Saturday.(he's such a lightweight).
George slipped of a pedal, hurt his leg, broke a spoke and was hanging about in hospital last night.
Other things may have happened...like Davy and TallMart drinking to forget in Dieppe.
They certainly forgot their bikes!
And tonight was spent in Brasserie Flo...where the waiters would all get a start in team slow!
A bientot!
it was a trip of parties departing, parting, partying and coalescing. And two hospitalisations - one very unfortunate, one rather mysterious.
First - George. His spd let go of his shoe, and the pedal came round behind his leg and dug itself in to his calf. A terrible mischance, and a reminder (if Greg's mishap a couple of months ago wasn't sufficient) to all of us not to take 'clipless' pedals for granted. He soldiered on for a few miles, but took a taxi in to Paris from Marines, and went from the hotel to hospital to get checked over. He's got a sprained ankle, and he won't be riding a bike for a while.
Second - Long Martin. I can only rely on Big Martin's account of this which I relate below
'Terrible thing, Simon. Long Martin's in hospital'
'Gosh, Big Martin, what happened?'
'Well, you know the seasonal gusty wind that affects Dieppe..'
'The Mistral'
'....no, not the Mistral...'
'the Fohn?'
'Fohny you should say that, but, no, not that one either. It's called the Vent Anglais. Anyroadup, what happened was that Long Martin was standing on the quayside talking to one of the Sailors from the S.S. JPGaultier, when this Vent Anglais catches his ears, and he starts to spin...'
'Like those curlywurly wind turbine thing's'
'Exactly. And since the co-efficient of friction on his spds was next to nothing, once the wind had got in to his lugs, he just kept on spinning faster and faster. So fast that his shorts caught fire'
'Crikey, that sound serious!'
'It would have been a lot more serious if the Sailor hadn't stopped him from spinning and applied soothing ointment to his burnt bits'
'Gosh, that was lucky. Fancy a Sailor having a tube of soothing ointment to hand!'
'You'd have got long odds for that one, but, when you think about it, there's no other rational explanation for the loss of his shorts and those friction burns!'
Anyway, all's well that ends well. Ian retrieved Long Martin from hospital, and he's now back in Blighty none the worse for the experience.
First - George. His spd let go of his shoe, and the pedal came round behind his leg and dug itself in to his calf. A terrible mischance, and a reminder (if Greg's mishap a couple of months ago wasn't sufficient) to all of us not to take 'clipless' pedals for granted. He soldiered on for a few miles, but took a taxi in to Paris from Marines, and went from the hotel to hospital to get checked over. He's got a sprained ankle, and he won't be riding a bike for a while.
Second - Long Martin. I can only rely on Big Martin's account of this which I relate below
'Terrible thing, Simon. Long Martin's in hospital'
'Gosh, Big Martin, what happened?'
'Well, you know the seasonal gusty wind that affects Dieppe..'
'The Mistral'
'....no, not the Mistral...'
'the Fohn?'
'Fohny you should say that, but, no, not that one either. It's called the Vent Anglais. Anyroadup, what happened was that Long Martin was standing on the quayside talking to one of the Sailors from the S.S. JPGaultier, when this Vent Anglais catches his ears, and he starts to spin...'
'Like those curlywurly wind turbine thing's'
'Exactly. And since the co-efficient of friction on his spds was next to nothing, once the wind had got in to his lugs, he just kept on spinning faster and faster. So fast that his shorts caught fire'
'Crikey, that sound serious!'
'It would have been a lot more serious if the Sailor hadn't stopped him from spinning and applied soothing ointment to his burnt bits'
'Gosh, that was lucky. Fancy a Sailor having a tube of soothing ointment to hand!'
'You'd have got long odds for that one, but, when you think about it, there's no other rational explanation for the loss of his shorts and those friction burns!'
Anyway, all's well that ends well. Ian retrieved Long Martin from hospital, and he's now back in Blighty none the worse for the experience.
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Yeah right. In my defence, ok there isn't a defence. I did have less to drink on the boat than some people. And 'Teef bought lots of Pernod (can you see where the finger is pointing yet?). I figure I'm missing an hour and that an ambulance was probably involved. The French NHS works very well but I did spend quite a long time after being patched up waiting to see a doctor at which point I got bored and left. There are probably Gendarmes looking for me.1945576 said:
Big thanks to Ian for having the patience of a saint and coming to get me from the hospital. And for not allowing me to have any more beer between hospital and hotel.
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
You don't mean that. You really wish you'd been with us!1945628 said:
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
It went like this.1946208 said:
1. Breakfast in Newhaven. Onto boat, into bar. Hour or so of sleep. Several lagers. One person had 9 ciders so I know I had less than that.
2. Cycle to hotel, meet iLB. Go pub. Have beer. Go for dinner with 'teef. Pernod arrives.
3. Wake up in A&E with very pretty nurse smiling at me.
4. Call Ian (and others who didn't answer). Go back to hotel. Sleep. Repeat but without the A&E bit.
CharlieB
Junior Walker and the Allstars
- Location
- Therivermeadowatthepileofstones
Ahem…
Wobblers
Euthermic
- Location
- Minkowski Space
1946373 said:
Nope. We were all very well behaved. Probably why some are letting loose on this trip
Yeah but you didn't have Long Martin there with you. Or DavyW as agent provocateur...
Matrin, we just can't take you anywhere.
