We shared the hotel with a large group of British Triumph motor car enthusiasts, who were driving down to Monaco. The car park was full of Dolomites, Vitesses, 2000s, TR4s and the like. Most were in rather ropey states of repair (bodywork wise) and I gave us a better chance of getting to the Med than them. They looked happy tho with their Boys Toys. They had no women with them. They were, in general, very fat.
We left Calais and cycled N E to the coastal town of Gravelines, where a 17c man o' war warship, the Jean Bart, was being built. 57m long!
See...
http://suite101.com/a/jean-bart-17th-century-ship-being-built-gravelines-northern-france
I don't know much about these things, but I can't imagine that a bigger such ship was being built anywhere in the world. Absolutely massive. Easily 100 x bigger than the Matthew, I'd say. It looked as big as the SS Great Britain.
Leaving Gravelines, I asked a passing French cyclist for confirmation that we were on the right route towards the town of Bourbourg. He (a slim, tanned, lycra'd 60 something), said - Have you seen the beach? I said - I've seen the big boat. He said - You must see the beach! It's beautiful. Follow me! So we (reluctantly) turned around and followed him, in the opposite direction!, to see the beach. An hour later we were back at the spot where I'd first spoken to him, and picked up the road to Bourbourg. I'd been on the right road anyhow and should have not spoken to him. The beach? It was ok as beaches go.
The countryside was flat. It was hot ~28C. There was a headwind, but not too much of one. On the map it didn't look too far, but it was the furthest I'd cycled all year. We rolled along at between 11 and 14 mph.
Our destination was Ypres.
Around 12 noon, four of the open topped Triumph sports cars flashed past us, sounding their horns in recognition. I honked back. They didn't seem to be on the right route for Monaco though.
As we cycled into Belgium I suggested a game: take it in turns to come up with a famous Belgium real or fictitious. Jackie (JC) went first. After a long think she came up with some obscure name that I'd never heard of. I retorted with Hercule Poirot. After a long think (maybe a mile) she said that she was out. A little further on she said - But it's one all!!! I quickly trotted out a few. Like Herge, Rubens and Eddy Merckx. Silence was restored.
Then I said - Another game! What four countries border Belgium. She quickly came up with Germany and France but then had a never ending list of wrongers. Like Sweden! And Hungary!
For such a well travelled person, geography is not her strong point.
At around 3pm we rolled into Ypres. Tonight we will go to experience the daily ceremony at the Menin Gate. My first time. Jackie's been before.
[Following the Menin Gate Memorial opening in 1927, the citizens of Ypres wanted to express their gratitude towards those who had given their lives for Belgium's freedom. As such, every evening at 20:00, buglers from the local fire brigade close the road which passes under the memorial and sound the "Last Post". Except for the occupation by the Germans in World War II when the daily ceremony was conducted at Brookwood Military Cemetery, in Surrey, England, this ceremony has been carried on uninterrupted since 2 July 1928 - Wikipedia]
Good route today. Very small back roads. Hardly saw a car all day. No wrong turns either. (I'm doing the route as far as Besancon. She will take over from there.)
JC's got a new toy on her bike: a computer. She said we did 64 miles. In the hot sun too. No surprise I'm rather thirsty!