Tour de France 2010

juli 2010

The first trip I made a proper attempt at journaling. This is a 'remastered' version, with some filters run to help the colour balance on my old camera phone, and locations/routes plotted using my journal and matching pictures to streetview. Les mer

39fotspor
3land
17dager
137bilder
0videoer
2,1kkilometer
958kilometer
717kilometer
460kilometer

Følg Kalender Del Bøtteliste

Reisende Tour de France 2010
- Vis reise
- Legg til bøttelisteFjern fra bøtteliste
- Del
- 1. jul. 2010, 08:45
- ☁️ 18 °C
- Høyde: 59 m
- England Epsom Epsom Railway Station 51.333744, -0.26799351°20’1” N 0°16’5” W
Dag 1
Epsom
1. juli 2010, England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Started from Epsom after a gear check with Chris, who would be joining me later. Rode into London, mostly following the Thames to reach Kings-Cross St Pancras - before taking the 14:04 Eurostar to Gare du Nord in Paris.Les mer
Se oversettelse
0 liker
Reisende Tour de France 2010
- Vis reise
- Legg til bøttelisteFjern fra bøtteliste
- Del
- 1. jul. 2010, 16:00
- ☁️ 24 °C
- Høyde: 50 m
- Frankrike Hauts-de-France Campagne-lès-Guines Forêt de Guînes 50.841747, 1.88041650°50’30” N 1°52’49” E
Dag 1
My first Eurostar trip
1. juli 2010, Frankrike ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
My first trip through 'the Chunnel' and on Eurostar. This doubled as my late lunch stop; the Eurostar light lunch included a small cheese pie, a medley of vegetables with a small side salad, bread and a cake.Les mer
Se oversettelse
0 liker
Reisende Tour de France 2010
- Vis reise
- Legg til bøttelisteFjern fra bøtteliste
- Del
- 1. jul. 2010, 19:00
- 🌙 32 °C
- Høyde: 80 m
- Frankrike Île-de-France Paris Paris 05 Ancien - Quartier Faubourg-Saint-Denis Paris Nord Souterrain Railway Station 48.881397, 2.35743848°52’53” N 2°21’27” E
Dag 1
Paris
1. juli 2010, Frankrike ⋅ 🌙 32 °C
Because of some delays collecting my bike and some miscalculation on my part I didn't get to role out from Gare du Nord station untuil about 19:00: far too late to make my target milage.

With the late start, there wasn't much time to look around, but I stopped at a few icons that were broadly on the way - this being my first trip to Paris since I was in my early teens.

City riding is slow, due to poor acceleration on a heavy bike and having to slow for speed bumps etc. Even so, I rode down the Seine heading toward the forests south of Paris.Les mer
Se oversettelse
0 liker
Reisende Tour de France 2010
- Vis reise
- Legg til bøttelisteFjern fra bøtteliste
- Del
- 2. jul. 2010, 00:00
- ☁️ 25 °C
- Høyde: 95 m
- Frankrike Île-de-France Étiolles La Garenne Forêt de Sénart 48.667065, 2.47168648°40’1” N 2°28’18” E
Dag 2
A night in the forest
2. juli 2010, Frankrike ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
I rode down as far the forests south of Paris. Even though it didn't really get dark untuil around 22:00, to achieve that I had to ride into the night.

As far as I knew, I was still a long way from any camp site, and it was far too late to rock-up at one anyhow. Thoroughly tired out after over 14 hours of travel, and short on water I stopped at around 00:00. As I hadn't made it to a site I had to "camp sauvage": just put the hammock up and had a sleep for a while.

I woke up on my net hammock in the woods, to bright sunshine and to find I had been half eaten by mosquitos. I then realised that I having scrambled my way into the trees through the undergrowth to be out of the way of the path I had come in on, I had just ended up close to another. It being after 06:30 there were already people walking and running the path; no question it was time to move on.Les mer
Se oversettelse
0 liker
Reisende Tour de France 2010
- Vis reise
- Legg til bøttelisteFjern fra bøtteliste
- Del
- 2. jul. 2010, 11:00
- 🌙 30 °C
- Høyde: 32 m
- Frankrike Île-de-France Boissise-la-Bertrand 48.521645, 2.58557248°31’18” N 2°35’8” E
Dag 2
Boissise-le-Roi - croissant and snooze
2. juli 2010, Frankrike ⋅ 🌙 30 °C
I headed south east throguh the forests, rejoining the Seine for a few stretches. I managed to stock up on water - I have a further 6l stapped on the bike now, but am yet to find a supply of camping gaz. Also picked up a berret for that French-man look.

A poor night's rest in the woods meant that I didn't really have much in the way of energy. I stopped for a late morning snooze break in the shade of a tree on the bank of the river.Les mer
Se oversettelse
0 liker
Reisende Tour de France 2010
- Vis reise
- Legg til bøttelisteFjern fra bøtteliste
- Del
- 2. jul. 2010, 14:20
- ☁️ 34 °C
- Høyde: 64 m
- Frankrike Île-de-France Fontainebleau 48.402039, 2.69744148°24’7” N 2°41’51” E
Dag 2
Petit Vile' Fontainebleau
2. juli 2010, Frankrike ⋅ ☁️ 34 °C
I slowly made my way to the historic town of Petit Vile' Fontainebleau. I mostly used beautiful forestry tracks through the surrounding Fonainleaux foreest. The bumpy, rooted trails did seem to be steadily destroying my laden bike though.

I arrived about 14:30, just a few minutes after the conventional lunch time; as a result I had some issues getting food in the town. Feeling the need to eat before continuing, I loitered around the town for some hours.Les mer
Se oversettelse
0 liker
Reisende Tour de France 2010
- Vis reise
- Legg til bøttelisteFjern fra bøtteliste
- Del
- 2. jul. 2010, 17:30
- ☁️ 31 °C
- Høyde: 46 m
- Frankrike Île-de-France Saint-Mammès Loing 48.382103, 2.80237248°22’56” N 2°48’9” E
Dag 2
Camping le Lido
2. juli 2010, Frankrike ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
As there had been a number of set-backs I elected to take the afternoon off and end the day in the Fontainebleau area. I stayed at a camp site on the south eastern edge of the Fontenbleaux forest, which isn't great progress, but not disasterous either.

I spent the early evening making a rich minestrone soup. I also trued my wheel (some of the spokes were loosening under the load) and reenforcing the cable tie bodge on the pannier. I also looked up the french for, "my pannier rack in broken" - "ma port-de-bagage en case'" just in case.

It does seem like there might be some problems with the solar charging. I got plenty of sun during the day, but the gorilla battery didn't seem to be holding much juice; it's only given lappy a couple of exrta %age points of power.

There was a thunderstorm in the morning and the tent has done ok. I stayed put until it passed which I think was the smart move. I'm hoping that with the rain and cloud it will be a good day to put in some miles as the heat has definitly been an issue so far.

The camp site owner had lent me a canister of camping gaz, so I could cook. When I made to return it the self sealing seal... didn't, so I quickly reattached my stove to prevent the gas from escaping. Not feeling my French was up to explaining a valve failure and definitely not wanting to spray pressurised butane around to demonstrate, I quietly left camp.

On the bright side, this should be a good position to start a big push towards Dijon.Les mer
Se oversettelse
0 liker
Reisende Tour de France 2010
- Vis reise
- Legg til bøttelisteFjern fra bøtteliste
- Del
- 3. jul. 2010, 18:55
- 🌧 24 °C
- Høyde: 145 m
- Frankrike Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Auxerre Jonches 47.80743, 3.5962347°48’27” N 3°35’46” E
Dag 3
Auxerre
3. juli 2010, Frankrike ⋅ 🌧 24 °C
There was a thunderstorm this morning and the tent has done ok. I stayed put until it passed which I think was the smart move, but means I wasn’t underway until after noon. I'm hoping that with the rain and cloud it will be a good day to put in some miles as the heat has definitly been an issue so far.

The camp site owner had lent me a canister of camping gaz, so I could cook. When I made to return it the self sealing seal... didn't, so I quickly reattached my stove to prevent the gas from escaping. Not feeling my French was up to explaining a valve failure and definitely not wanting to spray pressurised butane around to demonstrate, I quietly left camp.

Other than the risk of a gas explosion the day was one of uneventful, overcast riding through the French countryside passed the town of Auxerre. The roads and tracks were at times less than than ideal.

High points so far have been a number of "thumbs-ups" from passing motorists, and a "Le Tour!!!" shouted at me by another passing motorist.Les mer
Se oversettelse
0 liker
Reisende Tour de France 2010
- Vis reise
- Legg til bøttelisteFjern fra bøtteliste
- Del
- 4. jul. 2010, 13:39
- ☁️ 23 °C
- Høyde: 260 m
- Frankrike Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Pontaubert Champien Avallon 47.486938, 3.9071247°29’13” N 3°54’26” E
Dag 4
Avallon
4. juli 2010, Frankrike ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
On the evening of the 3rd, I made it to a camp site at Vermenton, about 25Km out side of Avallon. Camping les Coullemières was almost full, and it was quite late; at first it looked like I might be turned away, until another guest highliged that 'monsiour sur la vello'. The camp site was beautifully lit and had a friendly vibe.

Not sure what that would make yesterday's milage, but given a few detours, getting losts and the fact that its a seriously dog-leg route, I think I must have crossed the 100 mile mark in terms of pedaling since Paris. I've stopped for lunch and exploration in Avallon; that places me just over 1 day behind what my ittinerary says (I had aimed to camp here on the evening of the second).

I took a little time to explore the medieval town; I had been hooked by the idea of visiting as soon as I saw the name and that it was roughly on route plan that I was forming. I had a pleasant lunch In Avallon next to the town's striking clocktower. I even felt compelled and brave enough to attempt some intermediate French in praise of the meal.

I consulted my map over lunch; I've made it about half way from Paris to Genvea (possibly just under). As there have been only two "proper" riding days thats not too shabby. I think I'm still well on course to be at the rendezvous in Genva on the night of the 6th.

Speaking of my map, yesterday's harvest of solar power was around 10%, perhaps a little more if I'm being optimistic. Its not staggering, but its enough to get by for a while, although I am concerned about keeping the mobile charged for the satnav. To be honest I'm 99% sure I can make Dijon from here without a map or satnav, and 80% sure I could make Geneva unaided too, however I've precisley no apitite for testing that theory.Les mer
Se oversettelse
0 liker
Reisende Tour de France 2010
- Vis reise
- Legg til bøttelisteFjern fra bøtteliste
- Del
- 4. jul. 2010, 19:00
- 🌙 26 °C
- Høyde: 389 m
- Frankrike Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Grosbois-en-Montagne 47.31356, 4.60743447°18’49” N 4°36’27” E
Dag 4
Lac de Grosbois-en-Montagne
4. juli 2010, Frankrike ⋅ 🌙 26 °C
With nearly 100Km behind me so far today, I stoped for a break and an ice cream at Lac de Grosbois-en-Montagne.

When I moved to set off, I discovered I had cracked the rim of the front wheel - no idea how, possibly on a particularly sketchy descent through a pot-holed town.

With about 40Km to go before Dijon I've no option but to deactive my front brake caliper, to stop the broken rim fouling against the breakpad. Relying entirely on my back brake with a loaded touring bike... what could go wrong?Les mer
Se oversettelse
0 liker