Sunday we got up late still very tired. Still no news of the baby.
We needed to travel to Montelimar 40 Km down the road to where the Etape was going to start the next day (Monday). We needed to show our documents, register and pick up our number, transponder and goody bag.
Travelling down on the Saturday we had all three bikes inside the car (both for security when we stopped and to reduce drag on the long drive). I had also brought inside the car roof bars and bike racks to go on the roof as we were going to need them on race day to take bikes to the start, so first thing after breakfast I put these up on the car.
We then drove, five of us in the car, to the registration village. We registered then wandered around the event village at the start. The village was quite small, much smaller than two years ago at Foix. Seeing as it is such a big event you would have expected a much bigger event at the start.
Wandering around the village I met up with S from Team MK who was on a sports tours package. He joined us for lunch. Whilst I was leaving I also bumped into another friend that I had ridden with in Sydney last year and we had a chat.
We didn't hang around the village too long, things to do. We drove back to the hotel and some of the guys drove on to the finish to drop off two of the four cars we had between the six of us (another guy arrived Sunday morning). The plan was that we would take two cars to the start in the morning with the bikes, and leave the other two cars at the finish so we could drive home after the event.
Late afternoon, after putting our bikes together and watching some of the tour on Eurosport on the TV in our rooms, we did a short ride towards the start. After about 10 km we turned around and returned towards Nyons. Really got the cobwebs out of the legs with a fast ride downhill into Nyons.
We had an early dinner on the hotel terrace and went to bed early. Breakfast was booked for 4:00 AM.
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
Saturday: Travel to Nyons
I had a 3:00 Am start on Saturday morning. One of the guys supposed to accompany me had a wife who was pregnant and whose baby was due. As (as he put it) “she had not done the business” he had decided not to travel with us. If she had the baby Saturday he would fly down Sunday and meet us. We would still be taking his bike and his baggage.
I picked up M before 4:00 Am and we drove to Dover to catch the 06:00 AM ferry. I cannot recommend the breakfast on the P&O ferry. I have had better.
We got to Calais without further incident and started the long drive south to Nyons. A couple of he other guys had got the 5:00 AM ferry and we didn’t expect to see them, however, just over a hour into the journey we happened upon them on the motorway. For the rest of the journey we leapfrogged each other.
We had hoped to get to Nyons about 18:00 however there was such traffic at Lyon that it was 20:00 before we arrived at Nyon. After being on the road for 16 hours we were tired as we ate our dinner that night and had no problem sleeping.
I picked up M before 4:00 Am and we drove to Dover to catch the 06:00 AM ferry. I cannot recommend the breakfast on the P&O ferry. I have had better.
We got to Calais without further incident and started the long drive south to Nyons. A couple of he other guys had got the 5:00 AM ferry and we didn’t expect to see them, however, just over a hour into the journey we happened upon them on the motorway. For the rest of the journey we leapfrogged each other.
We had hoped to get to Nyons about 18:00 however there was such traffic at Lyon that it was 20:00 before we arrived at Nyon. After being on the road for 16 hours we were tired as we ate our dinner that night and had no problem sleeping.
Friday - A proud father at his daughter graduation
My original plan was to travel down to Nyons on the Friday, however, the best laid plans of mice and men and all that, my daughter’s university had that day planned for her graduation. As I had invested so much money in her getting this degree, and with the degree she was also awarded a prize for the best dissertation, so I needed to be at the graduation as proud father to witness the event.
I took the train to Leicester early on the Friday morning. As I had been struggling to think of the right present to get her I had not got anything by the time I arrived at Leicester station. As I came out of the station I saw a large camera and electrical store. I went in and purchased a pink Nikon camera. I had the shop put the fully charged battery from the demonstration camera in he one I bought and proceeded to the ceremony. The camera was well received and was fully used during the day.
My daughter had had the flu all week and had been off work for the previous days. Obviously she didn’t want to miss her graduation and on the day had dosed herself up with over the counter drugs so that she could get through the day. Her mother was also at the event and together we watched her get her degree. The three of us went to lunch before going to the prize giving ceremony in the afternoon. She was shattered after that so I left her with her mother and caught the 17:00 train home to London arriving home after 20:00.
After a long day I had to be up at 3:00 AM the next morning to travel to the Etape!
I took the train to Leicester early on the Friday morning. As I had been struggling to think of the right present to get her I had not got anything by the time I arrived at Leicester station. As I came out of the station I saw a large camera and electrical store. I went in and purchased a pink Nikon camera. I had the shop put the fully charged battery from the demonstration camera in he one I bought and proceeded to the ceremony. The camera was well received and was fully used during the day.
My daughter had had the flu all week and had been off work for the previous days. Obviously she didn’t want to miss her graduation and on the day had dosed herself up with over the counter drugs so that she could get through the day. Her mother was also at the event and together we watched her get her degree. The three of us went to lunch before going to the prize giving ceremony in the afternoon. She was shattered after that so I left her with her mother and caught the 17:00 train home to London arriving home after 20:00.
After a long day I had to be up at 3:00 AM the next morning to travel to the Etape!
Last Minute Preparations
For the Etape we (The Guildford Peloton) had arranged to stay at a gitte belonging to a member of the Guildford Peloton. This had been arranged for some time. It turns out that there might have been a bit of misunderstanding and that the family that owned the gitte would be staying at the gitte at the same time. As there was to be seven of us and we would be arriving and leaving at odd hours we decided that we needed to arrange alternative accommodation. I got in touch with Benoit at the Hotel Colombet in Nyons which we had used for the reccie and he came back to me immediately confirming that he could accommodate us. A real stroke of luck as Nyons is ideally located 40 Km from the start and 45 Km from the finish (and on the day it proved very handy for the rider with stomach cramps who dived into the hotel for emergency relief before continuing the ride). Also, we had really enjoyed our stay at the Colombet in May, the food is exceptionally good, the hotel clean, and the staff very pleasant and accommodating.
Two of the lads were travelling down with me in my car. They dropped off their bikes at my house on the Thursday night so they could be packed before the early start we had planned on Saturday morning. One of the lads got a £50 parking ticket for having his wheels parked on the pavement whilst dropping off his bike.
Two of the lads were travelling down with me in my car. They dropped off their bikes at my house on the Thursday night so they could be packed before the early start we had planned on Saturday morning. One of the lads got a £50 parking ticket for having his wheels parked on the pavement whilst dropping off his bike.
Saturday July 11th and Sunday July 12th: Last Minute Training
On the weekend before the Etape I was torn between getting last minute training in, overtraining, and spending time with the family (as they would be away the weekend of the Etape for a week in Ireland with The Wife’s family).
The Saturday sorted itself out with no chance to ride and I had lots to do with the family. On the Sunday I wanted to ride but had no one to ride with. At 8:30 Am on the Sunday morning I decided to ring Big G. He does not usually get out of bed early at the weekend but I thought it worthwhile to try him. He did not initially answer the phone but eventually whilst I was leaving a message picked up. He agreed to meet me 20 minutes later for a ride. We got out and did a 43 mile ride in surrey hills with tea at Box Hill. The weather was good and the cycling relaxed. It was very relaxed and much the way cycling should be.
The Saturday sorted itself out with no chance to ride and I had lots to do with the family. On the Sunday I wanted to ride but had no one to ride with. At 8:30 Am on the Sunday morning I decided to ring Big G. He does not usually get out of bed early at the weekend but I thought it worthwhile to try him. He did not initially answer the phone but eventually whilst I was leaving a message picked up. He agreed to meet me 20 minutes later for a ride. We got out and did a 43 mile ride in surrey hills with tea at Box Hill. The weather was good and the cycling relaxed. It was very relaxed and much the way cycling should be.
Weekend July 4th & 5th 2009: A fortnight to go!
The weekend was spent in Bognor. Fortunately I was able to ride down on the Saturday and back on the Sunday. I did the 55 mile ride each way on my own. On the way back up the A29 on the Sunday afternoon I was feeling so good I decided that once I had been over Coldhabour and through Dorking I would go over Ranmore rather than just skirting around it. This does not add any distance but does include an extra climb.
It was during this ride that I noticed that my gears were playing up with difficulty in changing the gears on the front rings. I hadn’t intended getting the bike serviced before the Etape but this showed me that I needed to get it done urgently. On the Monday after my ride back from Bognor I telephone Corridori in Banstead to see if they could help me. They told me that they were very busy but as a regular customer they would fit me in. As it turns out, when I picked it up they told me that my chain and rear cassette were “beyond worn” so it was a good job I got it done rather than struggle with a mechanical on the Etape.
It was during this ride that I noticed that my gears were playing up with difficulty in changing the gears on the front rings. I hadn’t intended getting the bike serviced before the Etape but this showed me that I needed to get it done urgently. On the Monday after my ride back from Bognor I telephone Corridori in Banstead to see if they could help me. They told me that they were very busy but as a regular customer they would fit me in. As it turns out, when I picked it up they told me that my chain and rear cassette were “beyond worn” so it was a good job I got it done rather than struggle with a mechanical on the Etape.
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Etape - I finished
Every last man from the Guildford Peloton who started the Etape finished.
Not one casualty.
My overall time was 9:02:30.
It took 5:42:28 to do the first 93 miles and 3:20:02 to do the last 12 miles up the Ventoux!
The Ventoux was brutal, scenes like the battle of the Somme. The temperature was over 100 degrees (42C) with people lying beside the road, walking, and generally suffering
More to follow when I get a chance
How did you do?
Not one casualty.
My overall time was 9:02:30.
It took 5:42:28 to do the first 93 miles and 3:20:02 to do the last 12 miles up the Ventoux!
The Ventoux was brutal, scenes like the battle of the Somme. The temperature was over 100 degrees (42C) with people lying beside the road, walking, and generally suffering
More to follow when I get a chance
How did you do?
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