The Fridays Tour de Normandie 2015

[mmmmartin]

is the best bit the cycling in france, or the fridays? i suspect the fridays are the icing on the caik
certainly it was a brilliant trip. lovely company, great weather, good roads, all good. and a short trip such as this one mean workers need only a very few days off work. so if there were to be another one, it might get quite a good turn-out. and of course, it need not be in france - maybe we could do a coast-to-coast, or way-of-the roses tour? perhaps in future years.

 

[wanda2010]

Another great trip. Disco lights showerhead. Rigging up a washing line. Beer. Calvados. Guinness. Mary effortlessly sprinting up the hills remains a joy to watch. A line of cyclists following the curve of the road, in the sun. Pegasus Bridge and the boats.

Almost sad to be back.

 

[CharlieB]

Fantastic few days. The weather gods smiled upon us.
Apologies for having the only puncture of the weekend.
I don't believe a word about the disco lights (despite the flyers pinned up around le hotel).
Bird watchers - there was some discussion of the identity of a large brid of prey seen - after consulting some of my books at home with reference to the description, it may have been a marsh harrier. Although extremely endangered in the UK, they remain relatively stable in N. Europe.
Finally, big thanks on my part to;
@frank9755 and Uta for donating me their room in Dieppe, after I booked a hotel 18km down the road.
@srw and @rvw for a swift lift all the way home from Newhaven.
@dellzeqq and @Agent Hilda and anyone else involved in the organisation of an amazing tour.

 

[Gordon P]

It was a great deal of fun. Today is rather surreal as having consulted the Norwegians & the Met we are packing rain & cold weather gear for Orkney - expected "feel like" temperatures of 4, 5 & 6 because of the NE wind.... Is this wise?
Many thanks to all who allowed me to jump the passport control queue so that I could catch the early train with Andrew & Helen. I hope all those who rode some of the way from Newhaven enjoyed themselves.
Don't forget to keep an eye on the Beer & Bridges 14th June ride https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ldn-bridges-and-beers-ride-june-14th.179634/ aka my 70th & Lonica's 60th birthday celebration - no details of the route yet but I am thinking of us starting at Look Mum No Hands at 1030, while @iLB starts from Hampton Court at the same time & we will meet in the middle at a bridge or somewhere they purvey beer! All welcome.

 

[velovoice]

So happy to have participated in this French excursion, in spite of recent flare up of knee problems*.
Thanks to everyone for encouragement and support especially Rachel (@AKA Bob is she on here??)
Bike and luggage system worked flawlessly and I seem to have remembered to turn the Garmin on and off at all the right times!

Photos and thoughts to follow but current state of affairs seems to be:

• sunburnt face is peeling madly
• waist is about 1 inch smaller
• thighs 1 inch bigger

Oh and no lingering effects from my fall on the stairs at the B&B Monday morning

* I have appointment on Friday with my sports masseur/corrective exercise guru to assess how to treat this current "crisis", then will look at long range plan. Knee replacements have always been on the cards, the only question has been 'when'. May be sooner rather than later.

 

[srw]

• waist is about 1 inch smaller

Lucky you. I seem to have put on about half a stone in the last week or so. Nothing at all to do with all the high-strength Belgian beer that @theclaud and @User482 made me drink. Oh no.

 

[User482]

Lucky you. I seem to have put on about half a stone in the last week or so. Nothing at all to do with all the high-strength Belgian beer that @theclaud and @User482 made me drink. Oh no.

I seem to remember you refusing a most excellent Tripel...

 

[srw]

I seem to remember you refusing a most excellent Tripel...

That's because it tasted like dishwater.

I think some photos are due on the Beer thread.

 

[User482]

That's because it tasted like dishwater.

I think some photos are due on the Beer thread.

Seeing as we are in disagreement, I shall defer to @theclaud for a judgement on this matter.

 

[srw]

Seeing as we are in disagreement, I shall defer to @theclaud for a judgement on this matter.

You (and she) couldn't be more wrong.

 

[StuartG]

I think some photos are due on the Beer thread.

Can't be bothered. So here they are. For personal privacy considerations and my life membership of AA no one (apart from @srw) is who they appear to be a La Retro:

 

[CharlieB]

Another big favour:
Does anyone have GPS tracks from Sunday and Monday, please?
My Garmin crashed yesterday and has lost the files.

 

[User482]

You (and she) couldn't be more wrong.

Hops in beer - whatever next?

In other news, the work canteen doesn't sell calvados. This afternoon could drag...

 

[User482]

Another big favour:
Does anyone have GPS tracks from Sunday and Monday, please?
My Garmin crashed yesterday and has lost the files.

I'll upload mine at some point this week - will send you the links.

 

[srw]

Hops in beer - whatever next?

There is chilli in a high street curry house vindaloo. That doesn't mean it's an attractive thing to eat.

Beer should be balanced between alcohol, malt and other flavouring agents and hops and other bittering agents - which is why Leffe is so moreish. That abominable Duvel Triple was utterly hop-dominated.