It's now 9.30pm and we have just eaten a delicious meal. This morning seems a very long time ago. We started the day with a big continental breakfast to make sure we were well stocked up for the day and then retrieved the bikes from the 'shed' where they had had a comfortable night's rest. Although the sky was cloudy we could tell that it wasn't going to stay that way for long, it was going get hot very quickly. Martyn expertly navigated us out of Calais and we headed off through some beautiful countryside. The first few miles were lovely, flat and pretty, cycling along good quality roads beside the canal - that didn't last long! Soon the hills started and they went on and on and on ... and on and on and on!! Yesterday was tough and I'm sure someone said that today would be easier, it kind of was but the heat was draining (over 30 degrees) and the hills were horrible. Getting to the top was a hard slog but the views were amazing, like cycling along the top of the world. The down hills were truly ex-hill-erating! - equally long, some windy, which made it a bit tricky not knowing what was coming round the corner when you were travelling at 40mph but the straight ones were so cool and gave you a good boost for the next hill, unless there was a junction at the bottom which there always is!
We met Shaun after about 20 miles for a welcome break, lots of food and water - we're all getting a bit bored of banana but they are full of carbs and that's what we need at the moment. We set off again and climbed more hills, getting hotter and hotter. We met Shaun again for lunch and then carried on up more hills. Some of the hills were so long we all needed encouragement to get up them. Some of us had to walk sometimes but at other times we used the 'slipstreaming' technique - Martyn at the front then some of us behind, wheel to wheel, eyes on the mudguard in front, don't look at anything other than the mudguard in front then you couldn't see how much more hill there was. Martyn was amazingly encouraging and determined not to let us stop and walk - and it worked, most of the time! Some of us never seem to have to walk up a hill and Jen has a new name - 'Queen of the Hills' - she is awesome, much respect to her.
Our last stop of the day (before arriving at the hotel) was very picturesque - we even had Jesus looking out for us.
 |
| Keith and Trevor at the end of 'The Climb' |
As you can probably see from the picture we had just completed the biggest, longest climb of the day. Davy had warned us it was coming, ominously calling it 'The Climb' but we never expected it to be quite so long that S-J's ears popped!
The last 20 miles was supposed to be flat-ish, well maybe with a few hills but predominantly down hill ... I've decided never to believe anything that Martyn says ever again, and he always chooses hotels at the top of hills! We eventually reached the Campanile Hotel in Arras about 6.30pm, tired but very satisfied. We completed 77 miles today and unbelievably we only have one day left. Now it's time for bed!
Oh yes, just a few quotes of the day to add:
"Where's my water bottle?" - Martyn not realising his water bottle was on his backpack.
"Where's my camera?" - Martyn not realising it was in his pocket.
"Where're my glasses?" - Marytn not realising they were in his bike helmet.
"I got flapjack in my knickers." - S-J, say no more!
"Let's get going." - Martyn having found his water bottle, camera and glasses!
"Tractor behind." - Sarah very innocently warning the rest of the group of the impending danger of being run down by a tractor but S-J taking it rather personally!
"It's predominantly flat from here on in." - Martyn telling porkies again.
"That bit was hilly, this next bit is undulating." - Davy joining in with the porkies!
Sarah B and S-J
0 comments: