Big H's Big Adventure...

[mgmark]

Well that's all sounding jolly responsible now, and I do detect the early signs of optimism for success, with the weeks rushing by as we get to your personal point of no return, i.e. setting off from home for La Sarthe with the bit firmly between your teeth on two self-propelled wheels.  Which is all a good thing. 

For the dread "rollers", perhaps you should consider moving them inside, in front of the telly, when you could induce the appropriate consciousness state by watching something suitable, whilst training and dripping copiously on the lounge carpet.  It will also remove you from the source of the guilt pangs that you are doubtless feeling, whilst the Jag scowls at you and plots her revenge.  Just have to hope that she can't communicate through the ether with the Commer, otherwise you'd really be up sh*t creek, and would probably have more than a sore knee and nether regions to contend with.  Good luck with the weekend's race!

MG Mark     

[pistonbroke]

Well H, how was your weekend 90 miler? I empathised with you by dusting off my own bike and fitting slicks in anticipation of its annual trip to Le Mans (slung in the back of the hatchback)..........P & B

[Lazy B'stard]

Got your route sorted out yet H? Ourselves and Chris Alibongo's groups will be on the Cherbourg to Le mans road on Thurs morning, would be great to cheer you on (and pass you a nice cold one )

[BigH]

Wotcher Mr Finger,
I've just about got the route sorted, but unfortunately not my legs or a*se yet. Both seem to heading in different directions...
I spent 6 hours in the rain, doing 90 miles up and down the Surrey and Sussex downs yesterday, and it wasn't a very nice place to be, - foolishly I reckoned I needed to get some wet weather testing in. It was a bit 'orrible.
Anyway it's looking like this, - you'll need a small scale map though as I've kept mostly to D roads so as to avoid being 'juggernauted'. Any spurring on will certainly go down well. By "a nice cold one", do you mean a bottle of beer or a tub of Nivea?
H
Cherbourg (obviously)
Bricquebec
St Sauveur
Periers
Marigny
Canisy
Tessy
Vire
Tinchebray
Domfront
Lassay
Javron
Villaines
Sifle-le-Guillaume
Le Mans (Arnage)

www.justgiving.com/H-on-a-Bike

PS oops, wotcher P&B, just seen your post, - I think 'grim' was probably the best way to describe it. On the verge, fixing a puncture, soaked to the skin and shivering so much I couldn't see straight just about sets the scene. I'm going to wait till the forecast says 'fine' next time.

[Lazy B'stard]

Thats not a million miles from our usual route, Vire to Le mans leg is identical. Any idea on times? We can carry any cold items you like although recomend Sudocrem over Nivea, makes a better mixer too when supplies run low!

[Andy Zarse]

Wotcher Mr Finger,
I've just about got the route sorted, but unfortunately not my legs or a*se yet. Both seem to heading in different directions...
I spent 6 hours in the rain, doing 90 miles up and down the Surrey and Sussex downs yesterday, and it wasn't a very nice place to be, - foolishly I reckoned I needed to get some wet weather testing in. It was a bit 'orrible.
Anyway it's looking like this, - you'll need a small scale map though as I've kept mostly to D roads so as to avoid being 'juggernauted'. Any spurring on will certainly go down well. By "a nice cold one", do you mean a bottle of beer or a tub of Nivea?
H
Cherbourg (obviously)
Bricquebec
St Sauveur
Periers
Marigny
Canisy
Tessy
Vire
Tinchebray
Domfront
Lassay
Javron
Villaines
Sifle-le-Guillaume
Le Mans (Arnage)

www.justgiving.com/H-on-a-Bike

PS oops, wotcher P&B, just seen your post, - I think 'grim' was probably the best way to describe it. On the verge, fixing a puncture, soaked to the skin and shivering so much I couldn't see straight just about sets the scene. I'm going to wait till the forecast says 'fine' next time.

It's a good route by the look of it, and you've just managed to avoid the village of Commer, which is about five miles south of mayonne. Just watch out for high speed combine harvesters and tractors thundering down the D roads. The subsidy-greedy French farmers should have started harvesting their massive quota of Fetid Mire Grass, or whatever useless crop has been grown for this year's massive cash beano; nothing get's in the way of a French farmer and his fat cheque from Brussels.

Oh and please note it's not spelled Sifle, but Sille-le Guillaume (with an acute accent!), needless to say when translated to English it means Silly Willy. Why-oh-why do the French do this to us Carry On fans?

[termietermite]

From my garden I can see : Wheat, Corn on the Cob, Sunflowers and hay growing.  All useless crops, I grant you, Andy!!!  Oh, plus a flock of cows and a flock of sheep.
Sorry about the hijack, Big H.

But Andy's right.  It's hay time in June and the farmers generally work every daylight hour 7 days a week - but at least you can hear them coming.

[pistonbroke]

I too have just plotted your route on my trusty Michelin H; as we're crossing on Tuesday ourselves we may well divert at Rouen and be waiting in a ditch to cheer you on (and it won't be the 1st time I've been ditched dans Francais) - it'll be a photo opportunity not to be missed! About 17.00ish where do you expect - or more like it hope - to be? Any special requests? I'll have a length of rope on board: won't let you hang yourself but you might want a tow......P & B

[Andy Zarse]

From my garden I can see : Wheat, Corn on the Cob, Sunflowers and hay growing.  All useless crops, I grant you, Andy!!!  Oh, plus a flock of cows and a flock of sheep.
Sorry about the hijack, Big H.

But Andy's right.  It's hay time in June and the farmers generally work every daylight hour 7 days a week - but at least you can hear them coming.

GGRRRRRRRRR!!! Don't start me on bloody sunflowers. It's a complete disgrace, they should all be grown in Africa, but no, the twunts at the EU pays big subsidies to farmers, mostly in France, to grow them in Europe. This therefore distorts the world market not to mention putting unsubsidised African farmers out of business and throwing their workers into penury. Just so Monsieur Le Fermier can have a new tractor and a month in Martinique every year courtesy of his subsidy bonus. Personally it doesn't sit comfortably with me. Sorry about the thread hijack too...

[BigH]

Zarse, you're a harbinger of doom!
First it's the bleedin' Normandie Alps, and now the kamikaze combine harvesters!
Heavy agricultural machinery, 'high speed', 'thundering' and 'D roads' all in the same sentence, what are you trying to do to me?
What I do if I see a lane filling threshing type thing filling the road up, piloted by a sound asleep French farmer wearing a white bandana with a central red spot barrelling towards me I haven't had time to decide on yet, but I suppose it better be something fairly prompt. Do BANZAI!!! make combine harvesters??
It didn't mention this in Cycling Weekly.
H

Edit: Oh no! now he's onto African farmers...

[Andy Zarse]

I've got a brand new combine harbinger...... 

[termietermite]

Sadly, the farmers around here do not reflect your views of them.  Most struggle to earn a living and run ancient cars and older tractors.  A bigger contrast to the farming community in the part of the UK where I lived before, you could not imagine.  I have yet to meet one who knows what a holiday is - they are working every daylight hour.  As to sunflowers - I bow to your greater knowledge - they're pretty for the tourists though!

I bet you've got a few harbingers tucked away?

Big H, I think that Mr Z's fundraising idea for CA is a splendid one.  By far the best yet.....

[BigH]

Due to many variables, involving mostly unpleasant skin conditions, my schedule is a little uncertain. All I can say is...
Tuesday night we'll be kipping in Cherbourg, so it'll be a fairly early start Wednesday morning, say 8:30 ish. I'd like to think we could make Domfront as our next overnight stop maybe getting there about 5, but I could be being a little optimistic, - it certainly won't be any further that's for sure.
H

[Lazy B'stard]

Maybe we can sponsor Andy Z to stay with a French farmer or the Mayor of Alencon for a week or too. What do you think Andy?

[Bellend]

All I can say is...
"we'll be" - "think we could"
H

What's all this WE malarky then!
I assume it's you and your ailments plus lotions & potions ?