Un souris en Normandie

A train, a cab a ferry and 10 miles cycling from Cherbourg to (Le) Chateau.

Day 1 -  12 miles.  A Thursday ride to the Coast with Their Leggships.

The excitement levels were quite high - I had hardly slept the night before and and repacked about eight times.  In true Fridays form we chatted and laughed all the way to the Coast admiring the countryside in day light, looking at Arundel Castle and on to the seaside. Perfectly normal you might think other than the fact we were on a train and it was daylight!   

The weather forecasts had predicted all seasons for all the week so I had practically all my cycling kit with me. Thank you Ortlieb Messenger bag and Caradice Bags (I had brought three of them - packed up like Russian Dolls, one inside the other!) Perfect! As for all the Portsmouth stations well...... if I hadn't been with their Leggships I would have booked a ticket to Portsmouth Harbour which would have been totally wrong as that's the station for boats to The Isle of Wight, not France.   Portsmouth and Southsea Station is the nearest one to the Ferry Terminal for France.  On arrival, Agent H our bicycles, luggage and I took a cab to the ferry terminal and DZ cycled there.  As we queued for the boat, we were joined by Mmmartin and Gordon.  Huzzah! Recce Party complete!

All aboard for France - we sat at the front listening to all the car alarms go off!  Drinks were drunk, supper was served and for the first time of many (and I use that word loosely) maps were studied!! Once we were on French soil we met our host who had come to meet us to collect our luggage. Excellent plan. We headed out of Cherbourg - straight into a small supermarche for provisions including a little bottle of Algerian olive oil. Salads will be dressed! 

 The road to the Chateau was pretty and undulating.  As we started to roll up a hill it became apparent that Agent Hilda's derailleur had been damaged on the ferry and was only accessing the smaller sprockets.    Did that slow her down? Did that put her off? Any other mortal soul would have walked.  Don't let the blonde good looks and demure stature fool you. On a par with Honour Blackman's Purdy and with a heart of gold our Agent H has legs of steel.  She just cycled along as if nothing had happened, laughing and chatting all the way.  Hardcore cyclist!  

On we went, right up to the moment when the road became a muddy trail that would put Sustrans to shame.  Mmmartin stoically rode through it all - steel is real or rather these Audaxing peeps are clearly unstoppable. And he was on 28mm tyres.  As we neared the bottom of a dip, the mud was deep enough to sink a Sidi, DZ got off his bike and carried it. I did the same. We walked along the boggy verge avoiding stinging nettles as our spds filled with mud! A mile later we were reunited with Tarmac!  Not far after that we were on top of another hill, on top of another world au Chateau. What a beautiful spot!

Our host had left our luggage in the hall and a bottle of champers in the fridge. That's the sort of welcome the Fridays love! Mmmartin took on the central heating system and won! A supper, a cuppa and time for bed. 

Day 2 Friday 64 miles

DZ and Gordon were the early birds au boulangerie. By 9am we were up and ready - we were given a guided tour of the chateau! Woweee! That is going to be fantastic, think East Bridgeford Hill with knobs on.  It is old, it is lived in and it is loved.  It is not minimalist. Nor is it immaculate.  It is not Manhattan!  It is, however, absolutely ruddy fantastic!

An hour later we were on the road heading East. Gordon and DZ sussing routes and the rest of us taking in the countryside - and a face full of headwind! We saw two lorries in 15 miles! Our destination was Barfleur where the best omelette was served by the seaside. 

Back via our supermarche and 10 miles later we were home for tea, baths and getting ready for supper in a nearby restaurant  

Day 3 Saturday 72 miles

We cycled to the nearest big town, wondering how long Agent H's Derailleur was going to remain derrigeur.  I asked a lady where the nearest bike shop was and she gave me directions.  It wasn't quite the route scheduled for the day but at least there was one nearby.  

Cycling along a lovely straight road admiring the view, a car overtook us and hooted at us.  The French don't hoot very often - in my day it was illegal to do so unless as a genuine warning or, exceptionally if you saw the bride and groom going too or from their wedding.  It was however, the Lady with The Directions overtaking us, so we waved at her.  10 metres later she stopped and gave us directions to another bike shop!  Thank yous and goodbyes were exchanged and on we went.  About 10 minutes later we saw again outside her house!! Hilarious!

This was a day of beaches.  Beautiful beaches.  And leafy lanes, lovely lunches, much laughter (obviously) and a Lot of Fun!  I kept pinching myself in disbelief that not only was I doing this, but I would be doing it again in a few weeks time with more magical Fridays peeps.  How lucky am I?

On the way home, we went to a Bar (did I say this was a Fridays ride?) whilst we discussed what was for supper so we could make a list.  Armed with the paperwork, Mmmartin and I headed to a Super U (I think) and bought the items, packed up the bikes (well, mainly on Mmmartins bike) and headed home.  Supper and sleep not long afterwards!

Day 4 Sunday49 miles 28.5 mph top

20km to elevenses by the sea but from a different direction.  This looks familiar, I thought to myself.  Just as well - apparently I had been here the day before! 

It looked a bit different as it was wet and cold.  I say wet and cold but for those who rode along the A9 in June last year on LonJoG, this was a walk in the park! We cycled on to another town where we noted the perfect place for Fish n Chips which will be added, apparently, to the list for June.  Our restaurant was good although the service was a weency bit slow.

Back on our bikes and another lovely afternoon in not so good weather but beautiful surroundings. 

Day 5 Monday 26 miles, 29.9 mph max

Le double pour les garçons

Le plan du jour was set in motion. Gordon and DZ were to recce two routes heading west. At the crack of dawn they were off! The rest of the maison however didn't have a clue as we were all fast asleep! 

At just gone 8 Agent Hilda and I made tea. Mmmartin joined us and we decided that we might just be able to be ready to leave at 10. A plan without DZ - we felt very proud that we'd worked this out for ourselves. 

A bit of air was needed in my front wheel so just after 10 we were away- to Bricquebec (to be known as Bricabrac).  As we went past a field two deer whizzed into the hedges.

Bricquebec is an historic town eight miles away with a market on Monday mornings. The route wasn't exactly flat and there were a couple of unexpected drags up but within 45 minutes we were wandering around looking at pairs of shoes not seen since 1953!

Into a bar for hot chocolate where news from the fast boys reached us that they would be joining us for lunch. We found a little restaurant across the square - the one in the chateau might have been better but at 35e menu as its minimum it wasn't quite right! 

The boys arrived having cycled 100k in 4hrs 21 with a rolling average of 15mph including climbs steeper than steep. It had been fun apparently although an afternoon kip was required! Our restaurant choice had been successful -  a lovely lunch after which they headed home with Agent Hilda who was still missing a few gears and was fighting off a cold.

Mmmartin and I took a longer route home in the hope of finding provisions for supper. Unfortunately it was a national holiday in France so as we cycled from one town to another we scooped up what we could from a couple of boulangeries.

Under the motorway, over the motorway, past a gnome convention and up a hill where I was scalped by a 13 year old who apparently busted a gut to catch me up. The fact that he even thought it was worth the effort made me smile! 

The route home was beautiful. Cloudy, cool but dry. Narrow lanes past farmyards, meadows and cattle. Out of a choice of three routes we tried one that was missing err, - Tarmac! We had to walk about .75 km up a hill but the view at the top was lovely.

Home for tea, the fire was lit, bath time, supper time and bedtime followed. An early night as an early start tomorrow beckoned.

9pm night night Zebedee 

Day 6 Tuesday 56.98 miles, 35.1 mph max

The day of the westward hoe! After Mondays recce by the boys with their legs of steel (or in Gordon's case, Bronze) our plan was to head north west. The only problem was that in order to avoid the traffic we had to leave at 06.30 to avoid the traffic on the D22 - the equivalent of the A12.

Eating muesli at 05.30 was a bit of a shock but at 06.30 we were all outside ready to roll. It was neither sunny nor cold.

We made our way through lovely  lanes, hardly any traffic until the D22 which was busy, to say the least! 20 miles later we found ourselves in a little village for coffee. Onwards and westwards through more little villages and squares, hamlets and fields of sheep and cattle - it soooo reminded me of LonJoG.

There were several climbs that pushed up the heart rate although nowhere near the height of the beacon or the Hell of the Helmsdale! We dropped down descents that had my heart rate pumping because it was so beautiful. Winding, left, swooping right, meadows on both sides, sheep and cattle scattered about and very soon it had a wild and Cornish tone. 

We swooped down towards Sciotot to admire the view of the enormous beach that went on as far as the eye can see. On to Dielete, up and down the coastline to Le Rozel where the local weather station is based which has been providing Mmmartin with the weather forecasts chez Le Meteo. I was expecting an enormous weather station like something out of Thunderbirds. But non! Apparently it's the equivalent of a child's balloon in someone's back garden...!

We headed inland, the vistas were keeping their standards of beauty and in the middle of absolutely nowhere we decided to start looking for lunch!

Two hamlets later we found a bar where the owner suggested we carried on a mile to the commercial centre. Ha! The commercial centre was a grocer, a bar and a restaurant where the clientele were the electricians from the nearby edf plant. They all dressed like Mmmartin in major hi-viz but rather than cleats they were wearing hobnailed boots. They were a bit stunned to see us not least because only one of us was in yellow but - apart from the manager and the chef - Agent Hilda and I were the only girls! We all ate like royalty! 

Well fed we headed along a lane and reached a set of traffic lights due to road works. We recognised the footwear! In a somewhat laisser faire attitude we were allowed to cycle whilst the diggers and dumper trucks were moving - leaving just enough space for us along the hedge! 

Our pace had been swifter than a pootle 57 miles in 5hrs including the hilly bits! Mmmartin and I headed off to buy provisions for supper and the others headed home. Except it seems they didn't. Laden with supper we popped into the nearby rather brilliant cycle shop in Brix where we found a familar collection of bicycles - a Colnago, Rube 2 and a Kona. It seems they had called into a bar on the way. Is this the Fridays I wondered? Reassured that clearly it was!! 

Home for tea, showers and a supper that meant after a weeks stay we only threw out a pear, an apple and a quarter of a loaf of bread. Not bad!

Day 7 Wednesday 17 Miles. 22 mph top speed.

Despite the spider the size of a tarantula, packing and breakfasting started at 8. The Boulangerie Boys had done us proud and I was still eating at 10. 

A fond farewell to Le Proprietaire and we were off a whole 2.5 miles until elevenses. This included Calvados! A different route into Cherbourg to the Quai where lunch was consumed. Delicious and probably the most expensive of the holiday - more restaurants in Cherbourg to be found for consideration for The Real Thing.

Onto the ferry and home via a cab, a train and a small bike ride.

What an absolutely fantastic week. I have counted my lucky stars every single day that I have been able to do this trip. A real joy in such fine company with such complete care and consideration for others.

Totally humbling. If anyone ever wonders about the understated, unassuming and untalked about thought and absolutely incredible attention to detail that their Leggships put into the FNRttCs then perhaps this will give you a clue. On Day 1, cycling along a lane,  DZ called out "Branch!"  "Branch?" I repeated questioningly "I've never heard that in the safety talk before". "No" said DZ "that's because I remove them when I do the recces".

Whatever the ride or the route - cycling with The Fridays is an absolute joy.  The best thing I have ever, ever done, ever.  So thank you Your Leggships from the bottom of my heart for being so kind and making these rides and trips so magical.  As for Mmmartin and GordonP - you are simply the bestest company - capturing all the qualities of The Fridays in two special peeps. 

Rock on June!

                                                        The Recce Team!

The rest of the recce pics are here