Day 1. BSE to Harwich.
Tom, Tina, Steph and I met at our house in Bury for a bike check and (1st) breakfast which proved vital as my bike had a puncture and Tom needed to change his brake pads. Rain showers were forecast all day so spotting a break in the weather we set off early. Grey and over cast but no rain. Our route was a fairly direct run south east through Bildeston and Hadleigh to Mistley and then finally Harwich. It was just like a training run really as the usual banter and chat meant that we ate up the miles and barring an idiot white van man overtaking on a blind bend and then having a go at the poor woman he ended up 6 inches from. Why couldn't she see he was much more important than her and get out of his way?
The ride became very scenic as we entered the estuary and as we were ahead of time we slowed to enjoy the break in the clouds. Training for my next event (Med to Atlantic) started today as we found it impossible to ride past an ice cream van and then 2 miles further on we found our scheduled tea and cake stop at Mistley (Dave would have been proud of me as I happily stopped and relaxed). We diverted into Harwich to find a pub as we were early for the ferry. The Pier hotel provided a suitable stop over looking the estuary and provided suitable refreshments after a 45 mile effort down through familiar countryside. The cycling was comfortable with a crosswind that didn't cause any issues.
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| The Happy Group! |
Day 2 Hoek Van Holland to Antwerp.
An early start after docking was aided by our first (and not last) very friendly and helpful Dutch cyclist on his way to work in Rotterdam. He led us all the way to our rendezvous with Ian (the 5th member of the group) 5 miles down beautiful cycle lanes that started at the ferry terminal. After breakfast we boarded the ferry for the crossing of the river to Rozenburg. This is a busy area around Europort and we needed to cross 2 motorways and 3 bridges but the wonderful Dutch cycle ways didn't let us down and we negotiated it all with out once cycling on a road. Out into the open countryside we cycled across the first dam and then headed south east into a stiffening wind which lasted all day. The rain joined it shortly afterwards, the type of rain that I thought only we Brits had. A fine drizzle that seems like nothing but soaks every thing in seconds. It makers visibility in clear glasses hard so I took them off. The flies of southern Holland loved that and headed straight into my eye for sanctuary. A quick stop to off load them and off we went into the wind and rain again. A few seconds later a bee (I say bee but it was clearly a giant African killer bee with attitude) tried to find cover in my mouth. I asked nicely but the little blighter (that's not what I said at the time!) wouldn't leave. When I forced the issue with a polite spit, the hairy hitch hiker stung me quite unnecessarily on the lip. 'On your way you little scamp' I said, though Tom insists that I didn't use those exact words. By the time we reached our lunch stop my cycling companions were finding the going hard. Apparently sarcasm and cycling don't mix and the constant laughing made pedalling almost impossible for them. My famously handsome features had been transformed into a Mr. Potato Head caricature. The swelling reaching from my chin to my left eye. Attractive it was not.
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| Inflating to 120 psi is for the tyres only Shaun! |
Back to the cycling. Flat, not unexpected, wet, not unexpected either, very windy, while not totally unexpected it was unrelenting. whereas anywhere else there are contours or even hedges to shelter behind, Holland doesn't do either. The dams are the highest points on the landscape and you feel it. The oestdam in particular was a long hard slog and the low visibility means that you can't even see the other side. But persevere we did and the other side appeared. A chat with a Belgian cyclist worried me. Surely my planning wouldn't let me down!!! He looked at my map and assured me that it was not possible to follow my route in to Antwerp. I had decided that a 20 meter section of grass (I know! not all cycle route after all) would connect a marked route with a tarmac road that wasn't shown as a cycle route and started with a barrier barring the way would lead us directly into the port surrounding the city. He suggested a 20-25 kilometre diversion east. I took a gamble and suggested we follow my planned route (my lovely companions wouldn't hit a fairground freak would they?). It turned out to be a nice road down the side of a river with only the occasional angler to worry about. Past an empty golf course and sure enough the port appeared. At this point and with more kilometres under our belt than expected we were confidant of an imminent finish to a cold day. Straight away the cycle routes as we crossed into Belgium were fewer and much poorer! Maybe Holland wasn't so bad.
The swing bridges over the many waterways being uncooperative meant a much more meandering route that added yet more kilometres. We did get a rest as a very loud klaxon announced the passing of the longest and slowest freight train I have ever seen. Finding the hotel was the final obstacle and needed Ian's wife Julie to come out and meet us at the central station and then walk us back. the beer at the end was very welcome. A fantastic pasta meal crowned a 94 mile day (ok, my plan failed. I know we had a few deliberate detours for coffee stops but it was supposed to be 73 miles!!!) Must do better! Can't give Dave the satisfaction!
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| Foreign signs and everything! |
The way out of Antwerp was nearly as dull as the way in but this time the industrial area was derelict. We headed South West to use the cycle ways down the river. Our breakfast stop was uneventful until Tom spotted the world's (almost) smallest man doing his shopping!! This marked the turning point in the morning and we enjoyed the brighter weather as we wound our way down towards 2nd breakfast stop (Tom seems to need 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches. He questioned my close examination of his feet that night and although not conclusive they were larger and hairier than normal. Maybe a distant Hobbit ancestor lurks in the West closet!!). A close encounter with a very speedy skater (25-30 kmh) ended our journey down the river which was more westerly than we really needed but gave us a welcome break from the wind. We turned South Easterly and our navigation problems began. Ian had scouted out a series of cycle ways that would lead us in a meandering but steady route to Brussels but as we found last year, they were impossible to locate on the ground. Our stops to check the map and look for signs ended abruptly when despite a slow journey down a cycle route that was no better than a footpath (we could be back in the UK it was so unsuitable) finally found us at least 5 kms too far south. Back to the old tried and tested 'pick a town on the right bearing and follow it' method we perfected in France. We followed the compass and despite a false start it soon came right and we made much faster time following the road signs. We had decided that we could still beat Michael and Michelle (Tina and Tom's other halves who were sipping their Champagne on Euro star) meeting us in Brussels. We calculated that by the time they caught the bus, they would arrive at Ian's house at around 3pm. The race was on. Our decision to take a more major road than normal because it lead directly where we needed to go was a huge success. It ran for about 10 kms through Grimburgen and out the other side. Good cycle path that had right of way over all the side roads and lucky traffic lights saw us sail through unhindered. Grim town but great beer we discovered that night and only 6.5%, weak by Belgian standards! We crossed under the final motorway and we were in Brussels. Ian forgot to mention that after 2 days of pan flat roads we now faced a hill. Not a big hill or even a long hill but it knackered all of us. Poor Steph with the Harris/West flu bug (you can fight it out amongst yourselves over ownership) suffered most here but with her usual grit up she went and our final barrier arrived. Ian pulled the ride over to describe a kind of roundabout free for all thing. 'Just follow close and close your eyes' he said. No one knew how we were to do both but we all agreed. Tom and I sent the two ladies off behind Ian. We figured that if they ran into problems with all the cars that needed negotiating then at least they would act as sleeping policemen/cyclists or a battering ram for us. We should get through unscathed. After all, age before beauty always used to be the done thing, right girls!
We made it and all of a sudden we were at Ian's house. 2.45pm we must have won! Wrong! the cheating champagne sippers had taken a taxi and arrived before us. Tom's computer showed 199.4 miles. We had to cycle round the block to break the 200 mile barrier, right! Wrong again!
A cold beer and handshakes confirmed that we had finished.
A satisfying and eventful ride I think we all enjoyed. I did.
Thank to Julie and Ian for putting us up a being great hosts. And Thanks to Tom,Tina and Steph for being great company.
Tina and Steph did this only 3 months after taking up cycling! That deserves a round of applause in my book. Chapeau!
I can't wait for the next ride.
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| I bet that tasted good! |
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