L2P Journal: Day four

I would like to start by writing that this is being typed on a Parisian street corner having now completed a rather eventful

and exciting leg spinner of a day. (Note pictures of today and the whole journey will follow)

We woke up in a rather large chateau with donkeys, a mad woman and horrible showers -not that any of them were to be enjoyed in great detail. However, I swiftly became aware that my legs weren't quite at their best. Every step felt ever so slightly heavier and it gave a rather impressive insight into how the pro

riders do this for 3 weeks with only 2 rest days. The fact that Adam Hansen has completed 20 consecutive Grand Tours is just astonishing!

Anyhow, we set off sadly later than planned but with staggered starts!! Though the credit I will claim for that idea is minimal.

This would have been brilliant if senses of direction remained unaffected! 

Nevertheless as we departed, the fog descended and much like in the Hounds of the Baskervilles, we were going to be intensely inspected by the remarkably undulating terrain. My tyres were also heavily inspected and, having previously moved without a hitch, the old bus time tabling analogy came back to bite the inner tubes twice! I would therefore recommend that if I was to ride the Avenue Verte again, I would use hybrid tyres as they are more durable than standard road slicks. 

Despite this, progress was smooth and our timing even had our team set to arrive in daylight, completing a full set of daylight finishes!

Sadly the mud, which had returned especially for today's gravel and dirt tracks, proved awkward for Louie Boot whose cleats felt their retirement was due after several tough outings. There are many things in a Parisian suburb though, among them is a leading sports retailer named after an athletic event with no less than 10 disciplines! So armed with €40, off he headed. As glad as I am that this issue was resolved it made our timings a stretch, meaning as we began to negotiate all of the Republic's road safety rebels, darkness fell.

One thing stood out: traffic lights and people's understanding of them. 

In this stretch of Continental Europe, , they appear as more of a street ornament and change colours to both test they're working and to contribute to the city's dynamic colour scheme, as a hopefully law-abiding Briton, it was terrifying.

But all of these things, good and bad, don't really matter, for regardless of our individual strength, we have all cycled from Capital to Capital for a good cause in honour of a good man, raising £7000 in the process. And for a man like Andy Holt, I feel it is truly deserved.

FACT of the Day: 

Vivimus

Unam

Vitam