FNRttC The Fridays' Tour, 2018

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StuAff

Silencing his legs regularly
Location
Portsmouth
What, another day report already? Well, I started so I'll try and finish....

Tuesday. Today was the longest mileage planned, and I had thoughts of extending my riding to get another century in. I didn't bother with that (eating and drinking and nattering takes up too much time! :smile: ). Still ended up an eighty mile day, though. On arrival at the cathedral square, Chris showed off his saddle, somewhat in a state of disrepair. He'd already been to Decathlon (just up the D613 from the Ibis budget) in the company of Martin and Gordon to buy a replacement, and Brooks replaced this one under warranty without issues....
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The first part of today's route was pretty much a repeat of Monday's, as it took us north, but then we went east, to Moyaux, for the morning rather than afternoon coffee stop. It was here we first met Graham, a tourist on a trike. Turns out he was staying in Lisieux....

Then on we went east and on to our lunch stop, the extremely pretty village of Le Bec Hellouin, and its Benedictine abbey.
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Multiple options for food and drink, ended up eating at a creperie with John. Rather excellent gallette, then a crepe version of cafe gourmand (three crepes with different toppings). When I went for a bit of a walk, I found Martin auditioning for the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square...
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Then, on we went to Brionne and our coffee stop. On the outskirts of town, we stopped at the ruins of an 11th century donjon. Awesome view of the town and surrounding area too....
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Then, down into Brionne for coffee, before back west to base. I was invited to dinner with Team Campsite, where Kev cooked up a barbecue feast. A most excellent evening. We were joined for a while by the aforementioned Graham, who it turns out had lived in Portsmouth for some years and absolutely hated the place. I was very diplomatic (for once!).
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
Le Bec Hellouin is indeed pretty .

Here's some pics.
 

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StuAff

Silencing his legs regularly
Location
Portsmouth
Since I have enforced time off work, time for another report....

Wednesday. I did not take any photos at all on the ride, so you're going to have to make do with my verbiage. Today, we headed NE again, by a slightly different route out of town, featuring a lovely, lovely, steep twisty climb (road named Chemin de Rocques, it looks just as steep on StreetView). I failed to get down the gears quickly enough and ended up using the size 45 Shimano 'gear' rather than the 34x32 Shimano. Despite being on foot, I still overtook a couple of people, who I will not name out of courtesy ;) Coffee in Cormeilles (no, no time for another visit to the distillery), then on to Pont-Audemer. We did something a little different for the next stretch, on the D87. It was as flat as a flat thing and as straight as a straight thing, so those who were so inclined had the option to chain gang. Those of us on Strava were holding 15mph+ averages for the near five mile stretch, and we weren't the fastest...

Pont-Audemer proved another exceedingly pretty town with fine lunch & bar options. I had a most excellent burger and was reluctantly fed extra portions by people who'd ordered the set menu then didn't fancy dessert :smile: Then, we retraced our steps- probably somewhat more slowly in most cases- SW. Rather than returning to Cormeilles, we turned slightly west then on SW to Blangy-le-Chateau, our coffee stop with (you'll never guess) a picturesque square with an excellent bar. From there, we went back to Lisieux. Apart from Steve, who was heading to Ouistreham for the overnight ferry and made it ridiculously early thanks to all the training assistance. And Affligem. Tonight's dining was, after mulling over the bistro at the Kyriad hotel next to the Ibis budget, a sandwich from the Carrefour Express in town (which features an exceedingly pointless conveyor belt at the till. It's about two foot long...). Also found a favourite local delicacy, tergoule, which I first tasted in Domfront on the tour down to Bordeaux & have wanted to eat again ever since. It's a slow-cooked rice pudding with a thick crust, basically. Nom.

Thursday, which will henceforth be known as The Day of Comedy Off-Roading. Nick was responsible/has been blamed for that, which I'll come to later...By today, numbers on the rides were diminishing somewhat, as people were oversleeping/choosing to sightsee/AN Other perfectly reasonable thing instead. Despite his well-known dislike of anything hilly, Nick had failed to find a flat route, because in this part of the world that's as unlikely as in mine (without tunnel boring machines, or nukes...). So, more climbing and more steep downhills then. On one of those steep downhill sections, some of us were greeted by a small, loud dog (he/she raised a smile but good brakes were needed). Country roads remained both pretty and quiet...
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On to Orbec for our coffee/first lunch stop....
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Slight delay here, as Nas had broken a spoke on his rear wheel. He'd brought a spare and was able to do a roadside repair.
And then on SE, before swinging NE to our lunch stop in Bernay. A group of us went to an excellent creperie. Rather good looking bike shop round the corner as well.

On we went, now NW, before turning west for Lisieux. Just west of Thiberville (about 40 miles in, so we were on the home stretch), Nick's route planning went, er, somewhat awry. It was COR time. I was pretty sure I was the first to get off and walk (I may have a gravel bike, but it's wearing slick road tyres and I am a wuss off-road) but everyone else followed suit not long after. Picture taken from the report on www.fnrttc.co.uk, taken by Tacey..
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To quote Martin on WhatsApp..."The way that large road with perfect tarmac started out then turned into poor tarmac, then grass in the middle, then no tarmac then we passed that sign saying it was a pedestrian footpath (chemin pedestre) then turned into a field with no trace of a path at all was really quite funny. And we were almost home then so the rumble of thunder wasn't in the least bit scary. And great conversation, esp when the entire ride stopped as Our Glorious Leader went the wrong way. We waited in silence for his inevitable return." I was somewhat reminded of my ill-fated attempt to ride from Poperinge to Dieppe (left 7.40am, arrived just before midnight) which featured, thanks to acts of OpenStreetMap routing, several examples of being told to leave a perfectly nice D-road for, well, that^ or worse. This was only about 100m, and much funnier though!

On the last stretch into Lisieux I managed to lead Chris astray and we ended up on a (busy but not too busy) D-road, before going down Chemin de Rocques (rather more quickly than the ascent the day before). I went for another Carrefour Express dinner before returning to town for drinks with Kev, Peter & a few others at the amusingly named Le Cozy bar.
 
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StuAff

Silencing his legs regularly
Location
Portsmouth
I've started, so I'll finish.....

Friday. Original plan for the day (for most) was to go to Cabourg for lunch. I was intending to ride part way, then carry on NW to Ouistreham and the booked ferry home. Plan got thrown out, because il fait pleut. Beaucoup.....
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Instead of the 9.30 meet time earlier in the week, we were there at 10.30, and rather than those who wished to ride (and me, bloke who had to ride else he'd miss his ferry) setting off into the damp, we had the traditional end-of-tour handing out of medals, and huddled under the awning of Le Grand Cafe for a while. I was well aware I had to be at the ferry at 1545, but no real problem, yet. I certainly wasn't inclined to panic, or annoy anyone else....with hindsight I'd have allowed a bit more time....

Team Riding eventually set off at noon, their revised plan to go to Beuvron-en-Auge, 25km or so away, and then back. It was my way anyway, so I naturally joined them. It might have been a pleasant ride in the dry. In the wet, er, not really. First stretch was on the D613- as to the east of Lisieux, a fairly busy trunk road, but in these weather conditions a sensible option- then on to quieter roads as we headed NW. We got to Beuvron in decent time, just after 1330. We find a nice looking bar, food is ordered. I check my route NW to the ferry with the phone (I would have had a route on the Garmin, but it had been playing up & not showing me all the loaded routes- a hard reset has since sorted that..). It's now 1345. It's 30km to the ferry. Two hours to do it in, or either ask very nicely & hope they let me on, or get the night boat. Oh ****. Lunch plans abandoned, because I have to get on the bike ASAP. And I do.

The trip to the ferry was not fraught. It was very fraught. Due to aforementioned Garmin issues, route for my ride was improvised with the help of Osmand on the phone (and pouring rain is not good for operating touch screens) and signs indicating 'Caen'. I could have shaved a good few miles, and some minutes, without those little issues, my route was definitely not optimal. Despite being fully laden, the first 7.85 miles were knocked out at 14.6 mph average. Ended up on the D27 (another trunk road, but just what you want riding against the clock, IMHO) before a turn I shouldn't have taken NW to Gonneville-en-Auge (should have kept SW). Back, more on course, to Amfreville, where, feeling somewhat frazzled by this stage, I went back and forth a couple of times before finding the correct route SW. Back down to Ranville, and by the time I got there I knew the way anyway. Passed the 6km to go marker on the cycle path into Ouistreham and knew I had time in hand. Didn't ease up though. Even with detours and stopping for route checking, the last 14.5 miles (I reset the lap timer on the Garmin inadvertently) were still at 13.7 mph. Made it to check-in 1525. Phew. I'd had nothing to eat or drink (not even a sip of water) since the cafe in Lisieux. Unsurprisingly, the baguette & tea I got on the boat for a very late lunch were demolished rapidly. Never mind, job done. Rather excellent salt beef in a red wine sauce and noir foret gateau for dinner, before we arrived back into Pompey bang on time. I was fourth vehicle off, and home in 16 minutes despite managing to leave the ferry port the wrong way.

Something similar next year? I do hope so!!
 
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StuAff

Silencing his legs regularly
Location
Portsmouth
 
OP
OP
mmmmartin

mmmmartin

Random geezer
A blast from the past. You may recall a bottle of Calvados, top-of-the-range and straight from the distillery, no less - was handed over as a surprise gift. I was very surprised and grateful. It was intended for special occasions only, perhaps at Christmas when the neighbours came round. But when that moment arrived I decided they weren't deserving enough. Then a family occasion? Nah. So it has stayed hidden in the special cupboard. Waiting for a special time.

It's European, a reminder of the great rides and times we had. It'll be opened at a get-together of like-minded people on Friday evening, January 31. When, as it's sipped, there might be a few tears.
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
A blast from the past. You may recall a bottle of Calvados, top-of-the-range and straight from the distillery, no less - was handed over as a surprise gift. I was very surprised and grateful. It was intended for special occasions only, perhaps at Christmas when the neighbours came round. But when that moment arrived I decided they weren't deserving enough. Then a family occasion? Nah. So it has stayed hidden in the special cupboard. Waiting for a special time.

It's European, a reminder of the great rides and times we had. It'll be opened at a get-together of like-minded people on Friday evening, January 31. When, as it's sipped, there might be a few tears.

Oddly appropriate that it's taken you so long to decide to drink it, even though you always knew you were going to drink it.
 

srw

It's a bit more complicated than that...
Oddly appropriate that it's taken you so long to decide to drink it, even though you always knew you were going to drink it.
I wonder what the equivalent is for someone of different vieww? Swigging it back, refilling the bottle with any old crap that'll get you hammered and waking up on Saturday with a monstrous hangover and the horrifying realisation that somehow you've got to make something work despite pissing away all the goodwill of those former friends you now so desperately need.
 
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