Day 3 - and my first proper day of the trip, outside the UK. I've done about 320km and still on the same tank, really pleased with the Rade Garage extra tank I've fitted. In fact, there are a series of things I'm really happy with. But first, the riding.
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Just outside Calais. Looking good!
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I didn't know what to expect from Northern France at all. I thought it might be a bit like trail riding in the UK outside the good bits, and was expecting lots of minor tarmac roads and forestry trails. In fact, it's been fantastic! Sure there has been some tarmac, but mostly it has been grassy green tracks, some gravel roads and windmill service roads (they're everywhere!)
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Lots of these. Some of the trails were just access roads to service them.
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Until just outside Amiens, I was following a route John Ross had kindly uploaded to the Trans Euro Trail (TET) forums. The official route runs from Dieppe. I hadn't realised it was pretty loosely tracked though, meaning it was more like having a conversation with a very well informed local who gestured the way than a turn by turn guide. I quickly figured out a method though, using the excellent detail on the Open Street Map mapping I've downloaded to the GPS, which showed every trail around.
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In France, it's legal to ride on any double-track trail unless marked otherwise. But single track is interdit. The difference between the two though??? I see two tracks...
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I also didn't know quite how many possible roads there are here: every road/track in France is ride-able unless explicitly marked otherwise, or if it's single track. That still leaves some surprisingly rough and ready trails when the more established lanes peter out into tractor tyre trails in a field, or the hedges and undergrowth start closing in! And once or twice I'll confess to blasting across a field of stubble too, when I could see the route was *right there* but couldn't face doubling-back. Fortunately the harvest is in process, so lots of the fields have already been cropped.
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| I'm like Theresa May! |
John's route had included some pretty dramatic "ox bow" loops to take in the most trails. Second confession: I cheated once or twice and cut these out in favour of 10 minutes on the road to make good time. I'm glad I did, because I was getting a bit frustrated with the route and time was ticking on. It turned out as well that there are tracks everywhere here, so I could follow my nose and still end up on great trails. Most of the time, anyway. Perfected my tight-lane u-turn though...
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| Most of it was like this! Much better than I thought - was expecting forestry trails and tarmac lanes. |
Then west of Amiens I came to the route proper, and what a revelation. The French linesman Benoit Farré (aka Ben Smith), who plotted the route, has done an amazing route. Now I was back to the lanes I'd come to love during the day, but plotted to make good progress, and marked exactly to the roads and trails rather than in the general direction!
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| Wild Camping Tonight |
I'm now in a small forest somewhere about 20km north of Beauvais. I decided I would stop riding at 1800, or start looking to stop then. At exactly the hour I saw a LIDL sign on the horizon, and needed water and supplies for tonight and the morning. Drawing nearer I opted for Carrefour instead and stocked up on water, cassoulet, two flannels for myself and the dishes, and some other grub. Then a short ride out of town I veered off into a small hollow and dip in a forest and have managed to set up my tent, lean the bike against a tree, heat up some water for a flannel wash, cook casoulet and crack a Kronenburg, catch up with important people at home, then Facebook and now write this. It's just now turning dark so I'll turn in and read on my Kindle. Looking forward to another day tomorrow!
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| French Cuisine! |
Things I'm pleased with:
- That fuel tank. When will it give up? Find out tomorrow...
- My chair. I thought it was extravagant, but it's lovely having somewhere to sit while cooking and now typing this.
- The Nomad screen. On some quick road blasts, the fact I could tuck down out of the wind made a big difference. Another thing I hadn't appreciated was so important was the position it lets me put the GPS. Now I can read it easily with a glance while standing or sitting, rather than having to dramatically move my neck or sit back down when standing (it used to be mounted to the bars)
- My leather gloves. At the last minute, I splashed out for some Klim Dakar Pro gloves, thinking that the leather palms would be better if I came off on the tarmac. Until now I've been using regular textile Klim Dakars. They're much better if they get wet or muddy, I guess, but the benefit of having leather palms for avoiding blisters and wear is something I hadn't realised!
- European roaming. Now I can just use my UK GiffGaff data plan abroad like I would at home. Saving me a fortune and keeping me connected!
