Walking Commentary
Thoughts while waiting to walk from Manchester to Rome in 2022
Two cathedral city visits, Laon and Reims, may have inspired us to take things a bit more easily.
Watching people barely older than us fail to comprehend coffee machines tells several stories. The dispenser button design was stylish but not intuitive, never practical for high capacity, pensioner tour use. Two jaded cyclgrims watched from afar as female groupthink solved the challenge. The cyclgrims decided to take things a bit more easily. Watch and learn.
[Read more…] about 6: two half days
I think we were both a bit tired today. A loop of Laon wasn’t on the itinerary, proof perhaps that navigation muscles need as much warming up as any calves or thighs.
The steeds just needed a light chain oiling and they were rearing to go. We riders needed coffee (three doubles) and lots of food. Lots. And maybe just one more hard boiled egg, Justin Casey. And another Madeleine, to be sure to be sure.
[Read more…] about Cycle Day 5 to Reims
Late start at the Somme because hotel breakfast didn’t start until 8. It was going to be hot and windy and besides, we’re struggling to find places to stay within our daily cycling range. So we were happy to start late towards Laon, some 80 km away. Komoot decided we should follow the Somme rather than the ‘official’ Francigena because Komoot is a smart app that seems to know what’s good for us.
[Read more…] about Day 4 to Laon
The Chiffchaff waited
But was it silent?
For 18 months?
We set out from Calais towards Béthune at about 8.30; a bit late while adjusting to the time change. And great breakfasts take time.
[Read more…] about Our Francigena: Day 2
The bikes spent their last night relaxing in the van. We found parking for a month, the bikes popped out and the van was left in Canterbury. We set off maybe thirty minutes behind schedule. No shortage of Kent hills, we followed cycle route 16 to only to reach Dover just after the ferry check-in closed. We crossed to Calais by the hybrid ferry Pioneer, so quiet the electronic toys of other passengers became intrusive.
[Read more…] about Rome Day One: 13 Sep 2023