Dilemma Day - Day 6

Thursday 4th September 2014 - Woke up this morning feeling fine, oh what a great trip this is of mine!

Hmm....should I stay or should I go?

The soaking dewed up tent and the pile of wet clothes I'd washed the night before told me to stay for the day.

Breakfast next. Oh, that pizza from the night before. Opened the lid of the box and something had been having a midnight feast of it and just left the crusts. Clearly a straight haired, smooth chested being.

Ah well, down to the shop and got my favourite pain au lait and ate the whole bag of them with a litre of oj. Nice way to start the day.

Didn't really do much the rest of the day, did this blog and a bit of Facebooking. Had a wee cycle down the road to Ravenoville. How speedy was I on my none bagged bike...it is still making that odd noise. I think it might be the rear wheel.

Looked at the map to see where I'll head the next few days. Defo going to stop at some of the historic sites along the coast.

Packed my gear up and planning an earlyish start, well as soon as the tent dries that is. Going to have to wear gloves tomorrow though, as I have got that irritating itchy prickly heat rash on the backs of my hands due to too much sun.

Sun has set now and its getting chilly, so going to hit the hay soon.

The Perfect Cycling Day - Day 5

Wednesday 3rd September 2014 - Up early, had some scrambled egg and toast and went up outside on the top of the ship to watch as we came into Cherbourg port.

11.30am and down to the car deck, repacked my stuff and then decided to wait until the millions of campers and caravans went off the boat, before getting on my way. I didn't want to be responsible for holding them all up on the road out of Cherbourg!

At the passport hut, I saw some other cyclists. They had left the boat before me and one was wheeling two bicycles off. Then a few minutes later, a lost looking cyclist was wandering around. I asked if he'd lost his bike and that the others had left with it, so he went on to catch them up.

I stoped and showed my passport, while the French policeman looked at me, then my passport, then at me, then my passport.... he did let me into the country thankfully.

I pulled over to chat to the guys, as they'd been there all the time I was in the queue. Apparently one of the guys left his passport in their backup car, still on the ship, so had to run back to get it.

Turns out there were eight of them from Belfast. They had also cycled down to Rosslare and were planning on cycling to Paris. None of them were cyclists, but they were doing about 70miles a day and seemed to be enjoying it. They were doing it in aid of a Northern Ireland Cancer charity, to raise money and remember their friend who had died of cancer last year. They were young fellas in their early twentys. I wished them luck and reminded them (and myself) to cycle on the right hand side of the road.

So, imagine the perfect cycling day....blue sky, sunshine, warm air, cool breeze in the shade, green fields, rolling hills, trees, rivers, zipping through the countryside on two wheels. That's what the next couple of hours was like. It was bliss. Corn fields, big stone French farmhouses with French shutters and perfect French gardens, cows, probably also French, chilling in their sunny fields, ahhh it was lovely.

It was hot. I also saw my first EuroVelo sign.

I stopped at a little picnic area in a wee village beside a small river. I was down to half a bottle of water and needed to eat something. The free popcorn from Rosslare hit the spot. They were yummy, Lemon's Sour Cream and Black Pepper yum, I'll be getting them again when I'm home.

Just as I was getting ready to go I saw the Belfast boys pass, in the opposite direction toward Cherbourg. Hmm...I'm not sure if they were lost.

On I went thinking I'll just stop and get water at the next place I see. I didn't pass anywhere or any houses and had a steep climb for 40 minutes in the blazing sun.

Quick look at map and I thought another 10km to a petrol station, I'll stop there.

Got there and thought its not that far to the campsite, I'll just keep going. Going on a busy wide road with no shade. Things aren't going so great when you enjoy licking the sweat off your own face for the salt.

Anyway I hit the coast. Strong wind coming off the sea, but it was nice. Made the campsite at 4pm.

No shops around, but they had a takeaway pizza bar opening at 6pm and a small convenience store. Score!

Tent up, lay down for a snooze, then up to get fooooood.

Ham & mushroom pizza and two tins of beer for dinner. However, shockingly, I couldnt eat all the pizza and left half a tin of beer. Seriously what is the matter with me??? Well that's breakfast sorted anyway!!

Day 5 - 03.09.14
Cherbourg to Saint Hubert
11.30am to 4.00pm
3hrs 23min cycling
50km
1441 calories
643 asc
632 des

Time to go to France - Day 4

Tuesday 2nd September 2014 - The main aim of the game today was to catch the ferry to France. Simple enough, however I have been know to miss flights whilst sitting in the airport.

It was due to leave Rosslare at 3.30pm and I was only about 10km away. Relaxed start to the morning then.

Sun was out early and quickly got to work drying the dew off my tent. I went for a shower (I so miss my hairdryer) then slowly packed up, with a few lie downs inbetween wrestling my stuff into the ever narrowing pannier bags.

German woman was away. French guy was packing up same time as me. He had a trailer towed behind his bicycle for carrying all his kit in which looked good. Until he went to cycle off, turned too quickly and it all fell out. I didn't laugh, fearing the same tragedy.

So all set and on the road to Rosslare. Amazing sunny day. I went straight to the terminal to buy a ticket, got stung €99 for it. It was only €70 odd the other week, but didn't want to tempt fate and book it early.

Back up into town for brekkie of a turkey and egg sambo and a vanilla latte. The girl in the shop gave me a free bag of some new kind of flavoured popcorn too.

Sat and looked at the ferry, it was a fairly big ferry too, in the sun for a while killing time. This is the danger zone of my travelling history.

I got my act together when I could see the cars driving on (I had entered the danger zone again) and made my way to check in. I was herded along with all the cars and campervans, lined up, then told to 'follow that caravan'.

Cycled up the ramp and got told to get off and walk on board, no cycling. I must look pretty ropey on the bike today.

After telling the guy that came over to secure my bike that I was just going to get a few things out first, he disappeared, leaving me to secure it. I did my best with an oily strap dangling from the metal barrier and walked by the owner of the new gleaming Merc beside my bike, without making eye contact.

So this boat takes 19 hours to get to France. I declined the luxury of a cabin and opted for a cheap reserved seat.

Few hours of dandering around, getting dirty looks from the older generation because I was in my socks and not wearing shoes. They were clean flipping socks too. Some standard overpriced muck for dinner and then a bit of catching up and craic with the free WiFi.

Later that evening the room my seat was in resembled some kind of multi national slumber party. Well not so much a party, more body traps on the floor to stumble over, various different foreign types of snoring - and farting.

Now was the time for some music in my ears, thank you alt-J for your An Awesome Wave album for blocking out the horrors. With some tunes and the rolling vibrating judders of the ship, on the floor I finally fell into a very broken sleep, filled with crazy dreams.

Day 4 - 02.09.14
St Margarets Campsite to Rosslare
9.30am to 7.00pm
35min
10km

 

Final Irish Leg - Day 3

Monday 1st September 2014 - Thought I'd get up early and get on the road for around 9.30am this morning, as leaving at 11.30am was a little late yesterday.

The campsite was eerily quiet. No one was up or around. After the screaming foxes the night before, it was like being in a scene of Midsummer Murders TV programme.

Showered, packed up and on my way. Few big black clouds on the horizon and chilly sea breeze, but glad to be on the road. Knees not too bad this morning. Alls good.

Congratulating myself on getting my arse in gear sharpish this morning and thinking how early I should be finished today, I passed a lovely little cafe. The Bay Cafe, near Brittas Bay, if you're passing, I'd recommend it.

Quick brake & turn around and plonked myself down for a big feed. Not eating much only that sandwich yesterday, I needed it.

The lady was really friendly and convinced me to try her white pudding with the fry I ordered. It was made of oats, so clearly was good for you.

Big pot of tea, food and WiFi with some nice chill out music and my early start was a distant memory!

Back to it and made good time to Gorey. I had to avoid 3 squished hedgehogs, obviously not wanting a puncture.

Then it started. The R741 to Wexford. Hidious road. Not even a bit of tarmac beside line on edge of the road. Loads of lorries using it and cars flying past. One car the whole way overtook me with plenty of room between us. Everyone else, including lorries skimmed by, even when other cars were coming the opposite way. Dicks. All of them.

Found another nice wee cafe on roadside to refuel. On the side of this busy road was a thatched whitewashed old house, now a cafe. I sat in the sun watching the mental drivers for a while and witnessing some crazy overtaking.

It was around here that I heard my bike making a clunck clunck clunck sound while pedalling and freewheeling. Think it might be my rear wheel or something. Oh dear. Well I'll keep going as long as it does.

Last stretch through Wexford, which looked lovely crossing the bridge in the evening sunshine.

Stopped at a beautiful little campsite, 10km south of Rosslare called St Margarets Beach caravan and campsite.

Perfect wee place. Free hot showers, TV room, kitchen with a kettle and free working WiFi. Awesome!! Only myself and two other cyclists in the tent area, a German woman and French man.

Best nights sleep so far, peacefully quite with the distant sound of the waves again.

Day 3 - 01.09.14
South Wicklow to Rosslare
9.30am to 7.00pm
5hrs 48 min cycling
100km
2758 calories
806 asc
839 des

Doing Dublin - Day 2

Sunday 31st August 2014 - Beautiful sunny morning, I got up and took a while packing my stuff up again. Things need to go in a certain place and in a certain way, cue unpack and repack.

Setting off I was again hoping nothing would fall off and the bike would stay together for another day at least.

Turned out the ankles decided to join the knees in screaming pain this morning. So took it handy up the road for the first hour or so. After a while they numbed themselves.

Heading toward Dublin I was wrong to think it'd be quieter on the roads on a Sunday. Not on a sunny Sunday.

It was slow going. The sun was beating down hot. Traffic was relentless. Cycle lanes covered in glass. All the man holes in Dublin can also be found in the cycle lanes. Some drivers think the white line is clearly just there for the craic. Not eating enough. Getting hungry. Hunger rage starting. Run out of water. Knees are sore again. Must keep going to get out of this carnage.  Argh!!

I stopped south side of Dublin at a petrol station and got a BBQ chicken and cheese sandwich, can of coke, latte, ready salted crisps and 2litres of water. I sat in the shade and ate. I watched someone use the carwash and the whirling brushes sent me into a trance, or it might have been my body loving the food intake.

Back on the bike and just kept pedalling. For the next 3.5 hours to the campsite.

The campsite owner joked as I was checking in that it takes him 2.5hours to drive to Lisburn. Yeah, funny!

Tent up, then I just lay on the ground.

As it was getting dark I got into bed. Once again drifted off to sleep with the sound of the sea. Then later, the fighting cats. Then a little later, the screeching foxes. Then a long time later, the bumbling daddy long legs in my tent.

This is the trouble with too much exercise, I can never sleep well after it. But I also never feel tired in the morning.

Day 2 - 31.08.14
Rush, Dublin to South of Wicklow
11.30am to 7.30pm
5hrs 47mins cycling
84km (52miles)
2186 calories
2887 asc
2746 des

The Grand Depart - Day 1

6.30am on Saturday 30th August 2014 - I rolled down my driveway with my bike packed and waved off by my mum & dad.

I didn't do a trial run with all my kit on the bike, so was waiting for something to fall off before I even made it to the main road. Nothing did, result!

I met my good friend Andrea 'what hill?' Harrower about half a mile from my house and after a few photos, we were on our way to Hillsborough to pick up another two of the crazies. Julie & Cathy met us on the road just outside Hillsborough and on we went.

This was it, the beginning!!

A few photo selfies along the way and a farewell stop, with Andrea having to head home due to dependents. She had got me a little leaving gift, but I'm saving that for later.

Next stop was the petrol station on the A1 for a quick bite to eat, as I didn't have breakfast before I left.

We all had a sneaky wee sup of whiskey behind the shop like naughty schoolgirls, before heading to Banbridge, then the towpath at Scarva.

At Scarva, another of my awesome friends Nicola and her two girls met us, as I said my good byes to Julie and Cathy. I hope they found their way home?!

I had only told Nicola a few days before leaving about my trip, but she knows what I'm like! From there Shenna, amazing cyclist and doing great things on the track and road, rode with me down the towpath to Newry. She's a great pace setter, I did just about keep up with her hauling my 15kg of kit!

In Newry we all met up again and I was treated to the biggest fry ever, I did need it and it was yummy. Thanks Nicola.

Then I was on my own. Pedalling through Newry and toward Dublin.

Freedom on the open road, yeehaa.... Then, it rained.

I artfully avoided a stray hen on the road when it took off in fright at the sight of me. I didn't get the chance to ask why it crossed the road unfortunately.

A low flying seagull also nearly took me out as it tried to get its great mass airborne from the street in Rush.

There was also more rain, headwinds and then sunshine.

So, I peddalled the rest of the day, for 9 hours in total, to Rush north of Dublin. For having done no training, or any kind of exercise this year, 146km (91miles) cycling on the first day was surprisingly okay.

That was until 2.30am that night. I got up to go to the toilet and ooooo my knees. I could hardly climb out of the tent and walk!! I was like an old crippled woman.

As I hobbled back to my tent through the sea mist with the stars twinkling through, I feel asleep again to the sound of the ocean waves.

Day 1 - 30.08.14
Anahilt, Co Down to Rush, Dublin
6.30am to 6.30pm
9hrs 4min cycling
146.6km (91.1miles)
4165 calories
4603ft asc
4960ft des

Tomorrow I will cycle away...

In the morning, at 6.30am - yawn, I will roll down my driveway, on my bicycle and into a new exciting adventure.

I will be cycling down the east coast of Ireland to get a boat to Cherbourg in France. It leaves on Tuesday 2nd September. I haven't booked it though.

I haven't done any 'training'. I think I may have been on my bike only about 5 or 6 times this year. My training begins tomorrow.

I haven't booked any accommodation - I won't know where I'll be sleeping each night. I will be bringing a tent and sleeping bag.

I don't have an exact route planned out. I do have a general idea of where I'm heading and how to get there.

I don't know where I'll be getting food and water from everyday. I will have a gas burner, a packet of instant noodles and two water bottles. There are plenty of shops in Europe I hear too.

I also haven't tested out my bike with the rack and panniers. It will either work, or it won't, in the morning.

The best adventures you have are the ones that haven't been planned to death, leaving room for a few surprises.

"A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists in a hundred miles." ~ Edward Abbey

The Count Down Has Begun...

In 5 weeks time I'll be setting off on my next adventure. 

Excitement!!

Ordered a few last bits of kit which will hopefully keep me connected whilst pedalling across Europe. Having never used a cycle computer in over 20 years of biking, I have purchased a Garmin Edge 200 to record the stats. Everyone loves stats! 

I've also made the decision to just order a power pack to recharge my phone on the go and a solar recharger. I reckon I'll probably only be wild camping for a maximum 3 or 4 nights in a row, so will always have access to somewhere to recharge. I've ordered an EasyAcc 15600mAh power bank. It will hopefully give me up to 4 or 5 full charges of my Nexus mobile phone which I'll be taking with me. I'm going to test it out when it comes so I know what I can expect from it before I go.

I am going to use my phone for navigation, internet, camera and keeping in contact with family and friends. I don't want to bring a lot of technology stuff with me and worry about breaking or losing it all. 

I have also found a great map app that can be used offline. The app is called Maps.Me. So basically you download the country maps and have them available when offline. I've had a bit of a play about with the app and the maps are pretty detailed, so should be fine. I am a map geek. I love looking at maps and could spend hours imagining what places will look like and looking at routes and features.

To keep phone costs down, I'll mainly just be getting online when there is WiFi available. Nearly everywhere has it, cafes, bars, hostels, tourist places etc so shouldn't be a problem getting connected.

Apart from that everything else is pretty much sorted now. I'll have to update the gear page with the stuff I will be taking. I have packed my panniers to see the amount of stuff I can take, which isn't very much!

Insurance is the only other major item I still have to purchase, so I can be scraped off the road, if the worst happens, without it costing the parentals a fortune! 

I've also started mentioning to people that I'll be going for a bit of a cycle. Although the main idea is to aim to cycle to Istanbul, I'm not setting anything in stone. I'm trying not to preplan every last detail either. Having never done any cycle touring before, its a bit of an unknown to me as to how it will go. I may not even get 20 miles down the road. I could get bored, or injured, or even end up riding in circles! So I'm just going to take each hour, each day, as it comes. I have a general idea of route, but will still be flexible. 

No expectations, no disappointments!

The count down is ON!!

Facebook Page...

Just set up a Facebook page as well. I think it'll probably be easier to update daily when on the road :-)

https://m.facebook.com/jojourneystheworld

Where Does The Time Go?

Okay, finally remembered my login and password for this blog, its been well over a year!

I have a new adventure I'm planning to do within the next couple of months. It's still in the early stages, but I will add some details about it over the next few weeks.

Hopefully starting out on my new journey on 1st September 2014!!!