Author Topic: Berlin to London by recumbent trike - es ist Vollbracht (with apologies to Bach) (Read 12359 times)

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #50 on:** 06 May, 2012, 04:12:12 pm »

Quote from: Clare on 06 May, 2012, 03:40:43 pm

Do you have an ETA for Traf Sq?

That's a real tricky one. It depends on so many variables - how many of us are travelling together, if I'm having a slow or a fast day, how many of us get punctures, if we stop for a pub lunch or just a snack (I would favour a snack as I'll just want to get there). I reckon it's unlikely to be before 5pm as it's 65 miles or so from the PRC and I'm not quick, as you all know.

I'm hoping to hang around in London for a bit (maybe for some evening food with some people?) if anyone was wanting to come over and have a drink or something. It really is awfully vague but I am so inexperienced in riding in London it's a bit hopeless. I will have to order my husbandly taxi an hour and a half before I want to leave and I doubt I'll ring him to set off before I reach Traf Squ so I expect to spend a while there.

What I am REALLY hoping to manage is to wash all my kit when I get home on Saturday night and for it to be dry Sunday morning when I set off so that I can wear my Help For Heroes jersey without the caramelised red onion stain it got right down the front during the pub meal on the way to Harwich as I set out

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #51 on:** 06 May, 2012, 05:41:40 pm »

Today's report - a long'un, but it has cake!

http://auntiehelen.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/b2l-nieheim-to-gutersloh-day-10/

loadsabikes · « **Reply #52 on:** 06 May, 2012, 10:52:50 pm »

An excellent report for the day and a fine array of cakery!!

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #53 on:** 08 May, 2012, 06:08:16 am »

Wifi packed up last night after I had published the blog but before I posted the link here! Now in Münster, today is my last day in Germany, boo!

http://auntiehelen.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/b2l-gutersloh-to-munster-day-11/

TimC · « **Reply #54 on:** 08 May, 2012, 08:44:13 am »

Herman's Denkmal - this is what the chap was looking for. It's quite large! (It's the thingy behind the aeroplane).

Peter · « **Reply #55 on:** 08 May, 2012, 01:12:43 pm »

Der Flugzeug ist ein "Blitzen", nicht wahr?

TimC · « **Reply #56 on:** 08 May, 2012, 01:23:43 pm »

Yes, an F2A. My Dad is driving it. Taken around 1975.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #57 on:** 08 May, 2012, 01:45:53 pm »

I see from her progress tracker that AH is only about 5k from the Dutch border.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #58 on:** 08 May, 2012, 04:38:07 pm »

Yes, I decided to stay in Germany tonight rather than hopping over the border to Winterswijk. Mainly because I don't have a Dutch SIM for my iPhone yet! Plus Germany is the place that does it for me.

Here is today's report:

http://auntiehelen.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/b2l-munster-to-oerding-day-12/

I have finally met a dishy soldier!

Oh, and the village name is Oeding not Oerding as I wrote above in the blog title (which I can't change for the URL, unfortunately)

arvid · « **Reply #59 on:** 08 May, 2012, 06:48:51 pm »

You know Winterswijk has a recumbent shop?
On wednesday it is open from 13:30-17:00 so you're probably long past it then.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #60 on:** 08 May, 2012, 06:51:34 pm »

Yeah, I'll be passing south of Winterswijk at about 8:30am. Probably a good thing as I don't think I need another recumbent!

Wowbagger · « **Reply #61 on:** 08 May, 2012, 10:26:56 pm »

For Sunday, I'd guess that you'll be passing East Hanningfield around 11 a.m. I reckon I ought to leave home about 9.30 and aim to meet you there, but of course we can keep in touch whilst en route. I assume you will be having a tea and cake stop? The Ingatestone Garden Centre will be very close to your route, involving a short detour along Burnthouse Lane. The alternative would be Maldon, which might be a bit early.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #62 on:** 09 May, 2012, 05:32:31 am »

I suppose there will be a food stop but I'm not sure where yet. Maldon probably is a bit early but I haven't thought much further than that! I think we will play it by ear a bit.

Ham · « **Reply #63 on:** 09 May, 2012, 10:20:17 am »

Looking like my weekend will be spent installing a burglar alarm for my MiL, so unlikely to make it now

Have a good ride.......

(really enjoying your updates, btw)

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #64 on:** 09 May, 2012, 05:00:37 pm »

Argh, just lost a long message I typed!

Anyway, just to warn you that we may be leaving Colchester a bit later than 9am on Sunday as the Personnel Recovery Centre Manager is coming in to let me have some photos taken there on Sunday morning at 9am, and I expect to have a little look around. I'm trying to find out what time he expects it all to be over, I'm guessing 9:30am but will confirm when I hear.

As civilians aren't allowed in to the PRC generally I'm thinking of asking everyone to meet in the car park of the Corporal Budd VC Gymnasium on Berechurch Road, Colchester. This is so new it may not be on maps (it's not on Google) but is just past the point southwards where Berechurch Road does a little squiggle and the entrance to the gymasium car park is sort-of opposite Earlswood Way (postcode for the general area is CO2 9RQ). There's plenty of signage to the gymnasium when you get there.

I'll give more details when I know them!

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #65 on:** 09 May, 2012, 06:19:31 pm »

Today's report: http://auntiehelen.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/b2l-oeding-to-duiven-day-13/

Cycle paths better, cake selection less good.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #66 on:** 10 May, 2012, 03:47:07 pm »

Have heard from the army - I am getting a lightning tour of the PRC from 9:00am until 9:30am on Sunday, at which point I will appear out of the pedestrian gate which takes you directly to the car park of the Corporal Budd VC Gymnasium.

So...

Those who wish to cycle with me (or to wave me off), could you meet me at the car park of the Cpl Budd VC Gym around 9:30am? I might well be a few minutes later but should appear magically sometime around 9:30am with the estimable James in tow (and our bikes).

I am assuming that we will ride at a reasonable pace to London with maybe one stop for a quick lunch somewhere (this can be further negotiated if it seems like a bad plan). My thinking is that I'll just want to get there and finish the tour, rather than faffing about too much.

I have said to various people (including the Help For Heroes fundraising lady who plans to be in Trafalgar Square - I think to generate some kind of finish line for me) that I expect to be in Traf Sq at about 5pm.

I'd love to have more of a firm idea who might be coming along for the ride. Fboab and boablet, how were you planning to get to Colchester or are you intercepting me on the way? Don't forget, everyone, that the trains to Colchester have engineering works so this isn't a viable route!

Really looking forward to seeing proper cyclists again (i.e. without enormous aluminium full-sus bikes with enormous fluffy saddles and butterfly bars). If fboab comes on the trike then she might get some reflected glory as people think she is me!!!

delthebike · « **Reply #67 on:** 10 May, 2012, 03:52:57 pm »

Quote from: Auntie Helen on 10 May, 2012, 03:47:07 pm

If fboab comes on the trike then she might get some reflected glory as people think she is me!!!

If they see fboab they'll think that you went too slow and fell over on your trike!

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #68 on:** 10 May, 2012, 05:34:23 pm »

Duiven to Utrecht

http://auntiehelen.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/b2l-duiven-to-utrecht-day-14/

I could actually have done far more miles per day on this tour, but one never knows when one sets out and I wanted the last day into London to be a Sunday.

Kim · « **Reply #69 on:** 10 May, 2012, 09:05:42 pm »

Quote from: Auntie Helen on 10 May, 2012, 03:47:07 pm

Really looking forward to seeing proper cyclists again (i.e. without enormous aluminium full-sus bikes with enormous fluffy saddles and butterfly bars).

Good thing I'm going audaxing instead then, isn't it?

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #70 on:** 11 May, 2012, 06:06:21 pm »

Here's today's report on my journey to the lovely town of Delft.

http://auntiehelen.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/b2l-utrecht-to-delft-day-15/

bobb · « **Reply #71 on:** 11 May, 2012, 06:28:00 pm »

Just been catching up your blog, great stuff!

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #72 on:** 12 May, 2012, 03:11:30 pm »

I am currently on the ferry to Harwich doing that classic thing of non-stop eating through boredom.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #73 on:** 12 May, 2012, 04:29:52 pm »

I reckon you need to do the ride again then, to burn of the extra calories!

Edit: are you paying ferry prices for a signal?

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #74 on:** 12 May, 2012, 04:45:03 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 12 May, 2012, 04:29:52 pm

I reckon you need to do the ride again then, to burn of the extra calories!

Edit: are you paying ferry prices for a signal?

No, free wifi which is working OK as there are only a couple of dozen people on this ferry! I still have 5€ credit on my Dutch SIM to use up if necessary anyway.