Trisha-Ayrshire Alps
Rachel - Calais
An update in two halves: from Tenerife to Calais
As they say in football – that old cliché – it’s a game of two halves. So this month’s update comes from the two of us separately.
Trisha – Tenerife and the Ayrshire Alps
At the beginning of May I cycled the Etape Caledonia which starts and finishes in Pitlochry, Perthshire. It was 85 miles on fully closed roads. We cycled through tree-lined avenues, past shimmering lochs and cheering spectators, with the sound of bagpipes echoing through the hills. We climbed a lot and there were well-stocked feed stations along the way. It was a great day out with spectacular scenery, a very well organised event.
At the end of May I spent a great week in Tenerife with blue skies and warm water – a real treat! No rain, a novelty, especially living in Scotland this year where there has been a lot of training done in the rain. But as my mother always said when we were younger you don’t melt in the rain.
I attended an Adam Walker Swim Camp for 3 days which was most enjoyable, and I welcomed the chance to work on my stroke. I also managed some sea swims in waters I can only dream about in Scotland. The lochs have not got past 15 degrees this year yet, so it was lovely in the warm waters of Tenerife. The walking was especially good, very hilly and very hot so good practice for our event in August, starting in London, where it could potentially be very warm.
Saturday 6th June, I completed the 80-mile Ayrshire Alps in classic Scottish summer conditions, wet and very windy but relatively warmer than a month ago. I asked a couple of fellow riders whether I should bother with a waterproof – ‘you don’t melt in the rain’, they said. So I didn’t. It was only at the start that I clocked they were doing the 43 miles, not the 80!
Six hours of climbing – 2,096 m, or 6,876 feet. My quads were really feeling it, especially on the last climb and when I got off the bike (or perhaps when I fell off the bike). But all in all, a great day.
Rachel – Amsterdam, Paris and Calais
I’ve been travelling for work, so my Garmin Connect has been busy recording walks in Amsterdam, Paris and Calais. I’ve been loving my local lake, too, which has only reaffirmed my decision to move south – the water has hit 22.5°C. Sorry, Mum!
I took advantage of a meeting with a new client in Paris to do a recce of our French accommodation. First stop was our Paris base in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. I was very impressed – great views over Paris and a superb boulangerie across the road for post-Enduroman refuelling!
On to Calais. The hotel I’d booked turned out to be quite far from the harbour – the map was deceptive on that front. So this has necessitated a change of strategy: when we reach Calais, the plan is to shower, grab some food and get straight on the bikes, so being close to the port where the boat will drop us off really matters. Always worth doing a recce – we’ll be pretty tired when we land in France, so making the logistics as easy as possible really matters.
Post Enduroman refuelling
Appropriate maritime themed street art in Calais. Not sure I’ll have time to spot this on our challenge
Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who has donated. 11 weeks to go. Every penny goes straight to Maggie’s Glasgow – if you’d like to help us get there, you can donate at justgiving.com/page/trishaharvey. Thank you, as always.
