- Joined
- Oct 10, 2004
- Messages
- 3,580
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France and Spain
A rather leisurely high-speed dash
How can something be both high-speed and leisurely? When there's a group of ten or eleven riders trying to keep together. I couldn't get on the same Eurotunnel as the rest of Steptoe's group, so left Eastbourne at 0450 to catch the 0700 Speedferries crossing to Boulogne (£19 each way). As I was a good couple of hours ahead of the group I then ambled down the coast on side roads. The group never did catch up and in the end I travelled by myself as far as Bordeaux (620 miles from home) where I had secured six twin bedrooms for the eleven riders.
We left around 0700 the second day and travelled on through Spain. 'Novice' and I became separated from the rest of the group when he pulled in for a sandwich and I followed to keep him company. Of the remaining nine riders, three stayed overnight at Jaen and six at Granada. Novice and I ended up another 40 miles further on having covered 730 miles that day.
Look Ma, I'm in Morocco
On the third day eight of the group rendevoused at Algeciras for the 1000 crossing to Ceuta. The border crossing into Morocco was as chaotic as usual, and Fanum then led us on an interesting road south of Chefchaouen to Zoumi and then to Ouazzane.
I became separated from the group the second time when I gained a fly in my eye. After riding with one eye closed for a couple of miles I decided it would be safer to wash the eye in optrex. It seems nobody was aware I'd dropped off the back. I rode the remaining 70-80 miles solo to the Ibis Hotel at Fes where we'd discussed stopping, but nobody else turned up. There's been an ongoing problem since the New Year sending text messages in Morocco via Orange, so I was out of touch.
I stuck the bike in the secure parking compound at the Ibis, had a terribly expensive (80DH) tanjine and fell into bed.
A rather leisurely high-speed dash
How can something be both high-speed and leisurely? When there's a group of ten or eleven riders trying to keep together. I couldn't get on the same Eurotunnel as the rest of Steptoe's group, so left Eastbourne at 0450 to catch the 0700 Speedferries crossing to Boulogne (£19 each way). As I was a good couple of hours ahead of the group I then ambled down the coast on side roads. The group never did catch up and in the end I travelled by myself as far as Bordeaux (620 miles from home) where I had secured six twin bedrooms for the eleven riders.
We left around 0700 the second day and travelled on through Spain. 'Novice' and I became separated from the rest of the group when he pulled in for a sandwich and I followed to keep him company. Of the remaining nine riders, three stayed overnight at Jaen and six at Granada. Novice and I ended up another 40 miles further on having covered 730 miles that day.
Look Ma, I'm in Morocco
On the third day eight of the group rendevoused at Algeciras for the 1000 crossing to Ceuta. The border crossing into Morocco was as chaotic as usual, and Fanum then led us on an interesting road south of Chefchaouen to Zoumi and then to Ouazzane.
I became separated from the group the second time when I gained a fly in my eye. After riding with one eye closed for a couple of miles I decided it would be safer to wash the eye in optrex. It seems nobody was aware I'd dropped off the back. I rode the remaining 70-80 miles solo to the Ibis Hotel at Fes where we'd discussed stopping, but nobody else turned up. There's been an ongoing problem since the New Year sending text messages in Morocco via Orange, so I was out of touch.
I stuck the bike in the secure parking compound at the Ibis, had a terribly expensive (80DH) tanjine and fell into bed.
Feckers 
Well done Tim on pressing on "alone" 
.My comments were intended as light hearted for those who may be offended 
