You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Public taps seem rare.
Are you finding petrol stations or the town centre cafes etc?
I’m not gonna ask what sugar has to do with your bathroom rituals, best not to know 🤢
The granular nature works brilliantly as a scouring agent mixed with washing up liquid when washing hands.
Can't say I've ever tried it on loo roll - my bum doesn't need to be that clean.
Molgrips. The eurovelo doesn't go where there are petrol stations and misses many towns as well. Anyway I prefer not to buy bottles. Spain and italy there are public taps in every village but in the low countries they seem not to do this.
Another tailwind 😎😁
🙌
Another tailwind
That's the Stella talking
Belgium seems to be one long promenade
The north coast pretty much is! Apart from where there is a port it's sandy beach all the way from Netherlands to France. De Haan is the nicest little town along there IMHO. Bruges would also be a nice detour if you're not in a rush.
Belgium seems to be one long promenade
Up where you are it certainly is unfortunately :(. Once you hit koksijde you could contemplate heading south for an hour to Westvlateren. You can't get into the abbey (and I don't think you want to) but the cafe next door has the famous Westvlateren 12 at a sensible price. 3 of those and you aren't riding anywhere else for a while
http://www.indevrede.be/home.php?lang=en
🤣
Im in France. One can tell. The helpful eurovelo signs disappeared. Im camped up near dunkirk . The campsite has chips n beer
Long day for not that many miles on tje map. Fairly forgetabke riding in the main. First breakdown of the trip in the chain quick link failed. I was moving again in 5 mins tho.
Two wee ferries across inlets today. Both free. I do love a ferry
Struggled to eat enuogh today in the heat.
https://i.postimg.cc/Xq4WDrZn/20220812-121045.jp g" alt="" />
Happy Trails TJ, I'm vicariously enjoying this and quite jealous.
Assuming you're riding the Normandy/Brittany coast to Roscoff? That is also lovely. Lots of little medieval towns and inlets, the Granite Rose coast etc etc. Apart from being fried alive - brilliant.
At least mega early starts help avoid the heat tho you'll need to find somewhere with aircon to hide under for the afternoons. 👍
I dont do mega early starts!
Looks like a change in the weather might be coming. Ive made good use of the unusual tailwind the last 3 days. A bit head down and ride a lot and the wiggly but nice eurovelo route meant miles on the ground are a lot more than miles on the map.
I do love France. Its nice to be back
Things you dont realise with a long tour:
My toenails, finger nails and hair all need to be cut. I have also run out of soap again and sunscreen.
I also have a callous on my thumb from the gear twistgrip and tendonitis in my left elbow
Head is good and arse and legs coping well. Feels like plenty of miles left in the old bod
I lost my saltire yesterday. However the tourist tat shops in Ostend sold me a pirate flag.
However the tourist tat shops in Ostend sold me a pirate flag.
Are you happy with it?
There is someone riding around Brussels in a black cargo bike with his two kids in the bucket and a pirate flag on it. It is 100% ace
*couriers TJ an emergency saltire*
Public taps seem rare
There are usually taps in cemetries.
Camped up west of Calais. Hot hot hot today . Squeezed in in whats normally a parking space when i looked tired and pathetic. 😁🙄. Campsite has chips n beer
Ta edukator. Ive had sucess before with churches
Duff signal here. Low batteries as well.
Lol yes I/we can send you a Saltire, also if you run out of chain lube I don't mind buying one, frying it and posting it on, if we can work out how to do it.
Why was the Scottish pirate unusually calm near the sea?
Because he'd lost his salt ire.
C"mon, its the best I can do!
Lolz
Where you gonna get a saltire moley?
Chains still fine. Not even adjusted it since Cardiff ta.
Restaurant is fully booked. Booooo. Got a beer tho so its ok and i have food to cook tho in this heat its difficult to eat. I think im still losing weight😎
That bit west of Calais along the coast road is Fab. One of my best touring days in sunshine - pissed it down the next day.......
Where you gonna get a saltire moley?
The internet, obvs.
Its a tough life. Sitting in sunshine eating fresh croissants and drinking good coffee.
I have to decide whether to try the coastal path or not this morning. I dont know if its ridable all the way. Either way today is the last day before the weather changes for south westerly winds and rain. It will come as a nice change given I have been baked for days
I rode Le Havre to St Malo around 12years ago along the coast (but cutting across the cherbourge peninsula?) and the cycle paths were well developed with lots of D-day information. Around 250 miles which was nice 50 mile days.
On a previous trip i rode due south out of St Malo towards Redon, St Nazaire and then towards La Rochelle. Detoured from the coast towards Angouleme then south again towards Mont de Marsan. All nice cycling. Did eventually make it to Vitoria Gasteiz after cycling across the pyrenees both ways and back to Biarritz.
I think im still losing weight😎
Did a longish cycle tour a few years ago and lost several kilos. Wouldn't have been so bad except I was already at pretty much racing snakes weight when we started. Think I started at 63 kilos and finished the tour at 58. (Was eating stacks of food as well!)
Sounds like a fab trip. I'm just on the train in Sheffield having trained it up from Bilbao inner the last few days. I hope San Sebastian is on your stopping list. It's a great place to rest up for a couple of days - beautiful city beaches and miles of cycle network.
The local tram/trains in Basque country are brilliant - eusukatran. They all take bikes and there is a station in hendaye that will have you in San Sebastian in 40 mins if you are so minded.
Bilbao also lovely - we found a great breakfast stop with world beating tortilla at knock down prices (cafe Bilba in the matika area)
Ta
Im camped up just north of le tourquet. 3rd full campsite i tried a man with a majestic moustache fell for the weary traveller act. Im offered an eroded spot in the dunes. Gonna be sand in my pants. Fortunatly the site sells beer.
Battery situation crtical so nowt more until i get a recharge
Looks like I can get a recharge.
Im camped on pure sand . Fortunately some concrete blocks available to hold the pegs down
Long days riding for disappointingly few miles on the map today. Its clouded over and the wind has turned to the south.
The restaurant is full again. Mind you thete is dreadful "entertainment " on offer. Booo. More pasta for my dinner. Food is running low. I need a proper shop tomorrow and a day off in the next couple of days.
Might have to head inland given the weather. Anyway not bad miles in total this week. Pushing 300 i think. Ive totally lost count. I seem to be on target tho to meet pals in northern Spain
Lots of ww2 defenses tiday. Including one that had been blown up with a dozen graves next to it
Today i paid some ksrma back and taught s young Belgian couple the code. They were standind looking hopelessly at a punctured tyre. I got them going again but i made him blow the tyre up in the midday heat
https://i.postimg.cc/KYyfJJ2r/20220814-201628.jp g" alt="" />
Blown up ww2 bunker
https://i.postimg.cc/J4ZPJfw4/20220814-142418.jp g" alt="" />
And the graves beside it. Lest we forget
Should be 3 pics in the last post. Can you see them?
I can see only the last one
Bollox
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/KYyfJJ2r/20220814-201628.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/KYyfJJ2r/20220814-201628.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/xdCvs7Zm/20220814-163144.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/xdCvs7Zm/20220814-163144.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Should be 2 then 1
Campsite then graves then blown up bunker
I think I need to clean the lens
Don't use a sand impregnated pair of pants to wipe the lens 😂
That the weather changed. 10 degrees colder and a southerly ie headwinds
Oh eh....
Look on the bright side it could still be really hot and a headwind. Bonne Chance vélo tandem Jeremy
One of those weird coincidences. A chap i know from leith was on the same campsite last night. Small world
Breeze is only slight and its 20 something degrees. Cooler than yesterday's mid 30s
On the road again. Well actually having second breakfast
I don't post much on stuff like this, but it's a brilliant thread and i'm really pleased you've not got bored updating it etc.
Im not bored updating. Im on me todd remember. You lot bored replying?
It will also be a good record for me if and when i get home🙄🤣
Small world
Wouldn't want to undercoat it though!
Got thru le Tourquet with losing the eurovelo. Woopeee
Now a belayed first lunch of bread cheese and nectarines. No sign of the promised rain
The Perfect lunch.
Bread, cheese and nectarines for me too.
No sign of the promised rain
Arriving at 2pm I think. Better find yourself a bar to hide in
Awesome stuff!
Your set up looks very similar to mine back in 2003, London to Munich, with the Bob.
Jealous.
Now a belayed first lunch of bread cheese and nectarines.
How much further before you can find a roadside crepe?
How much further before you can find a roadside crepe?
Or roadside moules from a producteur. The one we found (somewhere near Cancale) would sell us moules + wine, but could not do chips - pick them up from next door and bring them back they said. The chip van was next door - presumably getting a chippy license is harder than alcohol sales, being France 🙂
One of those weird coincidences. A chap i know from Leith was on the same campsite last night. Small world
He had run all that way to get away from you and still you [s]stalked[/s] bumped into him.
He had run all that way to get away from you
Must be about ooh, 500 miles...
(lol, it actually is near enough bob on 500 miles from Leith to Le Touquet according to Google Maps walking directions. How's that for a coincidence?)
😀
Found a campsite. Now need to work out where i am
Edit. Disappointingly close to last night. Again eurovelo is loads longer than direct route. I may have to rethink my strategy. Thevroutes are nice tho
Im.about 20 miles south of le Tourquet
Now need to work out where i am
In a campsite.
HtH
I too am thoroughly enjoying this thread
I keep hearing these lyrics as I read it tho
Again eurovelo is loads longer than direct route. I may have to rethink my strategy. Thevroutes are nice tho
Bear in mind that most roads in France are much quieter than UK roads so you don't need to avoid them as much. I think if you stick to D roads (département roads) then you will probably get somewhere whilst having a good time.
Pmsl at littlest Hobo.
I think we're all vicariously going on a tour out of jealousy...
I agree with Molegrips, D roads are usually really nice the surface can be a bit variable mind.
I did Normandy, Brittany and down to the Loire on a touring bike and sometimes would not see another vehicle for 15 minutes (like Northumberland).
There were plenty of villages with enough shops/markets for baguettes, tomatoes & cheese or bars for Frites & Omelette and the odd lunchtime beer. I did use campsites though as I need a shower before slipping into a sleeping bag.
Ta. I think I will do that . Getting pissed off at the wiggly and slow eurovelo
Still first week from Amsterdam and i am a quarter of the way there with 4 more weeks. I have a boil on the bum however which is a pain. Literally 🙄
Day off needed. Today was day 7 of riding. Wednesday weather looks pish so i might hole up.in a hotel for 2 nights tuesday and Wednesday.
My little bit of french is working. Tonight the woman on the campsite had no English
We've only cycled in touristy places, but I think the drivers we've encountered have been generally more considerate of cyclists in France than their UK bretheren. Bon route! 🙂
Must be about ooh, 500 miles…
Is he a Proclaimer?
I'm currently hearing this
It just rained!
Decisions made I think. Another day or two on eurovelo then i can pick up a greenway heading south. Todays ride is awfully wiggly but looks really nice
I might well hole up in a hotel for a couple of days.
Ill try to take more pics for you all.
I might well hole up in a hotel for a couple of days.
Sounds wise and comfy in your position.
Good job, you're a nurse, a boil on the bum is no laughing matter. Especially when cycling.
tj re route finding for d roads, have a look at cycletravel. I've used it as a route finder loads, its generally very good and it works in Europe. Perfect for the d roads.
You can enter where you want to be tonight, next week or even the final destination of your journey. It should then send you the most direct way avoiding as many busy roads and steep hills as possible. It mostly manages the busy road bit, not so much the hills!
You need to use common sense in big cities though as it can get a bit around the houses.
It can also be used to spot campsites that might be near your stopping point for that night.
Apologies if you knew about this already, I'm really enjoying following your wanderings, hope the arse bears up!
Ta. Thats helpful
Im finding i need to use several different websites to find good routes. Each one does something different
Just started to spot with rain. Far too hot to wear waterproofs
Some fine aged goats cheese for lunch and a rather delicious raspberry tart
Warm and wet ideal conditions for an old school cycling cape
Holed up in a hotel fi on the edge of Dieppe. Not a great place for a rest day.
Ill see what i feel like in the morning.
Good miles today on a mix of eurovelo and map reading
Yeh,I always imagined Dieppe as Middlesbrough on Frog.
Well it's twinned with Brighton! Take that how you like.
Well it’s twinned with Brighton! Take that how you like.
So what you're saying is TJ will have a choice of great restaurants and bijou coffee shops for dinner and breakfast?
There are some great charcuterie and boulangeries in the middle of Dieppe by the marina/port, and worth a trip from the outskirts