M’off…. Brittany calling yet again…

hence why I am on the Plymouth to Santander route next Wednesday. 15:45 departure, arrive 1300 local time, just over 20 hours with much of it asleep
That’s my preferred route. Although regardless of the route, I am not overly fond of sailing across Bay of Biscay. 🤢
 
Bike is locked & loaded…

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roll up 02:15am wake up call. ⏰🥱😴. Her next to me will not be best pleased, waking her up. I better be exceptionally quiet getting out the bed…


Speaking of bed, shower and time to close my peepers. Nighty night 🙋🏻‍♂️
 
Have a great trip Ev. Could not have hoped for a better weather forecast.
Thank you Paul.

It is indeed looking decent….

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…will make a bit of a change from a measly 13.5°c and grey skies that I hand to enjoy today.
 
That’s my preferred route. Although regardless of the route, I am not overly fond of sailing across Bay of Biscay. 🤢

strong sea legs, me. Found this out going across to Ireland on my very first ferry trip.

I love Biscay when it is rough. No queue at the bar and quiet in the restaurant.
 
Ev, I was told today that Brittany has some standing stones that make Stonehenge look like they really couldn’t be arsed.

Have a great trip.
 
Good morning

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It’ll be a fresh ride 🥶

First of all, give cat a treat to keep her quiet 😂

Next, have breakfast of champions.

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Fells very odd, having to eat this early in the morning.
 
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Hope you get to the tunnel on time!
I’m going a London-tunnel journey to France in a few weeks, in a little mini though.
 
Hope you get to the tunnel on time!
I’m going a London-tunnel journey to France in a few weeks, in a little mini though.
Well, as it is the case with Wapping’s recent experiences, I have turned up at the check-in bot just over half an hour after check-in has opened at 4:24am, I was given a choice of train, as I am on my own and not waiting for some mates to rock up form different parts of UK, I naturally chosen an earlier crossing, meaning I can grab some 💤 later on, at one of many France’ fabulous Aires.
I believe that had I rocked up at the time of check has opened, the. I would’ve been on the train, departing 1 hour earlier.

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Not the best night sleep, a combination of excitement to be going away and being used to going to bed at around 22:30-23:00, I was wide awake until just gone 23:10. So only around 3 hours kip was had with some in and out bits between 21:00 and 23:00

This morning…

Being a good neighbourhood resident that I am, I have started the bike and instantly rode off, switching into the highest gear ASAP.
I like to let the motor warm up a touch before riding on, so pulled over a couple of minutes later on off slip road of dual carriageway, to let the motor warm up a little.

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I left home a little later than planned, but still made good time, despite the 50mph limit on M25 between A1M and M11 junctions, with not a single bit of any evidence of roadworks or indeed any workforce present. :nenau

I’ve pulled in at Tesco to top off with fuel 9 miles short of the check-in terminal at Le Shuttle.

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£10.50 is about right for a circa 90 odd miles.

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It is a very easy way to get into from the M20

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One gripe of mine is, that Chunnel staff seem (perhaps I am wrong) to have no good understanding with regards to loading. They load the bikes last, meaning when we (bikers) disembark, we have to breathe the fumes of all these cars front, after all the bikes are loaded into the last carriage of the train, with only single carriage in front of us being left empty. Surely it makes sense to load the bikes first, then we can be off without having to poison ourselves with exhaust fumes of circa 100 cars leaving the train before us. Rant over.

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Plenty of tricked up (and noisy) Beemers are heading across this morning too. More than likely to have a bit of fun at The Ring.


I took this pic before matey (in the far distance on the right) has made his way over, asked me to move over into the far right lane.

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Train moved off the platform right on time. I did expect this. 😎

And no sooner as I finish typing this post, we emerge out the tunnel and into France.

I like a filthy window me, not.

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More later….
 
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I left home a little later than planned, but still made good time, despite the 50mph limit on M25 between A1M and M11 junctions, with not a single bit of any evidence of roadworks or indeed any workforce present. :nenau
System test - whatever that means. Been like for at least the last 6 weeks or so.
 
Out the terminal, onto southbound A16 and come off 1km later at Coquelles.

Upon entering the village, at the roundabout they have a monument (if you like) on it. A great lump of metal that is the front end of the TBM that had snaked its way under the La Manche, creating the tunnels that I had used this morning to cross over into France.
I did fail to pull over somewhere safely to take a picture, so here is one curtesy of Google.

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Following on, a village of Sangatte, “feels good to be back 😝” it is a joke Arsey and I share. 🤣

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Couldn’t be bothered walking to take a leak on the train, so what better place to stop for one with a view like this, just outside of Sangatte.

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Look closer and those are the White Cliffs of Dover.

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Pulled into the village of Framezelle* at a @Wapping favourite.

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At 08:30 it did not look open to me, so I rode on, to the carpark of Cap Griz-Nez.
I come prepared. I do learn from me Northern Friend @Doc

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Brew on…

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Followed by a blueberry jam yoghurt that I’ve packed last night.

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*shite roads people say in Northern France. :rob
I can ride this section of road every day and have a goggle doing it.

More later…
 


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