Calais – Kraków – Shanghai – Osaka by bicycle for the Rugby World Cup, Japan 2019
To Kraków
Days 1 to 9: France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany & Poland
From Day 1 (June 12th) to Day 9 (June 20th)
Totals for the first leg to Kraków: 1003 miles, 25185ft climbing and 65:49 hours riding
Farewells
After a hectic last night packing the minibus and loading the bikes everyone convened at 5:30am in the White Horse carpark. Wives and girlfriends and sons were there for farewells. We were also surprised to see our Auntie Joyce to see everyone off. A superb effort as she is CXXX years old. Astonishingly she was off for a swim in the sea afterwards (she swims everyday in the sea from April to November!)
Dave, Carl, Dale and Keith as Dave is released from King’s College Hospital, London
The best news though was that Dave was released from hospital yesterday: some of the lads went up to London to fetch him and so Dave was on hand this morning to see his comrades off.
Back row (l to r): Rylan, Joyce, Linford and Lyle. front row: Keith, Dale and Steve. In Dover at the farewells.Farewells at Dover. Back row (l to r) Dave, Cathal, Carl and Roger. Front row: Keith, Dale and Linford.
Grand Depart
This is the planned route
After a full breakfast on the ferry two riders rolled off and they and the minibus met at the famous Calais Hotel de Ville where the remainder of the bikes were unloaded, the departure photographs taken and they hit the road for the first leg of the tour.
Grand Depart at the Calais Hotel de Ville. L to r: Roger, Carl, Cathal, Dave, Linford, Keith and DaleGrand Depart at the Calais Hotel de Ville. L to r: Roger, Carl, Cathal, Dave, Linford, Keith and Dale
Day 1: Wednesday 12th June: Calais to Ghent
Roger decides Dave should get dressed.Linford and Carl. First puncture somewhere in FranceCarl and Dave have a beer in Ghent on the first evening.Keith and Dave at Calais Hotel de Ville ready for the Grand Depart.The Slide Away bear has a beer after the first day on the road.Menin Gate arrival in Ypres, BelgiumThe Slide Away bear rides shotgun in filthy weather outside Calais.
As tradition dictates the first day turned out to be wet and cold. After a brief rendezvous in an obscure village the team arrived in Ypres at the famous Menin Gates for a lunch of hot soup and cheeseballs.
By the time they arrived in Ghent however the sun made a rare appearance and when Roger and Steve finally found the hotel after a delay in traffic the boys (and bear) were tucked into a deserved beer.
You will have noticed that Dave (inflatable version) is with the riders. It’ll be interesting to see if he makes it to Krakow.
In the evening the team went out for some pasta in Ghent after having survived a torrential downpour on the way.
Day 2: Thursday 13th June: Ghent to Schinveld
Here is a video of the Day 2 route. The video is labelled Ypres which is wrong: sorry.
Dave at St. Amands, BelgiumThe view of the Schelde river at St. Amands, BelgiumDeparture from Ghent on Day 2: L to r: Roger, carl, Dale, Dave, Linford, Keith and Cathal.Cathal and Carl on the river ferry to St. Amands, BelgiumArriving at the ferry crossing to St. Amands only to find it closed (because of the tide). Fortunately another ferry was only half a mile away.The boys arrive on the ferry at St. Amands, BelgiumThe boys arrive on the ferry at St. Amands, BelgiumDale, Linford and Keith on the river ferry across the Schelde to St. Amands, BelgiumDave, relaxing in Herentals, BelgiumRoger at Herentals, Belgium at the lunch stop.The lunchstop at Herentals, Belgium
Just to be contrary today decided to be be windy, but at least it was dry.
The first rendezvous was at St. Amands on the banks of the river Schelde, which is still tidal at this point. The tide was low and consequently the ferry the boys arrived at was not running. Fortunately another ferry was close by further downstream and the ferryman ran the boys upstream to St. Amands anyway.
They didn’t have to pay: these ferries are free in Belgium the ferryman pointed out and explained they only charge in Scotland and the Netherlands! Dale disgraced himself by cleaning his shoes whilst on board and received a deserved admonition from the ferryman.
The lunchstop was at Herentals on the Maas-Scheldekanaal. The cafe here didn’t do lunch so Roger and I ran into town to get some sandwiches. After lunch it was time for me to leave the team and Roger left me at the railway station to go home.
Wakey, wakey boysDave ready for departure on Day 3Roger prepares breakfastDave rides shotgun, though his navigation skills are not up to much.(L to R) Keith, Cathal, Carl, Dave, Dale and Linford on Day 3 Departure. The World Map kit (thanks Dave) is to help with navigation.
Todays stage took them into Germany, across the Rhine and up the Ruhr valley to Dortmund. They stayed in some huts last night so it looks like Roger had the responsibility of cooking breakfast.
It explains why Dave is feeling a bit queasy and decided to ride shotgun instead of cycling. Snowflake.
You cannot keep Dave off the juice. L to R: Linford, Roger, Dave and KeithAfter ride drinks (L to R) Linford, Dale, Dave, Keith, Cathal and Carl.
Nevertheless by the end of the day Dave was ready for another drink!
After 3 days the team are now about 300 miles (500km) into the ride.
Roger, Carl and Dale working on a punctureCoalmine in the Rhur region near DortmundDale, Cathal, Keith and LinfordNo-one needs another Dale!Drinks waiting for themCarl, Keith and DaleCarl: cheer up mate. Legs hurting?Dales route planning goes awry as usual. Time for a spot of forest bathing and mindfulness.And they seem to have sponsored drinks as well. Pity about the spelling!Carl calling the kettle black by moaning about Cathal’s snoringKeith and DaleCathal, Keith and DaleDave posts in his photo of his new bike. Let’s hope you get to ride on it soon Dave.
Dale, Dave, Keith, Carl, Roger, Linford and CathalWatering stopKeith needs a coffee to stay awakeKeith, Dale, Linford, Carl and Cathal on a coffee breakSmall market for a lunch stopLinford, Cathal, Carl, Dale and KeithCarl and Cathal on the roadRoger, Keith, Dale, Dave, Carl, Cathal and Linford
Roger, Dale, Cathal, Dave (getting jumped again), Keith, Carl and LinfordRoger and Linford (it appears Roger has just done the honours with the bum cream)Cathal bouncing and ready to goDale, Cathal, an uncomfortable looking Dave and KeithKeith has to drag Dave out of bedBack Row (L to R) Greg, Roger, Carl and Cathal, Front Row (L to R) Keith, Dale and manspreading Linford. We can only guess that Dave is asleep. And many thanks to Greg for stopping by.Carl – so fast that he’s blurredCathal, Linford, Carl and Dale and a roadside pitstopDave, sitting down on the jobRoger looking disappointed he’s not ridingSuperman Carl
On the road in PolandRoger, Carl, Dale and Linford take at the end of a long hot dayDale appears to have had a scrape earlier in the dayCathals tan lines show how hot the day was.
Day 8: Wednesday 19th June: Jelenia Gora to Krapkowice
Cathal, Linford, keith, Dale, Roger and Carl with a limp looking Dave in front. Ready for another long 120 mile day in the saddle.Linford decides to switch to his Touring Bike after Road bike started playing upCarl and Dale have time to remind Dave he should be working.Carl gets a wrestle on with Dave. No-one deserves this Dave.Keith, Linford, Cathal and Dale try to think Carl is amusing.Keith, Linford, Cathal and Dale look weary at another pitstopPit stop in the middle of nowhereLinford, Dale, Roger, Keith, Cathal and a shattered looking Carl deserve plenty of beers for a long hot day on the road.Roger waits in the shade for the boys to tootle along.Roger survives being shot.
Ready for off on the last dayA bit more forest bathingEveryone appreciates Dale’s route finding abilitiesProper signalling on the roadHome from home as they pass some coalmines: hoped they stopped and thanked the Polish Miners for the help in 1985And they are off – in very smart Poland shirts tooDave gets busted for speeding by the friendly Polish PoliceHow many punctures was it today?The long & winding roadNot far now …Carl trying to find helpChateau’d after a long dayFinally a chance to enjoy a beerIt’s a wrap. Completion of the first leg to Krakow. Back row (l to r) Cathal, Roger and Dale, Front row (l to r) Carl, Keith and Linford. Good job team.
Arrival in Kraków
After 9 days riding the team have arrived in Kraków. They will now be joined by wives and girlfriends for a few days R&R before Dale, Keith and Linford embark on the cycle touring stage to Shanghai and on to Japan. 1000 miles down and 7000 miles to go.
Bike Rugby Japan 