Estimated miles: 75
Miles cycled: 85
Average speed: 10.2 (slower again…..)
Route: D305/D127 Guines, D231 Ardres, D224 Nabringhen, N42/ D127 Le Wast, D343 Desvres, Hucqueliers, D108 Wambercourt, Hesdin, D928 Abbeville
We set out together with a good speed along the French ‘A’ roads and passed several other speedy, professional-looking cyclists all lyra’d up in matching colours. However, they had no mounta in bikes, no panniers, and definitely no ‘BMX’ helmets!
We stopped for coffee after 25 miles and bought some provisions for lunch (it was Easter Sunday and we weren’t sure if anywhere would be open later). There was a cruel headwind again and we were up and down ‘les 7 vallees’ (what does that mean?!), The next 25 miles were hard, and we stopped for lunch (the big vol-au-vents we’d bought earlier) . The vol-au-vent didn’t really cut it, and the next few hours I struggled along with low blood sugar and felt like a rag doll. Despite being force fed sugary sweets and Emma dancing crazily to cheer me up (she’d probably had too much sugar and caffeine!), we soldiered on and on and on and on until we finally met up with the others in Abbeville town centre for a big kebab tea…probably not the Easter feast we’d anticipated!!! But very welcome anyway…
We then headed towards the Etap in the north of the town, couldn’t find it, phoned Charlie for directions, and then after getting further directions from some stoned locals, cycled 5 miles south of the City where it was hidden at the back of an industrial estate. 10.30pm arrival – brilliant!! Still smiling… 
