28th March 2013. Our first trip abroad (and also our first proper trip in the motorhome) was 10 days in Europe. Our plan was to watch the Tour of Flanders at Oudenaarde before heading of to Luxembourg and then France to watch the Paris-Roubaix race. It was with equal measures of anxiety and excitement that we headed off to the Eurotunnel. Glynn had never really driven anything bigger than a car and he had never driven abroad so it wasn't a particularly relaxing way to start the holiday. We arrived at Folkestone and were quickly put at ease by how simple the process was. All too soon we arrived in France and our anxiety increased as we drove carefully up the road with me whispering "hug the kerb" every few minutes to remind Glynn to drive on the right. The sat nav was programmed to take us straight to our first planned stop at de Haan and after filling up with diesel at Calais we headed off at a steady 60mph. There was little conversation as Glynn concentrated fiercely on the drive with the occasional whisper from me about hugging the kerb. His shoulders were up around his ears and he was clearly keen to get to our first destination so he could breathe a sigh of relief.
We arrived safely and after levelling the MH we took a stroll to the beautiful sandy beach which was a 10 minute walk away. it is fair to say that the weather had done little to improve following the snow that had been falling on and off for weeks and it was barely above freezing.
We arrived safely and after levelling the MH we took a stroll to the beautiful sandy beach which was a 10 minute walk away. it is fair to say that the weather had done little to improve following the snow that had been falling on and off for weeks and it was barely above freezing.
 |
| The beautiful beach at De Haan |
29th March 2013. We awoke feeling refreshed and more relaxed the following morning (probably helped by the bottle of wine we had shared the night before) and were soon ready to set off again. Our plan was to spend 3 nights in Geraardsbergen to explore the area and to watch the Tour of Flanders on the famous cobbles at Oude Kwaremont. With the occasional reminder from me to hug the kerb we set off with Glynn’s shoulders appearing somewhat lower than they had the day before (I could see his ears today)!!
En route we had a short stop at Bruge
and Ooidonk Castle. We parked at a carpark about 3 kms from Bruge and after donning several layers of thermal clothing we cycled to the Centre to explore before stopping at a lovely pavement café for coffee. We then headed back to the motorhome and drove towards Deinze and Ooidonk Castle for another brief stop.
 |
| Bruge |
 |
| Ooidonk Castle |
30th March 2013. We awoke to sub zero temperatures again, the coldest March in decades,
but it was lovely and dry and after breakfast we drove to Ronse. We donned our thermal cycling gear again before exploring the area and decided to ride a cobbled hill in Ronse that would be part of the race the following day. There were lots of other cyclists doing the Tour of Flanders sportive and there was a great atmosphere. I was still recovering from a bad chest infection and was on my second course of antibiotics so I was struggling for breath as we neared a bend on the steep hill. I eventually had to stop and decided to push my bike to the top.
Just as I got off and rounded the bend there was a photographer taking pictures of the cyclists riding the cobbles. As he took a picture of me I burst out laughing and he grinned back. I was briefly tempted to try and explain that I was unwell but decided against it and carried on pushing my bike up the hill. I often wonder if that photo was ever published anywhere.
31st March 2013. We woke up to find ice on the inside of the windows this morning. There were little icicles in the mouthwash and the washing up liquid and cooking oil had turned cloudy. We quickly lit the fire and jumped back in to bed until it had warmed up enough that we weren’t blowing smoke clouds every time we breathed out. After breakfast we drove into Ronse again and parked the motorhome in a big free car park right on the edge of the town centre. There were free courtesy buses running to various points on the course so we jumped on a bus and headed for Oude Kwaremont. We spent a fantastic day on the cobbled hill with lots of other Brits and people from all nationalities. The atmosphere was amazing and in spite of all the beer being consumed there was no trouble and everyone was very friendly. It was so cold my kneecaps were dancing a tango and my toes went dead but it was an amazing day watching the cycling.
 |
| A windmill near Geraardsbergen |
31st March 2013. We woke up to find ice on the inside of the windows this morning. There were little icicles in the mouthwash and the washing up liquid and cooking oil had turned cloudy. We quickly lit the fire and jumped back in to bed until it had warmed up enough that we weren’t blowing smoke clouds every time we breathed out. After breakfast we drove into Ronse again and parked the motorhome in a big free car park right on the edge of the town centre. There were free courtesy buses running to various points on the course so we jumped on a bus and headed for Oude Kwaremont. We spent a fantastic day on the cobbled hill with lots of other Brits and people from all nationalities. The atmosphere was amazing and in spite of all the beer being consumed there was no trouble and everyone was very friendly. It was so cold my kneecaps were dancing a tango and my toes went dead but it was an amazing day watching the cycling.
The incredible sight as the riders climbed to the top of Oude Kwaremont
The end of a fantastic day and ready for a nice hot meal and a glass of wine!
1st April 2013. The day dawned bright and clear but still below freezing although it was forecast to get as high as 6 degrees. We’d soon be in shorts and T-shirts!! Tonight we planned to stop at a campsite not far from Liege so we set off towards Brussels first to explore the Centre. It was a bank holiday Monday so much less traffic than a working day and we were impressed that we were able to drive the motorhome right in to the centre of town and park in a side road free of charge.
 |
| Brussels |
We bought some boxes of Belgian chocolates before heading
 |
| Liege |
 |
| The view from our motorhome |
With prices so much lower in Luxembourg we stopped at the petrol station just as you pass the border and filled up with fuel and bought a nice bottle of brandy for just over €7 before heading off to our next overnight stop.
As with our last stop this campsite was also set on the edge of a river in a valley overlooked by an imposing castle set in the hillside. Not to be fazed by the hilly terrain we had lunch and then donned our thermal cycling gear before setting off to explore the area. With a great deal of effort and a couple of "photo stops" to catch my breath we managed to cycle up to the castle which afforded stunning views over the valley below.
We spotted a chairlift rising from the town to the top of the hillside and I persuaded Glynn that this would be an amazing opportunity to get some more pictures. We cycled back down to the town (much faster than we had gone up) and locked up our bikes before buying tickets for the chairlift. Glynn indicated that he wasn't too comfortable with the thought of the chairlift but I didn't realise he was serious until we were halfway up the hillside. We were passing over the castle with me happily snapping away and he went as white as a sheet. His knuckles were even whiter as he gripped the bar for dear life and asked me, through gritted teeth, to stop making the seat swing with my movements.
He was relieved to alight from the chairlift at the top and took a few moments to recover his equilibrium before admitting he was terrified of heights. He was adamant he was not going to be able to take the ride back down which posed a problem for me as it was the ride down, facing out over the magnificent valley, that would offer me the greatest photo opportunities. After a lengthy time reassuring Glynn that the chairlift was totally safe and pointing out that it was a very long walk down he very bravely agreed that he would accompany me back down in the chairlift, albeit with his eyes closed most of the way!!
I was able to take some stunning photos of the valley as it stretched out below and we could see our motorhome in the distance parked on the edge of the river. Doing my best to minimise any movements I made I happily snapped away while Glynn prayed for the comforting reassurance of solid ground beneath his feet.
 |
Our motorhome can be spotted in the distance
I was immensely proud of how brave he was in light of the very real fear he had of heights and admitted to him that I too, in spite of my excitement at the stunning views, had found the ride down quite scary. We headed to the nearest cafe for some strong coffee before cycling back to the campsite for a lovely dinner washed down with some much needed, and well deserved, brandy and lemonade.
3rd April 2013. We set off after breakfast to head for Revin in France making the most of the cheap diesel by filling up the tank before we crossed in to France. We had learnt of a lovely 85km cycle path called the Trans-Ardennes greenway that ran from Givet near the Belgian Border to Charleville-Mézières following the course of the River Meuse on the old towpath. Owing to the lack of time on this trip we would only have time to do half of it so we opted to stay in Revin as the centre point of the route and we would then decide whether to follow the route North or South once we were there. When we arrived in Revin it was dull and overcast giving the town a gloomy appearance that didn't immediately excite us. After booking in at the Municipal campsite we got our thermals on once more and cycled off to explore the town. Just outside the camp was a very good Tourist Info and they gave us a map of the Trans-Ardennes cycle path and a map of Revin. After stopping in a local bar for a small beer we headed to the nearest Boulangerie so that I could test my french by ordering some pastries and french bread. Luckily for us the lady understood when I ordered 2 tarte aux pommes and we headed back to the motorhome to eat them!!
4th April 2013. We awoke to find the dull and overcast weather from yesterday had been replaced by a beautiful but cold sunny spring morning. The previous day Glynn had noticed that I must have damaged my rear tyre when we rode the cobbles in Ronse as I had a small hole in the side wall of the tyre and the inner tube was desperately trying to make a break for freedom! He had managed a crude repair by sticking a puncture repair patch on both the inside and the outside of the tyre. We made ourselves a substantial packed lunch before setting off. My plan was to ride at least 100kms today as Glynn kept teasing me that I wasn't part of the 100km club like him. He had cycled 108 kms in Majorca when we had gone on our first cycling holiday the year before. I had been in a different group that had only done 85kms so he took every opportunity to tease me about this. The patches on the tyre appeared to have stuck well but it was slightly worrying in case it failed when we were a long way from the camp as I didn't fancy walking 50kms!
We decided to head North towards Givet and set off. The first lovely village we came to was Fumay and we decided that we should try and source a spare tyre just in case. The cycle shop had shut down so we carried on to Haybes and asked in the Tourist Info if there was anywhere we could get a tyre. A man was called over who made a phone call before advising us that a tyre would arrive in approximately 30 minutes and we should go off and have a coffee.
We headed off to a local hotel and enjoyed a nice coffee and at the allotted time we returned to the town square to wait. In no time at all a white van pulled up and were duly offered a tyre for which we were charged €20. Given the quality of the tyre it wasn't cheap but who were we to complain when they had gone to such effort for us. It was worth it for the peace of mind as I really didn't fancy a long walk home if the current repair failed. We set off again and cycled through some beautiful villages along the route, stopping to take photos along the way. Glynn decided to carry the new tyre and would
only stop to change it if needed. We arrived in Givet around lunchtime and sat on a park bench looking out over the river to eat our lunch. We had a brief exploration of the town but were conscious that we had a long ride back so we stopped for a nice strong coffee before heading back towards Revin. The weather was kind to us and remained cold but sunny all day. The cycle path was not challenging in any way other than the distance,
being almost flat the entire length with only the occasional slight hill thrown in for variety. After spending a wonderful day enjoying the scenery and the exercise we arrived back on the outskirts of Revin. We were both starting to feel the efforts of our exertion as the wind had increased but when I checked my Garmin cycle computer it showed we had only done 86kms. I was so close to achieving my 100km target that I told Glynn I was going to carry on past Revin for 7kms before heading back to the camp. He clearly wasn't too impressed with my idea but was reluctant to allow me
to carry on without him in spite of my protestations that I would be fine.We set off again following the river through the town with Glynn like a small boy on a Sunday outing asking "are we nearly there yet?". It was with a great sigh of relief that my Garmin clocked up 93kms and we could then turn back. It was at this point that Glynn managed to pick up a puncture!! He was adamant that it would only take him a minute to change the inner tube and told me to carry on and he would catch me up. The change in direction resulted in a full on head wind which was around the same time that I realised just how much energy it took to cycle 100kms. At a slightly embarrassing pace of only around 15kms per hour I ploughed on and 40 minutes later I arrived back at the camp. Guessing Glynn would be only 5 minutes away I put the kettle on and heaved a sigh of relief as I collapsed on the chair, absolutely ecstatic that I had done it. When Glynn hadn't arrived 30 minutes later I rode back along the river a short way to see if I could spot him but then realised I had a puncture. Feeling slightly anxious I returned to make another cuppa and it was with great relief that I eventually spotted Glynn walking towards the camp over an hour after I had got home. It was with a less than happy demeanour that he informed me that he had checked his tyre before putting the new inner tube in but had missed a tack in the side wall so had immediately punctured the new tube. He had then tried to use one of my tubes but as his wheel took Presta valves and mine took Shrader it wouldn't fit. As a result he had walked the 7kms home and was shattered. It probably wasn't the best timing when I pointed out that he hadn't actually cycled 100kms whereas I had!!
5th April 2013. Hardly surprisingly we had gone to bed straight after dinner the night before and had slept soundly. We awoke feeling refreshed and ready to cycle another 100kms, actually that is a complete lie, we had no desire to get back on the bikes yet and were quite happy that we needed to leave after breakfast to head over to Houplines for our final 2 nights before we had to head back home. We programmed the sat nav and followed it's instructions out of the village which directed us on to a single lane bridge that was controlled by traffic lights. We happily sat waiting for the lights to turn green when I looked up and noticed the 2.5 metre height barrier!! There was very little room to manoeuvre so Glynn's attempt to turn the motorhome around involved slightly more than a 3 point turn. This was carried out with lots of 'encouragement' from the cars behind us who waved and gesticulated as they hung out of their car windows, honking their horns. I pointed out the height barrier and tried to explain in my very limited French that our vehicle was too tall for the bridge but it did little to alleviate their animated accompaniment to Glynn's attempt to turn around. It was with some relief that we were finally facing the opposite direction and able to drive off. It was with great satisfaction that I noticed the lights had turned red again and I grinned as I 'waved' goodbye. After a straightforward journey which included navigating the ring road around Lille we arrived at our next and final campsite for this trip. We had picked it for it's proximity to Roubaix as we planned on watching part of the Paris-Roubaix race on Sunday before heading to the Eurotunnel and home. This was our least favourite stopover on this trip as the campsite appeared to be predominantly long stayers and static caravans and there was a group of teenagers wandering around, one of whom had a quad bike. As we had already paid we decided to stay but hoped we wouldn't live to regret it. After a relaxing couple of hours catching up on emails, checking out motorhome sat navs on the internet and having a leisurely lunch we decided to cycle in to town and explore. Yes, you read correctly, in spite of the mammoth ride the day before we were already donning our thermals again!! We enjoyed a leisurely exploration of the local area before spending the evening planning our ride for the next day while we ate dinner and enjoyed a glass of wine.
6th April 2013. For our penultimate day we had planned a fantastic ride to Ypres in Belgium passing several of the war cemeteries en route.
It was an incredibly moving day and one of the highlights of our holiday. The cemeteries were amazing and Ypres was stunning. We enjoyed our last full day exploring the beautiful buildings and monuments and sat in Market Square to eat our packed lunch. We then spent a little time reading some of the 54,000 names recorded on the walls of the Menin Gate memorial and it was incredibly humbling and really quite emotional.
We enjoyed a fast paced ride back to Houplines, pushing ourselves hard to counteract the cold weather that was already dropping back below freezing after a half-hearted attempt to rise above it. When we arrived back at the campsite we enjoyed a nice bowl of hot curry before settling down to watch a DVD snuggled up under our lovely warm duvet to fend of the cold.
 |
| Menin Gate Memorial |
Market Square, Ypres
7th April 2013. Our last day!! We had originally planned to catch part of the Paris-Roubaix race before heading home however Glynn had noticed that the temperature gauge in the motorhome had been wildly fluctuating over recent days. We were fairly confident that the engine wasn't actually overheating as we had read on the Motorhome Fun forum about this issue however Glynn was reluctant to do any more miles than necessary and Roubaix was in the opposite direction to Calais. We decided that we had many more years in which to watch the race and opted to spend our last few hours in Dunkirk instead.
We found a lovely big car park close to the harbour which had enough space for the motorhome and headed off to explore. We enjoyed our last few hours on foot exploring the town and then had a walk along the beautiful beach before it was time to head to Calais.
 |
| The beautiful beach at Dunkirk |
