Saturday 13th September 2014 - BANG, BANG-BANG, BANG! Look at watch, urgh 7.30am and they're out shooting. Roll over for another hours snooze, with the random shots being fired, I presume on the lake, a few hundred metres away.
8am Actually, earphones in to listen to a bit of Disclosure.
9am Write up blog. Put power pack on charge. Usually takes overnight to fully charge, but got to take the opportunity of electricity when I can.
10am Wind starts up again, bringing some big dark clouds. Hopefully they'll just keep getting blown on by.
11am Half packed up. Waiting on tent drying while watching the toilet block where battery is charging. Phone now down to 25%.
Time is ticking away.
Tick tock tick tock.
Hurry. Up.
I don't like waiting on things. Hence why I'm always bang on time, or a little late for things, as then you never have to wait on anyone else.
Dislikeage of the phaffage.
Eventually leave at 12.30pm. Lots of people everywhere, cars parked all through town and several fields after it too, must have been lots of marathon competitors this morning.
As per usual, climb out of town, into next village, and up and out of it again. Excellent views mind you, but the wind, waowee!! Even the seagulls were lying in the fields like flocks of sheep.
Along the climbs were some signs for the marathoners - Go For It, Don't Wobble, Just Wiggle, Last Climb until the Next One. Mildly entertaining.
At the top of the last climb there was a group of many mopeds. They all went off at one time, got some video. Something nice to watch as I recharged.
Down into Calais. Pedal down the hill into the wind, along the flat, into the wind. Sigh.
Nothing much interesting in Calais. Took a photo of the lighthouse. Cycled past the ferry terminals with the high fences everywhere. Lots of people 'hanging around'! It was easy enough to get through and had a few cycle lanes.
Out the other side. Through the dock/industrial area and I took a turn early, before I should have. Passed a dog agility training centre, which the dogs seemed to be loving.
There were lots of people now milling about here. The further I went down the road the more of them there were. Got to a bit were there were trees and bushes and they seemed to be living in them and washing at a standpipe. I smiled at a couple of the ladies who smiled back and ignored the shouts from the guys.
I don't think I was going slow enough to inherit any extra unknown passengers?!
The next bit was horrible. All I'm gonna say is I don't like cycling into a head wind, all day. Its tiring, like grinding continually up a hill, all day. The noise of the wind is deafening, can't hear traffic coming until its beside you, therefore can't relax, all day.
Got to Gravelines and stopped at tourist info, as didn't look like a simple way across to Dunkerque. She said by bike you have to go out to Bourbourg and follow canal to Dunkerque. Detour alert!
Anyway, windy, slow, boring, will I ever get there, was the next several hours. Today was meant to be an easy few km along the coast. Into campsite mid afternoon, do some washing, chill out etc, but no.
Dunkerque didn't impress upon me. It was 7.30pm. There are lots of tower blocks. Eventually found campsite. Tent up for 8pm. Bust.
Down to bar onsite. Hot chips and tuna and mayo sandwich. Then went to bed. The tent was flapping furiously in the wind. Just no getting away from it today at all.
Earphones in, Egypt by Air - 3 Cities (thanks Neil) up full blast to block out the noise. Feel asleep a few tracks in.
**Lots of photos on the Facebook page - https://m.facebook.com/jojourneystheworld
Day 15 - 13.09.14
Wissant to Dunkerque
12.30pm to 7.30pm
4hrs 58min cycling
74.6km
1786calories
580 metres asc
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