L2P 2019 - is anyone here training for this?

[CXRAndy]

Not at 4am. Its pitch black and parts of it are rough. Ok for a nice leisurely ride. But no good if you are in a hurry.

That explains it, nothing will of been fun when trying to get from point to point in shortest time.

Avenue Verte isnt for that type of riding, its daylight, hours enjoying the tranquility of ambling along. Stopping in towns for food n drink. These are my kids admiring the view one day on Ave Verte

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Not at 4am. Its pitch black and parts of it are rough. Ok for a nice leisurely ride. But no good if you are in a hurry.

Why not complete it within the day then and avoid riding overnight into your second day? It's 130 miles to Paris from Dieppe so you can do it all in a day if you take the overnight ferry from Newhaven. Rough bits are only at Paris end.

 

[derrick]

Why not complete it within the day then and avoid riding overnight into your second day? It's 130 miles to Paris from Dieppe so you can do it all in a day if you take the overnight ferry from Newhaven. Rough bits are only at Paris end.

We got into Dieppe at 4am arrived in Paris about 8pm. We where carrying heavy rucksacks that slowed us down a bit.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

We got into Dieppe at 4am arrived in Paris about 8pm. We where carrying heavy rucksacks that slowed us down a bit.

So where were the tough bits of avenue verte at 4am? It is Tarmac at the Dieppe end with just rough stuff appearing at the forests outside Paris.

 

[Bhitucyclist]

Do you mean the Royal British Legion?

There's lots of info on their website
https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/ge.../pedal-to-paris/route-itinerary-and-logistics (i.e. You should be able to get the info from them)
Looks like you go via Dover not Dieppe and 5 days not 3

They have training info too
https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/things-to-do/events/pedal-to-paris/training

Thanks ... yes they have the itinerary... but not really a route map... possibly they will publish later.
I want to practice the bit before the ferry crossing.

 

[vickster]

Thanks ... yes they have the itinerary... but not really a route map... possibly they will publish later.
I want to practice the bit before the ferry crossing.

Eltham to Dover? Reckon if you search Strava or ridewithgps, you'll find one from last year

 

[derrick]

So where were the tough bits of avenue verte at 4am? It is Tarmac at the Dieppe end with just rough stuff appearing at the forests outside Paris.

No tough bits just some rough roads.

 

[vickster]

OP isn't going from Dieppe but Calais

@Bhitucyclist here are some rwgps hits for Eltham Palace to Dover
https://ridewithgps.com/find#search...search[routes]=true&search[sort_by]=rank DESC

 

[CXRAndy]

A very good practice ride as you get stronger, ride from London to Brighton. Its about 55 miles, rolling hills and Ditchling as a final test. Catch train back to London.

 

[Brains]

If you want the Eltham to Dover route, there here is our route over two days last year
This was with a group of inexperienced cyclists, so all main roads were removed.

Day one Woolwich to near Sittingborne
Day two Sittingborne to Deal
Day three was the 10 miles Deal to Dover (about 90 mins) for a 10am Ferry

https://cycle.travel/map/journey/60109

https://cycle.travel/map/journey/60113

https://cycle.travel/map/journey/60115

Remember you lose an hour crossing to France, with the benefit of hindsight the changes we would have made were:
Day One: We would have got on the train at Eltham and started from beyond the M25, either at Dartford, Rochester or better still, Sittingbourne.
Day Two, Sittingbourne/Deal was great
Day Three: Deal to Dover - nice but a bit of a struggle
Dover/Calais - Allow 4-5 hrs from port entry to port exit (remembering you loose an hour. You may be better off going to Dunkirk
(Although for Paris, Dieppe is way better)
Next time we would have cycled 10-15 miles out of Calais/Dunkirk and then called it a day.
(We did Deal to Dover, Ferry and then Dunkirk to Ypres all in one day. 25-30 miles to far for the inexperienced cyclists.)

 

[vickster]

The website says Eltham to Dover is 1 day, 85 miles

 

[jay clock]

I wouldn't worry about doing the exact route (no harm in doing it if you can though). Just do loads of decent length rides with appropriate amounts of hills

 

[Bhitucyclist]

Thanks all ... those who have done 80 miles in one day ... how difficult is it?
Upto 40 to 50 miles i dont get that tired ...if i dont have to worry about navigation ... beyond that i have not cycled. So wondering what to do

 

[jay clock]

Thanks all ... those who have done 80 miles in one day ... how difficult is it?
Upto 40 to 50 miles i dont get that tired ...if i dont have to worry about navigation ... beyond that i have not cycled. So wondering what to do

If you can do 50, 80 should be ok. Stop and eat and drink plenty. Real food in my view, not gels etc

I would suggest doing one set of 2 days back to back of 50 miles and at least a one off of 80....

 

[Bhitucyclist]

If you can do 50, 80 should be ok. Stop and eat and drink plenty. Real food in my view, not gels etc

I would suggest doing one set of 2 days back to back of 50 miles and at least a one off of 80....

Ok thanks ... finding a straight 50 miles route is what i have to figure out