Nigel and the Fatboy's get home...just

We had a 'business as usual' trip back to the UK! After we re arranged the passengers in our carriage at Reims to get the bikes into the space we had booked, we travelled to Paris where we had an hour to wait for our connection. So we decided to have some musscles and chips at a restaurant, and they weren't to quick, so when it arrived we had 10 minutes to eat it, and pay the bill before charging through the traffic, AND an almighty traffic jam! and into the station, look for the platform, get on and away we went with seconds to spare!!!! No change there then!! When we got to Calais International, the station was 5 miles outside the town, so had to get back on the bikes and pedal into force 8 gale of a head wind into town, all round every where to get to the docks, book onto a ferry with a 90 minute wait, when the heavens opened and the rain came down cutting off the visibility to 20meters! The channel crossing was ok, we got through customs and cycled to the station, bought tickets, had a couple of pints of beer while waiting for the train to arrive, back to St Pancras station in London, back on the bikes, cycle to Euston station, have another pint while waiting for ther train, arrive back at Antonys house about 11:30pm, a quick whiskey as a night cap, and to bed!!! I got back to Macclesfield on Monday about midday, I think I have just about recovered now!!

Head home tomorrow

Hi,  well I am having a lazy Sunday arvo , but earlier went for a long ride out of the touristy area and ended up by accident in the best know flea market and antique shops and "thieves market" I have ever seen. Saint-quen at the gates of Clignancourt . A  series of markets. The antiques have to be seen to be believed, our High St malvern is a toy shop compared to this. Specializing in, Biron, Vernaison, Serpette, Rosier. Wow! Can't get a bike box for love nor money in Paris so am going to ride to the airport tomorrow and try and buy one from the airlines...... Bit of a gamble  but should be ok?????  Have eaten well, seen so much and travelled so far, I feel like I have done so much this time. The body has held out well and the bike has been perfect , not even a puncture in 850 km & some pretty rough tracks. 2100 km with trains, five countries. I looked at a map of the world today and was shocked at the amount of distance covered. Ah well I'll be home on Tuesday morning and start planning the Vietnam ride. Had a call this morning from a guy in country Victoria who saw my ad and wants to sign up ....... Here we go again . Ron

Sent from Ron's phone. Regards Ron







Sent from Ron's phone. Regards Ron

Monday´s big ride 30.8.21010 from Mark

Sorry for the delay in my last report of my travels. Poor internet or phone not sure which... See YOU soon PETER.....

Ron and the Fatboys hope you all got to your respective destinations in resonable shape.
Thank you again Fatboys for a memorable ride through Europe.

No home goal for me; the rain was pelting down from the kick off, I waited an hour over breakfast and decided it was not going to ride itself. So I swam out to my bike and placed one pedal after another.

Decided that I would not take the easy way out and rode past the train station. Then 45 minutes later the sun came out. That only left me to battle the wind gusting to 30 klms and the hills. very slow time and as soon as I would dry out a breif bucket of rain would mke me wet again.

I peddaled on towards Brussels not knowing how much longer I could take the conditions. The Belgian boarder was a welcome sight, also a reason to stop and ring Andrew for his birthday.

the day continued on much the same one big slog. Only there were bike lanes over the boarder. not great but better than nothing.

With no directions I ended up next to a train station called Midi where the Euro Star departs in Brussels.
The sky was turning again so i decided to wait until the next shower went through before looking for a hotel.
Fate took a hold again and Francios SMSed me when I would arrive.
So as quickly as it started my ride was over. I was welcomed into to my familys arms and another tough 100 kms day was over; with a warm shower the world looked betteer again.

Learn and reaffirmed many thoughts on this trip.

You are the sum of your acheivements. Failure brings you closer to yournext success.

Clearly the world is not flat; there are many hills even in Europe.

And the rain on the plain does not fall in Spain but in France.........


It has been a fantastic trip; the people and sights will remain with me.

Now all there is to dois pack my bike and head home.

So to my co bike riders and family. it has been a memorable trip.

Yes I can not find the commer on this key board.......


Bye to all from Mark.....

Another Blint made it from Kiev to Paris 65 years on

Got away from Fontainbleau like clockwork and was in Paris in about 40 minutes on a fast clean double decker train, no charge for the bike. Very efficient. Jumped straight on the bike and got my bearings no problems, heavy traffic was easy
 as the driver attitude here is calm and stress free. All drivers seem to allow the rights of each other nicely . My theory of , the bigger the population  and the fewer rules works well and there is no resentment of each other. I was on the open top busses all day and never saw one angry incident. Took in all the sights in fine warm weather, don't know why this is not peak season just 'cos it's September . Found a Best Western hotel near the centre of everything for 105E ($147aud) per night. 68E was not livable , by me anyway. Booked in tomorrow for a byo bike tour of this beautiful city. Can't wait!!!! When it's done I will keep riding all day, maybe to Sacre-Coeur, Montmartre, I can't think of a nicer thing to do......exploring on a bike is like flying.    Now that I have arrived in Paris, I feel a great sense of achievement , I embarked on a huge task and at 57 years of age feel like I can do anything now. I guess that's how my father felt when he finally got to Paris after, training, fighting, being shot, bayonetted, captured several times, escaping several times, hiding, disguising, freezing, healing others, helping others and finally making it home to Glasgow. That was not the end of the story for dad, and it won't be my last story either.................. Thanks for following this story. . Ron Blint