GGOOOOoooooo
Yes yes okay - I know that I left a little while ago, but today is my first day back in civilisation and the first oppurtunity to get online.
I'm reasonably fit, morelike a little less unfit, but the bike is doing well.
Left UK to plan, camped near Guildford the first night. Nuff said, although the owner descended upon me by paramotor to collect his fee. Barry then obliged me with one of the minimum legal requirements for paramotoring - a 10 litre fuel maximum.
Stayed in the Albatross guest house in Portsmouth the following night and got the earlyish ferry Tuesday morning.
Awaiting me at Le Havre was a surprise, the mayor had organised a little 4 boat regatta to welcome me. The French, proud of their 'heritage gastronomique' had chosen each boat as a representative of the food groups I'll consume through their country, known as the diet de bateau quattre:
" Cheap Bread
" Cheap Cheese
" Cheap Speciality sausage
" Cheap Beer - although I've headed for cider in Normandy as it has a more favourable euro/unit ratio.
For all the months of careful planning, the only thing I've forgetten was the usb adapter for the camera, so no piccies until I find one.... but they'll follow, I promise, you sceptics. pah.
Left Nornandy this morning - a lot of flattish but windy farmland, have been able to hit the initial 50 mile / day quota easily. Bedding down in Le Mans tonight, the home of the 24 hour race circuit. Earlier, whilst following the race circuit I'll admit to getting my head down, hands on the drop handlebars, opening up and really letting rip down the Mulsanne straight. Fun whilst it lasted, but a risk - the diet bateau quattre has left me teetering on the brink.
Tonight is the first night not camping in France, which has been great for budget so far, surviving on a little over 10 euros a day - me, my tent, a selection of cheeses / saucisson and a litre of not so fine cider. Not much, but I call it home... problem with campsites is they tend to be full of caravan bound families, which doesn't make for much conversation. At least, unlike in UK its pretty quiet and I haven't yet been woken by kids using my tent as a goal. I'm generally happy talking to myself so no great shakes, although have to be wary it doesn't escallate through self-arguing and ends up with me refusing to speak to myself - although not be a bad safety valve in truth.
Just returned back to the yoof hostel from an early exit from The Pub Crawl - Le Mans very own irish bar.. Sadly the weekly G string competition isn't Thursdays, particularly as I'd improvised a very little something out of spare inner tubes, tricky hiding the valves I can tell you. Not the only dissappointment however, if this is a pub to be visited on a pub crawl, then it should be at the very end when 6 euros a pint out of the whip doesn't bother anyone. With the nights entertainment budget blown and the inner tubes chaffing badly I squeaked my way back to the hostel.
Highlight so far was freewheeling through a little village a few days back - walking towards me were what I assume to be grandmother and grandson. Grandma was a little more than 4 ft tall, knees 2 ft apart with a mass of hair perched on her head moulded from something akin to the old rabbit moulds - a cross between Paul Shane and Albert Steptoe. Grandson was a few feet ahead do apparently nothing wrong. All of a sudden, with no warning and no evident provocation grandma produced, from the front pocket of her tabard, a baguette which she whacked over the kids head. Neither batted an eyelid. Vive la France.
http://www.sitcom.co.uk/hi_de_hi/graphics/char_ted.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/images/400/steptoeandson_3.jpg
Aiming for Tours tomorrow - fingers crossed for a camera cable so I can prove that I'm not having gender reassignment therapy or doing bird.
Heres the piccies... only 2.50 euros for the cable in Tours, highly recommended
The Albatross guest house in Portsmouth
the food group boats of Le Havre
I'm reasonably fit, morelike a little less unfit, but the bike is doing well.
Left UK to plan, camped near Guildford the first night. Nuff said, although the owner descended upon me by paramotor to collect his fee. Barry then obliged me with one of the minimum legal requirements for paramotoring - a 10 litre fuel maximum.
Stayed in the Albatross guest house in Portsmouth the following night and got the earlyish ferry Tuesday morning.
Awaiting me at Le Havre was a surprise, the mayor had organised a little 4 boat regatta to welcome me. The French, proud of their 'heritage gastronomique' had chosen each boat as a representative of the food groups I'll consume through their country, known as the diet de bateau quattre:
" Cheap Bread
" Cheap Cheese
" Cheap Speciality sausage
" Cheap Beer - although I've headed for cider in Normandy as it has a more favourable euro/unit ratio.
For all the months of careful planning, the only thing I've forgetten was the usb adapter for the camera, so no piccies until I find one.... but they'll follow, I promise, you sceptics. pah.
Left Nornandy this morning - a lot of flattish but windy farmland, have been able to hit the initial 50 mile / day quota easily. Bedding down in Le Mans tonight, the home of the 24 hour race circuit. Earlier, whilst following the race circuit I'll admit to getting my head down, hands on the drop handlebars, opening up and really letting rip down the Mulsanne straight. Fun whilst it lasted, but a risk - the diet bateau quattre has left me teetering on the brink.
Tonight is the first night not camping in France, which has been great for budget so far, surviving on a little over 10 euros a day - me, my tent, a selection of cheeses / saucisson and a litre of not so fine cider. Not much, but I call it home... problem with campsites is they tend to be full of caravan bound families, which doesn't make for much conversation. At least, unlike in UK its pretty quiet and I haven't yet been woken by kids using my tent as a goal. I'm generally happy talking to myself so no great shakes, although have to be wary it doesn't escallate through self-arguing and ends up with me refusing to speak to myself - although not be a bad safety valve in truth.
Just returned back to the yoof hostel from an early exit from The Pub Crawl - Le Mans very own irish bar.. Sadly the weekly G string competition isn't Thursdays, particularly as I'd improvised a very little something out of spare inner tubes, tricky hiding the valves I can tell you. Not the only dissappointment however, if this is a pub to be visited on a pub crawl, then it should be at the very end when 6 euros a pint out of the whip doesn't bother anyone. With the nights entertainment budget blown and the inner tubes chaffing badly I squeaked my way back to the hostel.
Highlight so far was freewheeling through a little village a few days back - walking towards me were what I assume to be grandmother and grandson. Grandma was a little more than 4 ft tall, knees 2 ft apart with a mass of hair perched on her head moulded from something akin to the old rabbit moulds - a cross between Paul Shane and Albert Steptoe. Grandson was a few feet ahead do apparently nothing wrong. All of a sudden, with no warning and no evident provocation grandma produced, from the front pocket of her tabard, a baguette which she whacked over the kids head. Neither batted an eyelid. Vive la France.
http://www.sitcom.co.uk/hi_de_hi/graphics/char_ted.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/images/400/steptoeandson_3.jpg
Aiming for Tours tomorrow - fingers crossed for a camera cable so I can prove that I'm not having gender reassignment therapy or doing bird.
Heres the piccies... only 2.50 euros for the cable in Tours, highly recommended
The Albatross guest house in Portsmouth
the food group boats of Le Havre
posted by BORIS at 19:55
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