Jour deux – Les bunk beds et tres jolie
Our trip across the channel is largely uneventful once we have made our excuses and leave the horror that is cross channel ferry cabaret, save for a minor spat over who has the top bunk (caution mild nudity!) ….I very generously and magnamously gave up the chance to go top bunk primarily because they were just ridiculously high.
We have a quick breakfast in the cafe and the it’s down to the bowels of the ship to get ready to go.
We whizz through customs and it’s only about a mile into St Malo that I realise I have somehow left one of my bags on the ferry and it’s the one that has my phone and cash!
I sprint back and nearly cause a major diplomatic incident when I speed the wrong way back through customs. A loud shout stops me in my tracks (I mean I actually work at the Home Office! What on earth was I thinking!) and after plaintively repeating several times “Monsieur mon petit valise et sur Le ferry” I am let back on to recover it ….all intact! Cue merciless mickey taking from the other two…obviously!
First job of the day (apart from making sure you have all your bags with you) is to pick up three pebbles from the beach which we will carry with us and put back in the med. when we arrive in Monte Carlo!
We set a cracking pace round the coast to Cancale for “cafe creme” …
….and then its another 20ish miles around the bay of mont st michel before we say goodbye to the sea……
…..the next time we see it will be in just over a 1000 miles.
Obviously we are hoping to have some fun as we go but I don’t want anyone reading this to be under the illusion this is just a lads jolly. Two days in the saddle is already hurting …a lot and the cycle round the bay and then south is hard not least because of the head wind. It’s now apparent that losing all that weight before I left has had some adverse consequences. I definitely do not have the same power and stamina that I had when I was over a stone heavier. I thought I had trained enough but I am seriously doubtful now that I have done two days with the panniers….they are an absolute killer.
The other issue is that, well not to put too fine a point on it (in fact that it is it….my point is too fine) I have clearly lost weight from the fleshy, squishy bits and by Christ it hurts! I don’t bend the right way to be certain but it feels like a devastation of biblical proportions has been served on the basement boutique area ….rest assured this does not lead to a lot of fun!
Around midday I am really struggling and we stop for a break, some food and a cup of tea…It’s amazing how revitalising just a few minutes out of the saddle and some food is and we all three agree there and then that we will stop every 10 miles if only for two or three minutes and eat something.
Exactly 10 miles later we stop although it might have been a bit late for Marc….
…..I know this may look extreme but I can assure you that rural northern France on a Sunday is completely deserted.
We have another super quick pit stop / comfort break (honestly I kid you not I have stopped counting) and then we roll into the very pretty town of Vitre.
We have managed to avoid the rain for a day and half but inevitably we do get wet today….not a proper drenching but enough to make you wonder why the hell you are doing this. It also means very slippy roads and we have our first and hopefully last accident ..Marc takes a hard fall on his shoulder and wrist as we cycle through Vitre. He is really lucky to escape without a serious injury.
Finally after what has felt like a very long day we roll into our campsite (perfectly nice) and set up camp…
… I mean does this look comfy to you….
….this is a stupid challenge where are the proper beds?
Hot showers (is there anything better I mean this is my absolute new most favourite thing) and then we walk into town in search of something to eat (good luck with that on a Sunday in rural france)
Miraculously we do find somewhere and after a well deserved meal it’s back to camp and an early night…..an even bigger day tomorrow!
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