So, after four months of training (on and off!) we both met up in Crystal Palace at 6am, along with 106 other cyclists, full of questions and worries....Had we done enough? Had we packed the right kit? Would our bikes survive the trip? And more importantly. would we? We were both pretty nervous to say the least, and looking round all the other faces it was clear we weren't the only ones! After a briefing from the organisers - Skyline Overseas - all too quickly we were off and the nerves had to be put to the back of our minds as we set off on what would end up being 100 miles of cycling. The route was brilliantly marked and after just an hour and half or so of cycling, we were at the first water stop! We were both pretty chuffed to be amongst the first there - which was handy as there were no loos so I could make a quick dash behind a tree before the rest of the folks turned up!! (too much information??) It was a pretty hilly route - taking in a 25% right at the start which took a lot of people by surprise and there were some pretty nasty hills right at the end of the route as well, just as everyone was starting to feel the tiredness in our legs! But, Shopper Man, as he became known, kept us going! There was no way we were going to flag if he could manage it on a £25 raleigh shopper that weighed about two tonnes and had only two gears!
The very mean 25% hill. The cyclist powering (!) up there is Dom who we met later in the day and who was cycling for Plan.
It didn't take long to get chatting to the other cyclists and by 50 miles in, we'd got in tow with 4 great guys - Darren (Burchy), Dom, Jon and Michael (also known as Ant and/or Dec) and by the time we arrived in Dover we had a team name already! It was a really hard first day - lots of hills, one puncture (Franks) and pretty chilly weather. We had to wait about a bit at the various stops and it did get cold but the bon homie kept us going! We arrived at Dover in plenty time for a celebratory beer after 95 miles of cycling.
Celebrating day one in Dover
l-r Lesley, Dom, Frank, Ant and/or Dec, and Burchy. The invincible Team Crab
As you can imagine, trying to get over 100 cyclists and their bikes safely onto a ferry was a bit of a feat and we ended up missing our ferry as we waited for some folks to make it. It was an understandable set back but unfortunately being tired, cold and very very hungry after 95 odd miles of cycling, we did all get a bit grouchy...not helped by some problems in Calais which meant we didn't get to our hotel til 11pm after getting lost and cycling around in the dark for over an hour. But nothing ever runs smooth! After downing a recovery shake each it was time for bed - determined to enjoy the next day despite the lack of sleep!
The very mean 25% hill. The cyclist powering (!) up there is Dom who we met later in the day and who was cycling for Plan.
It didn't take long to get chatting to the other cyclists and by 50 miles in, we'd got in tow with 4 great guys - Darren (Burchy), Dom, Jon and Michael (also known as Ant and/or Dec) and by the time we arrived in Dover we had a team name already! It was a really hard first day - lots of hills, one puncture (Franks) and pretty chilly weather. We had to wait about a bit at the various stops and it did get cold but the bon homie kept us going! We arrived at Dover in plenty time for a celebratory beer after 95 miles of cycling.
Celebrating day one in Doverl-r Lesley, Dom, Frank, Ant and/or Dec, and Burchy. The invincible Team Crab
As you can imagine, trying to get over 100 cyclists and their bikes safely onto a ferry was a bit of a feat and we ended up missing our ferry as we waited for some folks to make it. It was an understandable set back but unfortunately being tired, cold and very very hungry after 95 odd miles of cycling, we did all get a bit grouchy...not helped by some problems in Calais which meant we didn't get to our hotel til 11pm after getting lost and cycling around in the dark for over an hour. But nothing ever runs smooth! After downing a recovery shake each it was time for bed - determined to enjoy the next day despite the lack of sleep!
Total cycling on day one - 100 miles from Crystal Palace to Calais
Average speed - 14.6 mph
Total climbing - approx 4,000ft
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