London to Paris - February 2012

We are off on a recce this weekend for our new London to Paris route via the Portsmouth to Caen ferry crossing to sort out water stops, lunch stops and hotels.  This led me to thinking about past London to Paris cycle rides and I found this poem written by one of the challengers on the Newhaven to Dieppe route:

London to Paris, it’s time to start

Crystal Palace steps, we depart

One hundred and eighty miles, a long distance yet

All determined to finish, the challenge is set.

 

Wind and rain lash, torrential downpour

Slowing our progress, punctures galore

Cycling to Newhaven, regrouping to meet

Catching our ferry, day one complete.

 

Day two, Dieppe we leave behind

Sweeping across France, its drivers kind

Tooting as passing by our peleton

Undulating roads rolling on and on.

Stages defined by the top of a hill

Gazebo awaiting, for us to refill

Serving drinks and energy bars aplenty

Ensuring we’re never running on empty.

 

Expert organisation, Expedition Wise,

All problems solved, whatever their size

Ensuring that no one needs to ask

To ride in the van, all complete the task

Rising early, it’s now day three

France is sleeping, we ride for Paree

Bois de Bologne, now it’s only an hour

Forming our chain to the Eiffel Tower

 

For the Railway Children we don our kit

For those less fortunate will benefit

Through the efforts of colleagues from far and wide

Completing the London to Paris bike ride.