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29-04-07, 12:59 PM

What a cool day! I was thinking to myself yesterday morning when the quake-a-shake hit the omens werent looking good, what with 3 riders not making it to the start (2 with nakkered bikes and 1 - well for being a little to cool ) Mixed with some late night reading up on the route, a GPS I had little idea how to work, and still not being overly clear on where to go I wasnt feeling to confident at that point.

A few positive affirmations on the train and the smell of perfumed fresh air coming out of the air con system we had arrived in France and I think "ok things are going to change now". As luck would have it we found some French rider police as soon as we got started that put us onto the right route. The GPS was still not working and it was down to maps and stopping for local directions from here on in.

Its a shame none of us actually stopped to take pics of that coast road (or any of the roads) as the rolling hills and roads were fantastic. Visability was upto half a mile in some places. I guess we were all to busy enjoying the views and negotiating campervan overtakes and bends.

It was a good start to see how the group was working and the marker system wasnt too much of an overkill. The only comments were - "Dont stop. keep it going so we can keep the group spread out" - a good sign peeps were having fun.

By lunch time we were cooking. It was pretty hot down at the beach so we made for the nearest English looking pub we could find for lunch. Cultered us? Of course!

We went a little further south before heading in-land. It was mainly big flat cultivated fields with long straight roads running along their edges leading into fast bends linking them all together. It was a good chance to spread everyone out again and for me really was fun being at the front knowing there was still more to come. Unlike our roads in the Sout East England it felt like the good stuff was never ending.

We stopped again in Hesdin for another fuel up and break. The heat was unrelenting in the countryside so we managed to find a little bit of shade under a fence before setting off on our final run back which was the best for me. Again it was mainly cultivated farmland but set on rolling hills so the roads were brilliant. There was a few cut backs and little valleys to wind up and down with good visability along the fields into the next few corners.

After a breif detour to check out the facilities at Calais ferry terminal we were back at the tunnel terminal in time for some dinner before our journey back to Folkstone. I think it was Michael Palin that harped on about every great journey involves a train journey - this was true even it was just for a day.

29-04-07, 12:59 PM	#4
Demonz Guest Posts: n/a	At the Front What a cool day! I was thinking to myself yesterday morning when the quake-a-shake hit the omens werent looking good, what with 3 riders not making it to the start (2 with nakkered bikes and 1 - well for being a little to cool ) Mixed with some late night reading up on the route, a GPS I had little idea how to work, and still not being overly clear on where to go I wasnt feeling to confident at that point. A few positive affirmations on the train and the smell of perfumed fresh air coming out of the air con system we had arrived in France and I think "ok things are going to change now". As luck would have it we found some French rider police as soon as we got started that put us onto the right route. The GPS was still not working and it was down to maps and stopping for local directions from here on in. Its a shame none of us actually stopped to take pics of that coast road (or any of the roads) as the rolling hills and roads were fantastic. Visability was upto half a mile in some places. I guess we were all to busy enjoying the views and negotiating campervan overtakes and bends. It was a good start to see how the group was working and the marker system wasnt too much of an overkill. The only comments were - "Dont stop. keep it going so we can keep the group spread out" - a good sign peeps were having fun. By lunch time we were cooking. It was pretty hot down at the beach so we made for the nearest English looking pub we could find for lunch. Cultered us? Of course! We went a little further south before heading in-land. It was mainly big flat cultivated fields with long straight roads running along their edges leading into fast bends linking them all together. It was a good chance to spread everyone out again and for me really was fun being at the front knowing there was still more to come. Unlike our roads in the Sout East England it felt like the good stuff was never ending. We stopped again in Hesdin for another fuel up and break. The heat was unrelenting in the countryside so we managed to find a little bit of shade under a fence before setting off on our final run back which was the best for me. Again it was mainly cultivated farmland but set on rolling hills so the roads were brilliant. There was a few cut backs and little valleys to wind up and down with good visability along the fields into the next few corners. After a breif detour to check out the facilities at Calais ferry terminal we were back at the tunnel terminal in time for some dinner before our journey back to Folkstone. I think it was Michael Palin that harped on about every great journey involves a train journey - this was true even it was just for a day.