STAGE 1 (Day 3): Bray-Dunes to Albert

Le Grand Départ  

Distance:        100 miles
    

Climb:            3593 feet 

Moving Time:  8hrs 28mins

The true first day of our north-to-south adventure across France, and the second 100-mile étape of our charity cycle challenge. This stage sees us revisit some of the landmarks of our WWI Memorials and Monuments training ride earlier in May.

 
FUN FACT: The route passes through Lens which, in 1526, was made part of the Spanish Netherlands under the ownership of the French monarchy, and only passed back to France in 1659 with the Treaty of the Pyrenees (named after the mountain range straddling the French/Spanish border where our journey ends on 11 June). Today's destination of Albert is twinned with Ulverston, a market town Cumbria, which lies a few miles south of the Lake District National Park.

DAILY DEBRIEF

Having cycled over 150 miles, we finally started the ride proper and what better way to start than with a 100-mile stage.

When Paul planned the route he said it was 98 miles, but all of our tracking gadgets at the end indicated that we had tipped over the 100-mile mark. We started the day gathering by the beach at Bray-Dunes, the nearest point to the most northerly tip of France. We resisted the temptation to dip our wheels in the sea as it would’ve involved riding over lots of sand as the tide was out. With the sound of distant waves breaking on the shore, we began our journey south.

The early morning sun was attempting to push through the hazy clouds as we pedalled our way into the countryside. Soon we were riding the flatlands of French Flanders, where most of the place names are Dutch, flanked by a landscape resembling the Fenlands where both Paul and Richard spent some of their formative years.

Facing a nagging headwind we decided that the best course of action was to take it in five-minute turns to lead our tiny peloton, and then “rest” for the next five. This tactic ensured that we maintained a strong pace along the roads between fields. It may also explain why our average speed dropped considerably post-85 miles.

Being a Saturday morning there were lots of other cyclists on the roads, many in large groups. Paul and Richard both looked on at these significantly larger pelotons with some degree of envy.

Although riding on the flat is an attractive proposition (as Paul pointed out), it also means you cannot stop pedalling; however, taking turns to lead our progress continued to be rapid for men of a certain age.

Coffee and croissants were taken around the 30-mile mark: the sugar and caffeine injection was welcomed by both of us.

Reinforced by our sustenance, we pressed on to Béthune, our nominated rendezvous point with the support team. As with our previous LEJOG ride, supermarket car parks are the destination of choice for such meet-ups. 

Jacqui managed to find a shady parking spot having also negotiated the many and varied car park height restrictions. The support crew provided us with yet more sustenance and the chance to sit on a comfy seat with our shoes off. The latter quite necessary as there were four sore feet at the end of our legs.

Replenished, we moved into part two of the ride which we remembered as being somewhat more hilly from our recent tour of the World War I memorials.

This was indeed the case, and the combination of some of the poorest road surfaces we have ever experienced in France and some tricky little hills slowed our progress.

Climbing to Vimy Ridge we were overtaken by the support van as we all arrived at the monument to the Canadian war dead around the same time. The timing was fortunate because two minutes earlier they'd have witnessed us both having a wild wee.

Whilst the support crew stayed to look around the monument we pressed on past sheep grazing amongst the unexploded ordnance towards Arras.

Eschewing further memorials and cemeteries, our mission now was to get to Albert. By now most areas of our body were feeling a little tender. With our bikes sounding like a combination of a flock of sparrows and an industrial winch it was clear that our vehicles had come out in sympathy with us.

The last time we were in Albert was in a torrential downpour of rain but this time the weather played ball. With temperatures rising to 27° we were looking forward to a cold refreshing drink.

The support crew had by this time arrived at our campsite and secured excellent locations. Riding the last mile or so through the park we saw people enjoying the warm late afternoon sun, fishing, boating and swimming at the lake.

Stage two tomorrow is a veritable rest day at only 80 miles. Bring it on. Alex. What’s that?

A reminder of why we're doing this

Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care provides FREE services and support to ensure patients and families living with an advanced or terminal illness can make the most of their lives…because every day is precious!

Each penny or cent pledged is donated to the hospice to help fund the very best in end-of-life care. See our JustGiving page.