Somme - Page 2

Cyclefrance · 01-25-2006, 06:28 PM

This year I'm back on track to take the annual cycling holiday with my usual pedalling pal Paul (he missed out last year owing to the niceties of buying and selling a house in England - usually sees the parties concerned on vallium as they all struggle to keep a chain of buyers and sellers together during the 3 months it takes to complete the process - it all happens on one day with everyone moving-out and moving-in their respective residences like a set of synchronised swimmers).

When we first started these sorties, we visited the Somme, inspired by Sebastian Faulks book Birdsong which we had both read that year (1999). This year sees us return. The first year we didn't visit all the places we had intended as we were striuck down with food-poisoning courtesy of some reheated salmon on a bed of spinach...(won't be going there again), so this year we plan to make up for that, plus also the 1st July anniversary of the first day of this battle is its 90th.

Have booked B&Bs (chambre d'hotes) early as a precaution and have actually managed to secuure two nights (30 June and 1 July) at one in a place calle d Mailly Maillet where many of the British soldiers were stationed and being situated about 3-4 miles from the front. The door to the main porch of the church at Mailly Maillet still bears the signatures of some of the solidiers.

As I've spent a lot of my holiday allowance already this year on training jobs (my employer won't allow separate time off for those - well, not yet anyway) I can only afford to take 3 days off work, so the cycling will be limited to around 100 to 120 miles between Arras and Amiens (we'll be using the train from Calais to Arras and then from Amiens back to Calais). Have plenty to do during the time in the Somme area though so we'll be in the saddle quite a bit.

More later about further preparations and the eventual trip itself (digital camera this time - not available last time), but for anyone interested to know more about the battle then I can recommend this site for starters

01-25-2006, 06:28 PM	#1
Cyclefrance Pump my ride! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Deep countryside of Surrey , England Posts: 1,890	Somme This year I'm back on track to take the annual cycling holiday with my usual pedalling pal Paul (he missed out last year owing to the niceties of buying and selling a house in England - usually sees the parties concerned on vallium as they all struggle to keep a chain of buyers and sellers together during the 3 months it takes to complete the process - it all happens on one day with everyone moving-out and moving-in their respective residences like a set of synchronised swimmers). When we first started these sorties, we visited the Somme, inspired by Sebastian Faulks book Birdsong which we had both read that year (1999). This year sees us return. The first year we didn't visit all the places we had intended as we were striuck down with food-poisoning courtesy of some reheated salmon on a bed of spinach...(won't be going there again), so this year we plan to make up for that, plus also the 1st July anniversary of the first day of this battle is its 90th. Have booked B&Bs (chambre d'hotes) early as a precaution and have actually managed to secuure two nights (30 June and 1 July) at one in a place calle d Mailly Maillet where many of the British soldiers were stationed and being situated about 3-4 miles from the front. The door to the main porch of the church at Mailly Maillet still bears the signatures of some of the solidiers. As I've spent a lot of my holiday allowance already this year on training jobs (my employer won't allow separate time off for those - well, not yet anyway) I can only afford to take 3 days off work, so the cycling will be limited to around 100 to 120 miles between Arras and Amiens (we'll be using the train from Calais to Arras and then from Amiens back to Calais). Have plenty to do during the time in the Somme area though so we'll be in the saddle quite a bit. More later about further preparations and the eventual trip itself (digital camera this time - not available last time), but for anyone interested to know more about the battle then I can recommend this site for starters __________________ Always sufficient hills - never sufficient gears

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