We were delighted when Rossis Member's Tim & Kevin reported back on their adventures in France. Sounds like it was memorable. Well done both on an awesome achievement.
Tim & Kevin’s Tour-de-France!
“You must be mad!” is the usual response from friends and family when they hear that our annual holiday for this year is cycling the length of France from Calais to Nice via Tour-de France favourite the fearsome “Beast of Provence” - Mount Ventoux.
Training for this epic journey began early in the New Year combining Sunday Boot camp for “Only the Brave” with Pump classes and Spin sessions for Tim along with Spin sessions and efforts in the pool for Kevin in lieu of long steep mountain terrains on the bike. Come the better weather the aforementioned classes were combined with weekends doing Norfolk’s 3-Peaks (!!??), loops on the bikes up and down (up and down) the hills around Sheringham Park, Kelling Heath, Wiveton etc.,
The 16-day (15-days cycling) trip left us with great impressions of France as the landscape and architecture changed day by day as we headed south, cycling an average of 60-miles per day. Highlights included a sombre day travelling across the Somme battlefield, historic Laon, Epernay and the Champagne vineyards, medieval half-timbered city of Troyes, Dijon (where we had a rest-day), the 1902 meter high, 21 kilometres long Mount Ventoux, France’s Grand Canyon the Gorges de Verdon and on to the final 7-kms in blinding torrential rain along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice.
Thanks to Liam, Becky and the entire Rossis Team for all their support and encouragement along with our cohorts from both Tuesday’s Spin and Wednesday’s Pump classes for all their support and encouragement in getting us in shape to thoroughly enjoy our endeavours.
The Facts:
(1) Cycled 890 miles/1432 kilometers
(2) Climbed 52,800 feet/16,093 meters
(3) Spent 70 hours & 1 minute (don’t forget the last minute!!) in/on the saddle
Tim & Kevin