Rest day in St Helen, near Dinan

Today has been my first rest day in 10 days after cycling 670 miles since last Monday.  I have spent it shopping in Dol de Bretagne, a smart French town about 10 miles away.  I also visited an equestrian centre with my niece (great-niece actually) Jessica who had a riding lesson booked.  Tonight we are having my fave Soupe de Poisson followed by seafood taglitelli at La Ville Davy, my sisters place.  Contracts were exchanged for their sale last night so I have offered to help with packing and taking stuff to the tip. As a result I am curtailing this adventure a little earlier than expected at the Breton coastal city of St Malo where my Sunday ferry awaits my return to the UK. So Santander to St Malo will have to do!

The stats from the 2012 tour

The statistics from the Garmin Edge Sat Nav recorded on the tour are as follows:

Total distance cycled = 687.53 miles (1106 kms)

Total cycling time = 64 hours 24 mins

Average speed = 10.7 mph

Max speed 37.7 mph

Calories burned = 43150 (the food consumption must have made up for it!)

Longest Day = 89.3 miles Day 8 St Gilles Croix de Vie to St Nicholas de Redon

Thanks for your support!

Final leg complete

A sunny Breton morning here Friday and I thought I would complete the last bit of the shortened Spain and France tour from Santander to St Malo.  It is only 18 miles from St Helen to St Malo and to avoid the busy N137, Peter helped me plot an interesting route through quiet villages of Pleudihen, Chateauneuf, St Pere and finally into St Malo which is a splendid walled town. one of my favourite corners in France is at the France et Chateaubriand hotel pictured below. I returned after lunch via Dinard and picked up the traffic free voie vert at Pleurtuit next to the airport. Fantastic preserved stations some now doubling as restaurants along the way. Its been a nice trip. Au revoir !

A day in Dinan

Dinan is a lovely French town with a beautiful quay  and ramparts around the centre. Having thrown socks and boxers away on the way up from Spain I thought I might need more than two pairs to see me through till Monday so there was more than sightseeing to be done today. Its a lovely off road cycle ride along the River Rance around 6 miles. Made everyone a curry with fresh ingredients bought today and it seemed to go down well with creme brulee and lindt chocolates to finish off the meal... yum but those calories just burned off on the trip are stocking up already!

A couple of photos from the trip

Firstly leaving Redon in pouring rain and secondly an earlier tour day leaving basecamp at St Gilles Croix de Vie. Thanks to sister Mo for the action shots.

Day 09 Redon to Dinan

We stayed on a camp site near Redon last night and it tanked down all night. I felt sorry for one young couple who were in a soaking wet wind strewn tent. I saw them eating their supper shivering in the shower block they must have had a nightmare last night. My bike has been out for the last few nights on the back of the campervan and I was worried about the effects of constant driving rain.  Todays trip started in heavy rain and busy traffic as I inexplicably found myself cycling in the gutter of the D177 whilst lorries hurtled by. Unfortunately my cheap map of France was totally useless as the scale is so small that many quiet roads aren't even shown and only the larger villages appear. How did I get this far? Who knows. Two storms passed through, the first wild winds with hail the second just driving rain! I could easily have given up at Becherel had there been any other option! However one tuna baguette and a banana and I was crunching out more miles towards todays total of 68 with sun wind rain and hail making up todays weather mix. I now have a few days rest before my ferry on Sunday..... time to service my trusty steed with the oil can. Photo below is of approaching St Helen near Dinan where my sister lives.

Day 08 (Monday) St Gilles to Redon

A big leg of 88 miles from Vendee region to Brittany. I had my best morning on the bike clearing 64 miles before stopping for lunch. This of course is Easter Monday and France being very religious, nothing at all is open. So lunch is the apple and orange I was carrying washed down with water.  I got very cold as the weather changed to very windy with squally showers and the afternoon dragged.  Now in Redon about  25 miles south of Rennes. Good results for the toon continue - I should stay away more often

Day 07 (Sunday) La Rochelle to StGilles Croix de Vie

No wifi so dont know when this will be uploaded. We had a superb meal at friends Matthieu and Jacquie in La Rochelle. They were great hosts and it was nice to sleep in a proper bed. I had some company during the night, the family cat which had opened my door and jumped up. She was not happy when she was dispatched into the corridor. The ride from LaRochelle took me north first and then west to the coast. The resorts were lovely especially les sables d'orlones then onto Sundays resting place St GillesCroix de Vie a fishing port with attractive marina.

Day 06 Soulac to La Rochelle

Just arrived after an interesting but tough day into strong northerly headwinds. A short 9 miles then a ferry over the Gironde and then 60 miles via Rocheforte and an ancient transporter bridge ride onto La Rochelle. This area is beautiful on the Atlantic coast. Staying in a house tonight with my sisters friends.
Current total mileage since setting off on monday afternoon from Santander is 435 miles. I guess about the same to go.

Day 05 Arcachon, Bordeaux to St Soulac

Today was a start stop and a "not in the zone" day .... Starting in teaming rain what better than to get lost and find your ten miles out of your way at the very start of your day. The sun broke through after an hour so stopped to remove waterproof layers only to find that 30 mins up the road rain squalls came in again. A brisk Northerly wind slowed progress but once again there was a wonderful traffic free 30 mile section of voie vert - another old railway line restored as a cycle track by European funding.  Lunch was late and a less than average hot chicken sandwich. The afternoon dragged with more boring landscape of scrub and fallen timber. Not sure why this part of France is so unpicturesque. Had a nasty moment only two miles from home when I heard a car doing an emergency stop behind me and instinctively steered off the road onto a grass verge to see a small clio or something out of control now on the other side in oncoming traffic. He or she straightened up and sped off. Other drivers coming towards me looked speechless. Thick black tyre marks on the road show his loss of conttol. Nothing I could do but get back on and finish todays stage.

Day 04 Capbreton to Bordeaux (Arcachon)

I didnt have wifi on Day 4 of the tour so will file this late. Day 4 (Thursday) started with rain for the first 25 miles so my waterproofs came in handy. The route from Capbreton as far as Leon was all on traffic free cycle lane converted from an old railway and very flat. I stopped for lunch at Mimizan which was a lovely typical small village and had a nice lunch (pictured) of salmon. The next 45 miles were the most uninteresting miles I have ever cycled with one straight road, through an area called Les Landes which couldnt have been more barren and wasteland if an atomic bomb had dropped. Maybe they tested one there in WW2, it was the most boring and tedious ride and I had to concentrate on anything but the landscape! Sorry France but that part was pants. Stayed over at Arcachon a seaside resort of the Bordeaux region in my sisters Campervan, very cosy and cheap.

Quiz Answers....

From Monday nights post which three Spanish La Liga clubs will I have passed by their home towns so far on the tour? Answer : 1 Racing Santander but about to be relegated 2: Conquerors of Man U recently Athletico Bilbao and the hardest I thought... 3: They play at San Sebastian but they are called Real Sociedad for some reason. Congrats to our nearest winner who got one right.. Pavel!  (big entry of one!). Some photos of this town Capbreton this evening

Day 03 Zarautz Spain to Capbreton France

I am not missing those Pyrenees one bit! Today has been lovely weather as I left Spain behind with just one big climb out then mainly easy on the French side. Pictures below are of the bay at San Sebastian and if I can upload a few, then also Biarritz which I loved and a view of the river crossing at Bayonne. I had my much loved french baguette filled with tuna and salad as soon as I reached La Francais followed by a cheeky French tart! (custard actually). Hotel seems fine apart from the ongoing construction outside.  Time for a shower and a walk to find some food.

Day 02 Bilbao to Zarautz nr San Sebastian

Arrived tonight totally floored. On the bike since 9 am spanish time and I arrived at the hotel 7:10pm in Zarautz about 15 miles short of San Sebastian.  Big seaside town. Flat screen and bath! Done 82 miles of the most arduos hill climbing. One hill lasted 1.5 hours. I would have given up earlier as the last 30 miles were really hurting but I'd prepaid for my room! Mountain goats with their unique bells were my friends today. I spoke to quite a few to take my mind off the climbing. Got lost 3 times today, always in busy towns. I need  a hot bath and then dinner in the hotel. Spanish tv showing Barcelona tonight. If I can stay awake! Some photos from today below.

Day 01 Santander to Bilbao

The ferry docked right on time at 12:15 after a very smooth crossing on Brittany Ferries newest boat the Pont Avon, very enjoyable. Had a lovely meal on board with friends Paul and Carole who were driving down to the Coast.  After clearing Customs about 12:45  the tour was underway and not long before the climbing began. The roads were quiet as most of the traffic takes the A8 motorway. First sight of the mountains came leaving Laredo. I have a photo which I'll post here. After the first long climb into the mountains I was pleased for the cool breezes off the Bay of Biscay despite them being headwinds at time and slowing my progress a little.  Arriving at the seaside town of Urdiales, For 4pm would have been an idea to stop over as it was very pleasant. More lung busting climbs followed, the equivalent of 4 Hartside passes in one afternoon! I arrived at my hotel in North Bilbao late. Ill sleep well I hope and eat something tomorrow. Only fruit and water today. Theres nothing that looks inviting nearby.  Tomorrow again following the coastal route from here to just short of San Sebastian. Quiz question.... By the time I reach tomorrows destination, I will have passed the home towns of which 3 Spanish premiership clubs? Cadburys cream egg for the winner which I'll carry all the way through Spain and France in my cycling shorts! Should be a little soft. Anyone using google for this  should disqualify themselves!

Thought I'd use my rest day ....

..... By going for a bike ride along an old disused rail line. Beautiful sunny morning in Plymouth. When you are solo you can't get in the picture but my bike can!

A long day on the train

A nice cool breeze on the short ride to Newcastle Central in good time for 12:44 to Plymouth... but sadly
someone lost their life today when they were struck by a train near Northallerton and the whole rail network was grounded. We couldnt leave Ncle Central until 2:15 but worse was to follow. At York we had no crew and without me moving seat my train wasnow going to Reading instead of Plymouth. Loads of folk travelling to Cornwall were gobsmacked. We were told to leave the train at Birmingham and catch another later train to Plymouth. So its now7hours since I joined the trsin at Ncle and I'm somewhere near Gloucester. Tiring but staying cheerful. No dinner for TC tonight. Good job I brought my bike lights for the 4miles to tonights hotel. Would love a coffee. Theres nothing on board at the moment.

Bike fully loaded and ready to go!

I've put new tyres and tubes on, Andy has fitted new cogs gears and chain. I've loaded it up front and back with four days clothes, will need to visit a launderette every few days.

I had a test ride last night and its not too bad to handle with the extra weight. Just need to shake off a chest infection and all set for take off next weekend. Next update from the train

The Pyrenees

Looking forward to getting photos like this in the Pyrenees, although a little scared about the climbing on a bike loaded with luggage!

Preparation

Preparation is proceeding at a pace.... All day train to Plymouth booked for one passenger plus bike .......Ferry with overnight cabin booked to Santander, start of route mapped out on google maps, no B&Bs booked just yet as I an still studying the Pyrenees and deciding how much energy they will sap over the first three days!!

Training is going well, although with work cropping up, I can only get out at weekends. Coast to Coast completed (140 miles) in 1 day 5 hours, so my legs and lungs are working. I've considered taking a rucksack on my back but reading other forums tends to lead me to thinking that I should get all the weight off my back and into panniers.

Must remember to pack some washing powders so the locals aren't curious about the cycling tramp on the way up!