PBP - they're off

[LadyVet]

It took me a few days to summons the mental energy to write any kind of a ride report, and when I did it got too big to really be a ride report any more. I suppose that is what happens when you do a long ride that takes days and nights! So instead I have created my first ever blog (well blogs). I have to warn you they are very boring!

http://felinepbp.blogspot.com/2011/08/pbp-2011-part-1-how-i-came-to-be-there.html
http://felinepbp.blogspot.com/2011/08/pbp-2011-part-2-ride.html

Excellent write-up Feline. Your comment about being female and the loos being taken over by MEN at the controls brought it all back.
Very well done on your achievement  . No need to worry about what's next though - LEL's in 2013 

[AndyH]

+1, very good Feline. I somehow ended up with a vision of Rowley Birkin QC. Why I decided to do PBP - I was very, very drunk at the time 

[zigzag]

Feline's story brings me memories of lel'09 where i was a jibbering wreck, chasing time and falling asleep on a bike, having swollen ankles etc.. it will only get better from now. respect!

[Feline]

Thanks everyone above, I felt a bit stupid writing a blog because I'm not good at that kind of thing, I was really trying to record some things before I forgot. I had promised the Bristol thursday oldtime cyclists I would send them a report too. I didn't really expect anyone to actually read it!

[Auntie Helen]

Well I read it and enjoyed it, thank you for writing it.

[AndyH]

I didn't really expect anyone to actually read it!

  Well you did post the link. Actually I was hoping for a site selling veterinary pharmaceutics  .

[Frank9755]

Great write-up.  You communicate how it felt, which is so much more interesting than just listing the places that you went through and the things seen along the way.

I agree that it was quite a bit colder on the Tuesday night.  I remember the temperature dipping noticeably at one point during the early hours.

[StuAff]

Great read there Feline, thanks.

[Fixedwheelnut]

+1 excellent write up 

[Hummers]

It took me a few days to summons the mental energy to write any kind of a ride report, and when I did it got too big to really be a ride report any more. I suppose that is what happens when you do a long ride that takes days and nights! So instead I have created my first ever blog (well blogs). I have to warn you they are very boring!

http://felinepbp.blogspot.com/2011/08/pbp-2011-part-1-how-i-came-to-be-there.html
http://felinepbp.blogspot.com/2011/08/pbp-2011-part-2-ride.html

Good stuff Lara and well done on your first PBP.

However, it was disappointing to see that Simon is up to his old tricks again:

Simon was outside looking for me, neither of us had realised he had passed me at some point on the road. He wasn't functioning much better than me at that stage and had (in a confused state) forgotten that douche means shower and not bed in French, and had just wandered into the shower rooms demanding to know if anyone had seen a femme in there. The French volunteers had looked at him aghast and sadly shook their heads.

You would have thought that having a tag would have made him think twice.... 

H

[Tomsk]

Lara, great report, reminds me of my sufferings on my first PBP, as a young lad of 45. I'm a bit better at it now.

As to what to do next: some touring, we'll have a 'barbecue autumn' and now you've recovered from the 'Big One' you'll be flying!

[Tigers Taxi]

Rode with Andy from VC167 most of the way out resulting in stupide fast time to Brest.

Considering I didn't catch up with you till Gorron and you started 20 mins behind me, you were making very good time without any assistance from me. I may have kept you up beyond your planned bedtime however 

[Tigers Taxi]

Result! Left Mortagne in the same group plu Andrew Southworth (def Andrew, def VC 167) and his mate. Great ride from there via savoury pastries and beer at Dreux to the finish. I got motorpaced in the last few miles by a couple in a car that just put their hazard lights on and drove at 20mph! Bit naughty but good fun.

Spot on, the tigger toy swinging from my saddlebag is usually a good clue. Thouroughly enjoyed the company on a very leisurely ride back, and enjoyed the motorpaced ride through the suburbs even more.

Andy S

[mattc]

just in case anyone cares, the data on the tracking page has been updated -  in the last week - for a few people. (I happened to check a couple who were not listed at SQY).
http://www.paris-brest-paris.org/pbp2011/index2.php?lang=fr&cat=randonnee&page=suivi_participants

[marcusjb]

just in case anyone cares, the data on the tracking page has been updated -  in the last week - for a few people. (I happened to check a couple who were not listed at SQY).
http://www.paris-brest-paris.org/pbp2011/index2.php?lang=fr&cat=randonnee&page=suivi_participants

Added a minute onto my time - the gits......

[Greenbank]

Dreux has been added to my times, I wonder if Quedillac and Illifaut will be added eventually. As far as I can remember neither had timing chip mats but they were writing down times and frame numbers on a sheet of paper when they stamped the brevet card.