- a long ride deserves a long rant…

Mortagne-au-Perche, nearly 1,100 km done, 10:30 pm Wednesday August 19’th.  It was a long climb up to the Control, I could hear applause up ahead but my light was dim, the dynamo struggling to provide power.  There was a spontaneous groan, a steep ramp and then through the crowds of cheering spectators. 

Someone helped me off my bike.  “Controle?” I shouted, “Par-la” – I stumbled into the bright hall, brevet card in hand ready for the stamp.

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If you get the chance to do a Brevet in France then, based on my experience, go for it!  They are detailed here - http://jeanpba.homeip.net/?page=90&onglet=1&annee=2014.

There is a full set of photos here - https://picasaweb.google.com/113235987186962089648/BRM300Km2014?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPuXyZn8x_K3SQ&feat=directlink#

It’s been more than twenty years since I last cycled any distance in France.  Whilst studying in Toulouse, I was using a “supermarket” mountain bike to get to school and back and some of my “classmates” convinced me to join the college cycle club weekend outing – I think it was a wind up.  They all had road bikes and lycra.  I had flat tyres and cut off jeans.  Still, as usual, my pig headedness dragged me round.

This 300km was a bit easier for me and was certainly worth the effort.  The scenery, weather and surface could not have been more perfect.

During post LEL depression August last year I began to search far and wide for Brevets.    I knew that really it was all in vain and that I had neither time, energy or a hope in hell of getting away for another trip.

But, as soon as ACP released the 2014 dates I did a quick check for school holidays and distance to my parents’ house in Provence and BRM 300 La Garde,  26 May was perfect.   

With @mrsm burning up her holiday and points on the peak of the Irish dancing season taking the kids away BY MYSLEF for a week was not going to be a problem.  I even had no fear in chucking in the Easter Flèche the weekend before.

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