2014's cycling challenge to help the Royal British Legion and Cancer Research UK: 1000 miles solo & unsupported from Blackpool to Mont Ventoux in 8 days, and then up & down Ventoux six times in 24 hours...more climbing than the height of Mount Everest. La Bicinglette, I hope!
Awful pun redeemed by a barstorming tune! There were a few contendahs for today's theme but The Boss won out in the end...especially since I spent a fair chunk of time paralleling the great river heading south.
Right then, you'll know that yesterday's jaunt was a bit on the extreme side, so it was to be expected that I'd have a slightly later start which in turn guarantees a later finish. Didn't realise quite how late, hah-hah!
There was a McDonalds around the corner from my Formule 1 dump of a hotel, so this was my intended breakfast stop. Great idea until you realised that they didn't open until 0900. Best they could offer was an orange juice. In 23 minutes.
Hell yeah! Right into a 9%er...
No dramas as there was a handy gasoline/boulangerie stop after that *expletive deleted* climb. What wasn't quite so handy was the realisation that the wind was going to be against me. All day. Still, it was only reaching 28c so why the kvetching?
A.N.Other village.
Come rain or shine...you got the wine!
You always keep an eye on the clock, not last because this lets you know when you may expect to have a pint...although this has been the driest Le Tour by some margin. Ouch!
There maybe long climbs ahead, but while there's sweating and sunlight and cramps, let's face the headwind...
The mighty Rhone. Some pretty villages along it...wish I could've tarried a'while.
Not dissin' Moto or whatnot, but our services leave a little to be desired.
Only 70 miles done but the realisation that it really will be a long, hot day- I saw 38c plus...so, what do you do? Stick with another few miles to Montelimar (which is a reminder of a great track on 'The White Album'), or...
Just. Too. Easy. But still worthwhile. Bell-end.
Montelimar loved this caper.
Told you. '32 Ford?
Modern Art. 'Nuff said.
...go for the long one?
I decided to gamble and go for Carpentras despite the fact that it was gone 6pm and that home was 40 miles away, still with the wind and heat. Stubborn/ tight/ stupid. Still not sure!
Montelimar would be a nice place for a night...
Oh come on, give it some Dolly! "Bollene, Bollene...Bo-llene!"
Mofo was against me almost all of the way.
When the 100 miles mark came up it was a cause for minor celebration: this was probably the hardest one that I've done. Some daft satisfaction in that, hah-hah!
Yes! There he is...the big guy in the distance. I did shout!
Gonna need lights soon....keep turning the pedals mate...
Was cooling rapidly to 30c. Second layer needed? Non.
We'll wing the last 10 miles...go, go, go!
I was so slow that that I had to complete the day in twilight, but I took cycle paths and pavements so stayed out of the way. After abbreviated admin I legged it out to find hot food and cold beer: got 50% right with a tapas bar that were happy to serve. Cheers!
Sort that posture out. Top, cold brew!
Let's head the other direction
Safe to say that that was the hardest century that I've done. A walk in the park however compared to what some people are going through. It also puts an end to part one of this challenge- and it has been exactly that, no minor trundle just to get donations going. To those that have donated, thank you!
While we're here, and I know that I say this quite a bit, but a massive thank you to you generous types who have donated to these causes. Good on you. You know that I'm busting my balls out there at times, so it's really appreciated.
I will give £10 for every £50 that you do. Aside from that, there is one other thing that would help, if you can do it...please share this blog and/or the JG links with your pals/acquaintances/enemies.
Listen, it's my blog and we're not having Ultravox on here! Instead it's Mr Lee Dorsey's work of genius...chosen because a) I love it, and b) you want to have seen the colour of the water in the shower just now...
Away from Dijon a bit later again despite knowing that this would be an extraordinary day, both in terms of time and temperature. The hotel receptionist raised an eyebrow when I said that I was off to Lyon and beyond: "But the temperatures will be worse than yesterday- the hottest day of the year so far!".
To be fair to the harbinger of doom, he was practical in that he filled m'bidons and put them in the freezer until the very last minute, which I appreciated. I just wish that I could have climbed in there too...
Bet this guy doesn't do two loaves for £1.30 a la Tesco.
Would I want to swap places with the pickers? Nah...
As much as there is ever a plan, the idea today was to ride for 90 minutes max., then break. Rinse & repeat. Plan worked fine although the time was drifting away almost as fast as the water that I was going through. Once I saw 36c, I started wishing for the equivalent of 100f, hah-hah! We never quite got there...
Must. Go. Straight. On.
If they're made by Selex then you've little risk of being apprehended. Office gag...
And I set the art back a few years, hah-hah!
The water was lashing out of me...temp read 34.7c. Still had a couple to go...
Must. Go. Straight. On. (pt. 2)
Just wanted to do a Moon and drive straight in, hah-hah!
As the day drifted away from me I did seriously wonder if the smart thing would be to get to Lyon and then stop. This would mean no rest day on Saturday (albeit a shortish leg) but I decided to press on, not least because I'd be able to claim my longest (both in time and distance) day on a bike. Not really smart reasoning and I was also aware that I didn't need to banjax myself and put the rest of the ride in any sort of jeopardy either.
This made my day! The TdF chaps were dismantling stuff and I got in on the act. Excellent!
Sunflowers. Loving your slow-time work! Much like myself.
Usually it would be a Sprite, but when in France...
Things were still fine until Lyon: what possessed me to think that it would be a good idea to cut through it on a Thursday evening, though? It was a nightmare and the continual stop-start pretty much did for me, engine-wise.
Lyon. Big mistake to try to go through. How sad. Never mind.
Still, you live and (rarely) learn so it was then just the 15 or so hollow miles to the hotel. Which is where? More stop-start, more time lost, blah-blah-blah...
Post-Lyon and the plug has been pulled. #toast
One more fantastic descent prior to trying to find the f**king hotel, hah-hah!
When I do find the establishment, the receptionist has cleared-off for the evening: it's very DIY and please yourself. The massive bonus was that the nice hotel around the corner had their welcoming restaurant ready for my use. It now lies in ruins, hah-hah!
An insane day but let's see what happens tomorrow...it isn't a gimme. Speaking of which, what's happened in The Open?
While we're here, and I know that I say this quite a bit, but a massive thank you to you generous types who have donated to these causes. Good on you. You know that I'm busting my balls out there at times, so it's really appreciated.
I will give £10 for every £50 that you do. Aside from that, there is one other thing that would help, if you can do it...please share this blog and/or the JG links with your pals/acquaintances/enemies.
If you're not loving this one just thank you're lucky stars that I didn't choose SurTom & The Cardigans' effort. Crumbs of comfort, hah-hah!
As is always the way, the longer these journeys last, the later you feel able/inclined to start in the morning. The knock-on effect is that you'll finish that day's stage later and then have less time to recover and get your yourself in a position to tackle the next day's nonsense.
Anyway, at 0910 wagons roll and it's a constant source of fascination to me just how my Garmin GPS and my Michelin road map conspire during the night to concoct some half-ass routes...
Really? Good one.
You're having a laugh, right?
Right, eBay for you.
That said, I was soon going through some top-notch countryside...no thanks to the machines. Hope they didn't hear that, les digital numbnuts/Daft Punk.
Regulstion TdF leftover...
S'alright I guess.
Lovely, lovely villages!
Had to stop for an "Allo, Allo" tribute.
I was mindful of the high temperatures (i.e. you have to eat and drink, no messing) so it was great to see a small marche open. I made my purchases and the lady asked where I was going: her expression was the same of the owner of my Calais hotel: "Oh really?".
In fact I think that I saw her lift the phone to speak to her sister as I left her store, hah-hah!
Afternoon tea is served. Orangina: the acceptable face of Fanta.
These guys were looning around for a while.
Er, some old buildings. Keep climbing...
On bridges, the road narrows a touch, so not to hold-up the traffic any more than necessary I will nip onto the footpath if that is a go-er. This was a long section (about 800m) and all was fine until near the end when...
Need chevrons. And a pannier removed!
No clue.
Sunflowers, oil rapeseed...loadsa colour!
I'm really tired, I can't do this. You can!
They even named an ice-cream after it?
There will be similar temperatures over the next days so I'll spare you my whining: that said, there is a perverse satisfaction in having given it almost everything. I say "almost" because you have to ride with one eye fixed on tomorrow. Defensive cobblers but true...
That said, I think a couple of motorists thought that I was attempting the world's longest track-stand on a long drag into Dijon...I think the plug had been pulled, well and truly, hah-hah!
Dijon trams avec le grass.
A reminder of their liberation.
Dijon cathedral. Looking right actha'!
And so begins the long, slow rehydration process. Goodnight!
While we're here, and I know that I say this quite a bit, but a massive thank you to you generous types who have donated to these causes. Good on you. You know that I'm busting my balls out there at times, so it's really appreciated.
I will give £10 for every £50 that you do. Aside from that, there is one other thing that would help, if you can do it...please share this blog and/or the JG links with your pals/acquaintances/enemies.
