The day of the trip has arrived, I am all set and plans have been made, airbnb places booked, train tickets bought and Eurotunnel all sorted too.
Le Frog route planned, rehearsed in my head, and here it is back at home on the wall...
My wife Debby drops me off at Whitchurch train station and off I go.... XXXX
Just time for a quick toilet break for Henry... he is so excited.
Crewe station has it's own French style Patisserie.... oh la la !!!
I am quite relaxed, fed and watered, on time all systems go. Then I wait patiently for the 11:29am train for London Euston. I even ask the station manager about an earlier train which pulls in at 11:22 for Euston. " No mate, you are the 11:29 so don't get on this one. You do have a ticket for that bike don't you" he asked. Of course I do mate, I am not that stupid !!!
I wait for the 11:29 and I am just about to board when the station manager checks the tickets again, he is so forgetful and then he drops the bomb !!! Your booked on this mate but your bike was booked onto the one you just watched leave the station 7 minutes ago !!!
WHAT !!!!!!!!!!
To cut a long story short with some fast talking and sweating and fake tears later. All was OK, only down to the fact that there was one spare bike space on that train !!!! I would not have been too bothered but I had booked the adjoining train and tunnel trips and would have missed them and would not have gone to France. All that planning up the swanny because of 7 minutes !!! Was this the start of things to come or a good omen that I should get all the bad luck out the way now before hitting French soil. I am happy to say that it all went well after this....
Sleep well Henry...
That was my seat.... it is like a before and after picture of me. I have been carb loading and hope to be back to my pre baby shape when I get to Spain...
They even reserve a seat for lycra people, good old Virgin.
REMEMBER: You have to pre book your bike space on all Virgin trains. Its free.
When you get to Euston you have to do a quick half a mile blast to Kings Cross which I recommend you do via Phoenix Road rather than on the main Euston Road (A501) which is dangerous, see the map here.....
Next train to Folkestone West please.....
Bikes do not need to be officially pre-booked onto South Eastern Rail. You takes your chances there is a space.
They say that you are never ever alone when you are a sole cyclist and I can totally agree here because other cyclists gravitate towards you for a chat and other people just look at you with a strange sense of curiosity and possibly a hint of sympathy or maybe even pity !!
This next bit of info is worth its weight in gold.... so here goes.
If planning to cycle in France and you want to get to Calais just ring Eurotunnel on 01303 272222, they will book you on in advance for £20 each way. You can go at 8:30 am or 3:30 pm. You have to meet at the Holiday Inn at Folkestone 15 minutes early (just a 1.6 mile ride from Folkestone West train station, see map below) There are loads of places to get food in Cheriton including a great M&S Food Hall at the BP garage.
When you get to the Holiday Inn just wait in reception for the man in the big white van and he will load and secure your bike however big and heavy and loaded it is. You need your booking email handy and he checks your passport too which he hands to the French security. You then get in the front and relax for entry to the Eurotunnel train and 40-45 minutes later you are in Calais !! Voila !!
Don't forget to make sure you have been given your passport back and when you get to the drop off point the driver unloads and you are left in the car park of CiffCo, if and when you get there please have a look in the little hedge as I left my old rucksack with some old shorts, trainers and T-shirt which I wore for the journey and discarded in favour of my new skinsuit and cycling gear !! pic below
Next stop for me was my first airbnb in Dunkirk...
First time cycling on French soil and it was already noted at how nice it felt. Cars gave me room, I never felt threatened which has unfortunately become the norm back at home in the UK. There was a tailwind to help me along the way too which was great. Alot of the journey was following the straight flat roads of the Nord, northern France. I passed through a lovely fortified town called Gravelines.
Calais Town Hall
Gravelines, near Dunkirk.
Yeah you might be smiling now matey !!!! Good luck tomorrow.....
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