I Need Closure!

So as I said in my last post we all need some kind of closure from this blog malarkey and it wouldn't be right, without boring you lot with a load of interesting stats and finally let you witness the fitness of my new manly beard (even my own mother was embarrassed to walk around with me!)

The journey back from Harwich to Norwich was comfortable and you could only imagine how much all my clothes, tent and equipment stunk. To say I was dying for a shower would be an understatement and I raced home in record time. I arrived round my Nan's at around 1ish to pick up the key to the house. I excused myself from going in, just because it she would have probably been violently sick at the smell.

I rushed home, whipped my kit off and lobbed it in the washing machine. I was about to dive into the beautifully clean power shower that was blasting at full pelt, when I realised the water was freezing cold. "Great!" I thought. I've just cycled home from bloody Turkey, for what; a freezing cold shower. I was desperate, so I dived in anyway (it wasn't like I was not used to cold washes anyway). The shampoo ran down my face was as dark as the nights sky and congealed in my hair, my feet were filthy and I'm not even going to describe the state of my saddle sore arse! Before I knew it the white floor of the shower had turned and a dark grey, but as it was getting darker I was getting cleaner and... Well you get the picture. It was a heavenly shower; despite it being cold; and to put clean non-cycling clothes on was a dream.

Nan prepared a lovely dinner, raspberries and yogurt and an endless supply of chocolate brownies. God knows, how many calories I ate in the afternoon. Following the dinner, I resided to the sofa to have a kip with my newly formed food baby. Bliss.

Back in Sunny Norwich - with my healthy drink!

So, for all you stats geeks out there. the trip stats are as follows:

General
Number of days cycling - 44
Number of rest days - 1 (still manage to get out for a cheeky 10 mile spin)
Countries visited - 16

Distance
Distance in miles - 3,523 miles
Longest distance in a day - 122.3miles

Altitudes
Vertical metres climbed - 47,957m (equivalent to climbing Mt Everest from sea to summit 5.4 times)
Highest altitude - 2787metres

Speed
Top speed - 47.5mph
Average speed - 13.65mph

Calories/Weight
Calories burnt - 105,795 calories (equivalent to 919 large chocolate chip cookies, or 27.47kg of body fat)
Weight lost and inches lost round waist- 8lbs and 1.5inches

Miscellaneous
Beard length grown - see below
Saddle sores endured - multiple
Fantastic people met - loads
Memories to last a lifetime










And finally the grand finale - THE BEARD in all its glory!

Massive anticlimax

I know it is pretty pathetic for nearly 7 weeks' hard work.


Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading the blog and all that jazz. Watch this space in June 2014 for my Round the world trip, where there is bound to be some ever-more exciting stories.

Thanks again,
Tom

Comments welcomed : )

The best things in life are free

 

In the past week or so I have been attacked by swallows, cycled through marajuna fields and had a roast dinner with a fellow Englishman.

I was surprised by France. For some reason I had this image of everybody being snotty and unfriendly; I was also dreading the language barrier because my French was by no means good and the French are renowned of hating people talking to them in Englis; I heard. I was pleasantly surprised, when I was about to tuck in to my home-made baguette with cheese and salami (I try my best to become cultured) and I got no more than 3 people chanting "Bon appetit" before I finished it, which was nice. The weather was also fantastic and some of the chateaus I saw, were quite amazing. Although, I was used to beautiful hilly scenery and it was tortuously flat, which brought the mountain blues after a few days riding.

Less than impressive flat scenery

Now when you read I had cycled through marajuna fields, I bet you thought, Netherlands. O no, I was following a river in the east side of France were to my surprise I got a pungent smell of grass, I cycled a further 100 metres and noticed I was surrounded by fields of the stuff. I was quite amazed and within 10 miles I must have cycled through enough fields to keep the whole of the Netherlands going for weeks. God knows how it is legal - or did I cycle through France's black farmers region?

Fields of the stuff!

Fire is such a morale booster after a long day's ride. Over the last leg I have been using sticks instead of meth spirit. Why, you ask? Basically, I bought some lighter fluid from a supermarket and it turns out it doesn't actually burn by itself and needs a host to fuel it. So anyways, getting back to my point; there is no greater feeling than having to wait 15minutes for your river water to boil so that you can have yourself a nice cappuccino. Best of all; all of your clothes smell of delightful smoke afterwards to remind you of the joyful experience. Living the Dream!

LTD!

I have cycled through France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany and Holland in the last leg and I would say the best moment would have to go to the roast dinner that Wilf (a WarmShowers host) cooked me... After a wet day cycling from Nancy to Luxembourg City, I texted Wilf to let him know that a very hungry cyclist would be arriving soon: it was a Sunday and no supermarkets were open, which meant i had to forrage for wild blackberries and lower myself to getting a McDonalds for lunch - which never fills the hole. Anyhow, the SMS reply I got back went on the lines of "Bring good mood, roast chicken ready for 7PM". The smile that lit up my face on reading this text must have been quite spectacular. The roast was great and the treacle pudding definitely did fill the hole, just what you need after a day's cycling. Thanks again Wilf!

Red sky in the morning; shepherds warning

 

The birds seem to have it out for people in France - I was attacked!

Keeping this one short and sweet and try to make it as interesting as possible. This is my penultimate blog of the trip, I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have been writing it. The final post will give a bit of a summary, some stats (I'm an Engineer after all) and the final infamous beard photo. It shouldn't be missed!

Lake near Col du Chat in Francais

 

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The Alps and WarmShowers!

 

The Alps. What more can I say? it is the most stunning and beautiful place in Europe without a question of doubt.

Col du Mont Cenis

I'm not sure what makes me love them so much. After all, they're not exactly a cyclists best friend: they are home of tortuous gradients, wet weather and up to 15 miles of uphill struggle. That doesn't bother me. To me it's a training ground, a time and place to think and a place where at times, the silence can be deafening.

Only a few days a go, I was slogging up the Stelvio Pass, 2758M high and home to 43 hairpins coming from the north side... most people would wince if they had to face this challenge. Not me. I loved every moment of it. Two and a half hours worth of sweating. Sweating from places you didn't think were possible. Motorcyclists drifting by effortlessly. I wasn't bothered, I was whistling along and admiring the beauty of the climb.

Stelvio Pass - highest pass in Italy

The other side of the Stelvio Pass

Only 3 cyclists passed me - which wasn't too bad I thought. They were on their top of the range carbon bikes. I passed more though; in the region of 30 would be my guess. I relished every moment when I saw the horror on their faces as they glanced at my tent and clothes strapped to with a bungee cord strapped to my rear rack, drying in the wind. One Belgium guy stopped me at the top and shook my hand, he couldn't believe I had come from Turkey and he offered hospitality in Belgium, if I wanted it.

Not fantastic planning from the Italians

Another fond memory was the pass I made over Passo Pennes (pronounced "Pen" "kness" - I think). Starting from Bolzano, this winds through a gorge that is a mere 2 metres wide, but 10-20 metres deep. The first 10km take you through a lot of tunnels; 80% of the road is tunnel and these range from 100 to a mile long. It then expands into an amass of space and grazing flocks (where I camped. It was bloody cold!). The following day I had a mere 800 vertical metres to climb, which I was dreading. It was pissing down and my lightweight mentality wasn't O too well prepared for cold weather. I put on my extra layer; in the form of a waterproof gillet and headed off. Within a 500metres I was soaked to the bone and shivering; the only good point was I was ascending and could keep reasonably warm. I reached the top and started to descend. I honestly couldn't feel my finger and my toes were freezing (the sandals didn't have much protection); I hadn't been as cold since Lawrence and I went for our 04:30 Cotgrave ride in the middle of winter. Don't ask.

Pass in Slovenia - I forget the name...

I got to the bottom and warmed up with a latte and apple strudel, and to my surprise it was a glass of milk and not the coffee I was expecting. I did wander why she asked me it for heiss or kalt.

Little wild camp near Lake Bled

Another hot topic of this week, quite literally, is that of WarmShowers. A website equivalent to Coachsurfer, specifically for the touring cyclist. I have had the joy of being welcomed into 4 people's homes in Slovenia, Italy and Austria and I cannot thank these people enough. Their hospitality was second to none; so thank you again Ferrucio, Piergiorgio and Emmanuella, Renato and Phillip and Nikki. I can return the favour, when I eventually get a house sorted for next year. It won't be much though!

PG and Emmanuella near Trento

 

Ferrucio in the plains of Northern Italy

 

Renato in Slovenia

Strava is now up to date peeps...

 

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