We are a group of friends who enjoy cycling together - every three years we find a new way to torture ourselves on bikes and then decide to get sponsored so that people can watch us suffer.

So after LEJOG (Lands End to John O’Groats) in 2004 and LeKnees (The Atlantic to The Mediterranean along and over the Pyrenees) in 2007, we are now asking you to support our L’Express ride: Paris to Venice in 2010.

Monday 6 September 2010

Day 3 - Troyes to Noncourt.

When we got up this morning it was after a very pleasant evening in Troyes. This is a fascinating and beautiful town on the Seine, with wooden-framed buildings and a plethora of Cathedrals and churches, all seemingly with buttresses galore. One of the churches has a patterned and coloured roof, another an intricate buttressed entrance. The evening had only been spoiled by a rude waiter and extraordinarily inefficient and incompetent waitresses. 

The morning started fine, with more of the fine wispy cloud that we had seen the previous evening. But soon dark clouds collected as we left Troyes behind us, riding through an agricultural desert - no trees. After a while battling unprotected against a brisk headwind, a more green panorama opened up before us. This was the land of the lakes in the Foret de L'Orient, where we were to spend the next couple of hours. Briefly protected by trees from the wind,we made good progress, passing a scattering of parked cars and vans, some with baskets of mushrooms next to them. 


The lakes are large and we followed a well laid cycle route along the top of the earthworks to one. Great views, but again exposed to the wind. Grey clouds now dominated. 

As lunch approached we began to search for a shop to supplement our only just adequate supplies. But we were to find empty villages with no shops. This was to be the pattern of the day. We came in to one small town, and breaking that male stereotype, asked where we might find a shop. Excited to find there was one we hurried off, to find it had closed 5 mins earlier for a 2 hour lunch. 
We lunched at a picnic table conveniently placed in a small green square next to the church and school in the small village of Morvilliers. It was an excellent lunch with tasty bread, ripe chevre and Roquefort. But only just enough. Thus we headed off into the cool and grey afternoon in a increasingly amazed and failed search for shops, people and food.

The scenery was more varied, but the road makers were clearly inspired by the Romans, as the road headed in a series of straight lines heading up and down the hills with no accounting for gentler ways up and down. We finally came to a small town with shops - all closed until 4 pm!

At some point it started to rain. Gently at first, then more heavily. Then, when I was changing gear, a loud click and the lever became floppy and non-responsive. Something major had broken in my front derallier changer. Not mendable - this took about 1 minute to discover. Fortunately there is a small degree of function left - it will hold gear and I can change down changing up is hit and miss, though. Major problem for the mountains, where I will need all my gears. For the moment I am having to cope with using the middle chain ring only, which is a struggle for some hills (with a full camping load).


Made it to Joinville which, as we found, has no bike shop! But is very picturesque with a traditional chateau. Finally found some food (we asked again), then headed off and reached our splendid camp site at 6:55 pm. Just enough time to put up the tents, shower and eat before bed. No time to use the swimming pool! 




John has been an absolute rock, particularly with his workload at the front when we have had the headwind over the last two days. However, we have to watch that he is not eating more than his fair share of food !!! :-) John was so tired tonight, he fell asleep sitting in the restaurant. He was also very understanding today when I was shouting navigation instructions from behind. "left" I said, meaning right. So when he stuck out his left and I shouted, increasingly loudly, left, left, left, he stuck out his right with a grin, just as I realised my error...
I find it amazing that Roy can keep up with us. He is riding a mountain bike wearing trainers, whilst John and I have touring set ups with cleated cycling shoes. Yet he still keeps up with us. Yesterday he took the front, whilst we were sharing wind breaking duties, so fast that John and I just could't stay with him, uphill too. Amazing resilience and it's probably just as well he doesn't have all the kit, or he'd leave the two of us behind!

Jeremy didn't think much to the chalet they'd booked at the campsite...

As I sit here in my tent typing this, the rain is coming and going, and the forecast is for a wet morning. Oh joy!

Signing off for the night ... Jeremy
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At the end of day three I am convinced of the truth of the infamous day three effect!

Today was hard and long, and Jeremy's mishaps with his gears added a little drama to the day's events.

Rain was an unexpected bonus!

So far, 210 miles have not exactly flown by, but we're on schedule, despite two days of headwinds and a distinct shortage of shops to replenish our supplies en route.

JR and John have been exceptional and I've mostly kept up...

Tomorrow, the real hills start - and we're looking tot see if we can do further than planned so the following day won't be quite so terrifying!

Roy


Today's Vital Statistics

120 km, 6:15 hours in the saddle, 936 m climbed, 4528 kcal used

2 comments:

  1. At least you'll have a chance to join in one of the numerous demonstrations planned out throughout France today. A bit of gallic temper will be good to pass your nerves on your gears.

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  2. good luck getting the gears fixed, JR!
    a bit of France i've been to, too. i remember a dearth of shops, and some houses half-derelict....
    hope the wind we're having here (no it isn't beans!)isn't stretching as far as you.

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