Day 13 & 14 (no photos sorry!)

day off

more photos to come, just as always in a hurry!

Day11: Parisot to Verneuil

Internet update day today... very long day today, both wanted to get to the campsite so we could do nothing on our day off! got to Albi in the heat of the day (temperature rose to forty)... lovely city but a bit high paced for us...
then we decided to cycle another forty miles... so 70 miles in all - fun!

HILLS ARE GETTING BIGGER. WISH US LUCK!

day 10 continued

was gonna be a day off, but we cycled 66 miles by accident oops! very hard work, very speedy, especially claire up the hills! we took lots of photos, especially of our yummy lentil soup mmm! amazing scenery by the way!

there was a huge storm in the night whiwh our tent withstood courageously, and claire slept through it like a baby.

bye for now!

matt and claire

xx

day 10 (to Parisot - in Tarn)

HEY JOE!!! we love you!

day 9 to St. Julien de Lampon

Dinner tonight, my dear: asparagus and vine tomato risotto!

We would like to take the opportunity to praise the spork!
Claire likes taking self portraits... lots of them... cos she is happy

Cycled through lots of hills to reach the banks of the river Dordogne... lots of Brits about.

things about today:
-page of map lost so slow start but matt was delighted with new super-detailed map of the Dordogne! claire uninterested.... just wants to cycle.
-dehydration.
-mini milks
-yummiest dried apricots ever.
-matt had a second, bigger tantrum as a result of dehydration (not really because his chain came off on a steep hill... claire as always a calming influence.
-all shops closed at destination except lovely little barn farm shop: delicious sugared walnuts, asparagus, and cheese!

max 30mph
61 miles cycled in 5hrs 40
37°C crazy heat!

day 8 (to Thiviers)

Claire was very speedy up the hills today... and even speedier down them!

We met a cool French cyclist on a reclining bike who praised us, especially saying there are basically no French cycle touring types like us... and no French women cyclists at all!

max 28mph
average 9.5mph (hilly!)
59 miles cycled, in 6hrs 10mins
v. hot! 37 degrees C

Day 7 (to Confolens)

Cooler today... and cloudy... going south along the river Vienne which was flatand speedy! beautiful trees (we like trees)

max 32mph
average 11mph
distance of 80 miles!!!
7hrs 20mins cycling

Day6: La Menitre to Savigny-sous-Faye

max 28.6mph
average 11mph
60 miles today (half day...?)
5hrs 30 mins cycling
top temp of 33°c

We hada 3 hour break in Saumur to update our blog and getClaire some new clothes... cos she kept leaving the few she had around France!

finally in internetcafe!

yep weve reachedthe lovely city of Albi and found internet yay! here, briefly, is a breakdown of whatweve been up to...

finally in internetcafe!

Day 5: Lac de Sillé to La Menitré (banks of the river Loire)

max speed: 30.5 mph
average: 11mph
distance: 75 miles (again over 70... becoming a problem.)
7hrs 30mins cycling time
temperature up to 33°C! hot stuff!!!

long long day!!! got tired and started losing things including matt's temper (had a tantrum and smashed his sunglasses on the ground...oops!) tantrum by the way was at himself not at claire!

Was mostly downhill, and we passed through some lovely towns, so no time to stop which was a shame. hardly any photos - sorry.
But the campsite was lovely on the banks of the river. very calming.

Ooo and we had green vegetable risotto with tomato, courgette and freshly podded peas


someone pls tell us what this crop is!!!!

Day 4: St Pierre sur Dives to Lac Sillé

The Day it rained! LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS... WE GOT VERY VERY VERY WET!!!!!
plus... we went uphill lots!!!!

max: 30mph
average: 10.1 mph
distance: 74.2 miles
cycling time: 7hrs 18 mins
10 hrs on the road in the rain!

oh yes... the flan... first flan eating session!

Day 2: Blewbury to Portsmouth

so matthew, what did you consume today? (you big pie!)

ummm...
- 1/2 a box of muesli & an orange & an apple
- coconut macaroon & alpen bar & nutri-grain bar
- tomato and cheese sandwich & apple and blackberry crumble slice
- 1/2 a malt loaf
- broccoli soup & 2 baskets of bread + butter & veg stir-fry
- & a mini milk!

we have to stuff ourselves!


_____night of second day was our last night in a bed for 6 weeks - never mind!

first night in france...

campsite was closed!!! disaster no. 1.... not disaster really, we just had a smelly night camping wild!!! was peaceful and lovely!

Day 3 ferry crossing and a wee bit of cycling

we had great fun on ferry, met some creepy english cyclists [all men, wifes were prob glqd to get rid of them!)

jumped off ferry and cycle cycle cycle in the french sun!

Thanks Ems!

Emma artistically put "Cheltenham 2 Morocco summer 2007" on the backs of our WaterAid t-shirts...
...it looks great and gets us noticed! Just today about ten drivers have honked their horns and given us the thumbs up when driving past. Makes us feel special...
SO Thank Ems you're a star!!!

x

So Claire... how was your first day?

Day 1

Hectic start... I was unusually sleepy... (Matt v. thankful for that)
After scoffing porridge (harder than usual) we rushed to hospital to give Mum a hug goodbye.
Then home for fully loaded bikes and a hard slog up Cleeve Hill - a rather harsh warm-up.
Saunders', Frenchy and big Ben waved us off (see photo above)...
...whizzed down the hill on the other side then up up and away (up up up up up... me panicking slightly... bike doing many wheelies)
Things got better as Cotswolds faded away.
Matt wondered why I was cycling with my hand on my head at one point... had finger stuck in my helmet oops!
Whizzed through Oxfordshire and got to Matt's Grandparents in no time due to lovely flatness (see photo below) - loving it! and they fed us yummy cake on arrival - I want to take them with us (the grandparents not the cake that is!)

today's stats: -

max speed- 29.7mph
av. speed- 11mph (hilly!)
distance- 60.5 miles
cycling time- 5hrs 36mins
total time- 6hrs (no breaks, people!)

Bye for now! Pictures to follow... can't work this computer!

we love it! cycling in fun!

The Beginning!

Its 11 o clock at night and we're setting off tomorrow!!!!!
Me and Claire have been manically thinking about things we have yet to do and probably will not do!
Oh well...
10 o clock from Cleeve Hill means a very early start because we're in Cold Aston right now.
SO: Claire has to drag me out of bed...
....then it's loading ourselves with mucho porridge...
....then loading up our bikes....
....then a cycle up to the top of Cleeve Hill... and then we can start!

Wish us luck!

Love Matt And Claire
X