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July 2024 Update
Well, July has been a bit of a mixed bag. Preparation started well, as did my training on the bike. I got some decent miles in, solo, with Jane and with good friend Gordon who always manages to lift my level – mainly by hammering me! The Tour de France also came within a couple…
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Mini Tour of Central France
At the end of May I met up with Steve Lambert. Steve has, perhaps foolishly, agreed to ride with me for the Malay peninsular leg of the trip. We have ridden together a few times, but not many, not for much distance, and never back to back days. Certainly never with panniers, and definitely not…
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The Big Ride
Well it’s been a busy couple of years since my last proper post. The ride to my new home and new life in the summer of 2022 was a good one, with the only disappointment being that due to the excessively hot weather (44 degrees) and our self-imposed time constraint Jane didn’t quite get here…
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Dave and His Bike is back!
Following a short hiatus, the blog has been resurrected. I will soon be posting new rides, pictures, and the ongoing preparation for my next tour – The Big Ride. Watch this space…..
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Perigueux to La Roque
July 19th 2022 I was awake and up by 0650am. Breakfast by ten past, back in my room before half-past and a quick chat with Jane on FaceTime before my final pack and out on the road. I left with a certain degree of ambivalence, in that I wasn’t initially bothered about the ride itself,…
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Nontron to Perigueux
July 18th 2022 First day on my own. Not brilliant as I much prefer the chatter with Jane and the company we’ve had over the last couple of weeks. Ange & Steve dropped me back off in Nontron and reminded me to start my Garmin. So I did. Leisurely start due to the hour’s drive…
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Clussais-La-Pommeraie to Nontron
July 17th 2022 Not a good day. I slept reasonably well. Jane didn’t. She seemed fine at breakfast, but as soon as we left the B&B on the bikes (0845ish) she felt nauseous and tired. This was compounded by the first part of the route on ‘white roads’ (a Michelin map thing) which turned into…
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Bressuire to Clussais-La-Pommeraie
July 16th 2022 Awake by 0700 after a mixed night. Jane slept really well, I didn’t. No idea why as it was a really comfy bed. It was also huge. The buffet breakfast was excellent, and I had to drag myself away as (particularly when I’m cycling) I find it difficult to leave a table…
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Ingrandes to Bressuire
July 15th 2022 Awake at 0710am after a good nights sleep. Since the hotel was a couple of kilometres out of town we decided that breakfast in the restaurant was a reasonable idea. It was also included in the ‘demi-pension’ option which we had taken at dinner last night – effectively a half-board package which…
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Chateaubourg to Ingrandes
Update from yesterday. We strolled into town to find the Bal des Pompiers (loosely translated as Fireman’s Ball) in full swing with live music, food stalls (burger & fries each) and several bars. Brilliant evening! July 14th 2022 Bastille Day. National celebration of Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité. And a reason for cafés and restaurants not to…
Dave and his Bike
Hello and welcome to my cycling and travel blog…
