|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Stage Fright before Big Adventure
So tomorrow's the big day. At dawn Widdershins (recumbent trike) and I
leave for Avignon on TGV for his first big tour. I'll be alone, without van support and no one to touch base with. The first performance is getting to the station. It's only about 2 km away, but there will be a saddle bag and an enormous, portmanteau style suitcase on wheelies in addition to the already hefty trike. My plan is to bungee the suitcase to the back of the rack and ride in stately pomp, like Cinderella in her pumpkin, very slowly so as not to overtip the suitcase, all the way to the gare. Traffic will certainly notice me! At about 3m I join the ranks of the Long Vehicles. Just hoping I don't get picked up by the guys in white coats. Then there is the challenge of the train itself. It has never been officially established that this trike will even get on. So I get trike and portmanteau onto the quai via the elevator (there is one, fortunately - one of my big reasons for choosing to go South rather than North as the elevators at the Gare du Nord have been out of order since 2001...). Once on the quai, a good hour and a half early, find the place where the wagon of my seat is scheduled to stop. Find trolley if there is any hope of one. Then, start dismantling the trike. Seat, fenders and wheels go into the portmanteau along with my frilly knickers and toiletries (hopefully not spilling out onto the tracks in full view). Out comes a big plastic housse and some packing tape to put round folded and bound trike frame. Voilą. Hope to Dog some kind person helps me hoist all that onto the train. At Avignon TGV, cop out - just find a taxi to get to the hotel ASAP! The tour proper starts on Sunday. There will be day distances well above anything I have ever mastered before (my max is 53km to this day, and that was on a light bike). There will be endless opportunities to exercise my immense talent for getting lost. There will be, I fear, some cheeky hills. And the loos along the way, as I have already established on another French tour, will probably be unuseable, of the phobic squat-in-the-ground variety that have alimented my nightmares since childhood. At least the hotels are two and three starred, the meals gastronomique, and the weather promises to be glorious. How I wish, wish, wish I had a cycling buddy to make it all so much safer and enjoyable. But I still haven't found one - I think anyone who is as committed to this kind of trip as myself could not possibly cycle so badly, and wouldn't want to cycle with me. So Widders and I are condemned to eachother's lonely company. I'll let you know how it went. Back Friday week. EFR Ile de France |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Stage Fright before Big Adventure
Artemisia wrote:
So tomorrow's the big day. At dawn Widdershins (recumbent trike) and I leave for Avignon on TGV for his first big tour. I'll be alone, without van support and no one to touch base with. The first performance is getting to the station. It's only about 2 km away, but there will be a saddle bag and an enormous, portmanteau style suitcase on wheelies in addition to the already hefty trike. My plan is to bungee the suitcase to the back of the rack and ride in stately pomp, like Cinderella in her pumpkin, very slowly so as not to overtip the suitcase, all the way to the gare. Traffic will certainly notice me! At about 3m I join the ranks of the Long Vehicles. Just hoping I don't get picked up by the guys in white coats. Then there is the challenge of the train itself. It has never been officially established that this trike will even get on. So I get trike and portmanteau onto the quai via the elevator (there is one, fortunately - one of my big reasons for choosing to go South rather than North as the elevators at the Gare du Nord have been out of order since 2001...). Once on the quai, a good hour and a half early, find the place where the wagon of my seat is scheduled to stop. Find trolley if there is any hope of one. Then, start dismantling the trike. Seat, fenders and wheels go into the portmanteau along with my frilly knickers and toiletries (hopefully not spilling out onto the tracks in full view). Out comes a big plastic housse and some packing tape to put round folded and bound trike frame. Voilą. Hope to Dog some kind person helps me hoist all that onto the train. At Avignon TGV, cop out - just find a taxi to get to the hotel ASAP! The tour proper starts on Sunday. There will be day distances well above anything I have ever mastered before (my max is 53km to this day, and that was on a light bike). There will be endless opportunities to exercise my immense talent for getting lost. There will be, I fear, some cheeky hills. And the loos along the way, as I have already established on another French tour, will probably be unuseable, of the phobic squat-in-the-ground variety that have alimented my nightmares since childhood. At least the hotels are two and three starred, the meals gastronomique, and the weather promises to be glorious. How I wish, wish, wish I had a cycling buddy to make it all so much safer and enjoyable. But I still haven't found one - I think anyone who is as committed to this kind of trip as myself could not possibly cycle so badly, and wouldn't want to cycle with me. So Widders and I are condemned to eachother's lonely company. I'll let you know how it went. Back Friday week. EFR Ile de France Absolutely every best wish for the trip. Looking forward to an account of heroic deeds and wonderful adventures. -- Brian G www.wetwo.co.uk |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Another adventure weekend :) | aspenmike | Unicycling | 15 | January 7th 08 06:35 PM |
Tasmanian Adventure | [email protected] | General | 0 | March 15th 07 01:53 PM |
Do you have an Adventure web site? | Craig Cherlet | Racing | 2 | April 7th 05 04:52 AM |
Do you have an Adventure web site? | Craig Cherlet | Unicycling | 0 | April 7th 05 03:59 AM |