Week 1

WEEK 1

Departure of london was smooth and with little hassle, we cycled through hilly & sunny Kent to our first nights accomodation in Chart Sutton, Maidstone.

The hosts were Susan and Don Nelson (Aunty & uncle of a great friend Ben taylor). Here Dad and i received beer, wine, food and extreme kindness. Perfect combination after our first cycle with a fully loaded bike (54kg) for 71km. 

We departed the following morning to make our way to Dover, We stayed at a camp site in the white cliffs in Folkestone. Having earlier had to fix our first puncture, the temperature through the night was -6. And it definitely felt it!

After getting rid of the frost from the bikes we proceeded to the docks where we cycled on to the Ferry for a one and a half hour journey before our tyres touched the french soil.

After 1 night in Calais we proceeded down the very cold but extremely beautiful west coast of France. The winds made it tough and at times had to battle to keep the bike straight as the panniers (bike bags) make a great sail for the wind. We continued past Boulogne and and Le crotoy sleeping at Campsites, cliff edges and perhaps the odd motel before heading inland towards Amiens. 

Here we had our first taste of cycling into major cities. After being escorted off the motorway that we some how found ourselfs on we made it there. Average mileage per cycling day was around 75km. 

Ameins was lovely but we were both too keen to get back on the bikes and battle the feirce winds to complete what would be stage 1 and also get our first veiw of PARIS