I couldn’t believe it was already the last day. The final push from Beauvais to Paris. Our pre ride instruction booklet said we would arrive in Paris at the Arc de Triomphe at 3.21pm though there was still 55 miles to go first!
It was an even earlier start than usual! Everything was about an hour earlier as we would be cycling longer through the morning to get to Paris for 3.21pm. For a change we joined the 10 mph group. This was a really interesting experience. In the 14mph which I had done the previous 2 days I felt as if I was always pushing, I stayed up with the group well but there was no time to coast. The 10 mph group was a completely different experience. I found I wasn’t pushing so hard so it was fun to play, letting myself drift to the back of the group and then working my way back up to the front. There was one long hill which kept turning back on itself, I really steamed up it overtaking people left and right which gave me a great boost and the energy to carry on.
We stopped in a little village for a break and to let the group close up. We saw this village had a small cafe so 50 of us descended on it at once. We weren’t stopped for long though so really had to gulp down the coffee.
I did have some trouble in the second half of the morning though. I heard a hiss coming from behind me so I stopped and found I had a flat back tyre. This time though instead of having to sit in the van they just swapped the whole back wheel and gears for someone else’s. I found the gears weren’t so long so I was having trouble getting up some hills. Though I was enjoying cruising through the back markers and quickly found myself back near the front. Then we stopped again so that we could all cross a busy road in one group. As we were stopped I found the repair van as I wanted my wheel back. They had replaced the inner tube fitted it to my bike and dropped the back of the bike to the ground and BANG the tyre blew again. The original puncture had actually ripped a two inch gash in the tyre so it was back on with the other wheel while they replaced the whole tyre.
We were back off on the last leg till lunch. As we cycled towards the village we were lunching in we noticed a strange site. The Americans had invaded! All of our motorcycle escorts had disappeared and were replaced with WWII re-enactors dressed in American military uniform complete with jeeps and guns.
A military road block!
At lunch got my old wheel back with a brand new tyre. After lunch we would leave in one large group. It was worth spending the morning with the slower group as the 14mph group arrived just 20mins before we all had to leave again.
The final leg of the ride into Paris was an amazing experience. We cycled solidly there from lunch and it was amazing to come over a crest and see Paris spread out below us. As we got further into Paris people on the pavement and in their cars cheered and waved, I didn’t want it to end. An amazing feeling thinking all the roads are closed for you (and the other 250 cyclists!) . We rounded a corner on cobbles and saw the Arc de Triomphe at the end of the road. This seemed to be a sign to sprint and we all found a last surge of energy to fly to the Arc.
Once at the Arc we were greeted by crowds of well wishers including family and friends. There was lots of time for photos and some people already mentioning next year! I received my medal from the president of the Royal British Legion. We paraded up the Champs Elysees for a short service and then cycled through more of Paris to load our bikes into lorries for their journey home.
It was a amazing 4 days of cycling. It showed me what I was capable of, when cycling by myself I sometimes stop and push but with a group you just keep going up any hill! Also I have never cycled four days straight 6 hours a day and have found since getting back I have so much more strength and endurance smashing some of my old training times.
I was on the cover of the Courier my local paper this week. You can read the story here.