Follow our progress as we cycle from London to Paris

Our celebration dinner...

2010-06-18T02:44:00.001-07:00

After a chance to freshen up at our hotel, we wandered as a group to our restaurant Cafe du Commerce for our celebration dinner. See below some pics from the evening...

Awards were handed out to:
Kyle - for immense determination even though he had the worst saddle sore ever reported!
Chris M - for surviving 2 rounds of local anaesthetic in his foot, so he could pedal into Paris with the team
Nicki - for surviving a high speed tumble and getting back on her bike, both the day before her birthday!
Leo - for team work, stopping and helping to fix punctures and also geeing on the group when morale was low
Jeff and Paola - both for raising substantial amounts of money for CiC.

WE MADE IT!!!!

2010-06-14T12:24:00.000-07:00

What an achievement... 320km in 3 days and we made it!

And a great day cycling from Gourney to Paris too. See some pictures of Team CiC!

Day 2 good

2010-06-12T09:12:00.000-07:00

Too Good...

What a great day... Breakfast started late and then for a group warmup. Nick, decided to warm up in his own special way...

Claude, our TM gave a very thorough briefing - the word 'undulating' was used many times...

And what a beautiful day was to follow - 88km in total (a relatively short day) that was full of rolling hills, fruit stops and sunshine!

Leo looking super cool!!!!

Lunch was very good - chicken, rice and potates and was just what everybody needed! I nipped into a bike shop for a quick pit shop and left with a new seat post. No more van riding for me!

Joe sporting a hobbit pose!

Vaseline was definately the product of the day... and Tamsin has taken the nickname, Lube lady! Here is some proof. You know who you are!

See below a couple of pics en route in the afternoon...

Me and Sue with only 10 miles to go...

And a few riders coming into Gourney en Bray...

The football has begun and the wonderful people at the hotel have put on a screen for us in our dining room. A goal has been scored already and beers are flowing. I am wondering how everyone will react to their 5.30am early morning call. Tomorrow's ride is 108km into Paris and I can't wait to make it there. 2/3 of the way through the trip and I have had the most amazing time already - and made some amazing friends.

Bring on the Eiffel Tower.

AC

Day 1 survival...

2010-06-11T23:45:00.000-07:00

Team CIC...

So, you'll see from the blog yesterday that we set off early from Bexley in the lashing rain. Even those that were in full waterproofs were soaked through to the skin.

We made the first stop of the day a little early becuase of the rain, but soon ploughed onto Leg 2. Leg 2 was very tough - hilly and with everyone being soaked it was extreme determination that got some through. The pub break was welcomed and the lovely hosts provided tea and coffee to help people warm up.

Alex did amazingly - a real struggle on leg 2 with the hills but she really pushed through and completed the hard sections with pride.

Tom coming into stop 2

So, my bike happly broke which meant a small trip in the van (I was not the only one to hitch a lift!)

Some of the team coming in for lunch at The Tickled Trout

The hills after lunch were killers, but the team really stuck together and fought through. The snack stop mid afternoon was at the top of a very steep hill (I'll be having words with Classic Tours about that one!) but the ride into Dover was well worth the wait. We rode for 8 miles along the top of the cliffs to the Ferry. And what a welcome relief to see the port and our ferry.

Happy Jo, as we arrive into Dover...

Team CiC as we board the Ferry.

After a short ferry crossing to Dover, we transferred to our coach which brough us into Dieppe. After a good night sleep, everyone is down for breakfast and ready for another day. 88km day two - and it's supposed to be a good flatish ride. Fingers crossed.

Quote of the day 'I wish my arse would stop hurting' anon!

Word of the day 'undulating...' (anyone that has been on a Classic Tours ride knows that they LOVE this word).

2010-06-11T02:11:00.000-07:00

One of the CiC cyclists, Lauren Hill smiling as she cycles up one of the hills of the day.

Friday is the longest day, with the team facing a 116km cycle ride from London to Dover!

2010-06-11T02:06:00.000-07:00

Our Children in Crisis Charity Representative, Anna Cooper, wet but smiling as she and the team cycle through Rochester.

GO TEAM CHILDREN IN CRISIS!

1st stop of the day

2010-06-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

9.00am Friday morning: Our 35 cyclists have been on route now for an hour and a half, and are just taking a quick break outside Rochester.

Anna has just called me to say that despite being lashed by torrential rainfall since leaving at 7.30am this morning, everyone is very happy and plowing on with amazing determination regardless.

All that wet weather gear has definitely come in handy though!

Everyone in the Children in Crisis office is immensely proud of all the team, and are woefully looking out of the windows like mother hens, praying for the rain to stop.

GO TEAM!!!

Lucy x

Nerves have disappeared, I am now EXCITED!

2010-06-10T14:39:00.000-07:00

So, I have arrived safely at the start point in Bexley and have had a great meeting with Miriam and Claude my tour managers from Classic Tours. They have made me feel a little calmer!

It was great to see some participants too - Alex was very relaxed on the sofa in the bar blogging away! And Leo, Amanda and Candice were also in very good spirits. I am hoping that Candice has found her padded shorts - she thinks she has left them at work!

I have just been checking out people's justgiving pages and am totally amazed at how well people have done. Jeff is up to £5,200 as is Paola! Totally amazing... The team from H&J are also up there - they are up to £5K too which is great. And that's what it's all about - raising huge amounts for CiC and having a great time.

So, anyway - to bed for me as the early morning call is set for 5.30am. Breakfast at 6am and participants are all arriving from 6.30am. Then the fun begins. Let's all hope and pray that the weather people have it all wrong for tomorrow. It's NOT GOING TO RAIN!

Rain forecast...

2010-06-08T07:19:00.000-07:00

So, rain is forecast for Friday. Great. The day when we have the toughest hills and have the furthest to go and we get rain. And not just a sprinkling. Heavy showers are forecast! So please remember riders, to bring your wet weather gear and high vis stuff. I hate getting wet!

I quite enjoyed not cycling to work this morning for the first time in about 3 months. Instead, I sat in the luxury of my car and drove in! I have so many boxes to take home in preparation for Friday - there is no way I could have strapped it all the the back of my bike!

The Viper fuel arrived courtesy of Cat @ Maximuscle. It's for those that need the extra boost of energy throughout the ride (I think it'll be all gone by the end of Friday!)

For those of you that want to know - our celebration dinner is at Café du Commerce in Paris. I am very much looking forward to it (because when we get to dinner on Sunday, it means that the ride is all over!)

Catch you tomorrow.
AC

Recovering from Saturday training...

2010-06-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

So it's now Monday afternoon and I am fully recovered from my training ride on Saturday. I attempted to cycle from N1, London to Brighton (62 miles). It was a hot day and also we had no food in the house so I had a grapefruit for breakfast (not really a great start!). Some awful map reading on my part lead us to a dual carriageway in Croydon which was rather scary! Needless to say, I didn't make it to Brighton. The hills killed me as did the 28 deg heat. I caught the train home from Burgess Hill - about 8 miles short of Brighton. The thought of Devil's Dyke nearly made me sick and I could not carry on!

I slept well on Saturday night once I got home - from about 7pm to 10am Sunday morning (15hrs!) All that fresh air!!! No aches and pains on Sunday which is always a good sign. But the thought of carrying on for another two days does fear me with dread!

Only 4 days until 'the off'. Final preparations are under way. Bag packing. Carb loading. Ibuprofen purchasing! The list is endless. I am just hoping my extra padded shorts I have bought on-line, arrive on time!

1 week to go

2010-06-04T03:23:00.000-07:00

So, a week today and we'll be off! I can't quite believe it is nearly here - all the training and preparation I have been doing in recent weeks will soon be put into practice!

It was great to meet most of the riders this week at our get-together. A really lovely bunch of people. I think we'll have a great trip to Paris.

Whilst we are away, I will be blogging every night so friends and families can keep up to date with what we are doing and how the day has gone. I'll also be uploading pictures!

I am doing my final long training ride tomorrow, London to Brighton. Weather is set to be good and I am hoping for a good ride!

See you all next week.

Sunny weekend ahead...

2010-05-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

So it's Friday afternoon and only 3 weeks to go until our cycle challenge from London to Paris. I hope that you'll all make the most of the warm weather expected over the weekend and get out on your bikes!

I am planning on a long ride on Sunday - about 4/5 hours I think. I'll let you all know how it goes.