Hello - greetings from Friebourg, Germany. Made it here yesterday early afternoon after a beautiful bike ride down the east side of the Rhine and then heading east - lots of birds, butterflies and dragonflies. Had intended carrying on but huge thunder and lightening storm in the afternoon - heavens opened and rained ++++++ and forgot to stop - after sheltering for quite some time decided to book into the local back packers hostle - good excuse to treat myself to a nice comfy bed. When the rain finally stopped I walked up the "mountain" and then up the viewing tower at the top and got fabby views of the town and surrounding area. Had a wee wander round the town which is pretty but can´t believe how much drinking there is going on in the streets. Back to the hostle to finnish off my bottle of wine that I´ve been carrying in my paniers for 2 days now and my very mature and ripening camambert - Nige would have loved it!!!
Right back on the road again.
Love to all.
Lucy
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Monday, 20 June 2011
Bonjour and greetings from Strasbourg
Hello
Well me and the bike have made it to Strasbourg - Im a little smaller - tummy is as flat as an ironing board which is nice but boobs have shrunk and thighs have got bigger - sure its supposed to be the other way round!!!
Surprised I found may hear at all - had a hell of job finding my way out of Calais - all routes seemed to take you to the motorway - but eventually was told I was on a "bonne route" - now got better maps and route planning mostly gone to plan - although been stopped by the local gendarme twice now - once for accidently cycling down a one way street the wrong way and once for accidently cycling down the slip road to motorway - I'd realised my mistake just as they got to me.
Weather mostly dry and sunny but caught in some heavy showers - the boots have been left at base to try and air them!!!!
Cycling mostly flat untill yesterday - passing lots of crops - can see for miles. Yesterday came from Vic to Strasbourg via Dabo - took this route as it would be quieter - knew it would be windy but hadn't taken into consideration the climb - this was this first wee hill I had come across and it was a cracker of a climb - the wind with me all the way - and an incredible downhill - the speedo broken so not sure how fast I went but best bit of the ride so far. Down the otherside and back into the flatlands again - seemed much more affluent here and grape vines as far as the eye could see!!
Continued on towards Strasbourg - all going well untill the last 10k or so when I could not find a route - all signs to Strasbourg seemed to point to the motorway but managed to highjack a couple out cycling and we did a wee bit of follow the leader as they took me on a mix of cycle paths and paths through the crop fields and then pointed me in the direction of the city centre where I found my way to the campsite with no further problems.
Been living on fabby bagettes, cheese and salad since I got to France but going to treat myself to something different today.
Now just got to find my way to Cortina!!!
Well me and the bike have made it to Strasbourg - Im a little smaller - tummy is as flat as an ironing board which is nice but boobs have shrunk and thighs have got bigger - sure its supposed to be the other way round!!!
Surprised I found may hear at all - had a hell of job finding my way out of Calais - all routes seemed to take you to the motorway - but eventually was told I was on a "bonne route" - now got better maps and route planning mostly gone to plan - although been stopped by the local gendarme twice now - once for accidently cycling down a one way street the wrong way and once for accidently cycling down the slip road to motorway - I'd realised my mistake just as they got to me.
Weather mostly dry and sunny but caught in some heavy showers - the boots have been left at base to try and air them!!!!
Cycling mostly flat untill yesterday - passing lots of crops - can see for miles. Yesterday came from Vic to Strasbourg via Dabo - took this route as it would be quieter - knew it would be windy but hadn't taken into consideration the climb - this was this first wee hill I had come across and it was a cracker of a climb - the wind with me all the way - and an incredible downhill - the speedo broken so not sure how fast I went but best bit of the ride so far. Down the otherside and back into the flatlands again - seemed much more affluent here and grape vines as far as the eye could see!!
Continued on towards Strasbourg - all going well untill the last 10k or so when I could not find a route - all signs to Strasbourg seemed to point to the motorway but managed to highjack a couple out cycling and we did a wee bit of follow the leader as they took me on a mix of cycle paths and paths through the crop fields and then pointed me in the direction of the city centre where I found my way to the campsite with no further problems.
Been living on fabby bagettes, cheese and salad since I got to France but going to treat myself to something different today.
Now just got to find my way to Cortina!!!
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Good morning
Hi all
Currently in Ashford - had a lovely evening and a good nights sleep at Chris`s parent`s house - thankyou to all of you for putting me up.
4 days of cycling since leaving Newcastle - mostly good but hardwork.
Yesterday saw me coming from just South of Cambridge to the Tilbury Ferry across the Thames - I was a bit concerned re navigation and the amount of traffic I would come across but as it happens this turned out to be one the best day so far - taking me through lots of pretty villages and towns with houses of all shapes and sizes and styles including tudor and pretty thatched cottages - lots of wild flowers at the road side - and lots of crops and vegetable growing but NO cows - not seen any cows (or sheep) for a couple of days now so not sure where milk comes from. Mostly very little traffic until I got closer to the ferry.
Cycled part of the way with a fellow called Brian - American, tall, good looking and lean (don`t worry Nige - not my type) - anyway he could get up a heck of a speed and distance on his chosen 2 wheeled steed - a wee foldaway bike - was out training for a 100 mile race he is going to do.
The 2nd half of the day, which I (wrongly) expected to be quieter and easier for a navigation point of view - struggled to find the cycle path - when I eventually found it it took me in and out of all wee nooks and crannies in Gravesend so I abandonned this - however I did discover that Gravesend is where Pocohontus died. Combination of roads and wee bit of cross country on some tiny wee bumpy narrow paths through woodland (where I saw a fox) I eventually got to Maidstone where I picked up the A20 - 2nd to the motorway this is the main road to Dover - busy to begin with gradually quitened down the further east I went - more hilly than the last couple of days - not big hills but big enough at the end of a long day - 108 miles all in!!!!
Heading to Dover to day and then across to France - not going to go far though - I will give me knees a rest and get my bearings.
The next time I post I should be in France!
Currently in Ashford - had a lovely evening and a good nights sleep at Chris`s parent`s house - thankyou to all of you for putting me up.
4 days of cycling since leaving Newcastle - mostly good but hardwork.
Yesterday saw me coming from just South of Cambridge to the Tilbury Ferry across the Thames - I was a bit concerned re navigation and the amount of traffic I would come across but as it happens this turned out to be one the best day so far - taking me through lots of pretty villages and towns with houses of all shapes and sizes and styles including tudor and pretty thatched cottages - lots of wild flowers at the road side - and lots of crops and vegetable growing but NO cows - not seen any cows (or sheep) for a couple of days now so not sure where milk comes from. Mostly very little traffic until I got closer to the ferry.
Cycled part of the way with a fellow called Brian - American, tall, good looking and lean (don`t worry Nige - not my type) - anyway he could get up a heck of a speed and distance on his chosen 2 wheeled steed - a wee foldaway bike - was out training for a 100 mile race he is going to do.
The 2nd half of the day, which I (wrongly) expected to be quieter and easier for a navigation point of view - struggled to find the cycle path - when I eventually found it it took me in and out of all wee nooks and crannies in Gravesend so I abandonned this - however I did discover that Gravesend is where Pocohontus died. Combination of roads and wee bit of cross country on some tiny wee bumpy narrow paths through woodland (where I saw a fox) I eventually got to Maidstone where I picked up the A20 - 2nd to the motorway this is the main road to Dover - busy to begin with gradually quitened down the further east I went - more hilly than the last couple of days - not big hills but big enough at the end of a long day - 108 miles all in!!!!
Heading to Dover to day and then across to France - not going to go far though - I will give me knees a rest and get my bearings.
The next time I post I should be in France!
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
06 June
Got up about 6.30am after a good night sleep - dry but chilly outside - had to force myself to get out of my tent and some how managed not to set off until near 8.30am.
Big bike ride planned for today - want to make it to Chris and Kenny`s house on the north side of Newcastle today - it sounds better saying that it is on the north - doesn`t sound quite so far away!
Chilly morning - cold head wind. Lots of stops and starts to refuel - thankyou to Emma for my supply of tablet - went down a treat.
Started on the A7 and then went onto the A68 - bit busier than expected but mostly good and mostly plenty of room - although there were a couple of hairy moments when the lorries carry logs went by.
Lots of uphills - very hard work - but made up by the downhills that followed - maxed at 3omph.
Didn`t think I would ever make it to Newcastle but eventually made it - fantastic lasagne and pudding made by Chris and then a super nights sleep.
Sunday 05/06/11
Finally set off about 2pm on Sunday - much later than planned - mostly because of my lack of organisation and poor packing skills and then Nige decided to check if my chain was decreased and oiled enough - which it wasn`t and he kindly did it for (that bit of planning did work!!).
Went to Falkirk and then picked up the canal tow path to Edinburgh - not very fast going as the path was quite busy and forgot about manoeuvring through the various "z" gates with a heavily loaded bike - however saw lots of wildflowers and it got quite exciting when I was dive bombed by a lapwing!!!
Got a wee bit lost in the middle of Edinburgh - not helped by managing to lose the appropriate bit of map but eventually managed to find my way to the south side of Edinburgh and then picking up the A7 south.
Dry most of the day but when I stopped at Newton Grange for the night, the rain had come on quite heavy so got the tent up as quick as I could, which probably wasn`t very quick.
Warm and cosy in my new tent and sleeping bag
50 miles today - not as much as intended - but a good start.
Friday, 3 June 2011
Last day of work today!! Good day but so glad I`m on holiday. Setting off on the bike on Sunday - from my house in Stirling to Cortina in the Dolomites (as you do) - the trip has been planned for sometime now but planning is maybe not quite the right word ..................................
The trip has been planned in the sense that at the end of last year I decided that I was going to do this mad bike ride and then go walking and climbing when I get there with Nige and some friends from the OMC - they have more sense and are either flying or driving there.
That is where the planning and organising has kind of got to though ..............................
I have a vague route - Stirling to Dover; Dover to Dunkerque (by ferry); Dunkerque to Strasbourg and then Strasbourg to the Cortina - it`s a kind of join the dots on the way kind of route with a kind of south and then south east direction but I`m fairly sure I will arrive at my destination. Picking up my road map of Europe tomorrow will probably be quite handy.
As to other planning - between now and Sunday I need to gather together tent, sleeping bag, clothes, stove, camera, etc, etc and not get too drunk at the wedding we are going to on Saturday night- big congrats in advance to Jean and Chris!!
And then there is the training for such a long bike ride - well this year apart from my daily bike rides to work- mostly less than 2 miles each way - I have hardly been on the bike. I have done lots and lots of running for the London Marathon but NO real cycling so the training is kind of starting on Sunday, kind of on route, which sounds quite reasonable to me???
Right going to stop typing; the other half is doing the dishes so I have no excuses - I am going to try and conquer my fear of packing - I hate it with a passion - although I am very limited as to what I can take so it does simply things - wear one / wash one and if I`ve got room I`m going to squeeze in a dress (and hope it doesn`t get too crumpled)!!!
The trip has been planned in the sense that at the end of last year I decided that I was going to do this mad bike ride and then go walking and climbing when I get there with Nige and some friends from the OMC - they have more sense and are either flying or driving there.
That is where the planning and organising has kind of got to though ..............................
I have a vague route - Stirling to Dover; Dover to Dunkerque (by ferry); Dunkerque to Strasbourg and then Strasbourg to the Cortina - it`s a kind of join the dots on the way kind of route with a kind of south and then south east direction but I`m fairly sure I will arrive at my destination. Picking up my road map of Europe tomorrow will probably be quite handy.
As to other planning - between now and Sunday I need to gather together tent, sleeping bag, clothes, stove, camera, etc, etc and not get too drunk at the wedding we are going to on Saturday night- big congrats in advance to Jean and Chris!!
And then there is the training for such a long bike ride - well this year apart from my daily bike rides to work- mostly less than 2 miles each way - I have hardly been on the bike. I have done lots and lots of running for the London Marathon but NO real cycling so the training is kind of starting on Sunday, kind of on route, which sounds quite reasonable to me???
Right going to stop typing; the other half is doing the dishes so I have no excuses - I am going to try and conquer my fear of packing - I hate it with a passion - although I am very limited as to what I can take so it does simply things - wear one / wash one and if I`ve got room I`m going to squeeze in a dress (and hope it doesn`t get too crumpled)!!!
Monday, 17 May 2010
This weekend
I`ve been to Skye for the weekend with the Ochils Mountaineering Club. Eight of us went all together, arriving at Glen Brittle Campsite in 2 camper vans and 2 cars - having the Friday off work and needing some cycle training I set off from Stirling on my (new!) bike and made it to Morrisons in Fort William - 102 miles - where I met Nige and travelled the rest of the way in the van - before we set off I had just enough time to treat myself to a couple of bottles of organic cider - any excuse but it seemed liked a good one.
On Saturday 7 of set off to do one or 2 of the Munros on the Cuillin Ridge - I wimped out at the scrambly bit - not big at scrambling at the best of time and the rock was damp so rather then hold everyone up I bailed out - don`t think I will be finnishing my Munro`s - however it was still a good walk and, surprisingly no aches and pains after yesterday`s ride.
On the Sunday I again cycled - this time from the campsite, over the Skye Road Bridge and then on to the Cluanie Inn in Glenmoriston - 70 miles and I was completely pooped when I got there but I managed to get my wearie body to the bar and force down a half pint of cider while I waited for Nige who arrived shortly after with the van. Not long before I got to the Inn a couple had pulled over in there `van, they flagged me down and offered me a couple of tea and checked that I was ok - they had seen me earlier in the day and were concerned as I was by myself - they were really friendly and it was very thoughtful of them - unfortunately I have never aquired a taste for tea and coffee so I declined.
Today my brain tried to tell my body to have a rest but I decided I needed a run - it`s a week since I last ran and I know if I don`t keep it up I will just get out of the habbit and stop altogether - it was hard going but I manged my "super market run" without stopping.
Personally I think that is quite good going for 4 days - 170 miles on the bike, nearly getting to the top of a Munro and then a 9 mile run!
So why all the training??? Apart from the fact I`m mad!!! and have a fear of getting less fit.
Well firstly in just under 5 weeks time I am going to attempt to do the "Trossachs Ton" - this is a circular cycle race - not that I will be racing - completing it without having a heart attack is the plan. It starts in Stirling and, being circular ends in Stirling. As the name suggests it is one hundred miles - I have no concerns about cycling 100 miles but this is going to be a particular hilly 100 miles and I have not done nearly enough training but things are improving so hopefully I will make it to the finnish line before everyone else has packed up for the night.
In October I am going run Edinburgh`s first Kilomathan - as opposed to 26 miles it is 26km (16 miles and 273.9 yards) so this is why I am running as well - I`ve only got back into running in the last couple of months but so far this seems to be going ok but need to improve on 9 miles!!
Finally - if that is not enough I`m going to run the London Marathon next year!!! Why??? God knows - in the words of Mallory - "because its there". Now getting a place to do the London Marathon is like finding hen`s teeth - I applied last year and (luckily) did NOT get a place. But it is something I have also wanted to do and at the end of April (this year) I decided that I would apply again - ideally I would like to do it before my 40th birthday - now that is almost 2 years away but to do the marathon before my 40th birthday I would have run it next year!!!
Hence I had a bit of mad conversation on the phone a few weeks ago with one of my best chums, Linda. Linda has to travel a lot with work and when I`m not at working I`m usually doing exercise of some sort so we don`t phone each other as often as we used to and when we do it`s quite often at some ungodly hour of the morning while we are on our way to work. This time it was no exception - it was approx 7.55am - Linda was still at home but getting ready to leave - I was walking quickly up hill and was late for work but had decided it was now or never and I need a place for the London Marathon and the phonecalled went something like this:
Me - "Hi Linda - have you got time to talk?"
Linda - "getting ready for work but got a couple of minutes"
Me - puffing as I speak (partly from going uphill / partly from excitement) - "you know how I want to do the London Marathon, and you know it`s not that long till I`m 40, and if I`m going to do it I want to do it before I`m 40 and if I do it for charity can you get me a place?"
Linda - having more sense than me said - "are you sure"
Me - "yes"
Linda - "do you want to think about it for 24 hours"
Me - "NO - it`s now or never!"
And that was my fate kind of sealed - I still have to apply direct for a place with the London Marathon but if I don`t get a place and I agree to raise a minimum amount of money it is quite likely that I will get a place for the Aprill 2011 London Marathon - I will be raising money for Hearing Concern Link.
So that kind of explains the epic cycling / walking / running I did this weekend!
On Saturday 7 of set off to do one or 2 of the Munros on the Cuillin Ridge - I wimped out at the scrambly bit - not big at scrambling at the best of time and the rock was damp so rather then hold everyone up I bailed out - don`t think I will be finnishing my Munro`s - however it was still a good walk and, surprisingly no aches and pains after yesterday`s ride.
On the Sunday I again cycled - this time from the campsite, over the Skye Road Bridge and then on to the Cluanie Inn in Glenmoriston - 70 miles and I was completely pooped when I got there but I managed to get my wearie body to the bar and force down a half pint of cider while I waited for Nige who arrived shortly after with the van. Not long before I got to the Inn a couple had pulled over in there `van, they flagged me down and offered me a couple of tea and checked that I was ok - they had seen me earlier in the day and were concerned as I was by myself - they were really friendly and it was very thoughtful of them - unfortunately I have never aquired a taste for tea and coffee so I declined.
Today my brain tried to tell my body to have a rest but I decided I needed a run - it`s a week since I last ran and I know if I don`t keep it up I will just get out of the habbit and stop altogether - it was hard going but I manged my "super market run" without stopping.
Personally I think that is quite good going for 4 days - 170 miles on the bike, nearly getting to the top of a Munro and then a 9 mile run!
So why all the training??? Apart from the fact I`m mad!!! and have a fear of getting less fit.
Well firstly in just under 5 weeks time I am going to attempt to do the "Trossachs Ton" - this is a circular cycle race - not that I will be racing - completing it without having a heart attack is the plan. It starts in Stirling and, being circular ends in Stirling. As the name suggests it is one hundred miles - I have no concerns about cycling 100 miles but this is going to be a particular hilly 100 miles and I have not done nearly enough training but things are improving so hopefully I will make it to the finnish line before everyone else has packed up for the night.
In October I am going run Edinburgh`s first Kilomathan - as opposed to 26 miles it is 26km (16 miles and 273.9 yards) so this is why I am running as well - I`ve only got back into running in the last couple of months but so far this seems to be going ok but need to improve on 9 miles!!
Finally - if that is not enough I`m going to run the London Marathon next year!!! Why??? God knows - in the words of Mallory - "because its there". Now getting a place to do the London Marathon is like finding hen`s teeth - I applied last year and (luckily) did NOT get a place. But it is something I have also wanted to do and at the end of April (this year) I decided that I would apply again - ideally I would like to do it before my 40th birthday - now that is almost 2 years away but to do the marathon before my 40th birthday I would have run it next year!!!
Hence I had a bit of mad conversation on the phone a few weeks ago with one of my best chums, Linda. Linda has to travel a lot with work and when I`m not at working I`m usually doing exercise of some sort so we don`t phone each other as often as we used to and when we do it`s quite often at some ungodly hour of the morning while we are on our way to work. This time it was no exception - it was approx 7.55am - Linda was still at home but getting ready to leave - I was walking quickly up hill and was late for work but had decided it was now or never and I need a place for the London Marathon and the phonecalled went something like this:
Me - "Hi Linda - have you got time to talk?"
Linda - "getting ready for work but got a couple of minutes"
Me - puffing as I speak (partly from going uphill / partly from excitement) - "you know how I want to do the London Marathon, and you know it`s not that long till I`m 40, and if I`m going to do it I want to do it before I`m 40 and if I do it for charity can you get me a place?"
Linda - having more sense than me said - "are you sure"
Me - "yes"
Linda - "do you want to think about it for 24 hours"
Me - "NO - it`s now or never!"
And that was my fate kind of sealed - I still have to apply direct for a place with the London Marathon but if I don`t get a place and I agree to raise a minimum amount of money it is quite likely that I will get a place for the Aprill 2011 London Marathon - I will be raising money for Hearing Concern Link.
So that kind of explains the epic cycling / walking / running I did this weekend!
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