Dad - Progress Report #1

This will probably be short because it has taken me about 10 minutes to sign in. The French do not use a QUERTY key board.

Anyway, progress:

Day 1: Hamilton to Rosyth: Hamilton-Motherwell-Carfin-Newarthill-Newhouse-Salsburgh-Harthill-Whitburn-Bathgate-Broxburn-Forth Bridge-Rosyth.-65km. Uneventful, but, no disrespect, towns that are nice to ride away from.

Day 2: Zeebrugge-Ostende-Diksmuide. Beautiful, flat Belgian roads. Beautiful weather. Beautiful towns. 70 Km.

Day 3: Diksmuede-St Pol. Lovely cycle path in the morning busy French Road in the afternoon. 107 Km.

Day 4: St Pol-Amiens. Got lost in the morning on rural 3m wide roads and had to retrace my way 3 times (like Sevilla, Ev). Ended up on the trunk road where, at least the road signs helped. 80 Km (although only 57 if I had stayed on the trunk road from the beginning).

So that is up to date. Amiens is beautiful, but very big. Not good for the bike. The weather has been great and, so far no hiccoughs - not even a pumpcher, Agnes. The biggest problem I have had so far is getting a mouthful of flying insects (large, like bluebottles). I managed to spit one out immediately but spent a few hundred metres gagging and spitting all over my shirt before I drank some water and swallowed the rest - it is all protein, I suppose. Oh, I also got shat upon by a bird, cleaned it off with a "Wet Wipe", put the "Wet Wipe" back in my bag to avoid littering the countryside, then later, I scratched my hand and cleaned it with the same "Wet Wipe" Arggh! Between the flies and the bird shit, I will probably get some dreadful disease.

Did you all think that you were going to get culture?

Tonight I am in a cheap hotel, but with a bath. I spent an hour soaking and listening to Bob Dylan - Chronicles. The previous 2 nights B and B. Both very good. All have been cheap, so that suits a cheapskate like myself.

The camera man has been following me all the way, so far. I have lost him a few times but we have met up again. It is not too bad. He is muy simpatico and now that I am used to the camera and microphone in my face I can ignore it.

I think that is all for now. I do not know when I will send a new update. It took me ages finding this Internet cafe and I have not seen another one on my travels.

Love, Michael xx

Regards, Mike ( for the non family members).