Nice new ship to take me to Cherbourg. This is the Galicia on route into Portsmouth from Bilboa on the north coast of Spain. After an expensive ribeye steak at the Bar+Block, its off to the ferry and straight to my cabin. It was too late to eat on board as embarkation is at 2200. But I will spend time in the restaurant on the daytime return leg!
I woke up to quiet! Could not here the engines running so thought we had arrived. The ship can easily cover Portsmouth to Cherbourg in 5 hours, but as this run is from 2300 – 0700, the ferry just sits a few miles to the north for a few hours before going into dock. So overall an 8 hour crossing which allows for a full nights sleep.
This picture of the breakwater looking north. NE with cloud and sun. No rain. It was chilly so I was wearing 3 layers all day.
Here is the Strava map for the ride today. Over 100km of chilly by dry cycling.
After a few KM, I am presented with this. I am not on a Gravel bike and I need to find a way stop Komoot doing this to me!
France has become a great place for beer drinkers. No longer a land of “Export 33”, “Pelforth” and “1664”, now a huge range of artisan beers. This place I just passed by. I tend not to drink mid ride!
The Normandy coast is very famous for world war 2 battles. So plenty of war graves and museums along the way. As I cycle through this area, I was thinking of the sacrifices made by the hero’s of the 1940s. Also feeling a huge sense of shame at my generation for allowing the far right to gain such a hold in so many countries and doing evil things.
20 from my destination, I have wheel trouble. I heard a hiss and thought “OK” puncture to fix. Somewhat frustrated to find a split in my rear tyre. Best thing for me to do was to swap the tyres (front to back) as less weight is carried on the front wheel. After replacing the inner tube. I am on my way to Port en Bassin -20KM hoping for the best.
This is Port en Bassin. Last visited in 1988 briefly on Electron 3 with a fine crew of freinds from HMS Collingwood. Back then we just poked our nose in to find the place was a busy fishing port with no marina. So we sailed along the coast and spent the night in Grandcamp.
Port en Bassin is a very nice spot. lovely hotel and a nice evening meal.