Getting back home I’ve unpacked, washed the few clothes I had with me and marvelled that the day I got back the heatwave broke. Getting home is always a funny feeling. Obviously it’s lovely to see my partner but this year I was just beginning to get into the touring flow when it was home time. I’d like a second holiday please!
So, what are my feelings about my tour? I enjoyed the riding and was feeling fit until the heat hit. After the Humber bridge it just seemed to get hotter. The result if that was very little sleep - it gets too hot in a tent when the sun hits. Mix that with the energy sapping effects of the sun and I was a bit floppy for most of the time. Realistically I should have been more pragmatic about nutrition and hydration. When abroad I always shop and plan my food making sure I have 2 days worth - one evening meal, breakfast, snacks and an emergency meal. In the U.K. I think I had in my head that there are loads of shops so I didn’t need to do that. There aren’t always loads of shops and so subconsciously I was snacking less and certainly not drinking enough. Slashing the miles I planned each day helped a lot. Accepting that I needed to do that took a bit of head work. I’m just not good in heat and looking at a long day in the saddle feeling a bit rotten was not fun. Once I got my head around enjoyment versus endurance I started to have more fun. Obviously.
The part of the holiday I enjoyed least was the fens. I think that I hadn’t realised how long I’d be in that landscape and how sparsely cafe-ed it would be. I had the idea that I’d be sitting besides canals having afternoon tea reading a good book. In reality I was pushing into a head wind, covered in thunder flies, looking for a village shop and a loo. All the while a bit too hot. Ironic really as going to Cambridge was the idea that prompted the U.K. part of the tour.
After the Cambridge break I think I had my head round the heat. Getting through London was a psychological barrier. I loved the suddenness of boundary road and then the lavender fields. I also liked the Ashdown anc the Downs and will go back to the south coast. It felt good to be back in France. Things like frequency of campsites helped* my planning. I could do those shorter days with choices of accommodation.
While riding in France I found the heat really overwhelming. I got to the campsite and drank vast amounts of water and had a bad headache for a few days. A bit of self care sorted things and I carried even more water.
I enjoyed Paris, the hotel could have done with some air conditioning (not a single hotel I stayed in had air con which meant, again, not much sleep) but I liked staying in a capital city for €50. I enjoyed exploring Paris by bike and by Metro. I liked wandering around and happening upon places. The only drawback was expensive not very veggie friendly expensive food.
I enjoyed making my way home. The site in Dieppe was relaxing and the heat was a very reasonable 20 something. I went to the pool but it was a bit chilly to lay around wet after a swim. I got down to knitting and listening to podcasts as I’d hoped to. I liked my day city hopping too. I certainly do my journey back that way again.
Highlights include seeing boys riding ponys bareback in Co. Durham and chatting to other cyclists in Northumberland. The yellowhammer, owl and badger; The abbey at St.Germain and Shakespeare’s; the traffic free day and the changes from Boston to March; watching the football in Whitley Bay and chatting to a drunk outside a French supermarket about the England team’s future chances. The day cycling into Paris was tremendously satisfying as was the day cycling out of London.
Overall, I’m glad I left from my front door and the casual approach kept the run up to the holiday stress free as it needed to be. I know I don’t like heat and the weather was just unlucky. Cycling on days when the news is telling you to stay indoors isn’t great. But, what can you do?!
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