Total distance!

I forgot to add this onto our last post, but our total distance travelled was 880.24 km!

Day 11: Pezenas to Montpellier (and Marseilles)

Distance for today: 63.24km

Not our easiest of days with fast tiring legs, but far less distance then earlier days, and far less hills than others, it was a good day with which to end our trip!!

Our first glimpse of the sea again since we left La Rochelle, not quite the same sea though!

Getting painfully close to the end of our day's, trip's and for some maybe life's cycling!!

The whole group stretching energetically once we had finished (or not), Will calling a recycling center to take his bike away so he never has to see it again!

Matt on top form and Will, for once, awake!!

The group on the beach, just before a bit of Frisbee and our car journey across to Marseilles.

We are now staying in Sausset-les-Pins, a town approximately 30 km from Marseilles, until tomorrow evening, where we will travel off in our separate ways, none of us by bike!

The expedition has been fun though very difficult at times, and also interesting... We have crossed what the French call the most beautiful country in the world, and even though we did not do so in the flattest of regions, we experienced some of the most breathtaking countryside, towns, abbeys and seasides France had to offer!

Of course, throughout the adventure the cause for which we have been riding for has been ever present on our minds - the Meningitis Research Foundation - and we would therefore like to ask you all to gather every bit of support you can from anyone you know to sponsor us and help us reach our goal of 2000 pounds. To do so, just visit www.justgiving.com/atlantictomedcycle

Finally, we of course wish to thank absolutely everyone who has helped us on this trip, from the very early preparations and support, to having us to stay during the trip. There have been people giving us directions, words of encouragement, sponsorship, and every bit has helped us keep going when we cycled up our equivalent of Ventoux!

Day 10

Lunas to Pezenas:

A very, very short day today - only 55km! It was so short that we didn't really have time to take pictures during the ride!

Our own private terrace outside our lounge and kitchen area


One of our four enormous double-beds; well deserved after a very successful trip!

Will and Matt doing their best to get on camera again

Day 9 (updated!)

St. Sernain-sur-Rance to Lunas:

Although we had a slightly later start to the morning due to a late breakfast (thanks to the hotel), we made it to Lunas in very good time, through terrain even hillier than yesterday. Incredibly, at the final stretch of the day, Will still had enough energy to fly along at 40km/h!

At the top of a very long and tiring hill, we were greeted with this sign; good work!


A group photo at the top of the hill
A lovely view from the mountain depicting our last couple of days: hilly but beautiful French countryside!

Day 8

Rodez to St. Sernain-sur-Rance:

A group photo at the top of a hill. What we didn't know was that there was a considerably larger hill coming up...

Jun cycling in for a break by the side of a road

Nick, Will and Jun, with the fabulous (and very hilly) countryside in the background

A view from the top of the longest hill we've ever encountered. A sight well earned!

Taking a break after the long hill - feeling tired, but spirits are high. Less than 20km to go until the hotel!

Day 6 (2 days late!!)

Rest day on Wednesday, though we made sure we got the most out of our stay in Cajarc, the countryside, and the weather!

We fight over our manager, who has now sadly left us ;-(

Getting ready for our kayaking/canoeing trip down the river

Matt before his shave with death: the haircut (which was not half as drastic as hoped by the others)

We prepare bikes for the next day, not too much to do really ;-)

Jun was just far too quick for anyone on the river, even without rowing, maybe he has special powers?!?!

Will and Matt going at full pace... literally

A lovely day on the water...

Jun doing a Will, generally looking very relaxed.

Day 7

Cajarc to Rodez - 78.1km

Back on the road again today after a lovely break in Cajarc. It was tough getting back into the swing of things, especially with the terrain slowing us down (up and down, up and down...), but we arrived in Rodez with plenty of time to spare!

Bidding farewell to Nick's grandfather, mother and uncle (a.k.a. our manager). It wasn't an easy climb getting up to that spot, to be honest...

The cyclists arrive in Rodez!

The cathedral of Rodez; a very artistic picture, don't you think?