More photos

1. Charlie and Dan at first camp in Lignes. They were great at getting the camp up and running.
2. Sal and Mary Ann at camp in Chenefleur. We spent two nights here.
3. Rob waving us farewell as we crossed the Moselle on a little foot bridge. He had appeared out of the blue and produced a fabulous lunch including the longed for beer!
4. Sal then took a photo of him as he drove away on his way to Burtoncourt. If anyone wants to drive in Italy...weeks 2 and 3 need a driver.
5. Sweet little camp in St Avald although we had to scamper down a bank with bikes, from a flyover in order to get on the right road ! Many hills so only did 20 miles.
6. Back to the footbridge going over the Moselle. We try to use cycle routes when possible although invariably we end up lost in a forest or on a horrendously steep hill!

Hilly days are a coming!

We left lovely Luxembourg this morning and are now in Burtoncourt in France (I think!!!!) we seem to have been to Germany as well!. Cycled down a bit of the Moselle and amazingly found Rob parked up by the river with lunch and beers all ready for us. Up until then we had only encountered a couple of steep hills but oh boy they came later. Bottom gear on at least 5 out of 30 hills. Aches and pains still at bay although we could do without these 5-7 hour days. We have seen more cows than we have ever seen in a single week ...so, why no fresh milk in Belgium, Lux, Germany or France.? Rob had to bring some out from the UK. Have to to get Rob to the train tomorrow and then on to Strasbourg. Days are much cooler and a bit of rain today. Heres hoping for more sunshine.... speak tomorrow i hope

mary ann coupland and sally howell:

mary ann coupland and sally howell:

1. leaving calais

2. necessary lunchtime beer

3. french canal

4. changing tyres

5. cycling down the magnificent meuse

6. path leading to British war cemetary where I saw a solitary poppy. poignant moment.

7. rob and sals 29th wedding anniversary on the 15th may.

So sorry folks. i'm struggling to get photos on blog!

I've sent an SOS to daughter Charlie and nephew Didee in the hope they can help!
We have had another rest day (I know i know, 2 in one week) but we needed to do some serious route planning. Yesterday was a funny and as it turned out a VERY long day. We cycled easily to Sedan (Is this where Sedan chairs came from ?) where we had our lunch time beer and whilst looking at a map were 'picked up' by a fellow french cyclist called Christian, who told us to follow him to avoid hills. He took us on a 3 hour detour and for sure at that time we did avoid major hills. It was a different story after he left us though as there were hills going UP (of course) in every direction. There was only one that defeated me  and i promise you it was almost vertical! Anyway it turned out to be 7 hrs and 21 minutes in the saddle and about 87 kms. That brings our total up to 530.88 kms (330 miles) and we are now back in belgium in the delightful town of Tintigny. Neither of us have serious aches and pains and our bikes continue to behave beautifully. Tomorrow is a short hop (34 miles) to Luxembourg.
If anyone is able to pull a caravan over the Alps....it looks like Bruce wont be able to do it. We would need you for about 3 days, maybe four, from Luzerne in Switzerland on about the 27th May .

Yesterday and today....Days 8 and 9

Yesterday was wonderful! We left Rob clearing up our camp at Chimay and made our way across to Recroy, a wonderful little Garrison town where we had our much longed for (and only) beer of the day in its centre. The town is surrounded by an unfilled moat and has bridges at its entrance and exit. From there we headed for Revin which was to be our start of the River Meuse all the way down to Charlville Meziere some 4 hours away. However we had the Valley Misere to get through first...Yikes. We missed it ! and instead hurtled down a six mile hill .Yes DOWN all the way and screaming with laughter all the way down to the little mining town of St Nicholas. Not far from there was Revin which we weaved through. We are getting pretty good at this weaving lark! and the start of the Magnificent Meuse. It was truly wonderful. Passing through little villages on the way, Lock after lock. We met Rob at some point reading his book very peacefully on the bank of the river having driven there. After a total of 54 miles we treated ourselves to a meal in the very pretty centre of Charlville Meziere only a 15 min walk from the camp site.
We knew that after all the down hills and flat riding we were in for a shock today. More of that tomorrow

Mary Ann Coupland is fundraising for Cancer Research UK

Mary Ann Coupland is fundraising for Cancer Research UK


The end of that link should read Mary-Ann-Coupland0