2 Reasons to do this one…Myra was celebrating having time and space (her off spring having flown the nest, (except when they visit home)), Carol was needing a pause to force a change of behaviours and stop the daytime activity whilst regenerating into something else. We left Windsor on the the 3.23, heading to Portsmouth. Having disembarked at Portsmouth we then started looking for the international ferry terminal, learning number one, check where you are going and where the closest station might be before you get off the train. Whilst trying to make sense of the public information signs we met Hazel, she like us was suitably confused by the info at the station and she like us was part of the cycle group. We formed an alliance and headed off (courtesy of google maps on a 30 minute walk across and around the one way systems of Portsmouth carrying rucksacks and dragging suitcases and very much wishing we had taken a cab, if we could have found one. Eventually we arrived at the terminal and inside found more group members. Key topics of discussion, who are you, what bike do you have and where do you ride? On boarding we headed for a swift glass before food, took part in the on ferry quiz (when did you ever have a round of questions based upon zebras? and got some sleep. Next day we met the Pedal Britain team at the Saint Malo port, deposited bags and went for walk until able to check in. The harbour and sea front were amazing, as was the sky. The harbour was packed with yachts with the ferry in the far distance. Some 9.5k steps later, we headed into Old Saint Malo to off load our bikes which had travelled across independently of us and pick up our luggage. Food, another glass, an introductory meeting and the handing out of tour bike shirts (always important) followed and we headed off to bed. We were all excited but as ever slightly nervous about what awaits….
Saint Malo Port and harbour
Day 1 Ride 1 – Saint Malo to Chateaubourg 118k 848 ascent
Todays ride was beautiful in that it was calm, the group stayed together and generally took it relatively sensibly. There were 2 stops today, one as we were just about to leave the coast which afforded a misty view of Mount St Michelle and a lunch stop with a view of a rather fine chateau. The group worked well. All are good cyclists (I’m feeling a fraud here as I wouldn’t put myself in their league), some have cycled for many years and all have a a sense of humour. We even have an honorary Finnish gentleman although he is only with us for 7 days before he heads back to Helsinki to take up a new role. Brew and lunch stops were well stocked, the food on offer good but today was really a day to settle in, get your body used to cycling and meet your fellow cyclists along the way.
Morning Brew Stop view – just……
Having arrived my priority was getting the get shifter charged on my bike – a whole new experience given this is a whole new bike. The “boys” running the tour were ultra helpful – putting my bike in the van and allowing it to charge in there…. – my next challenge is to ensure the app I downloaded is linked to my bike to allow me to monitor charge levels – it would not be great to run out mid France and find I am unable to do anything……Food and chat were in abundance – all feeling pretty perky and proud of ourselves for making it through day one and having met new like minded individuals. Like minded even extending to same beer, same colour of wine….. – and so onto tomorrow which promises to be more of the same being of a similar length and ascent. Day 3 is when we start to move on and up.
There and Back: 