Day2 - Sunday

We were up, bikes loaded and ready waiting for breakfast for 08:00 as agreed the previous night, starting promptly we were spoilt for choice and ate our fill. Also as arranged they had made up packed lunches for us (for a small and reasonable charge) which enabled us to be on our way just before 09:00. We managed about 3 kilometres before the heavens opened and dumped a serious amount of rain on us. In the main our gear withstood the onslaught except the "waterproof" pockets on my jacket, one of which part filled with water putting my mobile phone out of action and affecting (to a lesser degree) my newly purchased Fujifilm camera - which now appears to have dried out with no ill affects - only time will tell. But my Nokia is dead.

The ride from Ypres to Amiens managed to get progressively drier after the aforementioned wet start so that we called at the variously planned war graves and memorial sites to read the accounts that lead to their creation and remember the fallen and those that died for our freedom. We ended up a bit "war graved out" (like overdosed) but that is what we came to do. The riding is (weather aside) quite remarkable with long straight roads and curving twisty roads in almost equal measure. Road surfaces are generally very good or excellent with only occasional poorly maintained sections (which are frequently better than those in the UK). As much as possible we are avoiding Le Peage (toll roads) and motorways but the Garmin sat navs have a mind of their own and despite us having loaded identical routes prepared and downloaded by Steve, we still end up with them giving different turning instructions and routes to selected sites. They remind me of shopping trolleys.

The accommodation in Amiens was at a B'n'B Hotels place close to the Premiere Classe that I used last year. Having checked in we went for a walk to find somewhere to eat and finally selected a Chinese restaurant where we had an excellent 3 course buffet meal and drinks for a very reasonable 50 Euros (including tip). However I have to add that it is very strange being a Brit, conversing with a Chinese in French as well as my command of French will allow, but everyone had a laugh and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Less can be said of the night sleep where I was rigorously attacked by "bed bugs" or some such alien force because I had a disturbed night being bitten and today I've had to burst a number of the bites as a release from their constant bother, but that's for day 3.

Total mileage Day2 = 111 miles.