I made it to Calais!

I'm not sure I've fully digested this tour yet. I'm too busy trying to batten down the hatches with my tent in these in sane and ferocious gales. 4 of my 10 tent pegs have been ripped out & 1 of my guy ropes snapped & broke. I've sorted the guy rope and, in the 2 areas where pegs are continually being ripped out, I've put 2 tent pegs and placed filled water bottles on top, which are the heaviest things I have. I didn't remember to bring some spare bricks/rocks with me. The wind is actually physically lifting my filled water bottles! I've propped the back end of the tent up with my 2 front panniers to try to limit the side walls being sucked in & out so violently. The poles are flexing & bending like crazy. I'm pretty concerned to be honest. I've camped in some bad weather in the Yorkshire Dales but I've never been in this before. You can barely stand up and walk. Hence Calais is deserted.

Anyway, I can't change the weather & I've done the best I can to keep my tent upright & in 1 piece. It's all experience!

The creperie was open this afternoon - hurrah! So I celebrated the end of my tour with a wonderful chocolate crepe and a big pot of tea! And, of course, my glass of wine this evening. I didn't attempt to cook on the campstove tonight & it was a nice treat to go out. Good old omelette, chips & salad! I haven't eaten that since I started the tour in Paris. I attempted a nice invigorating stroll along the prom afterwards but could barely breathe let along walk. It's the sort of wind that flattens your eyelashes! Such conditions are difficult for asthmatics and I've needed my inhaler today whereas I fortunately haven't had to use it much all tour.

And tomorrow, I'm booked into a hotel, yippee! Another treat for my last night in France. It is much closer to where the bike bus will pick me up early Monday morning. And this tour is an early 40th birthday treat to myself so I should have such treats! PS I will be celebrating my 40th all this year as well as next given my birthday is the end of December!

Thank you all again for staying in touch throughout this incredible experience and for keeping me company. I definitely couldn't have done it without each & every one of you.

When I set out on this trip, I didn't know what I was capable of. Could I cycle up a col in the Alps fully laden with camping gear? Could I devise my own routes? How would I find it on my own instead of the security & sociability of a group? How would I deal with difficult situations, whatever they may be?

I think this is where you find what you're made of. Some days are fabulous & effortless, others you have to dig really deep & find ways to keep yourself going. Some days, like broken tent pole day and today, you have to be creative and resourceful. It certainly pays to have a sense of humour & to find a way make yourself laugh when in the deepest grump! And I think I'm so appreciative of some of the basics: a cup of tea, a hot shower, supportive people, my workhorse of a bike, warm sunshine, finding a shop that's open! One of my sayings on the road was "it's difficult but possible" and this would help me through a number of times. And I believe you then bring this into normal everyday life. You know you can achieve anything when you put your mind to it. Amazing!

It will be wonderful to reflect over the next couple of days as I enjoy a rest day in Calais tomorrow and travel on the bike bus on Monday. Then I look forward to returning full swing back into normal life from Tuesday once home in Ilkley.

I'll see you all soon!

xxx

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