Kate Bosley - Cycling London to Nice
Kate Bosley is raising money for Heart Of Kent Hospice
“Kate Bosley's fundraising”
on 26 May 2011
Story
Lands End to John O Groats is conquered - so now LONDON TO NICE!
See Kate's Journey Blog below:
Anyone who knows me well will realise just how much I enjoyed cycling from Lands End to John O Groats. This was a real challenge for me both physically and mentally and without the support of the fantastic group of people who cycled with me and Discover Adventure, I may not have completed it. There were times when my knee hurt so much that I not only doubted I would complete the challenge but I vowed never to undertake a long distance cycle again. However, call me Steve Redgrave, but within months I had signed up for London to Nice, via Paris and Geneva. This means negotiating Switzerland! Those that know about my cycling ability will realise I climb reasonably well but descend slowly - Should be an interested ride!
Whilst I am undertaking the challenge during my annual leave, at my own expense, I take every opportunity to fundraise for the Hospice where I work. It would be great if you could sponsor me knowing that any donation will go straight to the Hospice. You can do this in two ways - either using this page or, why not consider making a longer lasting commitment to the Hospice by becoming a Friend at Heart. Friends at Heart make regular donations which help the Hospice provide their invaluable services to our patients and their families. You can find out more by visiting www.hokh.org or calling me at the Hospice on 01622 792200.
The Heart of Kent Hospice is a registered charity specialising in palliative care for the people of Maidstone, Kent and the surrounding local communities. Our specialist team offers skilled care, comfort, compassion and hope to people facing the challenge of terminal illness. At any one time we support up to 350 patients, plus their families and carers. As a charity the services we offer are free of charge. However, this does mean that of the £3.6m that it currently costs per year to provide our care, we have to raise over £2.5m ourselves from the community that we serve.
Blog - Day 1 - Today started ridiculously early with a 5.am wake up call. Following breakfast we congregated on Blackheath and met the 60 other riders. Mostly people starting today are finishing on Paris so we are in the minority. We quickly rode out of London and before I knew it we were skirting around Maidstone and on very familiar territory . Felt funny not to be able to stop and say hello to Coxheath shop but I was not wanting to get left behind. Lunch was in Charing near the church but we got there to early and we had a lot of waiting about. Charing to Dover was hilly and we didn't cover the ground as quickly as we had in the morning. Even so we finished the ride early. Then had a very long wait for the ferry. The sun is shining and I am feeling strong and fit. Let's hope that continues . 80 miles
Day 2 - I am afraid that we have to get up very early and this adds to the fatigue. Wake up call 06.00 and ready for off at 7am. It rained all night and it looked as if it would continue for most of the day. However we ended up with some reasonable weather but periods of very heavy rain and thunder. It was so bad we hid under a tree until it passed over. Despite this we managed to get soaked and everything is damp and cold. However when the sun shone it was lovely. Northern France is lovely and I feel ashamed how often we have motored through it without a glance. We passed through some lovely villages ending up in arras at around 4pm. So in good time for doing some washing and drying clothes with a hair dryer!! Eating loads and hungry most of the time. The food is good and fellow cyclists fun. Most are good cyclists so some seriously expensive bikes. Another long day 80 miles.
Day 3 - Arras to Compiegne 83 miles
We woke to fantastic blue sky and really thought that's what the whole day would be like. We enjoyed the first 20 miles in sun and stopped at the War Memorial on the Somme. I have to say it was very moving and we all spent some time thinking of the 75,000 who lost their lives before moving off towards our lunch stop. Very easy cycling with rolling fields and lovely views. Lunch is being provided by outside caterers who are amazing. Hot curry and loads of salads and fresh veg.
Just as we started eating the sky went black and the rain started. The problem was we hadn't really envisaged the bad weather and I hadn't packed enough layers. A few of us decided to get going and rode the next 40 miles almost without stopping just to keep warm. Navigation is really easy as the crew put clear orange signs out indicating the whole route for us.
Compiegne was busy traffic wise but the clear signage meant I could find my Hotel easily. Very grateful to be here in plenty of time to wash kit and get ready for tomorrow. Paris next stop!!
Day 4 - Paris
I am afraid the weather isn't being kind at all to us and it was already raining as we set off from Compiegne. At first the roads were fast and flat ish with only one major climb. We stopped for a water stop after 15 miles and then pushed on and arrived at the lunch break early. We are now getting used to eating at odd times and lunch was served at 11.00 in a village called Serville. Very pretty and rural. After lunch it became obvious we were getting nearer Paris and for 20 miles or so we stopped and started in very heavy traffic. We were asked to regroup as we entered the city and were escorted around the arc-de triomphe and ended the ride next to the Eiffel Tower. Probably the most scary cycling I have ever done. For most in the group that's the end and so we were given Champagne at the Hotel and tonight have a celebration meal. Angela and I have a day off and start off for Geneva on Monday morning (5.30 am). We have had our share of rain over the last few days and we are hoping for better weather next week.
Day 6 - Paris to Sens. We started the day with the most dreadful rain and within minutes all 4 layers were soaked. We stopped briefly for photos underneath the Eiffel Tower but it was so wet that cameras and phones people have brought are not working so to be honest I didn't bother as I had taken a picture yesterday.My camera isn't working now although I have looked after it in plastic bags in my ruck-sac it shows how wet it is. Cycling through Paris in the early morning was an adventure and we were lucky to all stay intact. High visibility jackets and sheer nerve and determination got all 20 riders through Paris and onto quieter roads - although this was not until the 30 mile mark.
We cycled through Fontainebleau Forest which was lovely. The rain was much lighter and we started to warm up. From then on the ride was fast and flat with no climbs even so my knees are complaining. On the whole a easy day but I expect its the last flat day. Overnight stop in Sens which looks a lovely town. 90 miles
Day 7 - Sens to Semur Today was fantastic. The sun shone and the 90 miles were a pleasure to ride. The route took us through some lovely villages the most beautiful was Chablis. We stopped to sample the excellent wine in a shaded courtyard and struggled to get going again. I think we all could have stayed all afternoon but we still had 40 miles to go. This morning I managed to get lost by missing a orange route sign. A quick look at the map helped me back on track but it meant I did a few extra miles. All in all I am coping with the daily miles although my knee slightly hurts but nothing compared to last time. Fingers crossed. This afternoon was hillier and we are clearly nearing the mountains. The Hotel we are staying in tonight is good and the town of Semur looks lovely but Angela and I are going to bed at 9.30 so we are rested enough for the day ahead. No real chance to explore but I have taken a picture of the castle and town and have noted a return trip one day. - 90 miles
Day 8 - Semur to Lons Le Saunier. 100 miles today which was actually flat with one main climb and a fantastic descent which was 8 miles long. The weather was dry at that point so we all enjoyed the experience and we all made the bottom safely. Hard work getting to the descent but worth it
Slightly down market hotel tonight in Lons Le Saunier. Tomorrow we head for Switzerland!
Day 9 to Generva - Guess what no rain and clear skies. We even arrived in Geneva in the sunshine!! This morning was pretty much climbing constantly. At first a very steep hill beat me and I stopped to catch my breath and take some pictures. It was very long and very steep and we hadn't had time to warm up. However I then settled into it and enjoyed the rest of the morning. We stopped at the top (Col de la Faucille) which is a Tour category climb and I took a picture to prove I had done it. (Without stopping 10 miles long) We passed a massive bike in the field which I guess has been there since the last time the tour passed. I also have a picture of that. Then a most incredible descent which was 12 miles long. I don't have any break pads left!! It’s been an amazing day the views are spectacular. I can’t wait for the journey to Nice.
Day 10 - Geneva to Allevard - Today was amazing cycling. We started with a climb but the views made up for it. Looking down on Lake Geneva was superb and we passed properties that must have one of the best views in the world. Of course a new group of cyclists joined us today, for the last leg, which meant some of them dashed off rather to quickly and most of them got lost. We have been at the Hotel for ages and they are still rolling in. Clearly we are fitter by the day and the climbs are long but surprisingly we are coping with them well. The descents are really scary and we have had one of the group who fell and has nasty road rash. After 25 miles we came into Annecy which is a lovely town and we all would have like to stop for a while but we needed to press on. We joined a cycle path around the lake before a long climb. The rest of the day was climbing or descents and the legs are feeling it.
The Hotel in Les Bains, Allevard was a very welcome sight. The weather is now amazingly hot so we are able to dry out all our clothes and we hope that the weather will stay like this till Nice.
Day 12 -
Another fantastic day. We have totalled 87 miles which passed though the most fantastic country side. The first half of the ride was hilly. We had a rather lovely descent to reach Gap. Gap looks another place to visit with family at a later date. The rivers look really dry and our main problem was the heat. Another really hot day and my GPS system clocked 39.1 degrees. It was hard to carry enough water and climbing in the heat of the day was a challenge. Despite this I have improved my climbing technique and feel stronger and fitter. I haven't improved my descending I am afraid. The roads are melting and some stopped to take photos of the road.
The second half of the day was flat and fast but we were all affected by the heat to varying degrees. We are eating to fuel rather than for pleasure and I wouldn't like to guess how many bars and bananas I have eaten.
We are staying in a very old town which looks as if it has been unchanged for many years. Our Hotel is nice and we are looking forward to sleep. The owners are welcoming but I think they think we are all mad.
Final Day -
Last day in the saddle and the leaders told us it was going to be great but tough. We started climbing as soon as we left Digne Les Bains and climbed for 17 miles or so before our first water stop. We managed to get the first climb done without the heat of the day by starting off at 7 am. This meant breakfast at 6.15. We then had a lovely descent before passing through the Town of Castellane. We were told another very long climb awaited us and so we were encouraged to take a break and have a coffee in town but I was keen to climb again and set off with a few others. We hadn't gone far when we saw an orange sign pointing to the left (Discover Adventure mark the route with orange signs at each junction and this assists navigation enormously). However this one felt wrong and I consulted the map and decided that someone must have turned the sign around. Once I was sure I moved it back round and then a small group of us started up the climb in the right direction. The problem was, we later found out, that several were in front of us and found themselves climbing to a beautiful lake in the completely wrong direction.
Anyway encouraged by lack of knee problems and the fact it was the last day I started to climb alone at a faster speed than my cycling companions reaching the top elated an hour or so later. Great fun. Lunch was served at the top and we all knew that we had done the hardest bit by far.
The last part of the day was a 30 mile descent - Really. The first 20 miles were switch backs and there was minimal traffic. It was still scary and I found myself last in the group. It may actually be true that I am faster up hill than down!
The last 20 were into Nice. I wore two tops at the finish. Firstly SFACC cycling top to recognise that without them I wouldn't have developed my love of cycling and secondly, after a quick change for photos The Heart of Kent Hospice who have benefited from my endeavours through the generosity of my friends. I thank you if you have sponsored me because I know on a daily basis how much the Hospice offers and how it can only happen with the community's support,
I also would like to thank Angela Horsley who shared the experience with me and John who held the fort at home and didn't complain . (Not to me anyway)
So please dig deep and donate now.