13 - 21 August Ireland, Mizen to Malin Head

Sat - Tudor cars at 7:30. Long queues at Aer Lingus desk, so much for online checking speeding up the process. Now at Cork Airport waiting for tour bus with othe Bike Adventure clients. Have met Edwin who is from Chorleywood, what an amazing (Gill thinks) coincidence.

Now here the tale of our tour from Mrs M:


Day 1 Sat.  Flew to Cork. Arrived 11 30 and met by Chris (female) and Graham of Bike Adventures. Minibus to beyond Schull and lovely b and b with giggly smiley Violet to greet us at Fort View guest house.

Walked to the north of the peninsular to Dunmanus bay with an old fort keep ruin about a mile down the road.

Taken out in Jim's minibus to Schull for dinner in pub, where we had (another) amazing coincidence of meeting Mary and anaesthetist from Dublin who we had met before at Val d'Isere.  She has a 2nd home in Schull on the sea front, and we went there for coffee

Day 2 Sun   Woke to Sunshine!  Amazing breakfast with scones and croissant.

Cycled to other b and b from ours then off to the west along the peninsula. To the Mizen Head bridge and light house - amazing coastal route.

Headed back from the most SW point.  Gorgeous ride along coast.

Climb up to view over Bantry Bay.

Down to Bantry then slow haul to Glengarriff with good views and still wonderful sunshine. Eccles Hotel with beautiful view over the bay.

Walked into town and sat and listened to guitar and banjo duo with a drink outside in the sunshine seafood supper at Rainbow cafe.

Early night 9pm! 55 miles

Day 3 Monday. Raining!

 Set off to Kenmare. Very long up in cloud. But lovely down into Kenmare -  annual horse fair incredibly busy.

 

Found a lovely bakery for a coffee.

Up to Molls Gap then amazing switch backs down into little valley with beautiful river rocks and water.

Then switch backs up to Dunloe gap - beautiful down past lakes and trotting horse carriages.

  Lunch at Kathy Kearney cottage.

 A down and up then a "scenic route" to end the day which was diabolical had to walk half a mile up ridiculous gradient. Hail and cloud at top. Difficult down with loose chippings down to Tralee which is a thriving town port railway capital of Kerry still pouring with rain.

Great meal in the bar. 60 miles.

Day 4 Tues. Slight rain but stopped as we set off then sunny intervals clearing to blue skies.

Easy climb out of Tralee (which was about to have the annual rose of Tralee festival - like a beauty competiton but more high brow!?)

Then a steep left and a bit of breathy cycling to the top of climb with windmills and view.  Long jolty down across open fields. Undulating across wide open fields with hills in distance. Really clear day.  then steep descent into Listowel for coffee at cafe with statue of John B Keane outside - a famous writer - not to me!

Continued undulating across peat bogs 12 miles to the ferry.

 The Shannon 2 miles wide ferry every half hour. We caught the 1.30

Cup of tea and Stu wine gums then a cross country tiny lane route with almost no traffic. Very up and down with lots of puffs and head wind past lots of little farms.

 Eventually joined the coast road. Still glorious sunshine and fabulous views of rocky coastline and occassional rocky beach with lots of surfers. Another 10 miles to Lahinche with rocky surfing beach and huge bay. Stayed at the L. lodge.

 Ate at O'looneys Waves restaurant with views over the bay. Stu one guiness only, seafood chowder and fish and chips

 Mr whippy ice cream while walking along the front.

 Early night. 63 miles tiring!

Day 5 Wed.  sunny skies. Average brekka. Took out Robs stitches needed my glasses on!  Set off along the coast and a bit of a climb to the Cliffs of Moher where we stopped for a walk and view then  sweep down along the coast to Doolin along a river mouth. Headed inland to Lisdoonvanagh for mediocre coffee at Nellis bar

 Onward up into the Burren - interesting limestone plateau with megalithic stones and very varied flora so the book says.

Climbed up to high point then wonderful down to the coast for lunch at the T junction cafe at Ballyvaughn. Excellent soup and sandwich on the roadside.

On along the coast of Galway bay in lovely sunshine witnessed birth of calf in a field by the roadside.

Amazing -  then long chat to the local farmer - am now minor expert on cow pregnancy and delivery. Did you know rate of twin pregnancy has increased in recent years with great risk of death to mother.
Steep up after this then flat along the bay to Kinvarra for a tea stop just before the little harbour.

 Then inland for last 20 miles along tiny lanes with hegderows and fields and some very affluent looking new houses. Mainly flat but lots of twists and turns and scant sunshine.
Arrived Athenry at 5ish, town has ruined abbey and castle.

Through town waited at manned crossing for train to go

by then big modern hotel Raheen Woods - pool swim hot tub meal happy! Sirloin steak yum!

Day 6 Thurs. Comfy modern hotel.  Buffet brekka at 7.30. Long day ahead 72 miles. Grey skies. Flatish boglands for first few miles. Coffee at The Village Shop in Castleblakeneyat 18 miles

 Sat outside and chomped mini pastries from brekka. On through farmland undulating to Baghar(?) at 30 miles for another coffee at the Coffee Drop with rest of group.

 On to Rosscommon at 40 miles through more farmland with some sunny intervals. Lunch outside at Gleesons soup and brown soda bread.

Throug more bogland farmland and forest and rain to Carrick on Shannon with marinas and motor boats - some modern hotels around the one way system to the Bush Hotel- old facade with modern extension.

Spacious room and just avoided another downpour. Showered then walk around town, in pleasant evening sunshine to Country Kitchen for good meal - lambs liver and shepherds pie.

A long day in the saddle (too long!)  Early to bed - knackerood!

Day 7 Friday
Raining. Early brekka. Good fruit salad and melon and smoked salmon. Buttered a scone for the road. Set off before 9 am from the Bush Hotel - walked to join the 2 way road towards Drumbshambo. Then along the side of Lough Allen -huge lake - nice views - in rain and cloud. To Dowra at 18 for coffee in a pub - dried out a bit and met the crew. Cycled on via a "Kevin" route very up and down with nice views of hills and cloud and rain.
Joined the main road and on towards Glenfarne and beyond with another byway with good whizz down to the Lough Melvin right by the water - no one around -too wet. Through Garrison and final haul to Belleek to the Thatched Cottage for lunch at about 2 pm.

Only 45 miles today
Visit to Belleek Pottery - world reknowned. Mug purchased.

Wild west weekend in Belleek - sherriff to be voted in this evening on the banks of the River Erne on hotel lawns.
We are in Northern Ireland with the Republic facing us across the other side of the river. So we are back in pounds not euros and we have internet on our phones again!
Sitting reading looking at the river and the sun is out now. Looking good for tomorrow.

Day 8 Sat
Grey but clearing.

Country lanes out and up to moorland then view to the sea and down to Donegal for coffee in town square The Diamond.  Market stalls bought coffee and sat outside.

Set off towards Ballboffy through the Bourne Gap long straight haul along the main road then large Guiness ad

and on main road to Letterkenny bought strawberries and ate by road side.

Huge down into Letterkenny 47.2 mph. Then off the routr avoided letterkenny centre. On coast to Ramonth for late lunch by the harbour with an abandoned boat

 Final 5 mile to Rathmullan for the ferry. Sunny and icecreams then half hour ferry to Buncranan Ishowan Gate Hotel.

Wedding on.  Walk to wonderful long beach and golf course.

Walk to italian restaurant with group.

Day 9 Sunday. Grey with some blue patches. Boring buffet brekka. Off at 9 am to scale the final hills of the Inishown pwninsula.  Up onto quite wild moorland then rained hard during a slow up and then good descent. Saw some local cyclists. Take out coffe at Carndonagh at news agent sat in town sort of square guy in shop a local who told us of good coffee at Malin head.

Out of town long beautiful shore then inland to Malin head with mega hill detour even more off road then Kevin!

Arrived at the top of Ireland at about 12 o'clock.

77 and still cycling strong!

Sunout and lovely views and the mobile coffe man appeared a manchester guy married to a local girl. Good business and good coffee and lemon drizzle and lots of photos and congrats to fellow bicyclists.

Group photo - cycle summer dress despite cold wind.

Could see the off shore  islands but not Scotland. Cycled back in sunshine to lovley hotel in Malin on the green.

Huge thanks to Chris and Graham for their support.

Packed up bikes, and had tea in front of hotel.

Ate and supped well only 42 miles today. Total 455 for end 2end. The end !

9 - 12 August: Busy week

Sun - Off ferry at 8am, nipped into MacD for a take out coffee, and into London to drop bikes off at Kenington.  Home by 11:30.  Washing on, out to Lunch at Sach's (Fiona's 21st), then popped into G&P's for cuppa.

Mon -Mrs M back to work, I tidied up and sorted out gear, cleaned bikes, loaded in Lulu's car for her to take back to Newbury that morning.

Tue - Waitrose shopping for dinner party tomorrow night.  Baked chocolate cake and prepared cooked mushrooms and peppers for eschalavida type starter.  Out to Biggles for dinner with Eddie & Shirley.

Wed - Took tandem down to Bike Adventures to load in their van to go to Ireland.  Rest of day spent on domestic dinner party prep with 6 guests tonight, usual Thai beef salad.

Thu - Coffee with G&P at Rootz in morning, packed for Ireland.  Bought X-Plane flight simulator and 360 Panorama apps for iPad, both very cool.  In evening went to Crazy for You at Open Air Theatre in Regents Park.  Though it had poured for much of the day, the evening was clear even with some sun.  Had picnic with Caroline & Jeremy, the show was great, very energetic and enjoyable.  Good drive home and to bed by 11:30.

Fri - Mowed lawn, how exciting is that?  Bought RAM holder for iPad in car (after the success of the mapping app MotionX during the London to Paris trip).

4 - 8 August: London to Paris in 48 hours

They did it in 46 hours!!!!!!!!!!!

(with thanks to Donald Hirsch's route)


Thu - Up to Kenington with Lulu and bikes, to meet up with Amie.  It was raining hard.  They set off to Trafalgar Square at 11:30, with it raining harder, to meet up with Elle, but she was delayed by traffic so they didn't set off till 12:20, in the rain.

I waited along Whitehall to see them go by, then leapt in the car to catch up with them at Clapham

Met them at Windmill Pub, then they were off across Clapham and Wandsworth Common to Earlsfield where they started on the Wandle Trail.  This is a traffic free route out of London, but wiggly and lots of barriers and back and forth on side roads as it tries to keep to the river.  I drove to Carshalton where they emerge onto normal side roads.  

Cherry phone up to say "I have fallen off the bike and it is too damaged to ride, so come and pick me up, the girls were riding on".  She had squeezed through a chicane and hit a bump and gone over the handlebars at zero speed, bending and twisting them, but luckily only bruising her thighs and not breaking anything.  A few minutes later she called to say she had managed to use the tools to align the bars, but though bent it was ridable, so she was going on.....but the Garmin had stopped (with the rain I found later) so she had to follow the intermittent signs and went a little offroute and ended up at Carshalton Station where I met her, straightened the bars by that useful tool brute force, loaded the bike up, and we drove along the route to pass the girls and offload her to re-join them after about 5 miles after Chipstead.

It was then up and down and along quiet country roads, crossing M25 then to east side of M23 to stop for east at a pub on a roundabout near Copthorne.  After this the traffic got busy for a while with people driving home from work, then nicer down to Lewes.  The final run into Newhaven was fast and flat, to arrive at docks at 7:45

They warmed up and dried off and changed in the "ferry terminal", a shed right on dock with a great cafe (the Haven Cafe)  where a "tea lady" in her pinny made us fish and chips, fishfinger burgers, jacket potatoes and lots of cups of tea.  We boarded the ferry at 10pm for the 10:30 sailing, found some quiet seats and tried to settle down for a sleep with covers over our heads to cut out the lights.  Seasoned travellers brought on mats and sleeping bags and just lay down in corners to sleep.  We managed a few hours.

66 Miles (route below is from Clapham)

Fri  - The rout they were to follow was:

Ferry docked at 3:30 and we sorted ourselves out at the roundabout, changing out of sleep clothes, get bike lights on.  It wasn't raining though (yet!)

Leaving just before 4:30, they went along the D1 to join the Avenue Vertes, a paved ex-railway line all the way to Forges-Les-Eaux where I was sleeping in the car in the town square.  It started raining about 6am, and they woke me up at 7:30, rather cold, very wet and slightly despondent. Nothing was open but the slightly off smelling St Denis Hotel served us a coffee, then by 8 the shops started to open, and we bought pastries then had omelettes and hot chocolates at a cafe next to the boulangere on the corner of the square.  All the girls lay down for a snooze, but I cracked the whip and got them going about 9:15, with the rain gently coming down (it rained for pretty much all the day more on than off so I'll stop talking about this), saying I'd meet them at the next town, Gournay-en-Bray.

In Gournay there was a market and I bought some nectarines and waited, the girls called to say they didn't want to stop, but Cherry came into the centre for a loo stop, then rejoined them at the outskirts.  I bought some sandwiches for their lunch as I suspected shops etc would be closed when they wanted eats, and there were no big towns on the route.

I rejoined them at La Houssouye where they had found a small cafe for drinks and to eat the sandwiches.  They said the ride had some ups and downs, but they were feeling good and with the end in sight for the day wanted to finish.  It had just about stopped raining by now.

Next meeting was in Marines where I slept by the Church.  We couldn't find a boulangere open, so they pressed on.

Eglise and Hotel de Ville in Marines, opposite Kingston Cafe

We then deviated slightly from the route to go to Cergy for our lodging as I hadn't been able to find anything enroute near here.  After a long uphill we entered the outskirts of Cergy business district and to the Formula1 motel, opposite Carrefour at 3:30 Budget to put it mildly (33 euro for a triple room) with shared showers and loos, but adequate for their needs to wash and crash.  After a nap I explored the environs (a grid of retail parks) to find the Campamile restaurant was closed but the lady there directed me to a Coutepaille Grill next door.  Adjacent was a Decathlon where I bought some rear lights to replace the ones that had got waterlogged.  Went back and we went out at 6:30 for an excellent meal, most had steak, with unlimited veg.  Oh, and of course wine.  In bed by 9:30.

86 miles.

Sat - Alarm went off at 5:45, and they set off at 6:30 in a light mist and dawn about to break.

Faithfully rejoining Donald Hirsch's route took them into Paris via forest tracks and paths, with a puncture to mend on Amie's bike, then a tyre replacement because of a bulging sidewall.  The Garmin route worked well as I had to drive away from them on normal roads, with just one foot crossing of a main road because they didn't read the instructions in time.  I panicked them a little by getting the hour change the wrong way round and claiming that Phileas Fogg style they had too little time to make it in 48 hours, but they soon worked out I was wrong.

I headed into Paris and parked by the Eiffel Tower.............. but meanwhile the girls had a view of their destination over the Seine footbridge:

..here they come, on the final few metres... at 11:20 local time i.e. 46 hours total elapsed time.  What an achievment

With the support team

Trying to get the top of the Eiffel Tour in the shot

Not on a tandem for a change - well done the Stoker for the solo 189 miles!

36 miles today, 189 in total according to the Garmin.

We met their friend Helen, loaded the bikes on the car, then went back to her flat near the Pompidou Centre for a shower and change, and out to a brassiere for an excellent lunch....and wine!

We left around 5 to drive back to Dieppe, leaving the girls to play in Paris.  I let the satnav select the shortest distance route, and it took us delightful D roads south of where they had cycled, in fact I think better than the Avenue Vertes, so thats for next time.  As we got to the coast the sky cleared and the sun came out for the first time in 3 days!

Quayside in Dieppe

 Got to Dieppe in 3 hours, had meal and lots to drink on quayside, then to the ferry terminal where we sort-of-slept in the car till 5am when we were let on the ferry.  We went to the same seats as before and I reckon we got 3ish hours sleep on the boat

30 July - 3 August: Skyride and new bike in the wings

Sat - Drove up to Jan's birthday party in Leeds, stopping off at the Planet-X/On One showroom in Sheffield to look at their Alfine 11:

Very nice steel hybrid, like the new Glow in the dark white (sort of cream) colour.  Thinking of Mrs M buying this on the Cycle to Work scheme.

Great party, sunny weather in beautiful garden, with live music.  Back home at 11:30.

Sun - Up early to meet G&P to go to Hillingdon Hospital to take a group to join Boris' Hillingdon Skyride.   

Went a route we had not done before, on the ridge between Chalfonts and Denham, a flatish country lane but then the delights of central Uxbridge.  The Skyride was not quite the experience of riding on the Mall, but fun with the group.  Lunch at the Green Man pub in Denham, good sized starters.  37 miles in total, a lovely day, but strangely very tiring - we kept falling asleep in the afternoon.

Bbq (in oven) as J&L popped in to eat.  How sweet of them.

Mon - Took out the retyred Cadenza on the crap roads.  Cycled to deliver post to The Hatch, then back to Chenies on the bridleway.  Felt very good, absorbing the bumps.  Front mudguard was rubbing so had to adjust that, then off to Waitrose in Ricky for a bit of restocking.  12 miles in total.  I'm now pleased with how this bike rides around here.

Got down the Giant OCR3 as I'm thinking we will take this on the Paris. Pumped up the tyres, only to snap off a valve stem, so had to change the tube.  Will try it out tomorrow.

Tue - Mike is in from Bahrain at Investcorp Office, so I decided to cycle in to meet him and Ian for lunch.  23 miles each way, but a fast ride average 13.3mph considering the traffic, roundabouts and lights.  Giant went very well, quick to accelerate and much more comfy than I remember on the bumps.  Had a pint and steak and ale pie at the Audley.  Investcorp hasn't changed in its internal politics or is business model, but nice to hear that the IT Strategy I established 5 years ago of virtualising the DR sites has come to fruition under Mike.  46 miles in 3:25hrs.  Felt a little tired but very satisfied with the outing.

Wed - Mrs M sent in the Bike To Work forms into the hospital HR department, and filled in the on-line request at CycleScheme.co.uk.  Prepped bike and packed for L to P tomorrow.  Bought a rack pack and lights from Dee's Amersham.  Updated the garmins with the route (again).   Lets hope the rain forecast tomorrow goes through in the morning, as the Ladies start from Trafalger Square at noon.

23 - 29 July Chapeau!

Sat - Chapeau! to Cadel Evans in the Tour de France, but more Chapeau! to the 3 young ladies who cycled this morning from Kennington to Euston, then from Watford to Chorleywood (10 miles in total), then with us on the tandem on the 43 miles Ashridge/Ivinghoe/Aston Hill circuit, all for training for their London to Paris ride in 48 hours on 4 August.

 Quite a hilly first half, then lunch at the Bluebell cafe at Marsworth to stoke us up for the Ashton Hill which went well and the final generally downhill fast run home.  Weather "cloudy/sunny intervals", just right actually for temperature.  I'm feeling stronger than in the Loire trip, so must be finally shaking off my Pyrenees experience.

Sun - No cycling today since we had a late night and too much too drink!  Amie & Eli cycled into London, 25 miles!

Mon - Cycled to Dees in Amersham (11 miles) and test rode a Specialized Tricross to see how it copes with the crap roads around here.  It rode the potholes well, but gear change was crude, I would want to have a higher spec one (it has the bottom of the range Shimano gears).  Then back home and changed onto MTB and cycled along Ebury Way to Watford to M&S to change an item.  Fast rather rattlely track, but no cars.  16 miles there and back.  Weather good today but forecast cloudy for rest of week.  Finally popped into BMW Parts to get a wind deflector for convertible, works well.  So 27 miles in total. 

Tue - Cycled to Apsley to pick up jewellery repairs, then bought a 2m plastic cable trunking from Homebase which I had to tie to the bike, making me a 'long vehicle'.  At Flaunden saw a "Public Highway" sign to Latimer (unsuitable for motor vehicles) so went exploring, it was a hard packed track along the ridge and through a wood, with only the last 200m steeps and rough.  We could do it on the tandem easily, but on the steel white bike with narrow tires it was a bit bone shakey.

Would like to explore more of those tracks, but on the MTB next time.  19 miles.

Thu - Had a good plan for today to train/brompton to Bethnal Green and cycle/walk the Greenway and Capital Ring to Olympic Park/Woolwich Ferry/Thames Path to see how the Olympic buildings are faring.  Weather dawned sunny and fair.  Had became the operative word as the hospital called with an epidural for Granny, so we did that instead, which worked out well as we tested out the route on our bromptons from the hospital to the Skyride for Sunday.  There was a Bike Fayre at the hospital which was fun chatting to the various stallholders, and Mrs M got us to have a go on the "Rollapaluza" where you race against another over 500m on a fixed wheel bike on rollers.  We did pretty well for our age, and the pictures of our efforts are amusingly manic:

 


Men
Race distance in metres 500
  Name Age Time KPH MPH RPM
1 Carl Yates 18 23.19 77.6 48.5 196.0
2 Joseph Davies 30 24.07 74.8 46.7 188.8
3 Mark Creeber 23 24.31 74.0 46.3 187.0
4 Andy Sharp 32 24.81 72.6 45.3 183.2
5 Graeme Moran 33 26.09 69.0 43.1 174.2
6 Charles Perkins 33 27.32 65.9 41.2 166.4
7 Chris Waters 34 27.36 65.8 41.1 166.1
8 Nick Manthorpe 52 27.42 65.6 41.0 165.8
9 Stuart Marshall 57 27.86 64.6 40.4 163.1
10 Steve Saunders 52 28.10 64.1 40.0 161.7
11 Stuart Spencer 43 28.74 62.6 39.1 158.1
12 Pawel Gaczkowske 31 30.60 58.8 36.8 148.5
13 Bob Castelijn 57 30.78 58.5 36.5 147.7
14 David Eales 45 31.22 57.7 36.0 145.6
15 David McVittie 59 32.36 55.6 34.8 140.5
16 Kevin Ford 52 32.98 54.6 34.1 137.8
17 Ash Demaissie 28 33.28 54.1 33.8 136.6
18 John The Harrier Woodford 63 33.56 53.6 33.5 135.4
19 Noel Coope 55 36.34 49.5 31.0 125.1
20 Omoruymi Maxwell 43 36.85 48.8 30.5 123.3

Women
Race distance in metres 500
  Name Age Time KPH MPH RPM
1 Lauren Savage 15 27.80 64.7 40.5 163.5
2 Kirsten Savage 13 28.36 63.5 39.7 160.3
3 Rebecca Le Prevost 26 34.08 52.8 33.0 133.4
4 Cheryl Messer 56 34.62 52.0 32.5 131.3
5 Jakie Spencer 45 34.64 52.0 32.5 131.2
6 Julie Ward 53 35.92 50.1 31.3 126.5
7 Nici Savage 38 36.08 49.9 31.2 126.0
8 Hannah Mellor 50 36.80 48.9 30.6 123.5


Fri - No exercise.  Fitted Schwalbe Marathan Plus 26x1.75 tyres on Dahon Cadenza to make it more comfy riding on the crap roads round here.  Bridesmades at Rex in evening, just as crap as the roads, but very comfy seats.

16 - 22 July

Sat - Up at 5:45 to take Lulu & Amy and bikes to Histon (Cambridge) so they could cycle to a house party near Downham Market for training for their London to Paris ride.  Weather forecast very wet, but that didn't deter them.  Left them at 8:30 for their 40miles ride.  We popped into Cambridge for breakfast and some shop browsing, heavens opened for rest of day!!  Home at 1pm, Lulu phoned, it had taken them 3:30 hrs, very good with the rain.  Dossed rest of day, Mrs M went out for a hospital dinner.

I had been thinking of the Dunwich Dynamo this evening, and had the route etc all prepared, but with the rain forecast and my lack of energy I decided against it.  A good idea I think, so now it will have to be next year (yet again - last year was disrupted by us moving house the same w/e).

Sun - Lunch with G&N, then went to garden day at Chenies Manor, very pretty gardens.  Rain showers all day, some very heavy, dark threatening clouds.

This is supposed to be summer isn't it?  Seems like February.

Mon - Started to replace the tandem gear cables, only to find they were 1.8m not 2.5 as labelled. Called up SJSCycles who couriered out a new set, no questions asked or returns required, good service but shame about the initial misfilling/stock control.  Cycled to Amersham to deliver Loire mug to G&P.  Hot tub.   Rex in evening to The Great White Silence (film trailer click here) - over 100 years old and restored by BFI, the script shows the culture and jingo-ism of its age, but a very interesting, then moving, film of Scott's fated polar expedition.

Tue - Cables arrived, so fitted them with help from the Rohloff manual (downloaded onto iPad for display in garage) followed to the letter.  Fiddly to get lengths right and adjusted, wouldn't want to do this on the road!  

Still a mystery as to why they rusted as they are in a complete teflon inner lining inside the cable wire and plastic outer, so water must have got in at the grip twister end, I suspect from the LE2JOG ride which was VERY wet.  Can't see how one can seal them anymore than they are - they say not to grease/oil them as they stick more with the teflon liner.  Quickly cleaned tandem of the fly debris from the journey, and put back its various bits and pieces that had been removed for safe keeping.

Cycled to Apsley to drop off jewellery for repair with Harrisons, using Garmin routing which plotted the route I would have taken.  Only one short rain shower.  On way back picked up a small sharp flint at gravelly bottom of road from Flaunden to Chenies, it made a clicking sound so I stopped and picked it out, to find it was hissing as well.  Replaced tube in a few minutes, then cycled to CW to buy tuna for dinner.  Felt good and faster than yesterday, even with the hills involved.  19 Miles.  Repaired tube, then hot tub.  Lovely tuna, cooked in 1 min a side.  Watched the phone hacking commons select committee, exciting!!!!

Wed - Usual lovely English summer's day i.e. overcast and cold.  Cycled to Ricky PO to pick up parcel and then to buy some seafood in M&S - visiting M&S Food Hall is deadly since you start to salivate as soon as you enter, and want to buy it all.  Having only a backpack is a good limiter.  Only 6 miles, but a fast ride on the main road, which would be nice except for the traffic, lorries, drain covers, potholes, crumbly road surface, traffic lights, stupid barriers across the cycle path underpass at the roundabout which make you stop for no reason when noone else is around.  Give me a French D road through sunflower fields anyday.

At Rex to see Potiche in evening:

Tres amusant in a pastiche sort of way, looking at attitudes of the 70's from a 2010 cultural perspective.  Gerard D is rather 'portly' these days, and shuffles around.  Now I am to be called a 'trophy husband'.

Thu - Up to London to fit mirror in Jon's flat, then watched TdeF in the afternoon.  Cold and grey outside.

Fri - Exciting day - fitted bike carriers on roof, thanks to Patrick's generosity.  TdeF in afternoon

10 - 15 July - my holiday continues ...

Sun - Recovery day, washing, sleeping and crawling around the house.

Mon - Rang up Robin Thorn who claims he has never heard of a cable failure, and can't understand how it might have rusted.  Anyway, he is sending a replacement set (£20) for me to fit, and I spoke to the workshop guy who was very helpful and will talk me through it.  Will fit next week when Mrs M is back at work.

Blood test and ECG at doctors, all well, so my pyrenees 'turn' is now down to dehydration/heat exhaustion.

To Rex in evening to see Senna - absolutely gripping film and so well edited together.  A must-see.

Tue - It was Mum's 90th birthday yesterday so we celebrated by taking a a picture of her (with Lulu and Jon who couldn't come as they are at work) for tea at Luton Hoo with Eddie and Shirley plus the Aspley Heath Marshalls.  Lots of happy memories.

In evening went to acoustic/song night at Peppermill with Georgina, great to have such events at a restaurant in Chorleywood. 

Wed - Took Granny out to lunch at Chippefield Larder, what nice friendly service - the lady said the chicken and ham pie was dry so it was half price,  but I thought it was fine.  In afternoon cycled (solo bikes) to deliver post to the Robbs, then onto see if Majestics in Amersham have any of the Loire wines we had on our trip, they have a couple so we will go back to buy.  Cycled back along Chiltern Cycleway track to Chenies Manor, a super ride through woods above the chess valley, you could imagine you were in France,  11 miles.  Then hot tub.  

Thu - Wedding Anniversary - 32 years.  Coffee at the Peppermill in the sunshine to start the day.  Lovely English sunny day, so top down on the BMW, and we drove via New Forest and ponies on the road to Barton-on-Sea for lunch at the Pebble Beach Cafe (http://www.pebblebeach-uk.com), on the terrace overlooking Christchurch Bay, seeing from the Needles to Swanage.

After a walk along the beach below, and a snooze on a bench, we drove along the coast to our hotel in Bournemouth (The Royal Exeter) just opposite the BIC where The James Taylor concert was to be later that night.  We wandered to the sea front, then through the gardens to hear a few tunes from a brass then jazz band.  I had the full seaside experience with a Mr Softee icecream cone.  The crowd going into the BIC was very good natured (and of our vintage).  We had great seats at the front on the first elevated terrace (bought on eBay at 75% uplift), and the man was superb, all the old favourites plus some interesting newer numbers.

So  nice to just then walk across the road for a drink in the bar, and so to bed.  What an awesome day, could not have been better.  From the Bournemouth Echo:

11:51am Friday 15th July 2011 By Debbie Moore 

IT would be hard to find a more amiable entertainer to spend an evening with than James Taylor.  The legendary singer-songwriter with the unchangingly beautiful voice sings with a smile you can hear and creates an intimate, friendly atmosphere.

This show is a trip down memory lane for James, and we're all more than happy to be taken along.  Most songs are familiar, some more obscure, but every one's a winner, delivered with a story that puts them in context.

There's Jump Up Behind Me, about the time his father drove to New York to rescue a teenage James after a failed band project, Angry Blues, written in the throes of a hangover, and the stand-out My Travelling Star, one of many variations he's written on the theme of being torn between home and the open road.

And when the long-awaited favourites take their turn - Sweet Baby James, Fire and Rain, How Sweet It Is, Carolina In My Mind, You've Got a Friend - they're delivered faithfully and with the same feeling as when they were first recorded, to a pin-drop silent audience appreciating every word and note.

Taylor never leaves the stage, even spending the entire interval perched on the edge shaking hands and signing anything and everything that's put his way.

At the end he thanks us for allowing him and the band to take another turn through town. And the warmth he shows his audience is sent right back.

Fri - Breakfast in the hotel, left 9ish and back in CW for coffee by 11(lid down again).  Lulu, Amy & Helen W came out to stay the night, and Jon joined us for a curry at Sathi.