Dieppe then. Although the road east avoids the town completely. We’ve visited before on Rout Vert, and very nice it is too. The next few days of northern France,  reminds us (me?) how perfect Normandie & Brittany are for cycle touring.  It’s clear & sunny, so flippin freezing at night. Not that Paul, Neale & Martin know, snugged up in their hotel.

Off we go. And quite soon it’s clear that multiple navigation techs, two quite different accomodation systems,  and natural human diversity makes for an hilariously slow and democratic decision making process. Even more, routewise, as the Garmins, as usual, go round in circles avoiding main roads, but never agree with each other. Fortunately, their number is cut from 3 to 2 when Neale manages to lose Martin’s Garmin en route. Good job it was so old. But it’s all totally friendly and jolly,  and involves many cafes and patisseries.

We find we don’t make so much of our intended 100km per day, but there’s always good reason. It’d be nice to stop longer in some places, especially, we hadn’t planned it, but we tracked part of the WW1 front line; very moving, just so many dead. Vimy battlefield partly preserved, hardly any not all cratered.

Unfortunately, Neale’s father was then unwell, and Neale, Martin & Paul caught a train home a day or two early. Many thanks guys, for a wonderful send off.

After a day of just 3 of us, we pedalled with charming young Belgian Valentine most of a day, learning how to follow Belgian cycling routes. He’s en route to Rome, so our routes soon diverge. Not before a few Ardennes hills though, perhaps the northern Eurovelo had its advantages?

Posted from the comfy bar at Gedinne camping.