Author Topic: Le Havre & onwards  (Read 6211 times)

Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #25 on: 09 May, 2018, 08:29:22 pm »
Did you get some help from pharmacist Andrew?
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #26 on: 09 May, 2018, 10:07:31 pm »
I’ve not bothered yet. The right eye isn’t as bad as it is was, the left only slightly swollen. I’ve never suffered from Hay Fever but there are clouds of vegetable matter floating in the air at the moment so suspect it may be this.


An annoying day. I was up for 6:30, shaved, showered & did breakfast and still wasn’t on the road till 10:30.
Put some freshly charged batteries in the GPS and they died, as did the next set so I had to buy alkalines.


Left Rouen & crossed the river, about an hours pleasant riding then I lost the cycle route in an industrial estate. Escaped to the parallel main road but there was a solid central barrier so I ended up pushing the bike on a narrow footway against the direction of traffic for a couple of km until I could cross over.  After that pleasant enough riverside riding to tonight’s campsite at Poses.  Nothing for breakfast so will have to find a bakery.
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Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #27 on: 12 May, 2018, 10:42:13 pm »
Well I’ve been a bit lazy updating this! 
Pressed on to Vernon & booked in for 2 nights at the campsite in St Marcel, this is a long drag out of the valley & had some mixed reviews on the net but I thought it was fine. Bloody cold on the first night though!


Next day I got up early & was outside Monet’s house & gardens before they opened. I spent about 4 hours shuffling around the 2 gardens & the house & loved it. The adjacent Musee d’imprssionisme was less good. Sad to see fully armed troops walking around the village as well, though in view of today’s events in Paris?


Today I was on the road for 09:30, it was cool & overcast with rain forecast for later. I followed the river Eure down towards Chartres. A lot of quiet roads & voie verts.  I stopped for a picnic lunch at what looked like a quiet spot then a load of old blokes turned up fora noisy game of boules


A short distance later what looked like some kind of mastiff chased me & sunk its teeth into my leg  >:(


I ride on for a bit, then stopped to clean & dress the wound, a couple of shallow punctures & some blood.


I stopped at a pharmacy for advice, the woman said it looked OK, but advised me to go to A&E to see a Dr & get some antibiotics. I rode the 30km to Chartres in drizzle then couldn’t find the right hospital! That’s tomorrow’s job then.
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Nick H.

Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #28 on: 13 May, 2018, 02:52:22 am »
Re your security question, my compromise is a small D lock to fix a wheel to something, locking skewers, take valuables with me and add a motion sensitive alarmed cable lock. They're easy to break but they may have some deterrent value, or alert you to thievery when you're nearby. There are various cheap ones around. My old Targus one died in the rain and has been discontinued, so I can't recommend it. It never went off when I was in a shop or lavatory or whatever, so maybe it worked brilliantly and maybe it didn't! But it's some comfort when you're travelling alone and you have to leave the bike out of sight for a few mins. Here's one.  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01K7VT9LC/ref=asc_df_B01K7VT9LC52457412/?tag=googshopuk-21&creative=22110&creativeASIN=B01K7VT9LC&linkCode=df0&hvadid=214440742293&hvpos=1o17&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15440197992917069795&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045891&hvtargid=pla-450980116924&th=1&psc=1

They usually have a flashing light and a regular beep. Maybe you could add a big ALARM sticker or something.

Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #29 on: 13 May, 2018, 07:00:11 am »
Why are French campsites still installing squat loos?  I can’t believe anyone prefers them . Cheaper & less prone to damage ?
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tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #30 on: 13 May, 2018, 09:25:00 am »
You might need a rabies shot Andrew.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #31 on: 13 May, 2018, 09:31:55 am »
You might need a rabies shot Andrew.
Officially no rabies in France these days. Last case was 2015 a dog that had illegally been taken to Algeria & back.
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Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #32 on: 13 May, 2018, 09:33:13 am »
Good.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #33 on: 13 May, 2018, 07:06:11 pm »
Perhaps not so good. Local hospital gave me a prescription for antibiotics but were insistent I call the Pasteur Institute in Paris tomorrow. I can see a course of injections in my future.  Apparently I should have stopped, found the dogs owner & checked that it had been vaccinated. All I wanted to do at that time was to put some distance between the barking monster & myself.


Google tells me that the current treatment is an injection near the bite & 3 subsequent ones in the arm, about as painful as a flu jab.   Probably going to make the rest of the tour awkward though.
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Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #34 on: 14 May, 2018, 08:31:32 am »
Just spoken to the Institute Pasteur & the doctor said I don’t need any additional treatment so on with the tour.


Off towards Le Havre then, it’s cold & grey today.
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Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #35 on: 14 May, 2018, 09:38:47 am »
There is a large group of Cycle tourists from the Dutch ANWB on this campsite.  One of them just came over & said I was snoring loudly all night!


Me snoring?


I’m shocked, shocked I tell you!
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Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #36 on: 14 May, 2018, 08:13:55 pm »
It was a cold wet morning & I was in no hurry to leave. Just as well as I couldn’t find my Tilley hat! Disaster was averted when I asked the site manager who had it in his office.  A quick stop at a pharmacy to get my prescribed antibiotics & then I took the D24 out of Chartres. Not the best days riding, a dead straight road through a variety of small French towns, most of which have too many empty shops & for sale signs. Not quite as bad as the U.K., but small town life seems to be coming to an end.


A cold headwind & some drizzle as well. I’d forgotten to shop for lunch so had a muesli bar & some chorizo. Found an open cafe for a coffee as well. 


The largest town was Senonches where I found an open supermarket where I bought food & meths before proceeding to a campsite at la Ferte-Vidame.


I’m quite close to Montagne au Perche... is it true that YACF members have the freedom of the town , by authority of a previous mayor ?
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Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #37 on: 14 May, 2018, 08:17:56 pm »
I’ve got to be in Le Havre for Friday night. Ideally I’d like to get to Honfleur by Thursday & spend a day there.


Any suggestions for a pretty route?
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Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #38 on: 14 May, 2018, 09:47:45 pm »
Dunno 'bout the route but no doubt you will be visiting the Rue de la Bavolle, so hope you get to spend the day in Honfleur. It makes le Havre worth all the effort and the camp site is so well situated.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

guidon

  • formerly known as cyclone
Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #39 on: 14 May, 2018, 10:01:15 pm »
Good luck with the route finding! btw you'll have far better weather than those of us down south!!!

Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #40 on: 16 May, 2018, 07:10:01 am »
A very lazy day as I didn’t get on the road before 12:00.  Bright sun but with enough wind that I didn’t feel hot.  A very quiet straight road through woods, then onto the D45 which went gently up & down through fields of flax, wheat & rapeseed.  Through L’Aigle at about 4, I started googling for a campsite & the only practical one was St Evroult Notre-Dame du Bois, where I found a gorgeous Camping Municipal.  A nice location above the lake, a decent washblock & totally deserted, not even anyone to pay.
84km to Honfleur by google routing, I’ll see what I can do today.
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Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #41 on: 16 May, 2018, 08:30:43 pm »
I woke up at 5ish for a pee & the lake was covered with mist. Tent was a bit damp as well, so back to bed until the sun was up enough to dry it.


No one to pay & no honestly box so on my way.  Bright sunshine but a strong cool breeze, usually from the wrong direction.   D13 for a bit then a series of white roads with green edging (scenic) took me through a series of tiny villages, most of which looked at deaths door. I didn’t see an open shop or bar all day. In one village the bakery was for sale & there was a vending machine selling bread for €6....


Finished the day at Lisieux, a perfectly functional campsite, but it’s in the middle of an industrial estate & there is a lot of road noise. 
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Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #42 on: 18 May, 2018, 08:15:29 pm »
Left Lisieux late & had a cafe lunch, so didn’t get to Honfleur till about 4. Tent up, a walk around, a nice meal overlooking the harbour, then bed.


A lazy morning, packed up & left the bike at the campsite before another walk around. Moule frites for lunch. Picked the bike up but couldn’t find my Clickstand  :(


I don’t know if I’ve updated my mapping but this time the GPS took me straight to the correct access point for the bridge.  Walked over the thing then head down to Le Havre. As it was now evening it wasn’t as busy as last time.  A closed bridge led to me getting slightly lost again, but am now in my cabin on the ferry.
673Km in total.
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Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #43 on: 18 May, 2018, 08:57:49 pm »
Good effort Andrew!
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #44 on: 20 May, 2018, 10:46:31 pm »
I've enjoyed following this, here and on twitter, thanks for sharing.

Re: Le Havre & onwards
« Reply #45 on: 31 October, 2018, 05:37:50 pm »
After being bitten by a dog in early May & then being examined & treated at a French hospital I have now been invoiced for the sum of  €13.87 .   How the devil I'm going to pay that I don't know?  Time to phone the insurance people.
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