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Tuesday, 3rd September 2019
A cool start to the day, 14C, autumn is approaching, but, by lunch time it was a very pleasant 23C.
Cycling in the morning, before the heat builds up, along the cycle route beside the River Moselle, toward Nancy, beyond where we went yesterday, for ten miles.
The cycle track is superb, good smooth tarmac most of the way, and, almost all traffic free.
It occurs to me that we have not seen any passing boat traffic, although the river and sections of canal are clearly meant for major size boats.
For example, we pass this super sized lock at one point.
No sooner have I had this thought, than a barge converted into a pleasure boat comes along. Banners on the sides tell us it is a "cycling cruise" whatever that may be?
We make it back to Pont-a-Mousson to enjoy a cold beer for me, and a shandy (Panache) for Kathleen.
The day is not all pleasure, I have run our of red wine, so, it is necessary to find a shop! Google to the rescue, tells us there is a Lidl 1.6km (1 mile) away. We walk there stock up with goodies, including red wine.
Wednesday, 4th September 2019
A repeat of yesterday, a cool start, 14C, but, by lunch time it was a very pleasant 23C.
Kathleen has a repeat of the "mysterious" tingling and skin blemishes on the legs. This first happened when we were visiting Rome, several years ago. No satisfactory explanation really? Is it the heat, is it walking? A day of rest and relaxation, I think, today.
We book in for another two days.
For me, a cycle ride to Lidl, for various essentials.
Reading the BBC news is depressing, the Brexit saga lumbers on, it looks as if we will be returning to a General Election. Our Dutch neighbours are politely mystified by UK's "goings on".
Thursday, 5th September 2019
A decidedly cool 15C start to the day, but, 20C, with sunshine, by lunch time.
We cycle 25 miles, there and back, along the Moselle, to the North, Pont-a-Mousson - Noveant-sur-Moselle.
A lunch stop, beer and the PMU Bar and chips from the Kebab shop, all paid for by Kathleen.
This latter point may require some clarification. This morning, before we set out, Kathleen was counting how many Euros she had left. Now, we have been in France for ten days, and, she started with 125Euro, this morning, she has 95Euro left, so, only 30Euro spent in tent days, no wonder she has money in the bank!
Saturday, 31st August 2019
Camping Les Rives du Lac, contd...
Clear blue sky, 34C by lunch time.
Today, was planned as a "take it easy day", after yesterday's efforts, but, we went for a short cycle ride, along the VoieVelo, in the opposite direction to yesterday, and, ten miles later, at Radonvilliers, decided we should turn around and head back, so, twenty miles in total!
Sadly Kathleen's picnic organising skills are not as good as her cycling skills, and, in ten miles, we fail to spot a bar or shop, so, we have to wait until we get back to the van, for sustenance.
We have received the link for Bryan and Joans blog here, but, cannot add a comment for some reason!
Sunday, 1st September 2019
Camping Les Rives du Lac, contd...
After the excellent weather we have had so far, a disappointing start to the day, a cool 18C, cloudy, with occasional showers.
The plan for today was to have an easy, relaxing day, after our two consecutive "20 miles" days. But, it is Sunday, so, Kathleen is determined to go to church (in Lusigny-sur-Barse). There is a church there, and, Kathleen's enquiries at the adjacent hairdressers, suggested there was a mass at 10:30, Sunday, either that, or, she has made a hair dressing appointment for then!
Well, after pedalling 6.5 miles, there is no Mass. All is not lost, the Carrefour is open, so, we are able to stock up on some essentials, ie wine.
Monday, 2nd September 2019
Leave Géraudot today, heading for Port Plaisance, Nancy, 48.6921, 6.19346, a rather expensive Aire (25Euro/night) with reasonable reviews on Search for a Site website, roughly 125 miles.
On arrival, not impressed, scrappy appearance, some kind of trench digging in progress, alongside very busy road, all that for 17Euro/night, no thank you.
So, we pushed on to Pont-a-Mousson N48 54'4" E6 3'51", an Aire we have used before, some years ago.
Marked out bays. Divided into two sections (surprisingly, named section 1 and section 2), water and electricity at each bay, good quality showers and toilets available 08:00-20:00 at the modern Capitainaire building, very pleasant Attendant, all for 10Euro/night.
Town approximately five minutes walk.
Once "settled in", Kathleen announces she would like to go for a short cycle ride, to
explore.
We end up doing just over 12 miles along an excellent cycle track alongside the River Moselle.
We spend the evening in the sun, drinking wine, it is a hard life. ;)
A slight puzzle, to me at least, is, why is it called "Pont-a-Mousson", true, there is a bridge (Pont), but, the River is the Moselle, so, why not "Pont-a-Moselle"?
Thursday, 29th August 2019
A much cooler 18C as we leave Amiens.
Approximately 140 easy miles to our next stop, which is planned as Lac d'Orient, Mesnil-St-Pere, but, see below!
We arrive at Mesnil-St-Pere, about 20 miles East of Troyes, as we drive along the very attractive beach on the lake shore, it looks ominously busy.
We find Lac d'Orient, (N48 15'48" E4 20' 48"). As we thought, it does not look promising, there is a queue of five or six vans/caravans snaking out of the entrance. Sure enough, it is full, the first time in 12 years of roaming mainland Europe, with nothing booked, that we have been turned away!
The young lady in Reception gives us a slip of paper with several alternative sites (being full is clearly not unusual!).
We settle on Camping Les Rives du Lac, (N48 18"10' E4 20" 16") at Geraudot, about five miles along the lake shore. It is after 17:00 when we arrive there, fortunately, they have spaces available.
Friday, 30th August 2019
A glorious day, 25C, blue sky.
In our haste to find a pitch yesterday, we inadvertently chose the spot where all of the children on the site, gathered to feed the horses, in the adjacent field.
The children are no real problem, but, they can make a surprising amount of noise, plus, after a couple of falling down incidents, when Kathleen had to use her nursing skills on grazed knees, we decided it would be more restful to move!
This we duly did, this morning.
Yes, we are grumpy old gets, I agree!
Next task, since Sunday is approaching, find the Church.
We cycle along the excellent dedicated cycle route, into the vlllage (Geraudot). There is a church, but, no Mass this Sunday, but, we do find a notice board, with Masses listed at various nearby(?) villages.
We cycle on, still on an excellent tarmac dedicated cycle track (why can't we do things like this in UK?), around the Lac d'Orient. According to the signposting, the cycle track goes all the way to Troyes (30km away), at the 15km remaining point, we turn around and head back, to clock up just over 20 miles in total. We even find a sandwich shop, and, equally importantly, a bar.
After further household chores (ie clothes washing), without a single word of complaint, Kathleen relaxes with a Magnum Ice Cream.
Tuesday, 27th August 2019
A hot morning, after an equally hot and humid night.
Approximately 100 miles to Amiens.
The journey is not straight forward. There is a road closure (Route Barre), this of course sends the Sat-Nav into a cycle of "turn around when possible" and "recalculating route", as we attempt to follow the diversion signs.
What to do?
I call on my back-up navigator, but, "the voice" says "I have not got a clue where we are", not sure that one is in the Sat-Nav repetoire.
Les Parc des Cygnes (N49.921009, E2.2599) chosen after reading reviews. As always, necessary to remember everyone has different standards. This site has some good points, ie, close to Amiens Centre, with a bus (which is free on hot days, when they wish to discourage cars entering the city!), and, good cycling tracks. It's down side is, facilities are at the bottom end of the scale we consider acceptable, clean, but, basic, and, not adequate in quantity.
It is incredibly hot, 35C!
Given the heat, we lie about in the shade until late afternoon, then, we venture out on the bicycles, to Amiens and along the River Somme cycle route.
Overnight thunderstorm, very brief.
Wednesday, 28th August 2019
Last nights thunderstorm seems to have cooled thing down a little, a very pleasant morning, 22C.
We need some cash, we have been existing on the few Euro we had left over since last trip!
Cycle into Amiens, test out my Starling Bank Debit card, to make commission free withdrawals of Euros, it works, sadly, the exchange rate continues to fall (£1 = Euro1.10), it would appear the Money Markets are not as confident as Boris! Who to trust?
We do the inevitable Cathedral visit. There are many photographs in the Cathedral of the restoration works, after WW1.
We follow up with a very pleasant stroll around Amiens, with a sandwich and a beer for lunch.
How DO the French manage to make their towns/cities so pleasant?
Fortified, we cycle West along the banks of the Somme, according to Google, the excellent cycle track continues on to the Baie de Somme, but, we manage only 21 miles!
Wednesday, 21st August 2019 - Sunday 25th August 2019
Preparations begin.
To be honest, preparation did begin a little sooner, updating Maps in Sat-Nav, checking tyre pressures, checking gas bottles, converting our Tesco points to Tunnel Vouchers (£99 discount, not bad!), etc.
But, today, Wednesday, Kathleen begins "the packing". I am little or no help, since my attitude is "if we have forgotten something, we will either, do without it, or, buy one", after all, France is a civilised Country, with shops etc.
By Saturday, lawns are cut, weeding done, garden is tidy.
The "standard" before photographs of the garden are taken, ready for the judging, on our return, have the "kids" earned their inheritance?
A final cycle ride, this morning, around our regular Washington Circuit, before packing the bicycles in the Motorhome Garage. Hopefully, we are going to get many miles of pleasant cycling, in the coming weeks.
Monday, 26th August 2019
An early start, well, 09:00.
Three hundred and twenty miles, with minimal hold ups, for a sunny Bank Holiday.
A sticky 30C, not ideal for travelling.
A meal stop at Maidstone, then on to the Tunnel Terminal.
Our most slick crossing ever, we are offered an earlier crossing, for no charge (19:06 instead of 20:20), we are straight on the shuttle, in pole position, to be first off.
By 21:00 French time, we are parked in Cite Europe, N50 55' 57" E1 48'48", and drinking a cool beer!
Tuesday, 2nd July 2019
Sunny and 20C, just slightly cooler than yesterday.
Kathleen has declared a day of "taking it easy", no cycling marathons today.
A walk to the village shop, to replenish essentials, followed by a very pleasant four mile ramble through the surrounding countryside.
A lazy afternoon of reading, followed by dinner at The Swan Inn.
Wednesday, 3rd July 2019
Sunny and warm 23C, with barely any breeze.
A gentle cycle ride to Upton-on-Severn, a mere 5 miles or so each way, nothing when compared to our recent exploits.
Kathleen again visits the Hospice Charity shop, they will be giving her a loyalty card if she goes much more often. All of the waistcoats appear to have been sold, it must have been those visiting the Jazz Festival, at the weekend.
Refreshments, at one of the pubs on the river bank, before returning to Hanley Swan.
We while away the afternoon cooking steaks and eating in the sunshine,
Thursday, 4th July 2019
Another beautiful morning, it is 21C at 09:00 as I pack away final outdoor "things".
An easy journey home, M5-M42-M1-M18-A1M, only one hold-up!
Home by 15:30.
Sunday, 30th June 2019
What is it with us Brits? We get one hot day, and, we are all begging for a bit of "cool" weather! Today obliges, it is only 22C, with a gentle breeze.
After yesterday's 30 miles of cycling, we have a more sedate walk through the fields, surrounding Hanley Swan, followed by a pint in the Swan Inn, by the village pond.
Monday, 1st July 2019
Sunny with cloud and 21C, a bit breezy.
We cycle to Worcester.
19 miles, there and back. Not as far as Tewkesbury, but, more "undulating"!
Worcester is an attractive place, magnificent Cathedral, and a City Centre which appears to be thriving.
One omission appears to be any shops selling actual food!, there are dozens of cafes and restaurants, plus of course shops selling clothes, shoes, phones etc etc, but, we could not find a simple Tesco Metro or similar. I was beginning to fear we would have no bread, for my planned bacon sandwiches!, but, the day was saved by a small convenience store on the way back to the site, in a village called "Callow End".
