Day 14, 14th June. Tessenderlo - Leopoldsburg - Roermond (HOLLAND) - Elmpterwald (GERMANY) Woke up early, had breakfast and set off the same time as yesterday. There was blue sky and good cycle lanes ahead of us. After passing Leopoldsburg we went through a huge military area of Belgium before getting to Bree where we used up all our Belgian francs at Aldi and ate in the town square. My appetite was back with a vengeance! After then it was a straight ride to the Dutch border and coffee shops. We just cycled in, past an empty border station and along [View Full Entry]

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Day 13, 13th June. Wetteren - Mechelin - Tessenderlo After an explosive morning on the loo, we set out at half-eight heading east. Toby’s knee was playing up. He’s a nice guy but with little common-sense, I feel that I have to mother him, and feel that he’s not had to fend for himself that much. Anyway, we got as far as Mechelin and Toby’s knee was hurting so much the he decided to get the train to Düsseldorf via Köln. We arranged to meet up at the youth hostel on Friday evening - if he finds it okay? Then it [View Full Entry]

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Day 10, 10th June. In Wissant near Calais Woke with massive hangover - no more beer! Urs took us on a car trip at noon to the secret cannon base at Mimoyecques built in WWII by the Germans. Twenty-five underground super-cannons which could reach London and were never used. They were designed as the V3 weapon which would have destroyed London! Later we went off to Bologne town for a walk about the old walled town - had a coffee and worked out who owes what to who - complicated, there has to be a simpler way to combat this maddening [View Full Entry]

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Day 9, 9th June. Lydd - Dover (ferry) Calais (FRANCE) - Wissant The landlord gave us tea this morning and we set off at ten for Dover, it was a lovely sunny day. The route was fairly flat to Folkstone where we had lunch and split up, arranging to meet up at the Hoverspeed terminal in Dover. Rory and Toby decided to see the Russian nuclear sub in the harbour, I cycled with Scott and Leslie uphill, to Dover. We stopped at the Battle of Britain memorial on the cliffs and could see France in the distance. We had ice-cream in [View Full Entry]

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Day 8, 8th June. Hassocks - Hastings - Lydd It was the last time we said goodbye to loads of folks this morning, Toby’s parents. We set out at ten through the lovely South Downs and met a bike path north of Eastbourne. The riding was pleasant, good weather and wind behind us. At Pevensey Bay we dipped our toes in a freezing English Channel and catapulted* a yellow oil-drum on the beach like a group of lunatics! Toby picked a bag of sea-kale, which would never be eaten, then we carried on towards Lydd. In the town, after 60 miles [View Full Entry]

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Day 7, 7th June. Hassocks - Brighton - and return Checked my emails before we set out for Brighton and had some nice letters from Kathryn and a photo - she’s so lovely, just felt sad that I couldn’t write her a long mail back. We set off then up the dreaded Ditchling Beacon, just a speed-hump on the South Downs really! Brighton was a big place, clogged with bloody traffic, like any other English town, but with sea shore and pier. We did a lot of stopping and starting, I sensed that Scott and Leslie were getting impatient. I’ll be [View Full Entry]

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Day 6 , 6th June. London - Redhill - Hassocks Today we set off for Toby’s place near Brighton, spirits were high, and there were two others joining us, Rory’s brother, Rowan and his friend Ruth. There was a long photo shoot by his parents and all involved, then we left just before ten to cross busy London and to join the A23 south. I hate the pollution in this city, the fumes get in the back of my throat and make me physically heave! At Croydon aerodrome we stopped for sandwiches and Ruth’s home-made flapjacks, then were in the countryside [View Full Entry]

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Day 3, 3rd June. St Albans - London. I’ve decided I must get another warmer sleeping bag, either that or get my parents to send my down one, down ( : We left St Albans at around ten and Leslie had the first puncture shortly afterwards. However, the group dynamics are so great that there’s no problem waiting around for eachother. Once on the A5, it was a straight run down the Edgware Road to Hyde Park Gate and Speaker’s Corner where we sat and listened to the rantings of certain dodgy folks. Then it was off to Buckingham Palace and [View Full Entry]

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Day 2, 2nd June Leicester - Northhampton - Milton Keynes - St Albans Good sleep, woke up a seven, looked out of the window to check the bikes, the guys had fixed a wicker basket to my handlebars! All were up at 7.30 and we had loads of toast for brekkie. Set off again just after nine, overcast and a little rainy. We first arrived at Northampton where Rory looked for a bike shop. We’re now at the stage of running our bikes in, my bike is rattling a bit, I had to tighten up a few bolts and Rory tightened [View Full Entry]

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The Bike Odyssey. Day 1, 1st June Werrington - Uttoxeter - Burton - Leicester Last night at 6pm, all were assembled in the lounge for the “Last Supper”; Rory, Toby, Scott and Leslie. Harvey turned up with some beers and a strange present! Joy was there taking photos, and Kathryn phoned me from LA - what a lovely box of surprises she posted me today, the crystal ball I’ll take with me… There was a party atmosphere with everyone getting on just great. We had a sacrificial burning of the bike boxes up the garden, then drank beer in the garden [View Full Entry]

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