Day 4 - Gay Paris!

The Final day was a weary start after 3 days in the saddle - for most of us this was the most we'd done on consecutive days, our kit was in need of washing but the end was in sight, the Eiffel tour, England's first World cup match (for those that gave a shit) and a big night out to celebrate!

Once again the rear group set off early - really early! I was glad of the lie in and I'm sure the others felt the same.

After about 25 miles was an immense hill, Captain Turdseye was skulking at the back for this time... we wondered if he had a hangover, what it turned out was he was saving his energy for the hills ahead. He wasn't daft! Big George had plans, once more, anyone who was with him when the train pulled out of the station up and over the hill would be on board, the rest would create a third group.

The hill was upon us, quite quickly the group spread out, it was an impressive climb, of steep bits, long steady bits and switch backs which went on for over a mile. It was brilliant though. I'd already decided to see if I could get on the train, so I pushed hard and got to the top not too far behind the last of the guys. Gary, Gareth and Nathan all helped me to catch up with the runaway train.

When we reached the Plateau the train was off, it was by far the best piece of road of the entire trip, it went on for about 15-20 miles just flat and fast and the pelaton was flying along between 25 and 30 mph the whole way  generally nearer 30. It was the most awesome riding, again the perfect conditions helped make it even better.

I had to work really hard to keep with the group as Big George just kept on pushing faster and faster. I got dropped out the back door eventually and Nathan stuck with me, the trouble with the train was once you derailed, you were pretty much off for the duration, to gain on it at 28mph you have to work damn hard to get close!

We caught up when they came to a junction asking for directions to a shop as we were all now out of drink and a bit peckish, so we pulled into a supermarket to find the now front group getting some lunch. As we refuelled the remainder of our group pulled into the supermarket.

It was decided to get back into two groups to begin with and see where the pace took the group. Paul was dragged off mid mouthful of lunch and pretty much immediately into another big climb. Once more the hammer went down, i tried pretty hard to stick with it again, but was pretty knackered from the mornings effort. I could hear something behind me making this climb ... it sounded like a pervy phone call on my right shoulder, I glanced back to see Toots trying not to throw up over his handlebars. Nathan was a little way ahead also trying to catch the train.

Toots and I worked hard for a few miles taking it in turns to go in front and pull each other along, we crossed a junction and caught Nathan, and i suggested we wait and regroup - "nah, I'm gonna catch em!" he said :) he tried hard, but eventually gave up, they were a good half mile in the distance by now and impossible to catch. Flying down the other side Giles was positioned on the floor taking action shots.

We came to another Junction and found my wingman, Paul M - he'd dropped off the back and not managed to get back on so decided to wait for us. Paul G and Michael (still on board!) was there right behind us and we all stopped and waited for Captain Cadence and Giles to catch up.

There was about 20 miles to the meeting point 10 miles outside Paris so we worked as a group, joked about, and enjoyed the ride. It wasn't the ride I was expecting, we still seemed to be in the country, how were we so close to a capital city with so little traffic?

Giles pulled us over to give us a route that we'd have to take on our own as it was a no through road for vehicles - simple!

It took us approximately 20metres of being unsupported before we got totally lost! we ended up in a gravel car park, then a hospital. then after being told to keep Le Seine to our left, there seemed to be two rivers!!

After about half an hour wheeling aimlessly around, we stumbled across Dean's group,who had also got lost. So we all stuck together and finally found our way out on to  the correct route, then got back into our groups and went the final few miles to find where the train had pulled up.

We all stopped for a while as everyone congregated, and Mark organised us into an appropriate order to ride the final 10 miles to the Eiffel Tower.

The ride into Paris, was slow and busy, cars weren't too happy letting 20 bikes out in front and kept trying to drive through us, there were so many traffic lights it was irritating. But we looked cool, in our kit, luckily it hadn't been raining as the cobbles on Le Champs Elysee's or we'd have looked a spectacle of a totally different sort! Riding along with the Arc De Triomphe ahead of us was just awesome, with the Eiffel Tower now in sight, every bead of sweat and lactic acid build up and saddle sore was worth it.

We stopped at the Eiffel Tower which was emotional for some we'd done something pretty huge, that we'd been training for for months. Some barely having ridden a bike before signing up for this. We all hugged and took pics and called our loved ones, then our minds turned to beer :)

That evening, we celebrated by watching football, drinking lots, eating lots (3 dinners in some cases) then we went to what looked like a bingo hall from the outside and inside was a cross between a meat market on one floor and a gay bar on the other. Still they had some wicked tunes so we through some shapes into the early morning.... some into breakfast time!

Total Mileage: 101
Ascent: 1900m**
Alcohol consumed: Buckets
Hours slept: Very few.