Just Peddling

Wet and windy Cornwall !

2009-10-30T20:37:00.006Z

Well, I'm home ... to a dark, wet and windy Autumn here in Cornwall. The bikes back in the shed and I've been in the same place for what must be three days now ? It feels so strange not moving, not pedalling and not seeing something new around each and every corner, or meeting new faces at the end of every long day of cycling. I was just settling into that fleeting exposure of peoples lives, it was interesting, annoying too sometimes, but on the whole, interesting. So many different people with different stories, leaving me with all sorts of great memories that I'm determined not to forget.
France is a fantastic country and I think I quite envy those that can live there, those that can afford to be there anyway, it's an expensive country now, not only since the pound plummeted in value but since the franc was replaced by the Euro and all the prices seemed to be rounded up rather than down.
I'm tired now, really tired, I've had little energy since I got home, but it was a pretty full on month I suppose. However, the statistics are looking great, over £3000 raised for the British heart foundation, over 1000 miles covered on my bike and what's more there's been nearly 10,000 hits on my blog site ! 10,000, I cant believe that ? Amazing ...
I thought the bike would be straight on ebay as soon as I got home but within 24 hours I wanted to get on it again ! What's happened to me ? I resisted for a few days but this afternoon I found myself jumping back into my funny cycling clobber and heading off along the road on the trusty Diamondback ! I had to keep reminding myself which side of the road to ride on ! Cycling without 20kgs of luggage was a real treat, so light and fast and easy to pedal ! I'm sure I took too much stuff with me. Next time I'll have a much smaller computer for sure... Next time !? I'm not sure I'll be doing it by bike again but I do like the idea of crossing a country by kayak, and what's more, my brother pointed out one to me that's sort of pedalled ! How about that ? Now that really appeals to me. Maybe France, maybe another country ? Any ideas welcomed, or sponsors for that matter, I can see the next challenge costing rather a lot more than the first one !
I'm not sure how I'd keep everything charged up on a Kayak either ? Photovoltaic cells or something like that I suppose ?
Time's a funny old thing isn't it, several of my friends have said "you're back already? Seems like you only just left." Whereas I feel like I've been away for ages and lived a whole lifetime of mini adventures in just four weeks !? Loads of little chapters, varied and quite different linked together by hours of pedalling. It's really had it's highs and lows, which have just served to make the whole thing all the more memorable. I've met people that I'd like to have somehow surgically removed from the hard drive of my brain and others that I feel delighted to have etched firmly into my memory banks. The world really is full of friends you've not met yet and doing a trip like that has really given me the opportunity to find a few of them.
The donations over the last few days have really escalated ! The generosity has been overwhelming and has taken the grand total including gift aid to a staggering £3074 !!
That's quite something !? Thanks so much for your interest and support .... Jus

Sailing home....

2009-10-28T00:28:00.013Z

I’m in my cabin, on the boat home, with a bald patch ! There’s a mirror on the bathroom door behind me and mirror in front of me.. They’re set off at such an angle to each other that I can quite clearly see a bald patch on the crown of my head ! Just as I was in the mood for celebrating the completion of my epic cycle ride, so I find myself staring right at my own mortality … And with such thoughts return the tick tick ticking of my Carbon Aortic valve … Bloody thing drives me nuts sometimes. However, full credit to my surgeon, he certainly made a good job of it, if pedalling over a thousand miles across France is any measure of his fine craftsmanship ?
Morlaix was a real treat this morning, a hearty hand shake from the L’Hotel du port manager and I was off. I took a spin around the town centre, taking in the atmosphere, architecture and that thumping great viaduct ! I found a café for a final Grand Café creme, pulling up a chair outside in the warm October sunshine and filling my lungs with fresh French air I noticed the couple at the next table opening pouches of Golden Virginia, taking pinches of hand rolling tobacco in unison and laying it out expertly along cigarette papers, rolling, creasing, rolling, licking and completing… Any time served rolly smoker can do this with such precision and skill, probably and unwittingly better than anything else they routinely do. A perfectly relaxing little ritual to tease the emotions and wet the whistle prior to sparking up the fatal weed … Sadly, it does of course lead to an untimely death and many other nasty complications far worse than dying … Though still strangely evocative to observe in such situations. Exhaled smoke against low morning sunlight with fresh ground coffee and a busy waiter tinkering with tables, taking orders and money.
The smokers are British, he’s a biker, motor biker that is, not an athletic type biker like me. but your more traditional, middle aged, hairy arse type. The girlfriend was younger, bit of a Goth sort, fake black hair, too much black make up, tight black Jeans and overweight. She didn’t have the right gear, so was obviously a brand new girlfriend. Cheap pointy heel Goth boots with badly cast metal skulls and too many buckles, a warm coat and dated crash helmet. She asked if she’d been leaning properly on the corners and how fast they’d been going into them ? He replied in a broad Bristolian accent “I’ve bin holding the horses this morning, keeping down to about 95, normally I’d be going about 135 plus, yeah, course me arms is hurting a bit, always the same for a day or two, Ewan Mc Gregor gets it too.” I was trying not to laugh out loud as I chortled into my coffee and she seemed remarkably unimpressed, adding, “oh, it seemed much slower than that to me?” Looking across at his ropey old 1980’s GPZ I recon she could have been right too…
I pedalled out of town, under the viaduct and along the west side of the estuary, past all the moored up yachts and boats, and on towards Roscoff along the D73 which hugs the water line, it’s a delight to cycle along being that it’s slightly down hill and what’s more there was by now a pretty stiff Sou’westerly breeze nudging me along. Better late than never I thought to myself. It was lovely, I barely had to pedal as it pushed gently on my back easing me towards the north coast. Taking in the view, I wondered when the sea would come into view and watched leaves tumbling down the road and overtaking me, wishing I’d had this wind for all those hundreds of miles across the lowlands of France ! Oh well… I felt motorised and enjoyed the moment being swept along by mother nature… I sailed past Locquenole and on towards Carantec. Past fast boats, slow boats, new boats and dead boats… In fact there were several dead boats strewn along the shoreline. The wooden ones being reclaimed rather picturesquely with some degree of grace by nature whilst the plastic ones were reduced to sorry looking mouldy green hulks, warping, slumping, filling with water and refusing to decompose !
Then I spotted the end of the estuary where it opened out to the English Channel. I couldn’t help but smile to myself, with a huge sense of achievement that I’d actually done it, coast to coast across a massive country on a push bike !
My thoughts soon returned to Pirates as I looked across at the heavily fortified and rocky entrance to the Morlaix estuary to the open sea. Once those greedy Privateers had ducked in through there with holds full of plundered booty it would have been absolutely impossible to give chase without being blown out of the water !
I cycled on through Carantec and on to St. Pol de Leon, where I took some photographs of the Church with the pigeons flying high around it, then on towards Roscoff, stopping to take a picture of the old London double decker bus. This to me was my goal, I’d been looking forward to it coming into view ever since I’d left the Mediterranean coast. It’s the entrance to a huge wine and beer shop, a place I always stop off to buy my booze en route to Cornwall whenever I’m over there, and it always signals the journeys end to the ferry… Naturally I had to have a picture of my faithful Diamondback parked up with it !?
So… I’ve done it … And all I can think now is … What next ?

The last leg....

2009-10-26T07:30:00.014Z

Look at those lovely cows, I passed them down by the misty Blavet River leaving St. Barthelemy on my way North through Melrand and Guemene up to Gourin. Unlike most of my journey, I knew this section like the back of my hand and had a mental picture in my head of the miles of hills ahead, which was a bit depressing, nothing for it though, so I stuck on my headphones and laughed out loud to Ricky Gervais & Karl Pilkington, if you've not listened to those Pod casts you really should! I must have looked insane to passers by (both of them!). Eventually, after about 7 hours pedalling I made it up to Spezet where I stayed with Geoff, a very keen cyclist. I was warmly welcomed by him and some of his friends to drinks, nibbles and cheer. A fine topping off to another long day. Friends left and we tucked into our dinner chatting about prostates and definitely not being gay...

Next morning Geoff was up sorting out the bikes and checking my tyre pressures for me, something I probably should have done a thousand miles earlier ! They were both low, so he topped them up for me. After breakfast and a flick through photo albums of Lycra clad loonies and relentless references to "the Tour", it became apparent that having Geoff riding with me for the morning was going to be hard work, even though he insisted he'd go slow! The thing is, his whole bike weighed about as much as my front wheel, and he was dressed like a 67 year old Power Ranger! Yes, 67! Fit as a flea and could easily out pedal your average 20 year old, let alone a 42 year old top athlete, with a heavy bike, luggage, knackered knee and clanking heart!!

I felt rather embarrassed pedalling my heart out to keep up when it was obvious to me that he was actually struggling to go slow enough !!

Bloody lovely bloke though, and by the time we'd parted after a bite to eat in Huelgoat, a beautiful old town in the heart of Brittany, I'd learnt about slip streams, puncture repair, which side he dressed (it actually effects pedal set ups!) and the importance of bananas, not only for slow release energy but also using its skin for emergency relief on delicate or chaffed areas below! "Oh yeah, just slip it down ya pants, works a treat?"

I'll stick to the cream thanks Geoff, but thanks anyway...

I sort of enjoyed my few hours with Geoff though, and we did stop to look at some huge wind turbines and an interesting Crucifix. I've been getting a bit obsessed with them during my big ride. In Brittany you see far more much older ones than the rest of France, carved in granite. I've no idea how old but many hundreds of years anyway. Lots of them have the carved Scallop shells depicted too, which I think has something to do with Pilgrims way back in the 9th century, who'd traipse across Europe for months or years, making for Santiago de Compostela in Spain. I hope they found what they were looking for. The significance of the Scallop shell is that they'd carry one during their great walk or pilgrimage, which would identify them to villagers and country folk along the way and also act as a saucer for meagre but kindly gifted sustenance too.

The one photographed above is in Melrand and clearly shows the Scallops beyond the hands of Christ. All very interesting stuff, stuff you don’t normally think about unless you have 7 or 8 hours a day with nothing more to do.

The last half of my journey yesterday was pedalling alone again ... I was struggling a bit, having gone too fast all morning with Carlos Fandango AKA Geoff. Having said that, it was a lovely ride. Some massive hills north of Huelgoat but they eventually gave way to a long flat winding valley road all the way to Morlaix.

This is an amazing old town which prospered hugely from Piracy or Privateering, depending on which side of the fence you were sat?! Perfectly situated up wide but rocky estuary, sheltered and guarded from the North coast and the English Channel where the pillaging took place. It's most remarkable architectural feature is it's 19th century stone built viaduct, which is vast, and spans the valley across whole town, towering above and dwarfing all there is below, it's really quite staggering how those Victorian engineers put such things together ?!

This morning I start out on my last section, just 17 miles from here, along the estuary to Roscoff... It's going to be a strange one I'm sure, mixed feelings. I've kind of got used to this love hate relationship with pedalling now and life on the road....

The donations have really been pouring in the last couple of days for which I'm hugely grateful, thank you, each and every person whose taken the time and made the effort to give to the fund. I'm so close now to my target of £2500. So, if you've still not dug deep into your pocket then please do and help me smash that target! Come on, I've all but done it now, I've nearly reached Roscoff, well over a thousand miles (up hill !) with far too much luggage on a wing and a prayer, and still only 10 months out of major open heart surgery! Thanks for reading..... Jus.

1000 Miles !!

2009-10-25T15:04:00.004Z

Sunday 25th the October, four weeks to the day that I started pedalling from the south coast, on the sunny Med, to the north coast of france. It's 4.15 here in Brittany, I've just cycled into the small town of Gourin, fifty miles south of Roscoff, which will be my final destination and the tacho on my handlebars is showing exactly 1000 miles ! Yeay !!
What's more I've found a Bar that's not only open, which makes a change, but it also has Wi Fi !!
So, it's a quick cold beer and a quick post on my Blog too !
One thousand miles, that's got to worth a donation hasn't it !?
Cheers, Jus.

Mushrooms, Mike and missing mates

2009-10-24T22:59:00.011+01:00

Pedaling into Brittany through heavy mizzle, spotting familiar place names and smelling that air, Breton air, there’s nothing quite like it, especially in the autumn. Leaves are starting to fall in earnest and the colours all around me are beautiful today.

Having cycled through many regions and departments of France now, this area here is definitely the one that really does it for me. It doesn’t have the wine, the mountains, the red roofs or the relentless sunshine but it does have an almost tangible soul that’s hard to define (and Cider and Eau de Vie!). Cycling into St. Barthelemy where I once lived was quite emotional, almost like I’d finished the trip and arrived home. With rain running off my face and the chill of cooling sweat down my back I trundled through the village taking in every unchanged detail of the place I know so well.

I’d posted on the internet that I’d be in the Steren Roz Pub last night to give fans a chance to meet and greet, photo opportunities to the Press and folk could even pay a fee for a go on my bike, the mighty Diamond back that broke the back of France! I’d even considered auctioning some of my T-shirts and underwear too, all for the good of the BHF!

I braced myself and walked into the Bar, with my friend Mike, bloody lovely bloke, and no stranger to fund raising himself, having once raised a small fortune by wind surfing out into the north sea in a fresh force 8 breeze across lumpy seas, day and night to a distant oil platform! He’s had a full and varied life, from top secret security missions to landing private aircraft inebriated and having to keep one eye shut to narrow down the amount of runways before him! He never fails to make me laugh or pour a glass of wine upon entry to his mad house of dogs, cats, ferrets, sheep and noisy parrot! Linda, his wife is lovely too, and made me a great meal before we went to the Pub…

Oh yeah, the Pub. It very quickly became obvious to me that I must have posted the wrong details on the Internet! Somewhere in France there were hoards of supporters and press waiting for me … but they definitely weren’t in St Barthelemy! My brother Dan was there and my friend Laurence…. And the owner Cappi bought me a beer, but there was no great celebration. Just lots of drinking and laughing and out of focus photos. I had a great night and part of me was relieved the paparazzi and fans had gone to the wrong place…

Climbing the creaking stairs to my bedroom up in the attic I reflected on what a great it day it had been. Using the dim light from my phone I made my way across the bedroom, completely forgetting the very low head height beam I’d been warned about earlier, it caught me square on the forehead! Ouch … I swore quietly, chuckled to myself and passed out on the bed!

This morning I knew I’d not be making a 50 mile cycle ride, it simply wasn’t an option! But a lazy day here where I used to live was just the ticket. Time to rest up, visit my two nieces, Kensa and Nessa (which I think means first & second in Cornish?) and to get my blog up to date and sort out some photos too…

Now it’s Saturday evening, the 24^th of October, I may not have made it to the finish line, some 100 miles north of here but I have made it to my sleepy and very rustic Breton cottage and more importantly, to my 12yr old bottle of Brandy which I’ve just polished off! The grass is really overgrown, and the whole place was a little musty on entry, but it didn’t take long to throw open the windows and light the wood burner… All fresh and glowing warm now.

This has got to be one of the most relaxing places I know … But it’s just a fleeting moment, my challenge isn’t complete until I reach Roscoff, and so I keep pedaling first thing in the morning.

I’ve put up some more photographs too… The voiture sans permit! There you go, that’s what I was talking about the other day, what do think to that beast then? Note the performance exhaust dangling beneath, the tinted rear windows and the go faster stripes… That’s a serious vehicle!

Mushrooms and fungi too, they’re all over the place at the moment, they just love the dark, damp and atmospheric climate here and grow in abundance. All shapes, sizes and colours, edible and poisonous alike. It’s said that you can pick a bag of wild mushrooms and take them to any French pharmacy to be sorted into edible and non edible. In fact that’s one of those tedious facts that any self respecting expat files in their tedious facts file to be gushed out verbatim around the same time as singing the virtues and wonder that their children are now totally bilingual! What’s so great about that? I just don’t get it? They can now grow up and become unemployed in two languages!?

Fungi …. The most favoured and sort after of these mushrooms for it’s refined flavour is the elusive Cep, a fleshy mushroom that’s highly prized and frequently hunted. Once a location has been found it’s a highly guarded secret, only to be shared with very close and trusted friends and family. It’s now nearly November so that means Cep season is upon us and secret welly wearing parties will be slipping quietly into remote countryside locations with sharp knives, plastic bags and mouths watering …

I didn’t see any Ceps by the road, but I did see several Fly Argaric, the classic mushroom, or is it a toad stall, I never know? Big and round and red with white spots on top, said to be highly hallucinogenic, though I have to say I’ve tried one and it had no effect at all?

Oh, and what about that horse? That’s a Breton heavy horse, they’re absolutely beautiful! I adore them. I don’t much care for horses, big dangerous things, scared of their own shadows with no brakes … But, having said that I’d love to have a Breton heavy horse, I’d think of a suitably chunky name for it and ride it around, maybe have a suit of armour made up, and one of those Jousting poles too, but a spongy one for randomly poking the poor with? Bloody love those horses …

And last but not least, that’s obviously me, just a little while before, bottle of Brandy on the go, fire blazing and my Breton Clogs on! They may look rather big and clumsy …. In fact they are ! But round this neck of the woods they’re about as common as a pair of Hunters, trust me, anybody whose anybody around this here hamlet is wearing them this season! They’re coupled, as you can see in my picture, with a pair of tartan slippers… So outside the clogs go on and inside they’re kicked off leaving just the comfy slippers, pure genius! I tend to wear mine inside too, just because I can ….

Thank you for reading my blog and following my progress. It looks like I’ll have to stay somewhere in Roscoff on Monday night so I’ll try and find somewhere with WiFi and update before I get on the ferry and back to Cornwall and home fires….

I have to keep pedalling so please keep donating … And a massive thanks to each and everyone who has thus far donated!!

Redon... The beginning of the end ...

2009-10-22T21:33:00.006+01:00

I really enjoyed getting to Redon today, there were boats to look at and I'm never happier than when I'm looking at boats ! I know I dont look very happy in the photo but I've just got one of those faces that wont smile on command ! So, the beginnig of the end... I'm so close now, well about 140 miles to be precise, but it feels pretty close. I've not even worked out where to stay tomorrow or which direction to go in (apart from it having more than a little north in it of course !) My milage counter is showing nearly one thousand miles, which is pretty amazing I think ? Mind you it certainly feels like a thousand miles ! The bike's done really well, everything still works as it should and nothing's shaken loose .. Only wish the same could be said about me !
The fund is now standing at over £2000 and growing, so lets hope just a few more people dig into their pockets, donate and help me reach my goal ?!

In search of Brittany !

2009-10-22T11:32:00.007+01:00

I was talking about the shop? That was getting silly, not on the grand scale of things it wasn’t, it was nothing like witnessing one of my hosts hollering at an apparition of a French peasant who was refusing to budge from a doorway, “he’s always there, pisses me off, it’s not his house it’s mine !” No, this was just silly, with a feeling once again of having a country to myself … Eying up the fruit, but worried it may have come into contact with the virus, the virus that’s wiped out the nation, in my over active imagination it has anyway. No, I’ll just stick to packaged and ideally non perishables, taking another glug of Coke and thinking how wonderfully refreshing it was, there’s really nothing quite like it to quench a thirst. Neck it, scrunch it, burp and bin it, lovely…

I was pondering whether to empty the Till or tuck into a packet of Iced Gems when, to my surprise, the shop keeper showed up. No apology or excuse, just a smile, a lovely smile, post orgasmic for sure, she was light on her toes, delightfully dishevelled and high on endorphins. Passing no comment, she takes for my opened biscuits, spent can of Coke and other bits, as I’m thinking what a curious place France is… Her smile was utterly contagious, and I found myself briefly wearing it as I left the shop, where it was swiftly wiped off again by an inebriated Frenchman pulling up in his ludicrous little car! I reckon France could be about the only country where you’d see one of these. It’s a car, in every sense of the word, only it’s tiny, and made of plastic, and powered by some kind of diesel motor, which is loud and knocks and is obviously no bigger than a lawnmower engine! There must be an exacting definition that separates these from other small cars, but these tiny, erratic things are defined as voiture sans permit, which, hard as it is to believe, especially in our western world of tickets of competence and licenses requisite for everything from climbing a step ladder to folding a map, can actually be driven without any licence at all! These vehicles have zero street cred, so young people aren’t interested in driving them and anyone with a license wouldn’t be seen dead in one, which leaves the majority of people that do drive them as being those without licenses! The old, the infirm and the alcoholics… This particular one, who’d nearly just mowed me down outside the shop was a lethal combination of all three!

I fill up my water bottles; pack my remaining biscuits and head off, thinking what a wonderful country this is. A country that takes itself so seriously on the one hand and yet is so very lapse on the other? How can a member of the European community have a car that can be driven drunk without fear of losing your license, because you don’t have one anyway!?

I’m shaking my head and heading away into the hills. Passing through a village called Villemoisan, noticing that the dogs really have got smaller compared to the south and wondering how far the border into Brittany is, when the skies went really dark, really quickly and the heavens opened! A total deluge of rain… I’m soaked now but enjoying the smell, that amazing smell of rain, it sort of amplifies the aroma of every tree, flower or plant around you, I love that smell.

It’s a love that soon gives way to everything slowing down, getting heavier and getting colder and a sense of just wanting to get to where you’re going and get changed and warm…

Eventually that evening, wet and tired, I made it to Vini’s house, Vini’s a lovely Labrador and he and his keepers Gordon and Glenis made me very welcome. Thank you.
Yesterday morning I set off north west again, through Chateaubriant and beyond, not too hilly but very busy, a popular lorry route and they were coming thick and fast, whistling past all too close but speeding my progress as I get sucked into the trailing turbulence of each and every truck!

I found the ultimate road kill too, pretty fresh, early that morning I’d say, and a clean kill too, probably put a dent in the car I shouldn’t wonder? A wild boar! A male, not fully grown but about the size of a domestic pig. Although very rarely seen these beasts are pretty widespread in the forests and woodlands across France. I’ve no idea where they hide because they’re huge, but you could walk in the same forest every day for years and never see one.

Like any road kill, it was a very sorry sight, laying there in the ditch.
Cycling through the next hamlet I stopped and told a farmer, who seemed pretty keen to go and fetch it for his freezer, so at least his very expensive meat would be enjoyed…

The last few hours of my ride today were once again spoiled by heavy rain, buckets of it pouring down on me. At one point it was so heavy I thought it too dangerous to carry on, worried the truck drivers may not see me in such poor visibility, so I took shelter under some trees (see photo). They didn’t actually offer any shelter at all; I just sat there thinking I really should have packed my wet suit!

After about an hour it slowed and stopped, giving way to bright skies from the west and dark rain clouds left behind me as backdrops to magnificent rainbows which you can see in the photograph of the wind turbine. These turbines were quite spectacular, it’s hard to appreciate just how big they are, but the trees dwarfed below them are massive and you should be able to make a white van a the base of one of them ?

Eventually, tired out and still soaking wet I saw and followed the signs to a small hotel, The Chalet … A hot shower, clothes drying on the radiator, a great meal and a comfy bed …. zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

It’s Thursday now and I’m feeling like I’ve really broken the back of this extended cycle ride of blood, sweat and tears! What an amazing trip it’s been…

The north of the Loire Atlantic is a confused place indeed, desperate to cling onto and regain its Breton roots and status. I’ve had mixed reactions from everyone I’ve asked along my way across department 44, which seems to be a huge department, or maybe it’s just because the rain has really slowed me down ? Most insist that I’m already in Brittany, but some concede and advise me that Brittany starts at Redon. There are Breton transfers on cars, a very Breton feeling (maybe that’s just the rain) and even some road signs with the place names written in Breton underneath the French. I’m also noticing lots of thick set Breton looking people about too.

But right now I’m most definitely and finally in Brittany, I’ve just pedalled into the outskirts of the town of Redon, also known as the “Venice of the west”, another beautiful town situated on the banks of the river Vilaine. A huge navigable river with 238 locks on it stretching right across Brittany to the city of Brest on the far north western peninsular.

Once again I find myself in McDonalds, who’d have thought it, I’ve cycled nearly a thousand miles now across a country renowned for its cuisine and my eyes light up every time I see those Golden arches! In my defence it’s got more to do with WiFi access than culinary delights … I swept into the outside seating area, my huge yellow rain cape tangled around me, dripping wet and all set to start the daily routine of disrobing, chaining up the bike, digging out my lap top, grabbing my essentials and valuables and heading in to place my order, whilst spying around the restaurant for a likely nook to set myself down with a tray of nasty food, fire up the computer and log on…

I found that nook and all that’s left to say as my battery fades to nothing, is thank you all so much for continuing to read and continuing to donate … Now the £2000 mark has been reached there’s only £500 to go! So, if you’ve not yet donated then please do and help me reach that target!!

Cheers, Justin

Wow, £2000 !

2009-10-22T08:17:00.004+01:00

I'm using a french computer! The keys are all over the place so I cant write on it ! Why can't they just use querty like the rest of us !
Just wanted to say good morning and thank you for all the lovely emails and comments and most of all for getting my fund to 2000 pounds ! Will try and write later... Well I've written already but it's on my memory stick and this ancient computer has no usb port ! It's poring with rain so time to dig out the big yellow cape !! Super cape !!! Thanks for looking in on me... Jus

Heading out of Angers.....

2009-10-21T12:04:00.017+01:00

Angers is a beautiful old city, well worth a visit, boasting the most amazing, totally uncompromising Medieval castle or Keep or something, it's absolutely vast, built between the 9th & 12th century. I'm sure I've got a photo of it somewhere but I'm racing against my battery like usual here ! Masses of Barges and livaboard boats too, all gaggled and rafted together along the Loire river. A wonderful sight to any boat nut, such as myself, imagining how cosy and boaty they'd be below, with gently swinging brass oil lamps, creaking hulls and crackling woodburners....

Angers is totally geared up for cycling around, special cycle routes everywhere, until that is you want to cycle north west of the city, then you just find yourself as I did, dumped onto a very busy and fast moving motorway ! Three lanes of cars, belting along and parping their horns at mad cyclist wobbling along the hard shoulder. It's actually not too bad once you're on that hard shoulder but the trouble is, there are loads of roads joining and leaving the motorway, at these junctures, the hard shoulder dissolves and you're just left peddling along with very fast vehicles on both sides of you, willing none of them to strike or clip you on passing ! After about ten really freaky miles I managed to find an a exit to a country road that went off in the right direction. With it came hills but I was beyond caring and just happy to have the road to myself again !

Still not in Brittany but there's now a distinct Breton feel all around me, and judging by the slogans on the road signs there must be an underlying feeling that this part of the Loire Atlantic should be, as it once was, part of Bittany.

After a few hills I'm dying for a beer, daydreaming ... Villages come and go with the usual closed down Bars (see photo). There's nothing worse than wanting a cold glass of 1664 lager and being taunted by signs promoting it dangling from walls of long since dried up establishments !

Hungry and thirsty now, I had to resort to my emergency tin of Tuna in some kind of sauce with other bits n' bobs in it that I'd had in my bar bag for weeks ! Sat by the road, I tucked into it with my trusty Leatherman. Smelling rain in the air and thinking about how much peoples' dogs seem to have shrunk since I'd left the south I set off again ...

A few miles later, like a mirage before me, dying for anything to snack on and a soft drink too, I found a shop, a shop called Sap ! It naturally looked shut, but it had the tell tell advertising boards outside, which to the trained eye, suggested it was open ! It was the usual shabby looking place, with all the trinkets in the window faded to blue and gathering dust, but beyond that were goodies galore waiting to be bought !

It was like a scene from 28 days later or the "The Survivors", nobody in there, but my eyes darted from shelf to shelf deciding what to grab first ! I settled on a can of Coke, carton of Apple juice, bottle of water and a packet of chocolate chip cookies ! Waiting at the counter for what seemed like an age, I called out, but there was no reply ! Now sat on the counter I'm wondering whether to just leave with the stuff .... Glugging the Coke and tucking into a biscuit I'm beginning find myself in yet another weird situation, one of a catalogue of such situations I've found myself in over the last few weeks !

Battery is running out now, so I have to saddle up and get pedalling ...

Knee rested in Angers...

2009-10-20T09:11:00.002+01:00

After a 24hr rest and a visit to monsieur doctor I'm about to head north-west ish into the Loire Atlantic. Not quite Brittany but in the right direction.
I think my plan is to slow down a little and maybe have one more stop over between here and Roscoff. Doctor didn't help too much, just said there's something wrong with it, it needs an Xray when I get home, preferably by plane ! The swelling has gone down loads this morning though, so I'll carry on. Would be a shame to get this far and not make it to Roscoff.
Bye for now.

Tiny road signs & Chocolate Religieuse !

2009-10-19T09:03:00.012+01:00

Here I am ... Holed up in Angers, waiting to see a doctor about my swollen knee. I've no idea what he'll say or do ? Probably want me to have an Xray but I dont really have time for that, also, I noticed that now I've been stopped and bike parked up for 15 hrs or so the knee has gone down again, so surely it's not that bad ? It still hurts when I crouch though... I'll try not to crouch today then !? I really need to get to a Decathlon shop today somehow, to get me a new fleece, it's getting colder, all my clothes stink and there's no laundry service here ! I did manage to wash a few bits in the bath by hand but they're not drying very well, and I need to leave soon ! I hung a few bits out on the window ledge which was working pretty well until one of my T shirts got knocked off by the breeze and floated heavily down to the street 3 story's below !

Cycling along yesterday I couldn't help but wonder about Napoleon and his trees. If it really was down to him, as countless people have told me, planting them along the roads as he and his army marched across france ? That's one hell of a carbon off setting plan he had going there ! But since Caroline pointed out, way back down in the south, which seems like weeks ago now, they must have been some bloody fast growing trees. Either that or he had another army thirty odd years ahead of him sowing the seeds of shelter for his troops and animals !? Somebody did point out to me the other day that trees grew a lot quicker then. Which just reminded me of a religious friend who once told me, when I dared question it, that Noah could easily fit all the animals in the Ark because there were far less species then !? Luckily he also pointed out to me that the Ark was nothing like the one in picture books but was infact the size of several football pitches and it took Noah and his brothers over a hundred years to build ! Of course, it all makes perfect sense now...

So, Napoleon had special trees, of the super fast growing variety ? Didn't the Romans build the straight roads anyway ? I'm just getting confused again now and that's not good for my knee.

I cycled up miles of these tree lined roads yesterday in this strange post apocalyptic country along the road to Angers. I weaved in and out of the white lines singing my heart out, along with Angus Young to his highway to hell ... It came onto my random selection quite by accident but was most welcome and timely. A main road, straight as a Dye, Roman engineering coupled with Napoleons green fingers, a delight to cycle along .. Mile upon mile all to myself... it was sunday, between 12 and 2pm, a time when the quiet streets of France become baron, devoid of all human life and internal combustion. Villages of closed shutters, empty Bars and A Vendre signs (For Sale). Passing through one such place an old lady hobbled in the road waving me down with a broom. Was I breaking the speed limit or had my cycling helmet once again been mistaken for German troopers head gear ? I've learnt not to trust anyone out there and just keep pedalling. I wonder if I could get a job with the French tourist board, I think not. Dont get me wrong, for cycling, this country has got to be as good as it gets. But if you're not born and bred here, the culture is a tough one to get your head around. The french are sociable creatures, lovely people, family orientated and very set in there ways. Really generous and warm hearted, infact they run rings around us Brits. They're confident and proud, something we seem to have lost along the way. They fly their colours proudly, where we dont even know what ours is called anymore, is it the Union Jack or the Union Flag, who knows, but it seems to be more synonymous with the extreme right wing than anything to be celebrated ! They tend to say a hearty hello to all and not a soggy half hearted acknowledgement. I've often sat outside Boulangeries against a wall, scruffy and tired, tucking into a Baguette sandwich and just about every passer by leaving with their lunchtime loaf has wished me a Bon appetite. It's welcoming, and I like that ... Can't imagine any such good will were I sat outside a Spar shop in England ?

However, to the untrained eye, all this family living and day to day french life must go on in secret places or underground or maybe everybody just lives in the cities ? Not seeing anybody out and about is a weird one to get your head around.

I'll soon be in Brittany though and that's a whole new kettle o' fish altogether, still French, but dont tell a Breton that ! Different accent, micro climate (at least that's what the estate agents say!), their own language (though all but dead now), coastline on three sides and amazing scenery. I'm very much looking forward to getting into Brittany. It has it's own light and it's own smell .. As do I, which is why nobody sat anywhere near me at breakfast !

Turned out not to be the Highway to hell at all, but infact the highway to Angers, a beautiful City of character and charm. It even had a special little road (see photo) just for bikes and scooters and tractors running alongside the dual carriageway with it's own little road signs too !

Back streets for miles leading to the old town and centre, which I've yet to explore. Along one such street I spotted the taxidermiste, which I've made a mental note of for the future when Alfies chased his last rabbit...

Off to the doc now to get a magic fix for my crook knee... Please remember, lest you forgot I'm trying to raise as much money as I can for the British Heart Foundation, with your help i'd very much like to reach my target of £2500 which is still a way off yet so please click the "donate" button on the right somewhere and dig deep ! I'll actually be passing the one thousand miles of aching legs mark in a couple days so that's got to worth a few quid !?

Keep watching ..... Jus

Ps. The chocolate Religieuse was my sunday treat ... And what a treat it was too !

Into northern france....

2009-10-18T08:52:00.018+01:00

I'm losing count of how many days I've been pedalling now, they seem to be merging together a bit, as do the countless regions and departments. I may only be travelling at about 8mph but it's surprising how the miles add up. That's about the speed of a small yacht actually, and they'll sail around the world at that speed, so it's all just relative I suppose ? I'm perpetually tired now and aching. If somebody had invited me to do a 50 mile bike ride for charity before this hair brain idea I'd have wondered if I could do it. But to do one every day for a few weeks is a whole different beast altogether. The first 5 miles are the hardest, then I seem to free up a little, but the first 30 take the longest mentally. Mile 26 of 50 is where I start to smile a bit and relax a little, that's maybe why the sun is usually in the west for most of my photographs, it's the afternoon and I'm relaxing, looking around and looking forward to arriving somewhere new for a beer and bath !

I've cycled through the Languedon Roussillon, west to the Pyrenees, north through the Aquitaine, up through the Poitou Charente, touched on the Limousin and now futher north into the Pays du Loir, which is exciting because in my dog eared, spiral bound map book of France I can see Brittany on the same page ! Mind you I think it's a bit like driving to Cornwall and crossing the Tamar thinking you're home when you've still got miles and miles of windy roads ahead of you ! It's an adventure for sure. And the last 24 hours have really been testimony to that... But I wont go there right now...

France looks pretty similar so far, just slight changes in architecture, live stock and landscape. Sometimes mile after mile of vines and sometimes, like this area, far more hedges and small fields with cows and sheep and streams and mills. I prefer these bits. Having said that I did actually see some more vin yards yesterday as I got into the Maine et Loire region, and some beautiful towns too. I was really surprised to see how quickly in the last ten miles or so, the roofs changed from the typical red clay Roman tiles to dark thin slates held on with shiny steel hooks (or crochets). These transitions are amazing, number plates too, the last two numbers of the car plates change with each new department. I've been through so many now and noticed that the number changes so quickly that I dont even need to see the welcome sign by the road to know I have left, for example the Girande and entered the Dordogne. In this case it would be number 32 changing to 24. You only see both numbers for a few short miles either side of any given border. Does that say something about French or modern life in general or nothing at all, you decide, but I find it happens strangely quickly !

I saw McDonalds packaging over 2o miles from a McDonalds yesterday too, which has blown my 15 mile rule out the window and I got a tiny splash from a lizard that was blindly whizzing across a road towards me as I sat on a pavement eating my sandwich. He was coming straight at me as fast as his little legs would carry him when Monsieur Blanc van man came charging past and splatted him mid stride ! He popped and with it a bit of him hit my top lip ! As if I'd not been through enough, I couldn't take much more of this, I'd already been sick into a hedge that morning ! I was now struggling to enjoy the sandwich and focus my mind on all things good and wholesome when all of a sudden I've got a drop of lizard gut on my lip and twitching tail on the road just a few feet from me. Whilst wondering whether or not to finish him off, I decided it must just be nerves, being as his head was now no thicker than a Rizla ! I had to leave my sandwich.

I'm in 49 now and tomorrow could be in 44, the Loire Atlantic ... I enjoy number plate spotting but I understand Sarkozy, in his wisdom is getting rid of them, replacing them with a more uniform number, one which gives no clue as to which department the vehicle hails from ? This of course is so a car can be bought and sold between departments and maintain the same plates... Naturally this goes against the grain of all things french, the home of over complicated paper pushing and bureaucracy, so the more cynical out there would suggest it's sole purpose is to prevent Parisians, who would seem to be universally hated across the country, from being abused whilst out of town ! So the days of hurling rotten fruit and veg, gobbing or worse on a 75 or even a 93 plated car could be numbered ! I've even heard many French people say they'd rather have English neighbours than Parisians !?

Time to pack up, saddle up and head further north ... The usual routine of downing a couple of pain killers and soaking my knee (now swollen like a tennis ball!) in Arnica before I head off...

Thank you for reading ... There's so much more to write ... Things I dare not even think about just yet ... Without feeling a bit queazy !

Bye for now, Jus.

Long cold road...

2009-10-16T10:58:00.007+01:00

A long cold, windy ride across the Charente ! What a soul destroying day yesterday was .. Worse than any mountain. Long long bitterly cold head winds, mile after mile of relentless battering, crawling along at just 7 mph through bland, open countryside, the wind so loud I could hardly hear my ipod !

I hadn’t considered that there would be a whole different wind system here, my thinking was that it would be just like home, with a prevailing Sou’westerly to nudge me along ? Not at all, something to do with the massif central or lowlands or something, anyway around here the prevailing is Nor’easerly and trying it’s best to push me backwards all the time.

A couple of weeks ago I was not able to cycle at noon because it was too hot and drinking a litre an hour of water to stay hydrated and yesterday I had both my light weight fleeces on, two pairs of socks, leggings, shorts and a scarf and I was still cold !

Passing through the occasional village was a blessing, taking a few moments of shelter from high hedges, trees and houses and the dream of maybe finding a café for a nice hot milky coffee. Sadly I didn’t find a single café, not in 40 odd miles pedalling !

I did however pass through one typically sleepy place that naturally had no shop or café but did have a coifures. I pedalled by thinking to myself, “if I were to go in and get a hair cut, they might make me a coffee?” I could get warm too, and of course get a hair cut ! I turned around and headed back, excited by the thought of getting out of the wind I drew up to the door, it looked closed, but I’m used to that in France now, places have a knack of looking closed when they’re actually open. Oh… It WAS closed ! A small yellow post it note on the door explained it would remain that way for another week !

Now laughing out loud, I tucked into another sugar lump and swig of water, adjusted my scarf and headphones and headed out onto more emptiness….

Eventually I spied some more hedges and high trees about a mile or so ahead where I stopped and sat and found to my delight, fresh fallen Walnuts all about the ground ! I dug out my Leatherman to crack the shells and gorged on them, delicious soft nuts, nothing like the ones you get in a bowl at Christmas, all old and dry, these are a whole different taste and texture experience, what a treat… I dropped off to sleep… Until I woke again, so cold that more pedalling seemed the only thing to do.

As darkness fell I made it to Lezay, another typical small French town. Not knowing where to find my hosts house I called into a Tabac for directions. It was also an excuse to buy the bar of chocolate I was craving ! I looked around to see they didn’t seem to sell chocolate at all ? So, politely I ask if they sell it ? The aging proprietor looks at me and replies with the strangest accent in real old school English, “I’m sensing your first language is English, and I understand you’re wishing to procure some chocolate ? For obvious reasons we don’t sell chocolate in the summer and sadly we can’t afford it the shelf space come winter, so I can only apologise on this occasion that we’ll sadly not be able to sell you any chocolate.” This chap was too much, I felt like I’d gone back in time about a hundred years ! I had to ask where he came from, and he replied “Well my friend, that is indeed an interesting and not at all easy question to answer.” He then launched into the explanation of having an Italian mother, French father and being bought up before the war in Canada with English as his formative language … An intriguing tale it was too, especially as I sounded like it was being regaled by Charles Dickens with some kind of French Canadian accent ! It was getting really dark now and I was still lost … Dickens couldn’t help with directions, and I didn’t bother asking what the “obvious” reasons for not selling chocolate were !?

Finally I made it to my destination, and once again was made really welcome and fed a great meal… Thanks to Tricia and Peter Scanlon.

Looking through the window now, the wind seems to have dropped and I’ve just had a massive full English breakfast to see me on my way so today I hope will be better than yesterday ?

Thanks for reading and please stay with me as I inch my way up this huge map joining up the dots !

Angouleme.....

2009-10-15T09:30:00.013+01:00

It's Thursday ("all day" I'm reliably informed from the next room!). I went into Angouleme yesterday, which is an amazing town to have a snoop around, very old and very French.

I've put some pictures up there too, of Wendy's cottage where I stayed the other night, the show room to all things twee and cottagey ! Oh, and a fantastic mural in Angouleme too, painted by some famous cartoonist, I've forgotten his name, but I'm sure you can tell by the style ? The mural is so good that you can hardly see where the real building starts and the mural stops ?

The martell building was so iconic that I had to take a photograph. It's been amazing passing through a region with such famous places and brands dotted about.

The sun's shining but it's SO cold outside ! The winter is really on the way now and wood fires are being lit... The smells coming from chimneys on the approach to towns and villages are really nice at this time of year, especially around mid day as the aroma of burnt oak combines with French farmhouse cuisine in the crisp air ! It's very distinctive and reminds me of winters in Brittany. Which reminds me, I really should get pedalling, I've a long way to go today...

I also visited Decathlon again yesterday for yet another knee support, I'm really getting through them but the new ones do work so much better...

In true athletic style I sat up drinking red wine again last night till the early hours, before retiring to the haunted attic. I figured that being drunk would make it less scary. I was really brave, switched off the lights and jumped into bed ... Just as I was drifting off there was a tap tap tap on the wall ! I nearly jumped out of my skin, sitting bolt upright and grappling for the bedside lamp ! Now sweating a bit, heart pounding and trying to remain calm. "There's no such thing as ghosts, and zee dead Germans are not going to get you!" I remind myself !

Then the tapping returns... but this time it's happening in conjunction with my bedroom door opening to a gentle breeze, and the penny drops. The tapping isn't tapping but simply the creeking of the old door hindges ! But where's that breeze coming from !? Gradually I drop off again ... with the light on !

Dont be put off by all those blue skies, it's bloody freezing ! I think I'll be wearing all my clothes today as I set off further north ...

I've had a some very gererous donations over the last couple of days, which has really lifted my spirits and spurred me on, thank you very much !

If you're reading this and you're one of the kind people who are going to be putting me up then please note I'm one day ahead of schedule now, which is quite something as I thought I'd be a couple of days behind by now ? Please text if you need to contact me.

So, thanks for reading and please keep donating, I'm still well off my target but feel sure I can get there .. And get to Roscoff too !

Long straight road to Cognac !

2009-10-14T09:06:00.006+01:00

This road just went on and on and on... With such a strong head wind it felt like I had my breaks on ! The bike would actually just stop dead without rolling when ever I stopped pedalling ! The road to Cognac .. After Cognac it was back into rolling hills and lanes and villages, empty, half derelict villages ... And then there was Herpes ! That one caught my attention and made me chuckle...

Last night I arrived at Will & Jenny's place, it was dark as I trundled around the little village with my LED lights flashing looking for a big Manor house .... I finally found it, with the help of their son waving a torch at me through some grand gates along a drive. A warm welcome, barking dogs and hot Jacuzzi... I fell asleep in it and woke up to a million bubbles completely swamping me and greeping over the sides onto the floor... After chatting and drinking into the night I set off to one of the top floor guest rooms to pass out ... I was woken abruptly in the night, from a deep sleep, by a prod ? In the dark now with no idea where I was for a few moments and wondering what or who had just happened ? Far too tired to be bothered or worried, I dropped off again ...

This morning I'm told casually "oh yes it's haunted, I wont even go up there!" So, this grand old place was occupied in the war by zee Germans and anything could have happened within these walls !? There's never a dull moment on this big ride across France ...

Flatter roads, head winds and still pedalling !

2009-10-13T13:26:00.010+01:00

Domaine de Beauregard … Now that’s a pretty cool address hey ? A private vin yard owned and run by Robin and Sasha, ex banker and events planner or something similar totally unrelated to living on 150 acres of private estate with vines stretching out in all directions as far as the eye can see with two young children, a couple of Labradors and a cat. And not just living on it but running it and producing around 30,000 litres of wine a year .. Now, that takes guts I recon. A bit like Jimmy’s farm but without the pigs, TV cameras and an altogether sweeter smell ! I loved it there, I sampled loads of wine and was made to feel like a VIP guest, it’s definitely got it’s perks this fund raising lark ! There’s a Gite (cottage) there, so if you fancy staying and sampling then click on the link to your right somewhere.

A few miles down the road I met a group of Russian cyclists on a tour of Bordeaux, they all spoke really good English and were intrigued by my trip and surprised I was on a mountain bike ! They were climbing onto each others shoulders and reaching up into a fig tree to scrump the delicious fruit. One of them enquired as to whether I’d be home for dinner ? I hope this was a joke, being that I’ve got about 400 miles to go. I’m not at all sure they had a grip on the scale of Europe though, as one of them commented that I was lucky to live in England because I could cycle around Richmond park ?

It must have been Sunday morning because the usual merry bands of hunters were out and about with their dogs, guns and alcohol… Pot bellied killing machines clad head to foot in camouflage, they’re at one with nature and barely visible to the naked eye as they stand around preparing and swilling a few more slugs of wine.. Well, they would be invisible were it not for the fact that by law they now have to wear bright orange hats and high vis vests over their hunting regalia in a bid to make them more visible to each other, thus reducing the mortality rates through actually shooting each other by accident ! The statistics are quite amazing and makes me think they’d have been better off banning the booze, or maybe they should have just let them be and have natural selection run it’s course, after all, stupid is as stupid does ?

Forest Gump keeps popping in my mind along this trip, and not more so than last night when two far too keen racing bike enthusiasts joined me for my last 10 miles or so… They didn’t seem to care about the fact my bike weighed loads more than theirs, I’d already been riding for about six hours and they’d obviously raced bikes since before they could even walk ! I didn’t know my bike could go so fast for so long, it was exhausting and we were heading to the big reception with the mayor. Something Grumpy John, my host had organised. I’m pleased to say I didn’t find him at all grumpy, instead, he and his wife Jocelyn were both very kind and generous people who sorted me out with nice room and plenty of grub too.

The Mayor was a lovely chap, and most concerned about the state of my arse after all those miles ! I assured him it was ok really and willed him to overt his wry grin elsewhere. He gave a fitting speech to the villagers and other well wishers and supporters, as did the deputy mayor. There was a reporter too, snapping photos and asking questions… I probably drank too much and ate too many nibbles but don’t think I misbehaved ? After being presented with a couple flags from the area as a sort of souvenir was subjected, along with everyone else to a uncomfortably long speech by a Frenchman who’d pitched up to raise funds and rally support for his Organ Donor charity. Now that was a bit a blow when it dawned on me that the donation tin by the door, now filling nicely with notes was actually not for the BHF at all ? I drank some more and listened hard as the chap used me as an illustration to the wonders of modern medicine, having had my life saved by a donated organ… This was getting a bit silly now as I stood there listening to the familiar clank clank of my very man made Aortic valve and fantasized about saddling up my loyal mountain bike and heading into the sunset. Sadly it had long since set. With farewells said we headed back to John and Jocelyn’s place for dinner, where we were joined at the table by another couple and their reluctant son.

I really shouldn’t have eaten so many snacks at the reception… I was already feeling a little full by the time I’d finished my fish soup starter. Dave, he was an odd one, hell bent on winding me up, unfortunately for him I was just too tired to take his bait, relentless as he was, he failed, “people around here are rather inbred, much like the Cornish.” He’s just showing off, I think to myself and let it go. “People around here are pretty ugly, a bit like the Cornish.” Am I just being oversensitive here or is he just trying to cause an argument ? I let it go … Some time passes “The trouble with the people round here is they’re just not very bright.” yep you guessed, “Just like the Cornish.” Had the hosts not gone to so much trouble I’d probably have just lumped him one across the table there and then ! As it goes, I’m not Cornish anyway, just lucky enough to live there, but he didn’t know that and that’s not the point. He was one of the small number of angry underachieving expats with a bored wife and teenage child in tow enthusing in vein about how much better life in France is, quietly hoping that by saying it enough times they’ll believe it. Bridges burnt, savings in tatters and bar a few other expats they’re washed up, foreigners in a country with no shared culture, history or language ? Some people just don’t “get” France and really shouldn’t be here.

I’ve met a few idiots along the way but pleased to say they’re very much in the minority. Over the last few days I’ve seen so many Castles, I’d no idea there were so many here. They’re such a nice surprise and delight to see. Sometimes on rounding a bend they come into view and often in the distance, just visible between rows of vines. Beautiful uncompromising buildings, every one of them and some just remains, derelict ruins of once very grand buildings, high up on hillsides, commanding great views and steeped in history. Windmills too, just this afternoon I’ve seen loads of them, they’re so well built and quite majestically dotted about the landscape too. Mind you, if it’s normally as windy as it was today I’m not surprised, north easterly it was and pretty fresh too. I think flat roads and a strong head wind are actually worse than no wind and steep mountain roads. Hope it drops away tomorrow… But not till the morning because I’ve got my washing out !

Tonight I find myself in a small village, called St Palais de something else, where I’ve been lent a Gite for night, Thanks Wendy ! It’s a lovely place, comfy, homely and even got Sky telly, so I’ve been monged out watching the box with nobody to talk too all evening. Typically there’s no shop or Bar so I’ve had to cycle a few miles to the nearest shop for provisions, which is just what I didn’t want after a day of pedalling. I met a fellow cyclist up there, not quite such an athlete as me though, he’d been in the shop buying cheap wine which he was busily hanging over the handlebars in plastic bags and had failed to notice his back tyre was flat. Being that he was talking to himself and had failed to tuck his bits away properly after the last time he’d been to the toilet, or hedge as the case may be, I tried to avoid eye contact. Then he asked me the time, I ignored him and he asked again. “6.50” I say, realising he’s wearing a watch. The last time I was asked the time, as a conversation opener by somebody wearing a perfectly good watch was in Morocco by one of two brothers who wound up sharing a taxi with me into Tetuan, a particularly dark and busy place, where they spiked my drink and tried to make off with my passport and money ! However, this chap wasn’t in a fit state to make off with anything, he just wanted to talk, and I’d inadvertently invited him into my airspace. Before I knew it he was showing me his passport, telling me about Paris and how expensive it is to fly to New York ! I jump on my bike and flee back to the Gite with my bag full of goodies for dinner and breakfast.

It’s the next day now, I’m up and about and the sun’s shining… I’m aching all over but feel compelled to get pedalling. I’m due to stay here for a rest day but I’ve got itchy feet and want to get moving. Maybe it’s got something to do with my next stop being a stunning manor house set in it’s own grounds and having a Jacuzzi…

That’s done it, time to pack .. Oh and track down a McDonald’s too for internet access, maybe there’s one in Pons, which looking at my map is the next big town along the way… Oh and Cognac, I think I pass through there too on route to the Jacuzzi, I’m sure I’ll find a Wi Fi connection somewhere along the way, or "wiffi" as the French pronounce it.

Thank you again Wendy for lending me your house it’s amazing, I can honestly say I’ve never seen a house so thoroughly and systematically furnished with such attention to detail. Every room is furnished to such a high standard, it’s like a show room, I’m afraid to move anything ! I must take some photos, it has to be seen to be believed…. And so many printed quotes on walls and painted boards all over the house … “Don’t wait for the storm to pass… Learn to dance in the rain” I like that one, but my favourite is “May you always have a shell in your pocket and sand in your shoes.” I usually do, so it’s made me feel a little home sick, I need to get moving….

Hey, if you’re reading my blog and haven’t yet donated to my charity fund for the British heart foundation, which is what this whole ride is all about then please do ! It’s really easy, just follow the link there on the right and punch in your numbers, you can give as little as just £2 I think and every penny helps, so dig deep and help me reach my target … I’m certainly working for it !?

Thanks, Jus.

Mad sprint to Grumpy Johns !

2009-10-12T08:39:00.008+01:00

So much to write and so little time to do it... Another manic ride yesterday, racing away from the delightful vin yard, flowing wine, Robin, Sasha, their kids and rolling countryside towards St Palais de somewhere for a reception with the Mayor, villagers and dignitaries... Thought I was doing fine until I was met by lycra clad racers to escort me the final 16km at a speed not befitting me, my heart and a heavy mountain bike. So, I puffed and panted and cursed all the way to my destination and social event... It went well, wearing my BHF T-shirt with pride, posing for photos with my trusty bike and raising loads of cash... albeit for a French Medical charity...

I'll write more about that when I get a chance, I've not had breakfast yet, nor packed, nor done the flag waving primary school "ride by"..... Couldn't make it up, what a bizarre trip this is....

Yesterday I met Russian cyclists scrumping Figs, tipsy French hunters, yet another VW bone yard, castles, more castles, oh and a dead deer by the road... And more castles.... And fields of wild flowers.. Anyway, I must dash and get pedalling North West of here, against the wind! It'll be good to get going though.... Jus

Ps...That's a ridiculous picture of me in the van, but I had the whole place to myself and it was having such fun!

Dead beetles and Crossing the Dordogne !

2009-10-10T19:02:00.006+01:00

Another day under my Kevlar lined tyres, more miles covered, more thoughts provoked and yet more medieval villages and ruins, they’re two a penny around here… I’m looking forward to a change of architecture now as I move through central france towards the north… I think I’ve now left the Lot et Garonne and entered the Gironde or is the Dordogne ? Who knows, I seem to be confusing my Departments with my regions with my rivers ! That’s the trouble with dashing north across borders as fast as my pedals will allow, albeit at just 9mph !
I struggled yesterday, it wasn’t the usual aches and pains of the relentless pedalling but something else, an unexplained head trouble, I hate that sort … Not helped by the darkening skies on my approach to Fumel through falling rain, shabby suburbs and gaggles North Africans milling about. Maybe it had something to do with not heading north and a flat ipod battery. Music is such a massive comfort and motivator, it soon becomes as important as air in the tyres and leaves me rather bereft when it fails… It failed and with it a catalogue of inconvenience. A steep wet hill into a labyrinth of one way streets and impatient kids on really noisy scooters. One of which swerved really close, giving me the “bird” and parping his inadequate horn as he passed ! I’d have loved to have caught him up but my humble pedal power was no match for his tiny 49cc testosterone fuelled street fighter !
Today though was better, a good sleep and breakfast in a sort of coffee shop thing, a couple of large milky coffees to wake me up, a pain aux chocolate and baguette sandwich, all washed down with a can of Coke, a drink favoured by athletes like myself for it’s essential sugar content. It would have been a perfect setting were it not for the fly that kept landing on my arm, he was just too nimble at taking off for me to squish him, much to the delight of the French businessman along a bit, I could just catch his smirks out of the corner of my eye with each failed swat… All shiny shoes and pressed clothes, and apparently no flies on him …
There was a pretty annoying tramp too, shuffling the exact same circuit out on the street, like some demented caged animal. He did however break from the monotony for a moment to reach for a freshly dropped cigarette, delighting in sucking the last few drags right down to the filter.
I paid up and left, checked my map and headed out of town. Working through the usual pain barrier of the first few miles I passed a great garage, a Beetle restorer I should think because there were dead Beetles everywhere, loads of them. I tried to find the owner to have a chat but couldn’t find him. I did however take a few photographs. I kept pedalling, I was struggling too, not at all comfortable, the miles were ticking by all too slowly and my mind was back at the night before when I finally found Angies place. I’d about given up when I spied her name on the letter box by some rusty gates leading into a big back yard. I looked through them to see cats and an overweight sausage dog barking at me and a man walking across to me, Jacque, a welcoming and friendly sort, with that all too familiar look of unemployment in his eyes and echoed throughout his whole demeanour. I tell you what, never mind your Crystal balls, Tea leaves or palm readers, I’m sure the eyes surrender the truth to anyone who cares to look deep enough…
Angie returned from work half an hour later. Drinking and smoking may have taken their toll since we shared a house together some 20 years earlier but she was still looking good and I’m sure still turning heads. In the same way her greatest assets had avoided the pull of gravity, her manic spirit and excitement for life had also pulled through unscathed. Promise of home cooking soon gave way to glugging wine, ordering pizzas and hilarious memories of boyfriends, girlfriends and hair brain antics back in Gloucester, years before. The wine flowed and language merged seamlessly from English to French and back again as Jacque tried to understand best he could. I was reminded of memories, such as the time we’d placed the maximum order on a clothing catalogue, hoping the delivery would be left outside without a signature, then dashing about like headless chickens when we saw the delivery man striding towards the front door brandishing our huge parcel. He must have been blind not to have seen us diving at speed over the sofa into hiding, with Ginny, or was it Jenny the dog going berserk, barking and bouncing off the walls each time he knocked!
Eventually he left and we climbed out to find a small fortune worth of clothes, packaged and sat on the doorstep, which of course were never paid for … Because they never arrived, did they.
The 20 years faded away and the three of us had fine night, thanks Angie.

Now, with just 18 miles behind me, I was struggling at the onset of another hill when a random act of nature and ipod collided as the sun broke through, warming my back and throwing a dark shadow out in front of me to the opening bars of a Keiser Chiefs track … It was perfect and powered me along some more…
Eventually fatigue got the better of me, coupled with a very close 18 wheeler and huge draught forcing me painfully down a ditch, with a painful landing on hundreds of prickly Chestnuts and a particularly nasty lump of something under my bad knee ! So, my second crash, which probably isn’t too bad considering the mileage, but it left me feeling very sorry for myself as I pushed my bike down the road for about a mile or so giving some serious thought to jacking the whole thing in to save any permanent damage to the knee..
I finally arrived at Suzanne and Chris’ place to a fine shower and cold Beer and lovely food … All thoughts of giving up quelled and ready to face the 50 odd miles ahead of me tomorrow up through Bergerac and beyond …

Ok.. So, it's now tomorrow... Or today even. I had a great nights sleep and fine breakfast to set me on my way this morning. My 8am start turned out as usual to be a 9am start, after packing, chatting and eating !
I was looking forward to seeing Bergerac for some reason ? It was easy cycling for the first half of the day, flat and scenic. Chris had given me directions to a canal tow path which I could join at the end of the Couze valley, I found it and trundled along it for some miles before returning to the main road to Bergerac. On my aproach to the town the heavens opened ! It was pooring and I got drenched, so the town I'd been looking forward to wasn't quite as welcoming as I'd hoped. I did however park up on the bridge right over the Dordogne, a massive river and mile stone of the big cycle ride.
After a brief look around the old town I headed on north, following miles of dead straight roads with driving rain and a nasty head wind, then turned right and up into more hills with more views and more vines and more ruins .... It's SO French around here !
I've now logged onto the computer at the Domaine de Beauregard, an organic vin yard owned and run by Robin and Sasha who have kindly let me use their caravan for the night .... zzzzzzzz

A massive thanks to Joby for your kind donation ! That's fantastic, cheers ! Give that Toots and Sham a nudge will you !? Thanks too to Sarah for not only being the first person to sponsor me but also the first to sponsor me twice !! It really lifts my spirits when I get a donation, especially after hours and hours of rain and wind and the knowledge that I'm not even half way yet !
Thank you so much for all your emails and support ! Please keep giving and watching my progress... Jus.

The long wet road to Fumel....

2009-10-09T09:29:00.006+01:00

I only had to cycle about 25 miles yesterday but it seemed like a long ole drag, coupled with distant thunder and lightning for a while and rain too ! I've been really lucky with the weather so far so it was bound to change at some point. Looking out the window here in Fumel it's looking pretty murky today too, so I'd better drag out the wet weather gear from the bottom of the pannier ! Atleast I'll be heading north again today, which is of course the whole point of the trip !
I'm running out of battery so I'd better just load up some photos, get packed and get going !
As for the map, I'm not sure where that's gone but I'm assured my IT people in the broom cupboard back at GCHQ are all over it and looking for solutions !
Please keep watching and reading and following and donating .... Thank you .... Jus

Rested and ready to go.......

2009-10-07T12:04:00.010+01:00

After a very welcome 24 hr rest in Lot et Garonne with Ray & Evelyne I'm feeling ready to get going, though all I can see, looking out with some anxiety across the terrace here are hills and more hills... My knee is rested too, and yesterday we visited a special shop for wheelchairs, human hoists and walking sticks... Stuff like that, the sort of place extreme athletes probably don't frequent on their day off ! Nestled in by the incontinent pads where some new springy knee supports, at least I think that's what they were... So, that should help with the pain for a few miles at least. Also I visited the blood testing clinic, where the nurse thought it hilarious to call me Justin Timberlake! I managed a chuckle the first time but not by the third! She took my blood pretty well though and to my delight the results were bang on!

The temperature here this morning is a cool 20 degrees but warming up fast and skies clearing back to blue... I see from my Desktop that back home it's just 8 degrees. That's cold! I can only imagine how crowded Cornwall would be if it had the same temperate climate as central France... So, maybe it's a blessing that our summers only last about a week!?

I don't know quite how I managed to plan this part of my trip so badly but looking at the now rather dog eared map I'll actually be cycling for several hours today only to wind up even further from home! A town called Fumel east of here and slightly south !

I've now, by my reckoning got about 15 nights to go and have 10 nights behind me... That's 15 more days at least pedalling and I really don't seem to be finding it any easier, harder if anything. There is of course a chance that the hills could flatten a bit and the going get better ? Mind you I can remember some pretty nasty ones in Brittany, so the last hundred miles or so will be tough going ! I'll have a lovely rest to look forward to on the ferry though ! I've just realised I don't have a ticket ! That's neither here nor there but I'd not thought about it till now...

Right, time to pack and to be ruthless too, some things are definitely being dumped today ! My panniers have to get lighter, I've dragged them up far too many hills to be carrying non essentials !

So, bye for now... Until I get a chance to write again... Please keep reading and checking in daily... There's talk of a radio interview today, I've had a couple of calls from the station trying to set something up! All very exciting stuff so stay tuned... To my Blog at least!

If you're thinking about donating... It's really easy, so please do!

Up hill to Agen !

2009-10-06T12:42:00.008+01:00

Who ever told me it would flatten out today should be shot! I've had some killer hills this morning, one of which lasted 4 miles! They wouldn't be so bad if I could at least stand up to pedal, but my knee just wont let me, for some reason I just can't turn the pedal in that position without loads of pain. So all I can do select a crawler gear and do just that, seated all the way to the top at a staggering 3 mph! Today is another 60 mile section so I don't need too many more hills like that!

I've tracked McDonalds from 15 miles south of here by the usual discarded packaging, sure enough it lead me right to the door like a modern day paper chase with a first prize of coronary heart disease! I never thought I'd find a restaurant in France with ugly people in it, but guess what? Seems the mighty Golden arches have the same demographic the world over, the obese, unhealthy and ill educated love the place, they even bring their children too, lured by cheap toys, fries and clowns, thus paving the way and firmly setting the foundations to an early onset of tiny clogged arteries and malnutrition "Oh, but they love it." That's ok then? My heart is now pounding harder than it was on that last 4 mile hill, which surely stands as testimony to too much sugar, fat, salt and a lethal cocktail of the strongest food preservers known to man! Smoking when pregnant and feeding children this shite are tantamount to exactly the same thing and will surely one day be outlawed? Rant over.... The coffee is really nice though; think I'll have another!

30 miles to go and it's raining, but at least it's only 25 degrees, so much easier going.

Early Tuesday morning ....

2009-10-06T06:58:00.003+01:00

Early Tuesday morning and I'm logged on again and just been handed a fine mug of milky coffee by my host Ian. I've got my map out and it's looking good, I've actually been across quite a few regions of France now, wobbling along laden with everything but the kitchen sink at just 5-10 mph it's quite surprising how the miles add up. The total milage on the counter is showing close to 500 now ! I have to say it feels more than that though! My estimate of 900 miles was obviously wrong too because I shouldn't think I'm half way yet. Theres plenty more wine, road kill and barking dogs to come yet !

So, I pedalled through the Aude, Ariege, haut Pyrenees, the Gers and today heading north into the Lot et Garonne .... That's a lot of dogs !

Please keep donating .... I see Sam has finally decided I've pedalled enough to give a few quid, thank you x ! I've put up another stretchy shadowy picture for mother Wimperis and today I'll try and get a picture of the filthy parrot in action for Jodi ... Thank you all loads for following and supporting my ride .. Oh and Mel and Rosie too ! Cheers.

The long winding road to Condom !

2009-10-05T22:53:00.007+01:00

No, it really is called Condom (see photo) ! I think I've done about 95km today ? My bike computer is showing 61 miles, which equates to 15 Helston's or 3 Truro's ! A long way for a non cyclist, with a mountain bike and 35kgs of panniers anyway.

For the most part it was a nice ride, pyrenees behind me, sun on my back and facing towards home at last ! A pretty busy road too until the last ten miles or so. Drivers here are generally quite good about cyclists, giving a wide berth and often a polite parp on the horn to remind you to keep in, but there's some idiots too who seem to think it's a great game to pass at speed as close as they can get to you almost brushing you with their mirror ! It has actually happened once, it was one of those extended things that caravaners strap on, he didn't have a caravan but his "strap on " was there and ready to whack an unsuspecting cyclist hard across the shoulder ! Scared the life out of me too ! The most annoying detail was that the car was English !

I pedalled for hours today, a steady 10 mph which was much better than the 5-6mph I was managing in the mountains. The route was punctuated by the usual array of road kill, some dry and flat, some stinking and inflated and some fresh ... I saw half a dog today, that was a nasty one... Hub caps too, loads of them, but still not found the right one for my little car, it's a french make so I'm sure one will turn up. Mc Donalds packaging too, disgarded from car windows. It would make an interesting survey you know, because Mc Donalds litter stretches for miles in every direction from every one of their Fast food outlets that I've thus far cycled up to and away from. I actually know if there's a Mc Donalds in the town on my aproach way before I see a sign to it !

So, tomorrow I pedal further north, up through Agens and towards Bordeaux. Another long one I think.

Thank to everyone down in the Monlong area where I've been the last few days, especially Monty, Anita, Frankie and last but not least Caroline, you've all been fantastic !

Ouch Auch!

2009-10-05T13:39:00.004+01:00

30 miles North now with 30 to go. A quick sandwich stop in Auch, another high hill top town, (just when I thought I was through with hills)! 35 degrees and I am dead on my feet. Knee strap losing it's spring and Arnica wearing off. Jonny Cash has been spurring me on a treat but think I'll be needing some match sticks for my eyes soon!

Next stop Condom (snigger) where I'm looking forward to a long cold beer! I'm off...

Highs before the Lows (Hopefully!)

2009-10-05T07:22:00.008+01:00

I reached my highpoint yesterday, 2000 meters, that's a long way up, spectacular views and thin, warm air.

Today the Pyrenees mountains will finally leave my left shoulder as I'm pedalling, swinging around behind me as I push on north, and so begin to head home, well the right direction at least ! It's a big one today, about 80km but I'll be cycling in the same direction as the valley not climbing from one to the next as I've been for the last week (is it only a week!?). My knee has been splashed with Arnica, painkillers taken, map read (sort of) and all my electronic gismos charged! I had a most amazing sleep here at Frankie’s house, another huge country pad, open plan and tres rustic with a fireplace the size of my kitchen! Frankie, a bloke I've been emailing for weeks during the course of organising this thing, and built up a mental profile and image of, as I have with all my hosts, turns out not to be the slightly unsettled studious man with a goatee and patched up, wire framed glasses, driving a 2CV. Instead, Frankie is an attractive, blond mother of two with a Land Rover! There's a lesson there somewhere but I'm too tired and rushed to figure it out...

The Hash Harriers were a merry band of Ex Pats. There are groups all over the world. They run or walk; depending on how fit they feel, following trail of flour I think... The younger or fitter members dash about ahead tracking the route and the rest follow on best they can, puffing, panting, sweating and nattering behind, with the whole thing culminating in a Hash bash or Hash up or Lash up at the end, bit vague on the details here.... Any rate, it all gets a bit Masonic at this point with all the Hashers standing in a circle chanting and singing and punishing offenders of the days Hash, cheats, corner cutters and the like. It would seem the punishment is a pint of beer with a Glass on your head or maybe the glass goes on the head when it's downed? Anyway, you get the idea. Not much of a punishment though, and more of an invitation to get caught bending the rules along the hash ?! Strange stuff indeed... But the BBQ Buffet afterwards was really nice. Oh, and they all have Hash names too, so I was sharing the long table with members such as Y fronts, Silent but deadly, Sticky fingers, Bender and of course the gorgeous Cyber tits!

Time now, once again to secure the Panniers, saddle up and concentrate on Justpeddling...

Mountains and Hash Harriers ...

2009-10-04T08:32:00.003+01:00

Today is Sunday I think, they're merging together a bit now though through a succession of cycling, meeting, greeting, eating, drinking and sleeping .... Yawn... Oh and breakfast... I'll do that now.

Thank you all so much for the donations, especially Jodi !! That was a lovely surprise and has boosted me along nicely. And to Jenny who handed me €40 last night, adding to the ever growing list of random acts of kindness ! Cheers... I can smell bacon !

Over €300 raised !!

2009-10-03T09:00:00.007+01:00

What a fantastic hangover ! The aftermath of a fantastic night of food, dancing and drinking ! The good people of Monlong and the surrounding area have done the British heart foundation proud. A massive amount of money raised by the merry band of revelers. The full Monty experience, Nick, the dude from deep south of the USA, not sure where exactly, a cracking Dukes of hazard style accent though and a dab hand on the BBQ too ! And the main man Monty singing his heart out and keeping the dance floor alive. There was, I think, even Champagne and local dignitary and the bizarre auction of a bar of soap ! An outstanding evening, thank you to one and all.
I rode and rode yesterday, I think the longest and hardest section thus far but it was so worth it ! I can actually start heading north now, after 6 days and a couple of hundred miles of cycling west ! I'm really hoping France will flatten out a little soon ?
So, I'm having a couple of days of short rides and a degree of recovery time now with a weekend around this area. Off to find a Market now to browse around the crafty ex pat stalls, take in some relaxed French air and maybe a coffee too, then tomorrow, I think it's tomorrow, I get to find out what Hash Harriers are at last !?
Thank you for reading, supporting me and the BHF and thank you Monlong !

Monty's Big Bash in Monlong !

2009-10-02T17:00:00.007+01:00

l in
zy

What a long ride today ! I really couldn't manage many more like that, massive hills, mile after mile, but at least the views were spectacular, if not a little hazy. Over 7 hours in the saddle and an average of just 6 miles per hour ! Not a single open shop or cafe in nearly 50 miles ! Thank goodness Anne sent me off with Pain aux chocolate and Sandwiches ! A massive thanks to both Anne and David for having me stay over. Their little half timbered house was absolutely amazing ! See the photos. I had downstairs to myself, it was tiny and very rustic but had everything you could need, with comfort and peace and quiet too... Except for the the constant stream of hedgehogs shnuffling up the lane in the night and the odd wild boar and nosy Deer !
The attention to detail on the conversion really was the best I've seen in while, like a well thought out Camper van or Yacht, with every inch of space considered and utilised to full effect.
You can probably tell, I loved it !
I must dash and get ready for this party now. Thank you all for all the encouraging emails and comments... Watch this space for the Karaoke special !! Jus.

Snow!

2009-10-02T11:07:00.002+01:00

The lowland valleys are running North to South and I'm the wrong end of 50 miles of East to West foot hills all the way to Monty's big bash!

Stunning views across to snow capped mountains bordering Spain to the South. No dog bites and well rested after a comfy night in a half-timbered Hobit house in the hills...

Stunning views and pain killers !

2009-10-01T13:11:00.009+01:00

After a lovely stay with Ludovic, Laure and family in their open plan hilltop chalet I pedaled West some more, well 60km more. Relentless hill climbing, mile after mile, half tempted to just start chucking things from the panniers like a struggling hot air balloon desperate to cling onto some altitude! Nothing sprang to mind but maybe the swearing parrot gifted by Jodi which is lodged in such a position that it squawks “Bugger off” or worse over every bump !

I’m beginning to get wise to the potential hazard of approaching dogs now, the worst generally being the ones behind garden fences, they’ll generally run the full length of the garden bearing their teeth, barking and growling wildly. Whereas the free range farm dogs are generally more used to passers by and just do a mad dash towards you, kicking up some dust and skidding to a firm holt at a comfortable distance off. Before every rural farm or homestead I now unclip my toes, select a good escape gear and be ready for a wild card dog, no lead, no fence and no qualms about attacking me ! Oh yeah, I’ve had a few with hidden chains too, normally very big and growly and always angry, those ones really do go for you, especially if they’re a bit deaf and only hear you as you pass them, thus shocking them in action. Chained up all their lives but seem to completely forget the fact as they scurry full pelt at me followed in quick succession by their chains whipping bar tight, choking them painfully into submission ! Everybody seems to have a dog around here in the foot hills of the Pyrenees.

I pedal through one beautiful village after another, low ones with stone bridges and rushing rivers and really high ones with Ancient Churches … the one thing they all have in common is no Bars for a sandwich and no shops for a snack. Well, some have a little shop but either it’s a Monday, or it’s lunchtime, or a random bank holiday, special third Wednesday, religious holiday, there are any number of reasons and sometimes no reason at all, it’s just shut !

Very few people in these sun baked villages, shutters closed and streets mostly empty but for the odd solitary old boy sat on a bench in the shade, breaking silence and throwing random thoughts out to other old boys on other shady benches…. And so they while away the day.
Finally I find a town with a Bar, several in fact, I pull up a shiny chrome seat, “Bar sport” under the shadow of the funeral directors. With baguette and Coke ordered I’m admiring a fine looking Harley, big fat one with a side car too, or “chair” as I think it would be called? The biker in question has just paid. Long hair, broad shoulders and gruff demeanour, he relights his rollie and reaches for his wheelchair … His lower body, leather clad but withered, hang helplessly as he lifts himself into his wheelchair and makes his way to the waiting Hog. Tucking into my Ham and Cheese Baguette I try not to watch, like trying not to watch the aftermath of a car accident. He’s even made special little running boards for his feet with straps ! watching, without staring as in turn he lashes his feet in place. With one last flick of his Zippo his sparks up his fag and the big twin in unison. Selecting a gear with the hand shift he’s away, safe in the knowledge his legs are firmly strapped in and not flailing about in the wind…

After making my way through a massive “Grotte”, or gorge through a mountain, which was pretty stunning if not a little hairy, dark and narrow ! I did get to try out my snazzy little LED flashing lights though.

So, only about 15 miles to go, I’m aching all over and wondering why I didn’t choose the canal route to Bordeaux ! But feeling happy to be on the days home run. Ipod on random I wind my way west at a steady 7 mph, which is shockingly slow but I recon my panniers must weigh 30kgs, plus all the other stuff on the bike too, also in first gear on the hills sometimes I’m doing about 3mph for a couple of hours at a time ! The going is slow and very tiring but at least I’m moving and it’s surprising how quickly the miles are adding up.

My knee is worrying, a motorcycle crash a few years ago has left it with a niggling pain but 5 hrs plus a day pedaling is now taking it’s toll. I’ve been soaking it with Arnica, popping painkillers and trying to pedal mostly with my left leg, which may sound impossible but with toe clips it kind of works quite well.

I arrived here at Rod and Lindas B&B as darkness fell last night and was watered and fed very well before retiring to bed … I woke up in the early hours under my laptop and realising I’d not taken my all important medication !

Thank you so much for all the kind donations, most recently, Sister Sam, not a holy one but a sister one! Jason the surfer (Roll on Morocco!), Charli "Big bangers" Bennet, Tresco Michelle and last but not least the Night riders ! The fund has now passed £1100 !!
Please keep watching and donating …

Kind regards, Justin.

Waking up with Ludovics Mini Grand Piano.

2009-09-30T07:58:00.009+01:00

Here we go, the third 60km day in row across mountains ! What a beautiful place I've woken up in, high above sea level with stunning views across to the Pyrenees... At least the first couple of miles will be down hill !

My knee is hurting and I've hit the pain killers and rubbed in some jollop ! This is a french keyboard and all the letters are arse about face, so I'll leave it there for now.....

Beautiful Mirepoix !

2009-09-29T11:44:00.006+01:00

Lunchtime and I've happened into the most beautiful ancient town by the Pyrenees, after a morning of big big hills ! I'm whacked but delighted to be sat in a cafe with a welcome glass of wine, shuffling from cheek to cheek with my arse in tatters !
Just found a pharmacy and tried to buy cream for a vague itch, pointing at my back and under my arms ... They began to worry and called the boss to take a look ! Damn, a miracle had taken place and said itchy areas had vanished .. Then I had to explain that I had a long way to ride and I could feel an itch coming on ! The queue was building, he sold me something and I left.
An ancient market town it is with a sort of Tudor central square with half timbered cafes and gift shops all around it.
Yesterday, now that was quite a day ... A horrible dog running madly, barking at me from behind a fence as I cycled along a main busy A road south of Carcassanne. I wasn't too concerned it just just makes you jump when you hear the first bark over the sound of the ipod. Little did I know, this bloody great guard dog had a gap in the fence and came bolting out of it hell bent on taking a chunk out of my leg ! He had a good try too as I swerved in front of fast moving traffic ! I didn't think, just did it, to the sound of screeching brakes and skidding behind me, wincing and ready to meet my maker I heard the dull thud and yelp as the dog was struck and I recon killed behind me ! Looking over my shoulder I decided to carry on pedalling... I did, and started to shake and tremble and so nipped up a little side road and sat in the shade to gather myself... That was a close one... Time to get get off that dual carriageway and head into the hills....
Before the dog incident I met marcel, the chap with the bike and trailer. He had the lot on that thing, buckets, fishing rods, clothes, bedding... His whole life was on there. And what's more it's been his whole life for twenty years ! He hit the road in 1989 to cycle around Europe and just kept going... I know what you're thinking, but it's not going to happen !
He insisted on buying me a coffee and telling me about his life on the road and showing me details of his next bike, a wruncled brochure filed in a shopping bag with maps, papers and dreams. I hope he gets he electric bike.
I was catching my breath outside some grand gates in a hillside village, when I was invited in by Mrs Miyagi for a glass of orange juice. A wonderfully tranquil world opened up before me. Running water, fish pond, Aciers (is that what they're called?) and Weeping willow... A pottering gardener and delightful calm. "May I introduce my husband, he knows some English", she explained in French. Out he came, a friendly old Chinaman, reserved and so polite... Not really called Mr Miyagi, I forgot his name but he reminded me so much of the Karate Kid film ! I fully expected him dive indoors and return with a Bonsai tree and a little pair of scissors for me ! Instead he spoke with interest about my heart condition and the medical world. A fascinating man, retired from a lifetime in Medical science, based in Geneva. They gave me sugar lumps for my water, another glass of orange juice and an apple for my journey. He advised against my chosen route, pointing out it was a solid uphill and steep road for 16km ! I decided to go for it anyway... So, I finished polishing his old car, said my farewells and was off ! I
Pedalled and pedalled my clanking heart out all the way to the top ! What a view .... Just as I was thinking, "I could really do with a coffee" I met a couple of ladies from South Africa taking a picnic and admiring the breathtaking views. They made me a welcome mug full and then it was down hill for miles and miles, wind in my hair and caffeine in my veins ! Lovely !
Just before dark I made my destination, Sue and Peter Brooke, they were wonderful, made me very welcome and filled me with a delicious meal followed by home made chocolate and orange ice cream.... Thank you ....
Thank you too for all the emails and sponsorship .... Amazing !! Time to pedal some more ... 28 miles of hills to go !

Dead dogs and Englishmen ...

2009-09-29T08:04:00.007+01:00

That was a very long hot day yesterday ! Arrived in Alaigne as darkness fell... No time to write now but loads to write ! Dead dog, near death, Mr Mariaggi, Morise the the mad biker, Carcassonne and more . I hope I dont forget the details ! Off now, across more mountains .. I had one constant hill yesterday of 11 miles !! It nearly killed me. Luckily I met a couple of lovely people at the top from South Africa who made me a cup of coffee. Must dash ... I was hoping to be gone by 8am ... It's now going to be 10 by the time I start the 40 odd miles of hills today and my poor arse is killing me ! Keep watching ... Thank you all so much for your kind donations that keep coming in !

I figgin' crashed ! Day one .....

2009-09-27T20:40:00.007+01:00

What a beautiful day, hot but beautiful...

The gite we stayed in last night, compliments of Cathy and Peter Pugh was fantastic, in a beautiful village and I slept like a log. Up bright and early we headed down to Gruisson on the coast. I think we got there about 8.15. I was really nervous, worried about the tremendous weight of all the stuff on my bike, and not being sure which direction to take, but most of all I was worried about the heat and the fact it's a sunday and I had no sun bloc cream ! Last night we tried and tried again to buy some, visiting three different supermarkets.... Having spent over an hour finding the first shop ! Upon asking in each of them for sun cream I was met with exactly the same answer "It's october, we only sell it in the summer!" Bearing in mind it was too hot to sit outside for lunch yesterday and the Air con in the car was cranked up too ! I'd hate to think what it's like here in the summer !?

So, off I wobbled with no sun bloc .... Guessed the direction and was away, "Here goes nothing" I thought to myself with a nervous backward glance and wave to Ray.

Naturally I never checked the bike with the panniers loaded back in Cornwall, so the first thing I noticed was that the back of my feet bashed into them whilst pedalling ! Bugger... So it was out with the tiny tool kit to make some alterations....

Then after a couple of miles I found a canal. That was a welcome sight indeed, I love cycling along canal paths, all flat and shady, just the ticket. Quite a few proper cyclists on the scene now, bonjour, bonjour, bonjour... A friendly lot too. I was trying out different accents and perfecting the cheeky sort of sideways head nod greeting. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't shake the look of a bloke whose never cycled more than 12 miles in his life. New bike, new panniers, even new shoes, and still wobbling, looking nervous and now sporting a pair of glowing red legs simmering in the sun !

After a few hours bumping along the tow path I was getting into the swing of it though... Until it came to a dead end ! No warning, it just stopped ? Great....

Back tracking now, us pro cyclists hate that, we bloody hate it. Strangely I'd just been mentally celebrating the fact that I seemed to have the whole place to myself too ? Eventually I found a little bridge to get me west of the canal and so onto a road taking me in that direction.

Eventually I found a village, I was hot now, wobbling again too and very conscious to look out for cars and people... Sure enough, as I'm heading up the main drag I spot a car reversing out from a side street, he's not seen me, he keeps coming, his dog's stood on the back seat looking at me. With raised eyebrows and a bit of a huff I pull up to let him continue, only then realising that the dog was actually the only thing in the car ! How very random, it came to a holt in the middle of the road, cars continued around it, as did I ....

Around one o'clock it was all getting far too hot for me so I began hunting a spot for a snooze ... Then, just as thought I'd never find one, there it was in the middle of hundreds of acres of Vines, a small stone ruin and a Fig tree for shelter, a few hundred yards down a dirt track.

Now, this lovely shady idealic spot had just one problem, several actually, Condoms ! All scrunkled and spent and stroon ! I had a job to find a clear spot to sit by the wall for a snooze... Even had to whittle a Jonnie flicker from a stick and flick a few aside !

Otherwise this obviously romantic spot was perfect. Quiet, cool and with fresh squidgy warm Figs for the taking. I was out for the count for a good hour I should think.

Back on the road, tyres throwing mushy figs and Condoms as the wheels span round, and heading for Lezignan Corbieres now.. What a grotty town that is. Loads of broken windows, boarded up shops and gypsies huddled about place. Just as I was thinking I really didn't want to be hanging around here I spied an old shop front to photogragh. Big mistake .... I turned, hopped up the pavement, unclipped my feet and stopped. One foot had clipped itself back in again ! Doh !! With terror written across my face and hands stretched out before me I prepared to be hurt. Unfortunately my arms went either side of a solid steel bollard which struck me squarely on my chest ! I can safely say that my Sternum has healed well. Ouch, that did hurt and I've the bruises to prove it !

I picked up the panniers and the contents of my bar bag and sat in shame and pain for a while before carrying on ....

The last ten miles were fine, a treat infact, lovely open road and Hendrix blasting out Foxy lady in my headphones. I fine moment to end an interesting day...

Tomorrow I'll be passing through and stopping off in Carcassonne, which is an 11th century walled city ! An amazing place by all accounts. So, keep watching and please think about donating too if you've not already ? Cheers !

Olympic size pool and Mankini !

2009-09-25T23:01:00.007+01:00

I just wrote a long account of our fantastic day here in South West france... Then the computer crashed ! Grrrr, I hate that ! Anyway these pictures say it all I think ? I couldn't have embarrassed myself futher than publishing these photos of THE mankini ! So, Boycie, there you have it ! You'll just have to empty that closely guarded collection box into my donation fund now !?

Big day tomorrow as we set off for the south to my starting destination ... Eeek, it's all getting a bit close now ! Kind regards to you all....

Mankini is in the bag !

2009-09-25T01:30:00.004+01:00

There's my trusty mount, laying quietly waiting for the off on sunday whilst Dom fills up the big black greedy truck ! We had a lovely drive down across France today after arriving in Roscoff this morning at about 8am. We would have had plenty of time to trundle down to Locmine to meet up with my bank manager before 12 o'clock unless we hadn't stopped off at the massive all singing all dancing sport shop, the king of all sport shops, Decathlon. What an amazing place, just going in through the doors makes you feel fit, with every isle you browse comes a deep sense of well being and a curious urge to procure shiny new stuff to assist in what ever fad, regime or activity is raising your pulse, or playing on your mind as those automatic doors glide open before you ..... You enter, spellbound by choices, colours and smiling assistants. It's all there right before your eyes, whatever floats your boat, or Kayak as the case may be, these being amonst the first things to catch your eye, a row of them, racked and up ended for your perusal, teasing your wallet with promise of freedom and adventure !

I blinkered myself all the way to the cycle area ... One minute I'm laughing out loud at the hidious Mankini style mens cycling outfits, and the next, as the spell of Decathlon washes over me (helped by Dom banging on about how great they are, so much better than shorts etc!) they've landed squarely in my basket ! I've not tried them on yet, they're pretty nasty....

Having finally escaped we realised that getting to Locmine was now going to be less of a relaxed trundle and more of a, "bloody hell look at the time !" Of course, I could look at the time too, on my brand new lime green faced sports watch ! Dont ask, it's the Decathlon curse, gets you every time ! So we raced, foot down and panicing as we got stuck behind every slow moving lorry or Tractor in northern France ! 11.53 we arrive in the town... I cant remember where the bank is, it's market day, we cant park ... I jump out and run. I find it and dash in. Now I look like I've just run from Roscoff, forget how to speak french and too out of breath to speak English. The girl at the counter is wondering whether to call security or an ambulance when I find the words. Situation rectified and alarm defused I return to the street clutching the all important bank card, fresh , primed and fit for purpose.
As luck would have it it's the very same village where my brother Dan lives, we've not seen him for a while so all three of us went for a relaxing lunch and I think a fine time was had by all. Then after a drive around Brittany we pointed the the truck south, hit cruise control and rolled along nicely for about 500 miles to Ray and Evelynes place, where I find myself now, late at night and dropping off as I type.... Lovely to be here and looking forward to a good look around in the morning....

Even more donations have flooded in, thank you so much Rach, what an outstandingly generous donation ! And to my gorgeous sister Pas too, thank you. I'm hoping to catch up with you in a couple of weeks !?

The 11th hour !

2009-09-23T13:00:00.005+01:00

So, here we are, the 23rd of September and no more sleeps before the off ! Dom and I head for Plymouth and the ferry tonight ! Nothing is packed so I'd better get a move on . The good news is, I've found my passport , and it's in date. Also I had my blood tested today, which I have to do quite a lot these days due to my medication and everything was bang on, so that's great news. I'll try and get it checked a couple of weeks into the trip too. There's no turning back now, this is it, the point of no return ... Time to stuff the panniers with goodies as I tick them off my list and make one last trip into town to pick up a few last bits and pieces ...
Thank you one and all for your interest thus far, I'll keep the blog updated daily as long as I can and providing I dont wind up swerving into a ditch only to find my faithful laptop has just landed with a thump underneath me ! Mental note, remember waterproof soft case ... Oh and Laptop to go in it ! And chargers, phone, ipod, gps, camera..... I think I'll just take the car !!
Please keep watching and following as tragic and magic events unfold...
Thanks too to Susie and Caroline for their generous donations. The fund is pushing £800 now, amazing ! Bye for now .....
And I've just this moment received another notification of a donation, this time from my lovely nurse. In the last couple of hours she's drawn blood from my arm and money from her well earn't wages too. Thanks nurse Woolley !

This time next week !? Brrrr.....

2009-09-21T22:33:00.006+01:00

A chilling reminder that it gets cold up mountains... I've no idea how high I'll be going next week but I hope the vista will be more green than white ! Last time I was up the Pyrenees I was riding my trusty old Moto Guzzi, I think it was early summer and there was loads of snow at altitude. I remember the engine was spluttering too, so it must have been a long way up !

So, this time next week I'll be well on my way with a good few miles behind me ... and a good few in front of me too ... I'm nervous but looking forward to it at the same time. Looking forward to being out on the open road and having no idea what's around each coming bend, pedalling along at a steady pace, fresh breeze on my face and enjoying the moment. ipod on, toes clipped in and settling into a 10 mph mind set. Picturing a bar in the next sleepy medieval town or village to put my feet up and enjoy a large milky coffee, a patisserie and breath of french air .... The flip side of course could See me warn out, sheltering from driving rain, lost and desperately applying Sudacream cream to my tattered arse whilst at the same time cursing myself for forgetting the tyre levers to mend the flat tyre ! Keep watching because it'll be a fine adventure either way !

Now meet Monte ! Check out the photo, Monte, my host in Monlong, rather disgruntled at the depiction of him in an earlier post has supplied actual photos.... And get this, turns out he's quite the celebrity and has even appeared on the X factor ! I'm impressed ... Anyway I'm really looking forward to getting to that place and meeting all Monte's friends and fans for a good ole knees up and maybe even make a few quid for the British heart foundation too ?
I've been planning this for so long it doesn't feel quite real now, but I'm sure it will once I'm on the ferry. Thank you for reading ....

September sunset .....

2009-09-21T00:05:00.006+01:00

What a beautiful weekend ! Nothing quite like a sunny September in Cornwall, all the the tourists have gone home and if we're lucky we get a few weeks of empty beaches and blue skies !

I had a great cycle ride tonight, just ten miles but as you can see from my pictures, a stunning evening. My clever little cycle computer calculated exactly ten miles in exactly one hour ! How about that ? I know it's not very fast but there were some big hills along the way ! I took the pictures with my phone so they're not great.

So, it's Sunday night and I leave on Wednesday ! I cant believe it, that's just three sleeps away !

I met up with my daughter Jodi tonight and her friend Zinc, we drank some beer and had a laugh. They were telling me all about a toy parrot for my shoulder, I think they'll try and get me one, it swears a lot when activated they say, and insist I should wear it across France, perched on my shoulder and randomly squawking abuse at Innocent onlookers ! They gave me a model plane too and a plastic horse to stick on my handlebars.... She's so eccentric !

I need to sleep now... before I do I'd like to thank Mel for her kind donation ! Thank you...

Also I have some pictures just in of Monte ! I will load them up when I get a moment. I was relieved to see he looks nothing like the character I rudely used to portray him in my Karaoke post below.

Keep watching .... We'll be on the boat and heading south Wednesday night ! (If I can find my passport !)

Someone has sponsored you through Justgiving‏

2009-09-17T23:00:00.006+01:00

It's such a buzz getting that message in my inbox ! And tonight, just as I was thinking nobody had donated for a day or so.... Voila, I get that exciting email ! I rush to see if it's somebody I know ... It is ! Then I scan across to see if they've left a message ... They did, yeay !

"Keep smiling even when ascending ! (Would you mind giving some thought to the design of the garage doors en route !?)"

Thank you very much Richard and Alison next door for your support (My generous neighbours, with horses and sheep and a dog and chickens and bees and of course, dilapidated garage doors!)

Please keep spreading the word and help keep the money coming in and the fund growing steadily towards my target !

From home to home all the way home !

2009-09-16T21:55:00.004+01:00

I've shaken that virus, whatever it was ? 10 days of feeling really poorly and not being at all able to focus on the job in hand, but I'm back ! Back at work and just a few days left to get all the loose ends tied up, then hopefully a couple of days to get some bits and bobs together for this here trip. Last week I really couldn't even get the bike out of the shed but tonight and the last two evenings I've been out on the road cycling just 10-12 miles and tweaking the bike as I go, little adjustments here and there to get the ride position just so. It's not quite there yet ...
I remembered, or rather was rudely reminded as I pedaled along that my left wrist is buggered after an awkward fall from a motorbike a few years ago and also that my right knee hurts when I stand up to pedal ! Great ! I've no idea what I've done to that but it was a while ago. I tried a sort of band thing on it tonight for support, it did feel more comfortable, didn't stop the pain though ! I guess the obvious thing is to not stand up ! Maybe it'll improve after a few miles ? Or a few hundred anyway.
Some of the hills around here are pretty big and can climb for a couple of miles or so. I feel pretty good as I reach the top of them ... But who am I trying to kid, surely they're just bumps compared to the Pyranees !? I've really no idea what to expect when I get going. A lamb to the slaughter ? A clanking heart, achey wrist, knackered knee and the furthest I've ever ridden I think is about 12 miles, and that was tonight ! I have to say though it didn't tire me, I could easily have done it again ... Still ,even if I had it would only have been 24 miles ! Who knows, anyway I recon I'm about ready to give it my best shot.
My bike at least, is fantastic, I'm really please with it and with all the attachments (thanks to Helen), it really does look like it's up for the job now. The pump works well, tyres are quiet and smooth on the road, speedo thing is great... Everything is looking good and working well.
So, here's the plan..... Dom and I leave for France on Brittany ferries, who by the way wouldn't even offer a 10% discount being that it's a charity event, explaining that they only help charities that effect them or their staff directly or some such excuse. I explained we all actually have hearts, even them and their employees and that the money raised will be directed at a new 3D scanner for Derriford hospital, Plymouth where many of their staff actually live ? Oh well, it was worth asking. Luckily I've had a better response from everyone else along the way making this whole thing possible and totally unique in it's linking of homes, like stepping stones across the country.
Yes, so with no thanks to Brittany ferries we'll be leaving next Wednesday night, then heading down to Bordeaux via Locmine in Brittany to rob a bank for some fuel and bagette money ! We'll be staying near Bordeaux with family for a day, then I get a lift all the way down to the south to a little village near my starting point, on the banks of the Canal du Midi, a canal that runs all the way in a north westerly direction to Bordeaux. The village is called Argens Minervois, there we'll find a Gite (holiday cottage) owned and run by Cathy Pugh, a lovely lady whose offered us the use of the place for the night with promise of food too! The next morning we head off to my starting point, a really beautiful place by the looks of it, a fishing port called Gruissan on the coast of the Mediterranean sea, boasting an ancient tower called Tour Barberousse or Red Beards tower ! A pirate maybe ? Anyway I'll be hoping there's a beach there for a dip in the med before setting off and heading west towards the mighty Pyrenees ! Spurred on by the promise of yet another meal, shower, comfy bed and hospitality by Joanne and Peter Mathews... I've a feeling I'll be ready for it too ! So, there we have it... The plan and the beginning of what's bound to be, one way or another an amazing adventure from home to home all the way home .... So stick around and keep logging onto my blog for a virtual pillion ride across the hills mountains, valleys and vine yards through every region of the west of France !

The full Monte !

2009-09-12T22:23:00.010+01:00

Yeah baby ! There's talk of a Karaoke and BBQ along the way ! Somewhere called Monlong, which is sort of near the Pyranees, north east of Lannemezan ? This amazing bloke called Monte has taken it upon himself to organise an evening in the local Salle de fete, a benefit do for my fund ! To raise a glass and raise a few Euros too for the British heart foundation, it's remarkable the spirit of human nature, community and good will that this crazy cycle ride has stirred up ! It's all very moving. The effort that everyone is making to get this whole thing to work and get me, on a wing

and a prayer and a clankin' heart the length of the country ! Yeay, good ole Monte, his mobile Karaoke and his enthusiasm.

He's been rallying the masses, French and British alike from far and wide, blanket emailing his address book and urging others to do likewise. I can't wait to get there, it's going to be fantastic !

So, if you live within driving distance of Monlong and fancy a great night out on the 2nd of October then head for Monte's big night in Monlong ! Thanks Monte !

NB. That's not Monte in the picture... He might not be that handsome !?

Great news !

2009-09-11T21:02:00.017+01:00

The news you've been waiting for ! Not one, but TWO free gifts to all my lovely, loyal "followers" ! Tremendous loyalty bonuses to one and all ! Crazy, fun and FREE. Not trinkets, not tat but stunningly hand crafted ornaments to add beauty, to enhance and adorn your home ! By simply "following" my blog you'll impress your friends by collecting these fine Heirlooms for your children and children's children. Yours with my compliments....

Your first free gift. A cheeky, topical and identical scaled replica of the Eiffel tower. From me to you, a piece of France to cherish.

Don't just take my word for it, this is what the manufacturers say:

"Made of high quality origonal woods.
The workmanship is very fine.

Have the character of knowledgable."

Now I've got your attention right? No such thing as a free lunch hey? Never look a gift horse in the mouth ... Well keep looking ....

You simply don't see generosity like this every day !

It's another replica, a center piece, a talking piece, a priceless, breathtaking and totally complimentary model bicycle, perfect in every detail to celebrate and commemorate my cycle challenge.... Oh yes, heirloom number TWO, gifted with love to each and every loyal "follower". Why miss out, push that button !

Wait ! This truly is the gift that just keeps giving !

But please, don't just take my word for it. Here's what the importers say :

"Fold bicycle model and seat adjustable." You couldn't make it up ! But here's the thing ... Not only is it free, is it perfect, but it's also a LIGHTER ! Yes indeedy, One-click Piezo Electronic ignition ! And here's what the experts say. "Adjustable flame".

To claim your free and remarkable gifts please send your full name, address and bank details to me with nominal fee off £19.99 to cover my postage costs.

Colour, size and gifts may vary.

More sponsors and more goodies for the bike !

2009-09-09T21:22:00.002+01:00

I thought my cycle helmet was looking a bit bland, and black, oh and maybe a little bit Nazi ! Judging by the looks I was getting from some old folks last time I was cycling in Brittany anyway ! So I've dug some paints out of the shed and set about it with my Blog address, Union Jack and of course the St.Piran (Cornwall's flag). I might add a few more yet too.... A skull and crossbones maybe, who knows.

More goodies too, stuff for the bike, it was like Christmas cracking that parcel open ! Another massive thanks to Helen for organising that lot and to Evenden cycles of Kent for their support and slashed prices ! The bike really is taking shape now... I only wish I were looking as good ! Still very under the weather and sleeping lots which really isn't good at all at this point in time. I've been to the doctor and had blood tests, I'll get the results on Friday but it looks like I have a lingering nasty virus, maybe picked up from the sea whilst surfing. It's knocked me right out and I'm really getting tired of it ! Fingers crossed I'll be back on my feet and fighting fit again soon...

The sponsors too keep coming ! It's amazing, pushing the fund onwards and upwards toward the £700 mark ! A huge thanks to Nunny, I'm not sure who that is but think she's the one who switched me on to Kingdom-come Kalashnikov wielding God Almighty figurines and Ninja messiahs !? Could be wrong though.... And to the generosity of Tricia & Pete Scanlon who not only are going to put me up for a night but have also kindly donated. Last but not least Nick & Alex who are a truly adventurous young couple who seem to be working their way around the globe learning, teaching and experiencing different cultures, languages and continents... I hear they're now scratching a living somewhere in China. Thank you.

So, the money is still rolling in and the bike at least is ready to roll !

The Tourer's taking shape ...

2009-09-06T18:36:00.007+01:00

The mighty Diamondback is beginning to look like it's going somewhere ! New tyres fitted, rack on, bar bag and panniers too !

Just need some lights, new pedals and most of all to shake this weird bug, if it is a bug... An annoying thing that's suckered my energy away and rendered even pedaling around my yard hard work ! I really hope I get my strength back soon ...
Oh, and I recon I need a front mudguard too ?
Somebody told me the other day, Ade I think it was, that by having road tyres as opposed to knobblies I'll be gaining 2-3 mph more on average ? That's almost not believable but i hope it's true. That would take me up to about 12 mph ! I know it sounds like nothing in the world of cars and modern transport but when most days will consist of cycle rides of between 30 & 70 miles it certainly will make a marked difference and makes each leg of the journey seem less daunting. Especially the way I feel today !
My good mate Rich has just donated to my fund for the British heart foundation and sent the total past the £600 barrier ! This is fantastic news, thanks Rich !
One thing's for sure, your heart will last as long as you do, so look after it and dig deep to help the BHF to look after it too ! Please keep donating !

Now that's just taking the Pith !

2009-09-04T22:22:00.007+01:00

Was it Noel Coward who said "Only mad dogs and Englishmen" ? Joff Sommerfield, a man on a mission, his third attempt to cycle around the world on a Penny Farthing, wearing, quite aptly a Pith helmet ! What an inspiration, and a wonderful thing to achieve on such an iconic bike, I believe he built it himself ? Quite a few people have commented that my bike, a mountain bike is completely wrong for cycling across France ! It's going to be a hell of a lot easier than that thing Joff is perched up on !? It might not be a road bike but it's a bike, and it might not be as fast as a road bike but it'll still do a fine job of carrying me across France I'm sure ...

Another thing is, if you ride a road bike you have to wear really weird clothes ! They seem to go hand in hand, Lycra clad Power rangers, what do they look like !? I appreciate they want to be seen but they just take it too far. Especially in France, there are millions of them. On the weekends they're out in force, flocks of them pedalling along in bright, clashing colours jostling for slipstreams without a care for the optical assault they're playing on the weary eyes of frustrated drivers, swearing and struggling to pass !

Sorry about that, I'm having flashbacks to weekend driving down Breton lanes ....

Here's to Joff and his amazing achievement, Google him, I think he's written a book about the trip ? I may not be wearing a Pith but I take my hat off to him anyway.

I've been working on my route tonight, and it's coming together pretty well. I've whittled 47 nights of potential accommodation down to about 27 which has been really hard work actually as every single offer has been so generous, if I had more time I'd have made a point of visiting every last person. Mind you I'll be keeping all the contacts because last night over a few glasses of wine with my mate Rich, challenge number two was hatched ! It's a beauty, really exciting and not a push bike to be seen, well actually there will be but only for a few miles ! Keep watching this space for exciting news of justpeddling2010 !

So, the route... It's pretty finalised now so I'll get my head around mapping it and contacting the 27 lucky, or unlucky hosts with my eta's over the next few days.

I had some special pedaling shoes put aside today at the bike shop, they look just like normal trainers although they have cleat things for clipping to my pedals, and you can walk around normally in them unlike those strange road bike ones ...

Parcels from America !

2009-09-02T23:38:00.011+01:00

I received an exciting parcel today, my postie battled through driving rain and floods to deliver the goods ! Yep, the beginning of September has well and truly marked the onset of winter ! We don't really get an autumn and spring here in Cornwall, in fact for the last few years we've not even had a summer ! Nowadays we just get winter and August ! It's getting beyond a joke now, sat here listening to the conservatory roof creaking like it's going to blow off in the gale !

Yes, the parcel, two actually, the "Powered by On-X" cycling shirt and T'shirts have arrived, yeay, thanks On-X, Catheran in particular for organising everything at that end for me. I'm really pleased with them and will take some pictures to put up as soon as I can. Thank you.

Thanks also to Ade, a fellow valve patient and keen cyclist and to Tiddleywinks too for their kind donations to my charity and for pushing my total raised very close to the 600 mark, just a fiver away, who will be the one to tip the total into the sixth century ? Thanks for reading and supporting the build up to this amazing two wheeled adventure ... Stay tuned.....

The bike left the shed !

2009-08-31T23:35:00.005+01:00

Road tested the new saddle today ! Yeay, it worked a treat, really springy and sort of comfy too, for a few miles at least. And the bar extension things too, they're great for going up hills and for getting a different riding position from time to time. Oh and the bike computer too, that was interesting, not only does it give your speed, but also average speed, trip distance, total distance, some other stuff I dont understand and even the temperature ! I couldn't stop looking at it. My average speed was 9.8 mph which I recon is pretty good, I could cover a good few miles in a day at that speed. Going up steep hills I was going about 4-6mph and down hill about 20-25 mph ? All in all a good road trial was had from a not so gruelling distance of 12.8 miles ! Ok ok , but it's a start ! I dont leave for a couple of weeks at least ! I cycled down to the boatyard at Gweek, a lovely place, boats everywhere, and gossip too, I stood and chewed the cud for a while with Grumpy John, Jelly John and Jonny two shoes ... There's loads of Johns down there, a yard of boats being worked on, layed up, loved or forgotten and homes too to the pretty eclectic bunch who live there. We talked of France, cycling, women and boats... Women and boats are staple gossip topics, but France and cycling were the big news subjects. Jonny two shoes sold me a "bar bag" at huge expense, reckoned he paid nearly 70 quid for it and I was getting a bargain ? Anyway it will be very handy for my passport and camera and money, that sort of thing ? And it unclips really easily and becomes a kind of man bag ! Practical anyway .... "Eat loads", I was advised by Jonny, he's cycled to Sweden and probably across France too already and knows all about long distance touring. Yes, eat loads he said, cakes, chocolate, stuff like that, lots of carbohydrates. I'd not even considered that sort of thing ! Like a lamb to the slaughter .... It was a good place to stop off for a natter though and catch up on who's sunk, sinking, sailing or pregnant !

Then headed home, new bar bag mounted and wobbled off down Gweek drive, a beautiful road between steep lush woodland... Thinking to myself, this really is a great way to get about. It's got all the benefits of walking, but much faster and much more fun when going down hill ! Cars were really bugging me though, noisy and passing far too close ... Look out, after 900 miles I could become a right ole tree hugger !

Albeit only about 12 miles but it's a start for somebody who really wasn't too keen on push bikes before the mad plan was hatched !?

Another 50 quid in the pot !

2009-08-30T00:04:00.005+01:00

What a fantastic end to a great day ! Biker chick Zee has dug deep into her leathers, pulled out a fist full of dollars and stuffed them into the ever growing pot ! Thanks Zee you're a star !!

Also this evening the final big gap of over 90 miles along my cycle route has been slashed in half with a kind offer of either a bed, a tent or even a caravan on and organic vin yard in the beautiful wine region of the Dordogne by it's generous owners Sasha and Robin. Take a look at their place here or follow the link to Beau Regard Wines. I'll be looking forward to that stop over ! I cant wait to get going now. Just a few short weeks to go, cant help thinking I should do some cycling to prepare a bit !?

Rigorous daybreak training schedule....

2009-08-29T13:59:00.012+01:00

What a fantastic summers day ! Thanks to Jon for encouraging me to an early surf down at Kennack this morning. It was perfect, blinding sunlight across smooth water between small but rideable sets, with a fresh offshore breeze tearing off wave tops, showering them backwards and forming bright rainbows with each deluge of spray...

Anyway, suffice to say it was a pretty gruelling workout, but no pain no gain, right ?

A couple of hours later, after a coffee at Turbos beach caf, it was off into Helston with my collection ticket for a parcel full of goodies for the bike ! Yeay ! A massive thanks to Helen for sorting it and packing it and sending it and for her ongoing support. There's all sorts in there, rack, speedo, saddle bags, things that go on the handle bars to make them longer (All the mountain bikers that look like they know what they're doing have them), you know the kind of thing ? Even a temperature gauge to let me know when it's hot ! Oh and new tyres too, ones that'll never need repairing, at least that's what it says on the tin ? I'll put some of it together and take some photos.

The route is actually very nearly sorted. It really is incredible, I now have a line of people offering a bed for the night and a meal, spanning the length of France ! Thank you each and every one of you for forming the backbone of this massive cycle ride raising many hundreds of pounds for the British heart foundation .... A remarkable human chain from home to home and back home ! Thanks.

So, keep watching...

Exciting news coming about the free gifts too !

FREE gifts to followers !!

2009-08-29T07:03:00.002+01:00

Fantastic news !
Watch this space..... Have to run... Bon weekend .

Where IS Justin ?

2009-08-27T21:58:00.003+01:00

How small do they go ?

2009-08-27T12:10:00.008+01:00

Even beetles and flies and other insects have hearts, well sort of hearts anyway ... Makes you think doesn't it ... Or does it ? Made me think anyway... They have a sort of heart and sort of blood

called hemolymph and an open circulatory system driven by a tube like heart (thanks Wikipedia!). What's it all about hey .... ?

Back to the big ride.... There is about to be a very clever map uploaded to my Blog, hopefully it'll sit just there to your right, tracking my daily progress and pin pointing me as I wind my way across the country, so if I'm completely lost you'll probably know before I do ! There are a few technical glitches with it at the moment though which are being ironed out by IT expert Lucy, she's all over it ... sadly it would seem you have to go via her how to crochet blog in order to find me ? She'll do anything to get her counter into double figures ! Watch this space !

Sand Castles and Hurricane Bill !

2009-08-26T23:47:00.013+01:00

What ever happened to the humble sand castle ? Now people turn up down Church cove, spending hours on end creating these stone piles, tapered and hollow and perfectly formed, they really are amazing and a delight to happen across at the end of the day whilst walking the dog. It's Andy Goldsworthy's fault, he started all this stone piling business ! Mind you, I have to say I've never seen one being built ! Aliens ? The same little green fellas that make the crop circles ? Could be ?

Hurricane Bill passed by our shores today, big seas, big rain and big wind ... A bunch of us headed down Kennack sands tonight to catch the tail end of the beast on our boards, the usual suspects, Jon, Dom, Jake and Me. Truth be known it really was the tail end ... But hey, it's not every day you can make the claim you just surfed the swell of a passing hurricane !?

Back to hearts and cycling ... There you see it, the scar ! That's what this is all about, my scar and why it's there... Sadly not a swash buckling sword fight or shark attack but a scalpel, cutting deep, right through to my sternum, leaving that free for the electric saw to hack through my bone ! Eek... Thankfully I was of course blissfully unaware of everything going on by then...

Heart disease and congenital heart related problems will effect one in three people in the country at some time in their lives, and the British heart foundation are funding around 1200 research projects investigating and pioneering treatment in every aspect of heart disease as well as providing vital equipment to hospitals and funding BHF nurses to visit heart patients in their homes... Rant over. I had absolutely no idea just how much the BHF actually do until I became a heart patient myself with a heightened awareness of just how valuable their work really is.

Look at all those pins !

2009-08-25T17:46:00.002+01:00

Not a great picture but you get the idea ? I now have coast to coast accommodation, and apart from a few daunting gaps they're all just a cycle ride apart, which means no tent ! Yeay, no tent to roll up and pack away and no camping gear to stow in my very limited luggage space ! It's totally overwhelming the amount people emailing, a human chain winding across France, 900 odd miles of good will, hot baths (I hope) and home comforts.

Around the middle bit, excuse the laymans terms, right of the big water inlet, Girande I think, there are SO many places I could stay, they're piling on top of each other ! Some virtually next door neighbours ! The excitement and enthusiasm rallying around this challenge really is amazing ! However, south of Toulouse there is a big gap if you happen to know anyone ? Cheers....

Mavis Bird Pushes the fund past £500 !

2009-08-25T16:26:00.007+01:00

Mavis Bird, which coincidentally means "song" has by her generous donation pushed the fund through the £500 mark ! Which really is something to be celebrated. Thanks mavis !
With some interesting offers coming in from due west of my starting point near Beziers it's beginning to look like I wont be making any northerly headway for the first few days of my trip, instead I could be cycling along the French side of the pyrenees mountains, which would make for some great photos and scenery and on towards somewhere called Monlong in dept 65 where there's talk of a charity evening in a local bar with music and Karaoke to be put on by "movingmusic" Monte !
Also, what are Hash Harriers and where do the BBC fit in, who knows but keep watching as more detail of this not so direct route unravels !
Please keep donating too.....

Passing the hat....

2009-08-25T00:14:00.006+01:00

The hat is being well and truly passed around, raising in just ten days the impressive sum of nearly £500 for the British heart foundation. It's a fantastic start, thank you to one and all for sealing the fate of this exciting two wheeled journey...
With special thanks today to Sally, Annette and Wanda for your support and not least to Mr Unsworth-White for his encouraging words and of course his steady hand for fixing my heart in the first place !

A word from my surgeon...

2009-08-24T14:43:00.003+01:00

".....I am delighted that Justin feels up to this challenge following such major surgery. He is an inspiration to our other patients undergoing similar procedures and I fully expect a number of them to be following in his tire tracks next summer!......"

Jonathan UNSWORTH-WHITE
Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon.

Did you know .......

2009-08-24T12:04:00.011+01:00

The first open heart surgery was performed by Dr. Daniel Hall Williams in 1893.

Your heart beats around 100,000 times a day, that's 35 million times a year and a staggering 2.5 billion times in a lifetime, and by then it will have pumped the equivalent of about one million barrels of blood with enough pressure to squirt it about thirty feet ! So, look after it best you can and please donate to the British heart foundation to aid their pioneering and on going work with the understanding and prevention of heart disease.

Monday now, and offers of support the length of France are still dropping into my inbox, hopefully by this time next week I'll formulate some kind of a route, which has kind of evolved from a straight line from south coast to north coast into a far more organic and snake like path winding from home to home across the whole country !

Keep watching....

Thanks to Lucy Stone !

2009-08-23T00:58:00.009+01:00

With the very generous donation by Lucy Stone, not only of money scraped from the dregs of depleted post holiday pockets but also sails and stuff too, I've managed to cobble together this prototype mountain yacht, helmed by my good friend Dairv (it's Irish). It worked a treat in light winds but with the first gust came an involuntary gibe landing him firmly in A&E with a sore head and fractured tiller !.... Back to the drawing board ....

And the bikes not even left the shed yet !

2009-08-22T10:22:00.004+01:00

This whole thing is really gathering momentum now ! The bikes in the shed, chomping at the bit to get on the ferry with all it's new shiny useful bits bolted and screwed on ! Watch my ebay listings when I'm done for a load of not so shiny push bike stuff, one careful owner, only 900 miles... Oh, and judging by the amount of very kind offers of support and accommodation rolling in, the tent may not have even been used ! I'm pretty sure my next challenge will involve an engine, my legs are killing me just looking at the map!
Special thanks today to the Old Backscratcher, Will and Christine for their donations.... £425 and counting ! Keep it coming and watch this space...
Thanks.

Beware of the Pirates ! !

2009-08-22T00:26:00.002+01:00

Having just taken a pretty hefty donation from a very reputable pirate buster, I'm manically texting my boys off of Somalia to stand down and leave that oil tanker be, tis with regret and shame but we're going straight !!

Cheers Will.

I'm thinking sails ?

2009-08-20T12:36:00.004+01:00

There are some pretty windy flat bits in France, well as far as I can tell from Google Earth anyway... I'm not sure if this would be breaking any rules ? It could also double up as my tent by night ?

Some news this morning .... My brother Dom has kindly offered to drive me to the starting point, which would be fantastic ! He may have not been thinking it through though, or looked at a map of France recently, or considered just how much of a round trip it would be ? Who knows, but he does know a lot about sailing so he could at least help me get the Mizzen set up !?

Thanks too to all the Anglo Info readers who are continuing to offer places for me to stay across France as I sail my way north, hopefully with a fresh sou'westerly nudging me along .....

Suggestions for cycling music please......

2009-08-19T10:01:00.000+01:00

I have to make sure my ipod is as prepared as I am for this trip, so please comment below with any play list suggestions ?

Powered by On-X !

2009-08-18T21:55:00.000+01:00

Exciting news ! The good people at On-x, the manufacturers of the worlds only pure carbon prosthetic heart valve which just happens to be implanted in my heart and keeping me alive and kicking have been exchanging emails today offering their support and enthusiasm for the big bike ride .... Watch this space for the "powered by On-x" racing colours !

"The Map"

2009-08-18T12:03:00.000+01:00

This is basically (very basically!) my planned heading, but the route is pretty flexible, leaving from the south and finishing in the north, via anyone who can put me up or put up with for a night ? Ideally I'd like to stay fairly close to that line unless anyone has any great cycle routes in mind that would be worth a detour ? It looks already like I'll be to the south of the line at least to start with, whilst cycling north west from Bezieres towards Montauban and Bergerac, hopefully taking in a bit of the Canal du midi too ?

Plotting the route...

2009-08-18T11:37:00.000+01:00

The route seems to be taking on a line of it's own, defined for me now by all the kind offers of accommodation and support that have been rolling in. The yellow pins are stacking up across the length of France on my Google map and soon I recon it'll just be a question of joining them together in a straightish line from A to B ? There are still some pretty massive gaps though where it looks like I'll be unpacking the tiny tent .. I haven't actually got one yet but I presume it'll be a tiny tent, one that comes out the bag really easily but just refuses to go back in again !? So if you know anyone that might be able put me up in any of the big gaps shown then please let me know ?

Thanks.

Vital component !

2009-08-17T23:03:00.000+01:00

Check out the springs on my new seat ! Of course my bike came with a seat but it's a really scrawny thing obviously not designed to be sat on for 900 miles, so I've swapped it for this "Spring flex" by Bodyfit ... Which ignoring the fact it sounds far too much like some kind of sanitary product, should be supremely comfy !?

The Diamondback !

2009-08-16T10:11:00.000+01:00

This here is my bike, looking a bit bare right now but will soon be fitted with road tyres, panniers, tool kit, even spare spokes and anything else anyone can think of to tie or bolt onto it ? Feel free to let me know ... I've never done this before !

Alfies trailer !

2009-08-16T09:39:00.000+01:00

More inspiration for this trip was a winter spent living by the tow path in Brittany a few years ago, miles and miles of flat traffic free cycling through amazing scenery... I had to make a trailer for Alfie because he's only got tiny legs and couldn't run behind my bike for long... He was quite a spectacle for other cyclists, sitting proudly in his chariot as we bumped along the track...

Now that's what I call a push bike !

2009-08-15T22:34:00.000+01:00

This has surely got to be the finest looking bike on the market today, I defy anyone to find better ? Mine is probably lighter or stronger or got better gears or something but quite frankly, who cares, that is the coolest push bike I ever saw !

The big picture !

2009-08-15T17:15:00.000+01:00

Here's France, I need a slightly more detailed map for my trip but this should give some idea of my challenge ? So, if you take a line from the end of the canal du midi, which is the little blue line that meets the coast just up from the right hand side of the Spanish border then head north-west pretty much in a straight line all the way to Roscoff on the north coast of Brittany, between St.Malo and Brest ?

I'm much better now, really !

2009-08-15T16:36:00.000+01:00

Would you sponsor this man to cycle across france ? Actually I wouldn't either, but hey it was the day after my operation ... I'm fighting fit now.. Honest !

Why Just Peddling ?

2009-08-15T12:20:00.000+01:00

Just Peddling.

2009-08-15T11:17:00.000+01:00

Why Just Peddling ? Because I was setting up a "Just Giving" web page and it just sprang to mind ? Also it's what I'll be doing for weeks on end in my attempt to raise some money for the British heart foundation.

I've been wanting to set myself a challenge, a relatively long stretch outside of my comfort zone, a time to reset and focus my thoughts through peddling, it's just a theory, walking could work too, it did for Forest Gump after all ! It's a major trauma having open heart surgery, on mind body and spirit, at first it's a barrage of discomfort and involuntary tears, then as the weeks pass and the pain subsides, thoughts of the past, the present and the future begin to haunt, not well enough to work and not ill enough rest, the headless chicken months ticking by to the relentless beat of my carbon fibre Aortic valve.

So, a bike ride it is ... Just Peddling...

I dont know about links and stuff yet, I'll be leaving that to my unofficial webmaster, Sarah who has her own successful Blogs called Muddy feet, or Red boots or something like that, I'm sure she'll do a link !?

Please look at and please consider sponsoring BHF, it's such a worthy cause.
http://original.justgiving.com/justpeddling