Bob the Bike Man

The gang's all here!

Cyclists and crew, photographed at the Parc du Champs de Mars, having completed the London to Paris challenge on Sunday 28th June. I’m back row second from right. Photograph, courtesy of Classic Tours, arrived the other day together with the Challenge certificate:

Day Three (Sunday 28th June): Gournay-en-Bray to Paris

The day started with the promised 5:30am alarm call, another good breakfast, slap on the sunscreen and retrieve the bike from the bike store. It was a cool morning and the sun was shining - a good start to the final day of cycling.

Check your bike...

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Day Two (Sat 27th June): Dieppe to Gournay-en-Bray.

A later start time of 10.00am was much appreciated especially as four of us had shared a room with no aircon and a very small window. Not the most comfortable of nights any of us had spent!

A good breakfast was enjoyed in the Hotel Windsor dining room with sweeping views of the Dieppe sea front between the limestone cliffs.

Getting ready for the start outside the Hotel Windsor. My bike, with yellow seat pack, centre foreground.

Luckily there was very little traffic about so one was let gently into the first experience of cycling on the right hand side of the road. First stop was just outside town at a sizeable bike shop to pick up any replacement bits and pieces. (more…)

The London to Paris Cycle Challenge began with the drive down to Bexley for the overnight stay at the Holiday Inn; from here the ride started at 7:00am on Friday 26th June.

Day One (Friday 26th June): London Bexley to Dover.

Early alarm call

The day dawned overcast and by the time we were on the road rain had begun to fall. The weather forecast was not in the least encouraging, suggesting that southern England and northern France would experience rain and thunderstorms for the next few days. Not a great prospect for pleasant and enjoyable cycle ride.

The route, excellently waymarked by the Classic Tours team with large black arrows on dayglo yellow (unmissable you’d think, more of that later), lay through Longfield to Meopham. From there we swung up through Cobham to cross the Medway at Rochester, thence south to Wouldham and Burham to join Pilgrims Way. (more…)