One thing I know is that when you finish riding you carry on eating. It is impossible to keep up with the energy you burn. I estimate I was burning about 5000-8000 calories a day and there was no way the stuff I was eating was keeping up with that. This means you have a voracious appetite. Fortunately Darren had found somewhere for brunch in Annecy.

We also caught up with Paul who had scratched a bit further on than us and made his way to Grenoble by bike and then Annecy where we met him for the train to Annemasse.

We then decided to ride the last 30 odd kilometres to Thonon les Bains and find accommodation. It was a lovely ride through rolling countryside adjacent to the lake.

We got to the finish and collected our bags and then I had a steep hill to climb to get to the rather swish (but inexpensive) studio apartment I had booked in the centre of town. Only subsequently did I discover the funicular took me right to the top of the hill avoiding the huge effort required to push a bag and bike up the hill! [Well Paul did a lot of the work…]

Time passes quickly as you enjoy a steaming hot shower, change into normal clothes and shoes, pack bags and bikes away and meet and greet friends as they arrive at the finish.

Of the nine of us who started only one would finish: Niel. The rest of us scratched. Jo and JoJo got the furthest. More proof that women are better at endurance rides than a lot of men.

Stuart’s story

Meanwhile we were hearing more of Stuart’s adventures. He had decided that trying to do the route on a gravel bike was incredibly hard. So he logically went and bought himself a full sus mountain bike! Apparently he arranged for the gravel bike to be shipped home and then set off only to discover that the bike had downhill tyres which made for hard going on the tarmac. So he logically went and got the tyres changed. He seemed to experience the most friendly people who took him into Gites and fed him. Ultimately he also scratched but then plotted his route home by train and ferry. He was the only one of us who did not use a plane or car. Kudos!

The finishers party was scheduled for about 7pm on the Saturday. Of course Niel arrived not long after it started to rapturous applause.

At the time he said it was the hardest event he has done, which is something coming from someone who has done rides in the Andes, Atlas Mountains, Balkans and the Silk Road Mountain Race.

The evening ended with five of us having a Chinese meal before splitting up to make our way home the next day; by train and plane for me and the same or cars for the others.

They say you should not spend your money on material goods but on experiences. The joy of events like this is you can do both 😉

Let me finish with a poem a good friend posted recently that captures what I feel about participating in such an event.

Leisure 

by William Henry Davies

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

Thanks: to Niel Copeland for coaching and getting me there. Linda, David and Alice for putting up with my idiosyncrasies. Thanks to Stuart, Paul, Darren, Haico, Martin, Jo and JoJo for being such wonderful company and sharing this amazing event. Thanks to Alex for making it easy to find my way home. Until next time: