2010 Tour. Spring Tour in Dieppe.
The Spring Tour 2010.
The Tour virgins must have wished for good weather, with sunshine all the way. That’s how the 3 days ended up with wall to wall sunshine.
Quite a long drive down from Calais, most of us arriving just after lunch at Hotel de L’Europe, Dieppe.
Because we were all hungry we decided to eat first before the ride, so our 1st ride was at 5 pm, a 22 mile out and back route to Quiberville Plage.
All 27 riders were out on the road, quite a special sight all along the seafront. The climbs starting straight out of town, heading up to Pourville, a never ending drag up for about 3 miles. The big guns were flexing their muscles, so many on this ride, Pete, Dave, Mick A, Andy, Jel, Paul F, Bill, Lee, Alex.
Dave nursing a dodgy back wheel, that didn’t seem to affect his power at all, and Pete on his Trek 6.9 were clear away from the pack by the top of the climb. Everyone else were working hard to stay in touch, but the splits in the pack were starting to appear. Following the D75 should have caused no problems to follow 10 miles out and back. But by the turn round point we had lost Mags. A girl alone and lost in France, is not good. We soon realised Mags mobile was in the hotel on charge. Pete headed up a search party with Bill to go back and take al the possible turn off points along the route over the past 5 miles. After a short break the rest of the group turned for home, hoping to pick up Mags on the return trip. All the way back with no sightings, we were all hoping she was already back, luckily she was and no worse for her ordeal.
So an eventful 1st day of riding over. It might have been short but with the hills thrown in it was just right as a warm up ride.
Day 2, The long ride.
A 10 am start for our dual distance ride today, out along the D1 to Neufchatel en Bray. The planned ride to encourage everyone to ride together for the 1st 22 miles before splitting. This was working for about 6 miles, a steady 15 mph, the whole group together, then the rolling hills started to kick in, with gaps opening up. The front pack had formed a chain gang, a rolling chain with the inside line coming to the front in rotation. This was working well for a few miles. Unfortunately some of the riders were taking it far too serious for a social ride, and some bad feelings between the group split the chain apart. The ride went back to a normal formation and finally split as riders sprinted off the front. The planned stop at Neufchatel at 23 miles was for a tea stop before waving goodbye to the 50 milers. Again this caused more resentment in the group, with riders upset by the stop, I must say this wasn’t from our usual riders, and was planned to give everyone in the group regardless of ability the opportunity to ride as one and have a social stop together. With no tea stop and confusion in the group as all the plans went out the window, and a divided group headed on to Gournay en Bray. Now with no combined group on the road, small groups formed up. Trying to get as many people back together again we slowed the pace, until everyone was back on board. Some beautiful French countryside, stunning Châteaux’s and views, picked up the mood a little, coupled with some fantastic twisting roads leading into fast drops and long straight empty silky smooth tarmac carpets. We should have followed Karen’s sat nav, but decided to take the signed route to Gourrnay, not a bad choice, it just meant we were running back along the same road twice. Only some 65 miles from Paris at this point, John Manning picked up the 1st puncture of the day. Puncture fixed we rolled into Gournay en Bray and 50 miles done, we all caught up in the town square. Pete and Dave had been turning on the pain, with Kev, Jel, Paul A,. and Mick, heading up one of the strongest tour groups for many a year.
Not a great choice of food on offer in the town, the fast boys had already filled the available seats at a bistro, leaving the rest of us to hit the Boulangerie for a baguette, coke and a cake, not the ideal fuel stop, but better than nothing at all.
The wind had started to freshen and the temperature was dropping all the time, as we pulled out of town, we left the fast pack to complete their meals, knowing they would catch us sooner rather than later.
The sun still shining, was good news, but the ever increasing headwind, was making the going tough and the D915 was a very unforgiving road with climb after climb, Mick A and Paul F, had already broken free off the front and were soon out of sight. Then a buzz of wheels as the fast pack caught us up and went straight past, Kat being the only person who managed to jump onto the back. By the time we all got our act together, it was too late and despite a massive effort from Andy to get across, the wind was just too strong for a lone rider to push through. So the riders left to battle on were Karen, Peanut, John, Lee, Mick, Bill, Andy, Alex and Gray.
Shortly afterwards I started having mechanical problems with the gears jumping on every 4th pedal stroke. This made climbing almost impossible. After a couple of stops to resolve the problem, it ended up to be a faulty link in the chain, a make shift repair with Bills chain splitter , got me back on the road.
By now Karen and Peanut had pulled away from the group just leaving 7 of us left now.
With the prospect of more hills and time ticking away, we decided to make a detour and go back via the Avenue Verte, looking for shelter from the wind and a flatter route.
A real good find this old railway line, fully tarmac surface, with all the old stations still in place. It certainly came as relief for a few miles. Andy was the engine all the way dragging his carriages (us lot) the full 20 miles of track, what a star!!.
Passing a lake at the end of the path, we met up with the 50 mile group, sitting by the lake sunning themselves. They had had a great day out, drinks, food, ice cream, sightseeing and had clocked up 60 miles already. We were on 90 by now and starting to fade. With the 2 groups together we headed off to finish the last 8 miles back on the D1 to Dieppe. Sitting up and having a chat, my group had pushed on, within 5 minutes were 800 metres down the road. The last thing you need is a chase at 91 miles, but not wanting to let them go, gave it everything to get back on the wheel, to my amazement Mags and Del, had gone with me, now that took some doing! Back as a complete group we rolled into Dieppe, a few of the girls rounding up the mileage to 70, but the biggest surprise was the push by Bill who led Andy, Lee and Mick on to complete 112 miles, not getting back to the Hotel until 7 pm, just as the rest of us were heading out to Dinner.
Some superb riding today by everyone, so many people who deserve a combative point so, I am feeling generous, but hey they all deserved them.
Andy for driving the chain.
Bill, pushing on over the limit, along with Lee and Mick.
Mags for the sprint finish
Alison for completing the 70 miles.
Dave and Pete, for trying to bury themselves.
The Sunday ride.
The plan for a coastal 35 miler, were soon changed . The wind blowing in off the sea was really strong, and we really didn’t need to battle against it today. So a quick change of plans, following the river inland, in a sheltered valley an out and back 30.
Quite a big group out for a Sunday in France, we usually get half a dozen or so, but today about 15 riders were out.
The so called intermediate riders Kevin and Lillian were pushing on well and spending some time on the front, liking the group chain gang experience. 12 miles into the ride, really pleasant scenery, the roads peaceful, we needed another 2 or 3 miles before turning back. We hit a big village fair and the road was closed to through traffic. We followed the diversion hoping to skirt around the village and back on the same road. No such luck today, we hit a monster of a climb, every turn in the road heading the wrong way, nearly 2 miles later we were in the heavens, well the top of the world or so it seemed. While discussing where to go next, a few of the lads took a nature break, very amusing to the girls, seeing the guys coping with a gale force wind. The fact there were wind turbines dotted everywhere, sort of give us a clue this was not a good move.
We decided to turn back and have a coffee in the village then take the same road home.
Wow what a drop though, good long sweeping bends, safe enough to get into a tuck and bomb it down.
Into the village and a stop at a café. Half of the group decided to push on and get an early shower, before the rest of us crowded out the shower room.
Some tired faces sat around drinking coffee, with the smell of a BBQ drifting over us.
Always a let down the last day, you just don’t want to go home.
Café stop over and 12 miles back to Dieppe, now that was just to close to a Time Trial distance, to be left alone for too long. Pete and myself got away 1st, not saying we were pushing it, just cleared the café before anyone else. Mind you Pete only has one speed, and so it kicked off. We were sharing the lead for the 1st mile or so, before being joined by Jel, Chris J and Bill. It didn’t take Jel long to inject more pace as he hit the front. Chris and Bill had the move covered and before you knew it we were last in the chain. Pete kicked again and took the lead, then Bill had a bash, then Chris, then Jel, then Pete, the front was changing rapidly. A reoccurrence of my chain problem, saw my gears missing again, unable to put down any pressure, I backed off. Pete saw the problem and sat up as well. I think this was enough for the other 3 lads, we were only 2 miles outside Dieppe anyway.
The 5 of us rolled back in together.
What we didn’t know, Peanut and Lee had been chasing hard and had nearly made it across a couple of times, only to get dropped when Jel picked it up, little did they know just around the corner we sat up. The moral to this story never give up, they would have caught us for sure.
Back to the Hotel, a quick shower then into town for our farewell meal. A good weekend of cycling again, the maximum ride distance by a few of the lads was just short of 170 miles for the weekend.
Après Cycle.
Friday night, we hit the town. Much too big a group for one restaurant so we split up into 3 groups.
A few beers to kick off the evening, but probably not the best restaurant in town, not much selection and a bit of a fast food joint. Not sure if its good or bad when they can serve 20 people within half an hour and almost all at once. it’s the company that counts and everyone was having a good time. Pete for some reason was surrounded by the girls, must have been the muscle rub I lent him. He swears its all natural magnetism . His really rare steak certainly turned him off his food.
I think we were all back to the Hotel by 10.30, an early night ready for the big ride.
Breakfast Saturday morning. Pete and myself, 1st one’s down as usual. Interesting to watch some serious carbo loading, by all the guys who went on to have a great ride. Eating and drinking to bursting point. Group photo’s on the green opposite the Hotel, a little bit of nervous energy, before the off.
Saturday Evening.
With the last of the long ride of 112 mls, returning at 7 pm, some people were already ready for their evening meal. A much better meal tonight, all in the same restaurant, spread between 4 tables. The big ride was the main topic of conversation. It was great to relax with a beer knowing, we had ridden a real tough 100. The table of Del, Mick, Mags, Lillian and Pete, were told to keep it down a bit, don’t the French like a good laugh!!
Meal over and onto a bar, for a drink or two. Bill kept producing nerve gas, that finally drifted all the way across the room, leaving a lot of pointing fingers. Bill played it cool and would have got away with it but his chair was melting. Quite a bit of giggling by now, with the vino flowing freely, lots of laughter and always the quiet one coming out with the funniest comments.
Leaving the bar after midnight, would anyone get up in the morning.
It has been said the some people didn’t get to bed until 1.30 am.
Whatever happened in room 209, stays in 209, or so I have been told.
Thanks for a great weekend
