Downhill Cyclists

fast facts

• time in saddle - 4-45
• max speed - 35mph
• average - 12.8mph
• Distance Covered - 53.55 miles
• heart rate - max 144 average 112
• calories burnt - 3212

Day Twelve - The Final Ride.

Again we woke to clear blue skies and warm temperatures.  This is what we had hoped for all along.

It was hard to believe that today was our last day of cycling.  Zeebrugge seemed so long ago and far away.

We loaded the car for the last time and set off.  This time we had 2 drivers, Julie and Grant. We meandered our way out of Apt and they look a wrong turn. We continued on and they soon caught up with us.
Fairly quickly we were climbing and after yesterday's exertions it felt like hard work. We soon got into a rythym and continued to climb, but safe in the knowledge that this was the last serious hill of the trip. As the miles counted down our spirits climbed. Soon we started to see signs for Marseille, which raised spirits even higher.  We were closing in on the final destination. It seemed strange with different thoughts going through my mind. Here we are just an hour or so away from finishing what had started out as an idea almost a year ago.    

All the hard work training, planning, and organisation had paid off.  As we entered the outskirts of Marseille, traffic built up and we agreed that it would be best if Grant and Julie lead us into the centre.  They drove we followed and this was the scariest part of the whole trip.  Cars everywhere and none willing to slow down or stop for us.

Soon we were approaching the seafront and stopped to agree a suitable finishing point. We decided on the Port of Marseille, which was a further 1.5km.After approx 1200km, we now only had 1.5km to go. As we cycled past the old port, which was full of luxury yachts and boats, we knew we had made it. Finally, we turned the last corner and saw the sign.  At last after 12 days, some very hard and mentally tiring, we were here. We stopped and got a few photos. Grant had even been organised enough to bring a saltire, which Ernie and I proudly held above our heads.  We got a few odd looks from people. Obviously, wondering what these 2 Scots cyclists were celebrating.   

Anyway, that's it over for this year.  Who knows what is next!! If 2 middle aged buggers can do it. Then anyone can.  When asked why we did it. Apart from raising money for a very good cause.  My answer was. Because we can.  To steal a phrase.  Just Do It. Because YOU can.

Anyway, it just leaves me to say a very big thank you to the following people:

• Claire for inspiring me to suggest the trip in the first place and the reason and motivation to put in the long hours of training, which made it possible.
  

   

• Sheila for allowing me to spend so much time on the bike training, when there were 101 other things I should have been doing. Love to you both.

• Ernie for his time, effort, and commitment in training and joining me on the long way down by bike.  Look forward to doing something similar again. 
  

• Grant for all the time, effort and commitment he put into organising the trip, the support driving, and putting up with Ernie and I. Without you it would not have been possible.

• Julie for kindly offering to join us and share the long drive back home.

• Everyone who directly sponsored us, provided prizes, and generally supported us.

A very big thank you to you all.

A Few Final Facts

• Approx total distance cycled - 1200km. Final figure to be calculated for the competition.

• Approx height climbed - approximately 26,000 feet. Not far short of Mount Everest.

• Approx number of cereal bars consumed - 140 (don't let me see another one for a long time.)

• Approx amount of fluid consumed - 70 litres. Between water and energy drinks.

• Approx number of calories burnt 40,000. By me and my worm. As said by Ernie.

• Pedal revolutions - many millions I guess, but every one (well almost every one) took us a little nearer our destination and was worth it.

PS - we will get some photos and video uploaded soon.

Finally, it just leaves me to say "Au revoir from the Down Hill Cyclists Team for this year|.  
 

fast facts

time in saddle - 4-34
max speed - 35mph
average - 11.8mph
Distance Covered - 54.15 miles
heart rate - max 154 average 109
calories 3351

Day Eleven - Le Geant De Provence - The Giant of Provence.

Today was the day that we had trained for. The 14.5m/22km climb to the top of Mont Ventoux at 1912m/6303 feet.  We woke to clear blue skies,which immediately raised spirits. Temperature was already 22C at 9am when we set off.   Better that than rain. We weaved our way through Bedoin market to the start line and reset today's trip counters. We then set off on the gentle climb out of Bedoin with 14 very hilly miles ahead. Ten minutes gone and Ernie suffered a puncture!!.  Was it going to be one of those days?  Got the tube and tyre replaced and set off again.  Very quickly the gradient changed from a gentle rise to a SERIOUS incline and we knew it was like this or worse until the top.  We both soon got into our cycling rhythm and started the long haul to the top.  We passed Grant on a number of occasions. Hopefully, capturing plenty of good video and photos.

It seemed that as the gradient increased so did the temperature.  By 11am it was approx 25C!!  We continued pedalling our way onwards and upwards through the trees getting fleeting glimpses of the summit every so often.

The first stop was at Chalet Reynaurd at approx 9.5m/14km.  We both arrived there after approx 1.5 hours of non-stop cycling uphill.  After a short food/drink refuel stop it was back on the bikes for the last 5m/8km. Now out in the open and exposed to the wind and blazing sun.  By now the temperature was approx 28C. Despite this, we ploughed on for the top and the satisfaction of completing the climb to Mont Ventoux. Soon we passed the memorial to Tommy Simpson (British cyclists who died climbing Mont Ventoux in 1967.), which meant that the summit was very near. After another 10 minutes we turned the last corner to the summit and the killer climb was over for another time.    We had made it and both in a very reasonable time.  The Giant had been tamed!!       

Fast Facts

• Time in Saddle = 5 hours 30 minutes
• Distance Covered = 73.71 miles
• Max Speed = 35mph
• Average Speed = 13.3mph
• Max heart rate = 141, average 99
• Calories burned (each) = 2971

Couldn't believe it - we woke to blue skies, it wasn't hot and we had to drive from our last (ever) Formule1 to the place near Crest where we stopped cycling yesterday, but it wasn't wet, RESULT!!

Once we got going it didn't take long for the low clouds and mist around Crest to be burnt off and we were soon pedalling though an undulating terrain. Unfortunately, the wrong way, as we took a left where we shouldn't have but the bonus was the road we did take was spectacular and went though a small tunnel.

When we did get back on the right route it was quite hilly but we made good progress in the sunshine and 20+ degrees, no waterproofs today.

Bit of roadside maintenance to Keith's front hub was the only hold up but some of the road surfaces were not as good as others meaning a bumpy ride.

Descending to Aleyrac was our first glimpse of the Giant of Provence, can't wait until tomorrow........not.

Climb over the Col de la Madelaine was a breeze and had the bonus of a wee race with a German into Bedoin.  We won.

Luxury - swimming pool and 3 single beds and a garage for the bikes. Food good but not enough for Keith.

Fast Facts

• Time in the saddle: 5 hours 53 mins
• Distance covered = 81.68 Miles
• Max speed 34mph
• Average 13.8mph
• Calories burned = 3322
• Heart Rate Max = 140, average 108

Day nine. It rained.

We woke to torrential rain and thunder storms, and it never got any better.  However, whatever the weather we have to cycle, so we set off. Before we had even left the town we were both soaked to the skin. As as you can see from the fast facts today was a long day and also took in a few serious hill climbs of over 2000 feet.  The only question going through my mind was "Why did we decide to cycle in France as opposed to Britain?" and the answer I got from Ernie was "Because the weather will be better."

Anyway by lunch time we were both so wet through 3 layers that we had to stop to change clothes. It continued to rain!!  Things got so bad that what had been roads became rivers and we just had to cycle through them.  Grant hopefully has captured some good video as evidence.  Today was certainly no holiday with the weather worse than anything we have encountered back home.  It was heads down all day with them aim of just getting here ASAP.

Finally, after almost 6 hours in the saddle we arrived and quickly changed out of our wet clothes into some dry ones.  Only problem was that the showers didn't work at first, so we had to wait until they sorted them out.

Now fed and watered and relaxing in the room.  Just checked the weather forecast for tomorrow and it looks like it may even be sunny.  Finally, today was the first day that we actually saw signs for Marseille.  Even though it indicated 160 km. Three days to go, roll on Marseille. All for now. 

 

Fast Facts

• Punctures: 1
• Time in the saddle = 3 48
• Average Speed = 12.5mph
• Max Speed = 35mph
• Distance 47.52 miles
• Heart rate max 128, average 100
• Calories burned = 1855

Well, today has been fairly uneventful. No idea where we picked up the puncture, we found it at the hotel after we'd had the bikes inside for a few hours.

We did get cautioned for playing cards in public though, and had to go inside the bar we were sitting at. Apart from that, we've had a lovely dinner, a beer that hit the mark perfectly, and now we're putting the finishing touches on our latest puncture repair. We'll need to buy a new kit by the end of the week at this rate!

Its a hard day ahead of us tomorrow, about 80 miles of undulating hills. But when we've finished that one, we'll only be about 120 miles from Marseille. If course, we're taking a little detour to go up some hill called Mont Ventoux... its only about 6329.67 feet (approximately)... or about twice the height of Ben Nevis. On a race bike.

Who's idea was this?

Beaune to Bourg en Bresse

Time in the saddle = 5 hours, 18 minutes
Max speed = 26mph
Average speed = 13.7mph
Distance covered = 72.68 miles
Calories burned = 3192 (each)

Well, more rain. It's been a pretty uneventful day actually, the most exciting thing that happened today was Grant chasing round every supermarket in Chalon Sur Saone looking for WD-40. Eventually he got fed up with chasing round the town, and got the assistant manager of carrefour to program the sat-nav with the location of the other store! 

After he found some, he chased down the soggy cycling duo, who of course wanted to get changed into dry clothes and get the waterproof gear on... an open garage on the main street in Epervans provided the "ideal" place for them to strip off...

But then it started to clear up and Keith needed an excuse to stop to get his waterproof trousers off... So he found a convenient piece of broken glass and rode over it. Luckily they had enough gear with them to fix the puncture and catch up with me to finish inflating the tyre.

 

Chatillon Sur Seine to Beaune - "Everywhere you go, always take the weather.....!"

Time in the Saddle 6 hours, 2 minutes 53 seconds
Max Speed 32mph
Average Speed 12.6mph
Distance Covered 76.23 miles
Max heart rate = 140
Average heart rate = 110
Calories burned (each) = 3734
Number of times gloves rung out = 8 or 9

A really hilly route - about 6000 feet of climb in it. 76 miles, and 6000 feet in non-stop torrential rain. But thankfully no punctures, and we came across a group of touring cyclists who looked more miserable - and more like drowned rats - than we did.

We're off to warm up. And I'm worried about being this wet next to a computer.

Tomorrow is another long day, and hopefully we'll be in better conditions for it.

Troyes to Chatillon sur Seine

Time in the Saddle = 3 hours, 5 minutes, 53 seconds
Max Speed = 22mph
Average Speed = 12.6mph
Distance Covered = 39.29 miles
Calories Burned = 1520 (each)
Max heart rate = 130
Average heart rate = 101
Wrong turns = 0!!!!!

Well, a great start to the day when Ernie woke up cuddling Mr Ribble (the bike) in the 'cosy' Formule 1 hotel in Troyes to find a very flat tyre on the back of his bike. And then Talk 107 forgot about us... Fortunately, it was a short day, so it didn't hold us up all that much.

We got away at about 9:45, and spent a few hours covering the time to Chatillon sur Seine, where finding the hotel was a piece of cake.

Ernie and Keith had an interesting incident with a school bus on the wrong side of the road. We've got the video shot should the police need it, but I've never been so impressed as when I saw Ernie face down 20 tons of bus when on a bicycle. He just sat in the middle of the road, but I have to admit that i'm not sure if it was bravery or 'rabbit in the headlights' effect.

None the less a good daay, with a steak and chips lunch for all, and a proper bed each tonight.. this is as close to luxury as this trip is getting!

Fast Facts

• Distance = 88.27 miles
• Time in the saddle = 6 Hours, 53 minutes, and 15 seconds
• Max heart rate = 140
• Average heart rate = 105
• Calories burned = 4171
• Average speed = 12.8 mph or 20.4 km/h

Took a lovely but unintentional detour through the Champagne region of France (we got lost again...) but this time it only cost us 5 km.

Lost out on the most incredible downhill (12%) run thanks to some evil french trucker. Who went down the two mile descent in bottom gear with the brakes on. If t had been clear, the guys would have clocked 70 km/h (45mph) easily, and Ernie said that in the UK, he would have popped out on the bike an overtaken the guy!

Fast Facts:

• Punctures sufferred - ZERO!!!!! (punctures repaired = 2!)
• Distance covered - 43 miles.
• Calories burned - 2324 per person
• Maximum heart rate 133, average 105.
• 3 hours in the saddle

GET THIS - Maximum speed = 42mph (managed by Ernie, down the longest, straightest hill ever seen)... we told him the leg waxing would pay off... Keith struggled to keep up!

All in all, an easy day. Followed by a McDonalds.

So now we're off for a look about in Reims, see the sights, grab some dinner and sink a beer.

Long day tomorrow, with 70+ miles planned. Here's hoping it's as successful as today!