testing

[MooN]

I have been planning a couple of longer trips, 3 or 4 days, but am not sure anymore how many hours I can ride comfortably in a day having not done any longer trips since the problems with shoulder and now knees. 

So despite the weather forcast being shyte and our region being on yellow alert for storms I decided to see how long I could last. 

I had heard tell of a road near Reims that was once a race track, and the stands have been left intact along the side of the road. I saw it on the telly a couple of weeks ago so though I might go have a butchers:

Reims, and most of the Champagne region is on the Marne river plain so is obiously strewn with cemeterys and memorials of the first war and the battle of the Marne ( i did a ride report from Chateau Thierry and the american cemeteries and monument a few years ago) so, this being kind of my pet subject, I had to visit this, the National Monument to the 1st battle of the Marne ( sept 1914, with the advancing Germans just 30 miles from Paris, Marechal Joffre ordered his retreating 6th army to turn around and attack. The BEF on his flank did the same 24hrs later and the german advance was stopped and 5 days later was in general retreat) 

a small British cemetery nearby

I also rode past a huge French military cemetary and an Americain one also but it was pissing down with rain so I didn't stop.

The weather cleared again and as the sun came out I found a lovely quiet spot to eat my sarnies, in a village called "Oyes" 

 the whole time I sat there eating and reading my book, about half an hour I guess, not a single car came past...lovely!

Moving on, I crossed the Seine at Romilly and found the old race circuit pit lane and stands at "Gueux" just west of Reims

being a Sunday there were a few people about as it's obviously a meeting place for the local petrol heads

the grandstand opposite

I went on Into Reims for petrol and rode home stopping a number of time to shelter form the heavier rainstorms that came through, they don't last long but they drop a huge amount of water on you and you can go from dry road to 3 inches of standing water in under a minute, so I prefer to pull over and shelter for 5 or 10 minutes if the opportunity presents itself, as it did here in a derelict Service station which I had to document for @XTreme

 I did try the door but it was locked. 

 all in all 450km and 7 hours including stops, I could probably do another hour or even 2 after a longer break so i'm pleased to find I can manage so long and can now plan accordingly. 

 

[boboneleg]

Nice one Chris, I've seen that circuit before in photos but I had no idea about the military history of the area.  Pleased that you managed to get a decent day out, how does your body feel now ?

[Pedro]

Reims was an iconic race back then, the most important in France maybe?

Cool stuff! And good on you, I won’t do a 450km ride if it means ending up where I started.

[XTreme]

That's a brilliant report Chris......love the circuit, is that actually a road then?

[MooN]

On 04/07/2021 at 23:39, boboneleg said:

Nice one Chris, I've seen that circuit before in photos but I had no idea about the military history of the area.  Pleased that you managed to get a decent day out, how does your body feel now ?

the history of the battle of the Marne is french history Bob, and no one wants to learn about battles the French won because it would oblige them to question their stereotypes.  The Body stood up fine to this test, worked the following day with no more then normal aches and pains so it's looking good for a 3 or 4 day ride at the end of august... if we're not all in lock down again by then. 

On 04/07/2021 at 23:42, Pedro said:

Reims was an iconic race back then, the most important in France maybe?

Cool stuff! And good on you, I won’t do a 450km ride if it means ending up where I started.

I'm surprised you've heard of it Pedro, most people haven't and I certainly hadn't until recently. 

On 04/07/2021 at 23:43, XTreme said:

That's a brilliant report Chris......love the circuit, is that actually a road then?

The old start / finish straight throigh the stands and it lane is now the D27 between Reims and Gueux.

[Pedro]

15 minutes ago, MooN said:

 

I'm surprised you've heard of it Pedro, most people haven't and I certainly hadn't until recently. 

I am equally surprised, I assumed everyone did

[Sofia]

On 04/07/2021 at 22:32, MooN said:

I have been planning a couple of longer trips, 3 or 4 days, but am not sure anymore how many hours I can ride comfortably in a day having not done any longer trips since the problems with shoulder and now knees. 

So despite the weather forcast being shyte and our region being on yellow alert for storms I decided to see how long I could last. 

I had heard tell of a road near Reims that was once a race track, and the stands have been left intact along the side of the road. I saw it on the telly a couple of weeks ago so though I might go have a butchers:

Reims, and most of the Champagne region is on the Marne river plain so is obiously strewn with cemeterys and memorials of the first war and the battle of the Marne ( i did a ride report from Chateau Thierry and the american cemeteries and monument a few years ago) so, this being kind of my pet subject, I had to visit this, the National Monument to the 1st battle of the Marne ( sept 1914, with the advancing Germans just 30 miles from Paris, Marechal Joffre ordered his retreating 6th army to turn around and attack. The BEF on his flank did the same 24hrs later and the german advance was stopped and 5 days later was in general retreat) 

a small British cemetery nearby

I also rode past a huge French military cemetary and an Americain one also but it was pissing down with rain so I didn't stop.

The weather cleared again and as the sun came out I found a lovely quiet spot to eat my sarnies, in a village called "Oyes" 

 the whole time I sat there eating and reading my book, about half an hour I guess, not a single car came past...lovely!

Moving on, I crossed the Seine at Romilly and found the old race circuit pit lane and stands at "Gueux" just west of Reims

being a Sunday there were a few people about as it's obviously a meeting place for the local petrol heads

the grandstand opposite

I went on Into Reims for petrol and rode home stopping a number of time to shelter form the heavier rainstorms that came through, they don't last long but they drop a huge amount of water on you and you can go from dry road to 3 inches of standing water in under a minute, so I prefer to pull over and shelter for 5 or 10 minutes if the opportunity presents itself, as it did here in a derelict Service station which I had to document for @XTreme

 I did try the door but it was locked. 

 all in all 450km and 7 hours including stops, I could probably do another hour or even 2 after a longer break so i'm pleased to find I can manage so long and can now plan accordingly. 

 

Nice!!! Went there in 2008, very enjoyable. Lovely to see it again, thank you

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

@MooN great stuff. Where are you planning to go for 3 or 4 days and how long did you manage (time wise) in the saddle?

[Pedro]

Portugal, @MooN, make it 2 x 4 day trips 

[MooN]

10 hours ago, Pedro said:

Portugal, @MooN, make it 2 x 4 day trips 

you tempt me Pedro, but I can't be away that long, not this year anyway. 

[MooN]

10 hours ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

@MooN great stuff. Where are you planning to go for 3 or 4 days and how long did you manage (time wise) in the saddle?

Noothing definitive decided yet but I've been working on a route to Millau Bridge, drop down as far as our base on the canal du midi at Capestang ( free night...) and back via Aurillac, or something along those lines.  Sunday I did about 7 hours in the saddle and still managed to work on monday so the test was worthwhile, I wasn't sure I could do so much. 

[XTreme]

13 minutes ago, MooN said:

you tempt me Pedro, but I can't be away that long, not this year anyway. 

And when I say "come to Spain" you poopoo it!

How would you describe somebody like this @Buckster?

[yen_powell]

That is a gobsmacking structure. What is that made of, is it hollow? I've heard of Reims and I have no interest in racing at all, but it has obviously been repeated enough around me to make it stick in my memory.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

57 minutes ago, MooN said:

Noothing definitive decided yet but I've been working on a route to Millau Bridge, drop down as far as our base on the canal du midi at Capestang ( free night...) and back via Aurillac, or something along those lines.  Sunday I did about 7 hours in the saddle and still managed to work on monday so the test was worthwhile, I wasn't sure I could do so much. 

Sounds likes youve made up your mind though! 7 hours is pretty damn good off the bat although I suppose you have to be comfortable to repeat that more than one day in a row. Can you just change what youre doing if the joints need a rest or would it be a ‘stick to the schedule’ type thing?

[XTreme]

33 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Sounds likes youve made up your mind though! 7 hours is pretty damn good off the bat although I suppose you have to be comfortable to repeat that more than one day in a row. Can you just change what youre doing if the joints need a rest or would it be a ‘stick to the schedule’ type thing?

What did you think of Moon's erection Caroline?

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

18 minutes ago, XTreme said:

What did you think of Moon's erection Caroline?

 

“Not so splendid as your mighty erections I imagine.”

Thats the one stand out line from a diabolical film of yesteryear (1990) called three men and a little lady (I was on a ferry and it was all that was showing, well thats my excuse), annoyingly Ive remembered it since, surprisingly its not a quote that gets a lot of airing  

[XTreme]

4 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

“Not so splendid as your mighty erections I imagine.”

[Buckster]

8 hours ago, XTreme said:

And when I say "come to Spain" you poopoo it!

How would you describe somebody like this @Buckster?

Sounds like a bit of a cunt if you ask me.

[XTreme]

10 minutes ago, Buckster said:

Sounds like a bit of a cunt if you ask me.

[MooN]

On 08/07/2021 at 10:48, XTreme said:

And when I say "come to Spain" you poopoo it!

How would you describe somebody like this @Buckster?

the difference being that I'd quite like to actually meet Pedro... 

[XTreme]

1 minute ago, MooN said:

the difference being that I'd quite like to actually meet Pedro... 

Gingers have more fun!

[MooN]

On 08/07/2021 at 11:39, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Sounds likes youve made up your mind though! 7 hours is pretty damn good off the bat although I suppose you have to be comfortable to repeat that more than one day in a row. Can you just change what youre doing if the joints need a rest or would it be a ‘stick to the schedule’ type thing?

hell yes, If It hurts I'll stop.