Part Deux - French Trip 'Day Quatre'

Ready For The Final Leg!

Bearing in mind the excesses of the night before, we were all in pretty good shape for the final leg back to Cherbourg.  The first part of the route was sort of exhilarating and boring at the same time.  We were 'steaming' along with a slight tail wind at over 20 mph, with minimum effort.

The Colonel had suggested that we stop for coffee aft
er about 25 miles - this was easier said than done as we passed through one 'one horse town' after another - not finding a cafe until nearer 40 miles.  Tongues hanging out we 'crashed' a small 'open all hours' type 'joint' and demanded loads of coffee.

Run Down Environment But The Best Hot Drinks Of The Trip!

The kindly old sole did her best but was clearly struggling to accommodate us.  She didn't have any cakes but didn't object to us buying some over the road at the patisserie and eating them with our coffee. Tom showed his respects for all her hard work by spilling his over the table. Everyone seemed very happy when I arrived with the big box of assorted cakes I had carefully chosen - in fact I had walked into the patisserie and said 'I'll take all of them!'.

Refueled and keen to finish the ride we set off for the final 'chunk'.

The remainder of the ride was quite hilly and we decided we need another stop before the ferry.  We found a field and 'pooled' our resources - Ivan's contribution was a whole Camembert and two french sticks - not sure were he had secreted those!

Somewhere In France There Is A Field That Will Be Forever England!

Being Strava 'victims' we ignored the sign on the fast, straight road saying 'Cherbourg 8 km' and found the most circumlocutory route possible - including negotiating a really steep hill and MOD territory.

Arriving back at the terminal we decided we didn't really have time to check out a nice local restaurant, so made do with the bar.  Never have I felt such bitter disappointment as when the sausage and chips I ordered turned out to be frankfurters!!

Sitting calmly on deck, with a nice cup of tea, I had time to reflect  on the whole trip and decided it had been quite magical. The laughs, the camaraderie, the p*ss taking, the cycling, the sights and even the culture - all added up to a great trip.  I was surprised by the Bayeaux tapestry, in awe of the beauty of Omaha beach and seduced by the peace and tranquility of the Normandy Roads - can't wait to go back.  Additionally, I would like to thank Steve for the transport and organisation, and Mal D for the transport and for teaching me to ride 'hands free' (although It will be a long time before I can 'top' the 33 mph 'hands free' I clocked him doing on a downhill section!)

Peter Buss

Part Deux - French Trip 'Day Trois'

In the morning we made our way into to Bayeux and went to see the tapestry.  I have to say we looked well 'cool' dressed in our Hastings kit and shuffling along the queue - audio guides pressed to our ears.  We all agreed the tapestry was amazing! - so sophisticated and 'arty' - well worth a visit.

Stocking Up On Picnic Items At Lidl!

En route to Coutances we stopped off at a Lidl to stock up on picnic items and set off to find a suitable spot to have lunch.  We discovered a fortress town (name escapes me) and found an area of green by the battlements.  Not being keen on cheese I had picked up a packet of pate which turned out to be a roll of raw pastry!, but we had plenty of ham, cheese and baguettes to go around - all washed down with Ivans Pomme (I declined but others didn't!). Somehow, in quite a surreal way we all drifted off to sleep, awakening about half an hour later all feeling much refreshed.

Time For A Much Needed Nap!

During the afternoon we encountered some quite hilly terrain, which did come as a bit of a shock, as the previous day the land was as 'flat as a witches tit'.

We checked into our second budget Ibis and then set off to discover the delights off Coutances.  I must say Coutances cathedral, lit up by the evening sun was a sight to behold.  We found a great little bar/restaurant. ordered loads of cider and settled down for the night.  Ivan and Mal D has wandered off alone earlier, to get a few, more miles in,  but we texted them to come and join us.

"I've eaten so many chips, that I'm a bit worried that I'll be dreaming about being chased down the road by a giant cheesy chip", said Steve.

The food was, as always, excellent. And feeling full and merry we made our way outside.

Ivan Shows Off The best Of British Culture!

This was when the reenactment of the classic 'Campfire Scene' in  Mel Brookes' Blazing Saddles began. The Colonel 'set the bar high' with a real 'squelcher'!.

"Careful you don't sh*t yourself, Colonel ", I said.

I was unable to take part in all this depravity because due to over indulgence I was in 'fear of farting' mode and couldn't risk a shart.  Although I did overhear a snippet of conversation from a French couple sitting out side.

Male observer: "I guess zat Benidorm must 'ave been fully booked!"

Female observer: "Zay are so cultured"

Ivan - not be outdone - let rip with a lingering mellifluous 'number' that went on for about 10 seconds.

We set off into to the night, pissed and happy.  After several detours we all made it safely back to the hotel.......

Pete Buss

Part Deux - French Trip 'Day Deux'

After breakast (which wasn't too bad for the money) and team photos, we set off towards Bayeux.  Spirits were high as we cycled along wide empty roads with excellent surfaces.

After about 25 miles the Colonel suggested a coffee stop at a small town (name escapes me.)

"I'm off for a 'Jimmy'; now be careful of this decking I don't want anyone losing anything down those cracks.", said a concerned Colonel.

I set about switching the clear lenses in my 'Racing Jacket' shades for my 'sunnies' and was demonstrating the process to Mal D, when within 20 seconds of the warning, both lenses were down the crack in the decking!

"Oh, dear. what 'as 'appened 'ere?, said a the concerned waitress. 'ow can I 'elp you?"

"It's this plonker 'ere, I mean here - he's dropped his lenses down the crack." said Mal D.

The waitress went away and came back with two knives.  She then inserted them down the crack and tried to retrieve the lenses.  It was a valiant, but futile attempt.  At which point Ivan 'stepped up to the plate'.

Ivan Saved Pete's Glasses!

"Here, let me have a go"

With great precision and steady hands, on only his second attempt, he manged to lift both lenses clear to applause from me and the waitress. Bearing in mind the crack was only 10mm wide, the lenses are concave and there was no light in the void it was quite a feat!.

We pressed on.

Just short of the town of Saint-Mere-Eglise, Mal D informed us that this is where the American paratrooper had landed on the church in June 1944, got his canopy caught in the spire and was promptly shot by the Germans. Sure enough we turned into the village square to see a model of the paratrooper hanging from the spire.

Hanging Around In Normandy!

 Some people suggested we should visit the museum, but Steve said it would be better to just look through the window to save money.

We lunched at a small town (name escapes me), after Steve, Mal C and I went into a local supermarket and bought some baguettes, doughnuts (my idea) and drinks.

During a trip like this you do learn a lot more about people.  Tom's natural navigational talents were coming to the fore - along with his almost fluent French!.  Mal C's nurturing side was much on display as he selflessly carried extra provisions to 'keep us going' with nuts, jelly beans and dates.  I was also impressed with Mal D's knowledge of wartime history and Steve's scientific knowledge (not surprising, but impressive anyway.).  The Colonels fair and efficient handling of the 'whip' and safety consciousness were also much in evidence. Ivan impressed me with his calm temperament, his ability to lead from the front and his ability to 'put it away' in terms of food and drink - how does he stay so slim?!!.

Gun Emplacement At Point Du Hoc!

During the afternoon we visited Pointe du Hoc - scene of the American rangers' seizure of the German clifftop guns (with much losses), and then moved onto Omaha Beach for much needed coffee.


On the final leg of the route to Bayeaux we were delighted to discover a dairy farm that made it's own ice cream, and still open at 6pm!.

The Colonel Gets His Just Desserts!

Shortly after this we made our way to the Budget Ibis and settled in.  Ivan had some concern that there wouldn't be enough booze available for later and so he set off with Mal D in search of some refreshments for later.

That evening we dined at the attached Steak House and discovered Normandy cider! - great stuff - slighly cloudy and not too sweet.  After leaving the restaurant we settled into the reception area of the hotel and Ivan went to his room to get his 'goodies' - bottles of cider and Pomme (strong cider, leaning towards Calvados.)
Steve educated us on his theories about the Oort cloud and comets, Mal D educated us on war type issues, Tom did his best to improve our French, but mostly we just talked b*llocks and then eventually went to bed.............

Pete Buss

Part Deux - French Trip 'Day Un

21:10 - Cherbourg restaurant (name escapes me.)

"Yeah, I was really out of it on the Calais trip; found myself wondering around a park and got propositioned by some Frenchie." said Ivan.

"That's true, said Steve, he said he wanted to put his sausage up Ivan's ......."

"Ah!, soup - looks great!", said Tom

Four urns of creamy asparagus soup had arrived at the table.  I surveyed the oeufs placed in front of me with contempt - there was nothing wrong with them, but I instantly knew I had made a bad choice.  The soup looked magnificent and was accompanied with toasted, garlic croutons, a dish of grated cheese and another dish of some kind of sauce.

"Your choice looks, er , mmm, interesting", said the Colonel as he leaned towards Mal C, whilst removing a string of cheese from his chin.

"Tastes better than it looks", he replied.

I must admit Mal's starter of 'pig' and salad looked a bit 'chunderesque'.

"Well, I'm happy with my omelette", said Steve.

"Oh, is that what it is, I couldn't tell as it's totally covered in ketchup?" , I said (and then sneaked a look under the table to reassure myself that he wasn't wearing union jack shorts!)

We all enjoyed the rest of the meal and made our way back to the Formula One Hotel.

As I lay on my padded ironing board waiting for sleep to overcome me I let my mind wander over an eventful day........

'Normans Bay - 09:05'

"So what section is your passport in then?", said Vicki

She had very kindly done my packing in a most efficient and logical way; far beyond what I was capable of.

"My passport is in.......that part!" - I pointed at the middle zipped section of my handlebar bag.

"Excellent, now what about about your money?"

"My money is in.......that part!" - I pointed at the end zipped section.

"Very good. Now you do know there wasn't room for Mr Cuddles don't you?"

"Yes, I suppose I have to accept that, but I might go and say goodbye to him now"

"O.K but don't be long, you know Steve is on his way."

We said our goodbyes and I cycled along to meet Steve and the others at Normans Bay Station.

Just as we made our way up Spooky Hill Steve pointed and said:

"Isn't that Stewart? - I would recognise that backside anywhere".

It was, indeed, Stewart accompanied by Neil.  Being the mature grown-up I am, I couldn't resist hurling some mild abuse out of the window, along the lines of:

"Good morning, chaps, isn't it a fine morning?"

I was quite startled by Neil's response of:

"Yeah, well come back 'ere and 'ave some!!"

I settled back into my seat and savoured the moment.  Five minutes later my phone alerted me that I had a text message - it was from Neil:

"Have a good time - you t*ssers!" - fully deserved I felt!

Arrival At Portsmouth!

We made good time to Portsmouth and had enough time before boarding the ferry to think about some lunch. We found a pub that we thought might do food, but they said they didn't do food on a Sunday; we were about to leave when Steve suggested we had a drink in the pub, anyway, before before finding a restaurant.  It was what I would call a 'dirty pub' - you know the sort? - whiff of stale beer mixing with a wiff of B.O from the regulars propping up the bar; no toilet paper in the bogs and the winning tickets from the lunchtime meat raffle displayed over the bar.  The ale was excellent and so we tarried a while and settled for a peanut lunch.

'Ferry bound for Cherbourg - 16:30'

"I reckon with the wind set fair and tides in our favour we should reach the French coast by sundown"
.
Col C 'J' Parker had maps and charts spread in front of him and was doing a few double checks.

The Colonel Commits The Route To Memory!

"The only thing I'm a bit concerned about Steve, is that it all a lot more mountainous than I was expecting."

"Oh, no, it shouldn't be too bad, I 'plugged' it all into Strava", replied Steve.

At this point I leaned forward to tack a closer look at the Colonels maps.

"Excuse me ,Colonel, allow me."

Better Double Check The Route!

I rotated the map 180 degrees, putting the Pyrenees back at the bottom of the map.

"Er, hmmm, yes, quite, thank you", said the Colonel.

Since 'signing up' for this trip a major concern of mine had been the sleeping arrangements.  I have absolutely no tolerance of snoring and I was feeling very envious of Mal D who had 'bagged' a single room.  I began an interview process which resulted in me suggesting that Mal C and I should be 'roomies' after he assured me he only snored when laying on his back and didn't mind being woken.

After disembarking we made our way, speedily to the F1 Hotel and settled in before heading off to find a restaurant (in the rain)...........

Pete Buss

France 2015

Many thanks to those riders who came on what has become our biennial trip to France.

This years trip was arguably our most successful so far, largely  due to excellent teamwork:
Steve-trip organiser
Tom- chief garmin navigator and translator
Chris- road safety leader
Malc D- off garmin navigator and historian
Pete- chronicler and cafe connoisseur
Malc C- supplier of endless energy snacks on route
Ivan- chief scout for food and alcohol

I have already made rough plans for the 2017 trip which will be from St Malo

Pete Buss will do a full report soon but this video slideshow gives you a flavour of what it was like

>

H&StL CC Ninfield TT times- 27 May

HSLCC Invade Normandy!

A party of seven club members has just returned from three days of cycling in France, starting and finishing in Cherbourg.  After a fast crossing of 3 hours from Portsmouth we spent Sunday night in Cherbourg then on Monday went via the Pointe du Hoc gun emplacements and D Day Omaha landing beach for night in Bayeux. The next morning we went to see the tapestry, it is so very well presented and more than worth every euro of the entrance fee, before riding almost due west for the last night in Coutances.  Top marks to Steve Curtis for booking all of the accommodation and planning a superb route on quiet rural lanes, we clocked up 200 miles. I had cycled from Le Havre and St Malo several times before but wish I had tried Cherbourg years ago, I will be going back there.

So several of the regulars missed Wednesday’s TT at Ninfield since we were on our way back from France.  Many thanks to John Vidler and Nigel Tamplin for time keeping a field of 12 riders.  I made it that there were 7 PBs and 2 SBs, the other three riders doing their first of the season, so it must have been a pretty good evening.  Please see the attached table of times.

 We are at Ninfield again next week (3 June) signing on at 18:30 sharpish before we move to the Classic Hastings-Rye-Hastings course for three weeks  (10, 17 and 24 June).

Chris P

Ninfield TT- May 20

It was a lovely evening with some good times in the windy conditions which later calmed down.  Five of us had a chat in the Red Lion Hooe afterwards, the cheesy chips are highly recommended!

C.P