Today's Ride
- Thread starter FairfaxPat
- Start date
It's been a grim slog from the north coast of France down (so far) to Dijon then to Geneva on Tuesday. Everything has been so much more tiring than anticipated due to an almighty headwind blowing almost continuously.
Among the many highlights have been some sections of white roads near Troyes, Troyes itself, some wonderful hospitality and the sense of achievement grinding through around 100 miles each day.
My friend with a power meter said that his watts on our ride yesterday would normally have resulted in an 18 mph average on a road ride but we grovelled in at 13 mph.
Among the many highlights have been some sections of white roads near Troyes, Troyes itself, some wonderful hospitality and the sense of achievement grinding through around 100 miles each day.
My friend with a power meter said that his watts on our ride yesterday would normally have resulted in an 18 mph average on a road ride but we grovelled in at 13 mph.
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
Fantastic effort. Jo and I did 60 miles into a 40mph headwind back from Helingly. A very tiring ride, you should be patting yourselves on the back.
Thank you. Good going.
My friend plotted the route. I did ask him yesterday if next time he was plotting a route he could avoid areas that have massive arrays of wind turbines. We seem to have gone past an awful lot and I'm guessing their location is not an accident.
Tough day ahead. 50 miles of flat into a head wind then 50 miles of climbing into the Jura.
Rest not helped by checking into a weird hotel in Dijon that has a see-through shower/bathroom in the middle of the room. Not my ideal set up for sharing with two relative strangers.
My friend plotted the route. I did ask him yesterday if next time he was plotting a route he could avoid areas that have massive arrays of wind turbines. We seem to have gone past an awful lot and I'm guessing their location is not an accident.
Tough day ahead. 50 miles of flat into a head wind then 50 miles of climbing into the Jura.
Rest not helped by checking into a weird hotel in Dijon that has a see-through shower/bathroom in the middle of the room. Not my ideal set up for sharing with two relative strangers.
moonlite
Kona Fan
After a weekend away for the Missus' birthday, I was keen to get some distance in today, particularly in light of the weather forecast which tells me we will have rain of some sort for the next ten days or so.
Wasn't feeling very fit but took the Airborne Carpe Diem on a 35-k mixed gravel and tarmac route. Went easy most of the way and was finding it a little uninspiring when, as if on order, a minor adventure occurred. As I was putting some effort into a short, steep climb from a river crossing, I saw a large dog lolloping toward me with a playful and enthusiastic air. Thinking my speed up the hill would discourage it, I kept going, but halfway up I looked back and there she was, thoroughly enjoying the run as she followed me. I stopped and she bounded up, wagging her tail and leaping up at me as if I was her long-lost best friend.
I was at a bit of a loss as to what to do -- we were quite far out in the country and there was no sign of anyone around she might belong to. A woman in an SUV stopped and we chatted a bit -- she didn't recognise the dog and couldn't stop for long, but said she'd send out a note on the local Whatsapp group. Another woman in an SUV also stopped, just to give us a piece of her mind for stopping there, in a spot she found inconvenient.
I rode to a farmhouse a mile or two away with doggie loping along with me, occasionally cutting abruptly across my path which was disconcerting. There was no-one home; I closed the gates on the dog and rode back to the main road, only to find her bounding up to me with great joy and excitement. It was a bit of a poser -- I couldn't leave her on the road but couldn't take her with me either and time was ticking by.
We went back down the hill to the river on the basis that this was where I'd seen her coming from. After a few minutes, a man came running through the thick bush next to the water, yelling and waving. He was in tears as he came up to us -- he was frantic about his dog and told me that he'd had to have her sibling put down a few weeks ago. It was a great relief to return her to her owner -- who told me she is three months old and goes by the name of Bobbie. It transpired they were panning for gold alongside the river following recent floods.
And with that, I spun myself back home (back up that bloody steep hill again), vaguely pleased that the story had a happy ending.
Wasn't feeling very fit but took the Airborne Carpe Diem on a 35-k mixed gravel and tarmac route. Went easy most of the way and was finding it a little uninspiring when, as if on order, a minor adventure occurred. As I was putting some effort into a short, steep climb from a river crossing, I saw a large dog lolloping toward me with a playful and enthusiastic air. Thinking my speed up the hill would discourage it, I kept going, but halfway up I looked back and there she was, thoroughly enjoying the run as she followed me. I stopped and she bounded up, wagging her tail and leaping up at me as if I was her long-lost best friend.
I was at a bit of a loss as to what to do -- we were quite far out in the country and there was no sign of anyone around she might belong to. A woman in an SUV stopped and we chatted a bit -- she didn't recognise the dog and couldn't stop for long, but said she'd send out a note on the local Whatsapp group. Another woman in an SUV also stopped, just to give us a piece of her mind for stopping there, in a spot she found inconvenient.
I rode to a farmhouse a mile or two away with doggie loping along with me, occasionally cutting abruptly across my path which was disconcerting. There was no-one home; I closed the gates on the dog and rode back to the main road, only to find her bounding up to me with great joy and excitement. It was a bit of a poser -- I couldn't leave her on the road but couldn't take her with me either and time was ticking by.
We went back down the hill to the river on the basis that this was where I'd seen her coming from. After a few minutes, a man came running through the thick bush next to the water, yelling and waving. He was in tears as he came up to us -- he was frantic about his dog and told me that he'd had to have her sibling put down a few weeks ago. It was a great relief to return her to her owner -- who told me she is three months old and goes by the name of Bobbie. It transpired they were panning for gold alongside the river following recent floods.
And with that, I spun myself back home (back up that bloody steep hill again), vaguely pleased that the story had a happy ending.
Couple of rides squeezed into this years staycation. Overall, warm mostly with some beautiful blue skies and golden sunshine, then last week into this, cooler, cloudier and with some long awaited rain.
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
Clean room but....on showThank you. Good going.
My friend plotted the route. I did ask him yesterday if next time he was plotting a route he could avoid areas that have massive arrays of wind turbines. We seem to have gone past an awful lot and I'm guessing their location is not an accident.
Tough day ahead. 50 miles of flat into a head wind then 50 miles of climbing into the Jura.
Rest not helped by checking into a weird hotel in Dijon that has a see-through shower/bathroom in the middle of the room. Not my ideal set up for sharing with two relative strangers.
I confess I don't like sharing a room with a bloke, never mind two.
Good point about the turbines, shame he didn't work it out while planning
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
A lovely story with a happy ending. A gorgeous dog too, very Staffyesque.
moonlite
Kona Fan
Her owner said she was a pitbull, but she looked too long in the legs for that. But then I'm not sure pitbull is a breed anyway.
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
I agree.
A nice dog is a nice dog. No bad dogs, just crap humans and poor treatment.
