Well - much later than promised, here is a sign-off post to round the blog off - and with some photos, now I am on the home computer rather than the phone.
The journey back from Samoens was, as predicted, a real epic, and frankly a bit of a slog. The pick up point for the coach home was, we thought, Lyon. In fact, and thankfully we checked in time, it was at a town called Givors which is about 20 miles south of Lyon. To get there involved leaving at about midday, then cycling to Cluses, the nearest point on a railway. From there we travelled about for three hours, changing trains once en route, to get to Lyon. We then had a very enjoyable cycle ride across Lyon which looks to be a very nice City (at the least the bit by the river). Then another train from a different station to Givors from where we managed to find the actual pick-up point which was on the edge of an industrial estate, the point being it was near the motorway!
We managed to get a bite to eat at a nearby hotel bar while waiting for the coach to arrive (late because of an accident) at about 2300hrs.
The coach was very impressive with an enormous trailer attached to carry our bikes and those of the other 50 or so people coming home this way. There were at least 4 tandems among them so you can imagine how big it was!
We sat in our reclining seats and settled in for a long night travelling up through France. Paul went straight to sleep (lucky fellow) while Kevin and I struggled to get much real rest! We reached Calais in time for the 1045 ferry to Dover, and had a very pleasant crossing with the White Cliffs looking as stunning as ever in the sunshine.
Then followed a lengthy journey up the M2, M25 and M1, stopping for comfort breaks and to drop off others at most service stations (or that's what it seemed like!) until it was our turn at Jn 16 on the M1, at about 1615hrs. We then cycled the seven miles to Northampton and took a train to Birmingham then another to Kidderminster before pedaling the final 4 miles or so to home in Bewdley! A 32 hour journey! Phew.
Nest time I think we will cycle to Geneva and put the bikes on the plane for a swift flight back to the UK! Hey ho, all good fun really and part of the experience. In case you are tempted the company is www.bike-express.co.uk. Quite an impressive set up, especially if your pick up and dropping off points are somewhere near where they go!
I'm pleased to say we all not only survived the whole trip but came back a lot fitter than when we departed! I think we could have all cycled further if we had planned to do so and, who knows, we may do so another time!
The pictures above show us firstly at the start - 0700hrs on Sat 23rd August, then secondly at the summit of the biggest and last climb of the trip, at the top of the Col de Joux Plane, a real 'Tour de France' climb to the summit at 1700 metres. Downhill all the way from there which is why we are looking so pleased! (I note we have all changed colours in between!)
Many thanks indeed to everyone who sponsored me for the work we do in Gambia. I'm delighted to tell you that, with Gift Aid reclaim, I will have raised over £1750 so am very pleased with that and extremely grateful to all of you for your support.
On that happy note I'll round off this blog report and hope you have found something of interest or enjoyment. Thanks for reading it. Please keep in touch and let me know what you thought of it. For now though - Au revoir!
Malcolm
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