FNRttC The Fridays 2017 Tour On Tour Thread

[Fab Foodie]

Cycling Ghent-Bruges-Dunkirk. Currently in the same bar in Veurne for a beer and crisps.
It's like deja-vue all over again.
20 miles to go :-)

Cycling has been challenging at times....

 

[Fab Foodie]

Homeward bound ....

 

[StuAff]

Team Riding to Hook (OK, me) made it to check-in at 8.40. Even more challenging a day than Thursday was. The Plan was quite simple. Get on the road at about 9.00, the route I had courtesy of the Fietsersbond route planner should (operative word) have been reliable, and those Dutch cycle lanes are always really good, right? Hoping to get there by seven or so, eat before boarding.... Most of that went pear-shaped. My digestive system seemed to have decided it needed to catch up on bowel movements & I'd been to the loo seven or eight times by 9.30. Back to normal after that, thankfully. Didn't leave the hotel until 9.40. Between the Garmin and the GPX, some of the route came out as the crow flies, resulting in multiple detours, the need to improvise some of the route, more not-comedy off-roading....Got to Rhoon Golf Center at 6.15..no time for a stop there...multiple cycle route closures on the final stretch, it seems to be a speciality...should have been 95 miles (I was of course going to make that up to the ton anyway), ended up at 102. Phew.....

 

[mmmmartin]

Well done stu, good effort. Getting there in time must have been a real struggle

 

[StuAff]

Well done stu, good effort. Getting there in time must have been a real struggle

Much tighter than I'd have liked. Fortunately I was quick enough despite the headwind.

 

[mmmmartin]

Sorry to see you didn't achieve the Annual Fridays Visit to Rhoon Golf Center

 

[redfalo]

Even more importantly, you seem to have survived the escalators, Stu!

 

[wanda2010]

Final meal with some of the Fridays and DP then a ride out to our hotel in the sticks. Concert-goers made the journey a little 'challenging', but we managed.

Tomorrow there will be a train journey then a ride to the port. This may be interesting.

 

[StuAff]

Even more importantly, you seem to have survived the escalators, Stu!

For some reason, I opted for the lifts....

 

[StuAff]

Disembarking was simple, though I didn't spot the right way to get to the station first time, not a problem getting on the 7.19 in plenty of time. Even with one of the lifts not working, grr.... Matt is on the Liverpool Street train as well. The NS employees who told him there were trains straight through to Hook were, of course, misinformed, bus from Schiedam. Despite getting rather stressed about it, he made the ferry in plenty of time with the help of some kindly locals, some of whom plied him with food for the afternoon. Paul (Mr Hop) was also on the overnighter.

 

[theclaud]

Team Wanda-TC now on ferry, after a pleasant ride from Delft and a trip on a train on which bikes are Not Allowed.

 

[StuAff]

Bah! At some point over the last week I lost the Smart rear light and its very handy (skilful bodge by the parent) QR mount. Only £8 or so worth but it was a damn good light. Also a sock. Then this morning I found that when I chucked out all the now-used train tickets, I also chucked my London-Fratton one. Good job SWT have promo fares on at the moment....

 

[shirokazan]

...and a trip on a train on which bikes are Not Allowed.

I take it this means that you did in fact transport your bikes on said train?

 

[theclaud]

I take it this means that you did in fact transport your bikes on said train?

The ride from Delft would have been tricky without them.

 

[Glow worm]

Team Riding to Hook (OK, me) made it to check-in at 8.40. Even more challenging a day than Thursday was. The Plan was quite simple. Get on the road at about 9.00, the route I had courtesy of the Fietsersbond route planner should (operative word) have been reliable, and those Dutch cycle lanes are always really good, right? Hoping to get there by seven or so, eat before boarding.... Most of that went pear-shaped. My digestive system seemed to have decided it needed to catch up on bowel movements & I'd been to the loo seven or eight times by 9.30. Back to normal after that, thankfully. Didn't leave the hotel until 9.40. Between the Garmin and the GPX, some of the route came out as the crow flies, resulting in multiple detours, the need to improvise some of the route, more not-comedy off-roading....Got to Rhoon Golf Center at 6.15..no time for a stop there...multiple cycle route closures on the final stretch, it seems to be a speciality...should have been 95 miles (I was of course going to make that up to the ton anyway), ended up at 102. Phew.....

Blimey I was on the same ferry! Loads of bikes - I was worried I might not find a place for mine. And Harwich appeared way too early at 4-30am.