Avenue Verte; 7 Punctures, 3 Falls & A Broken Trailer
January 1st, 2015
Avenue Verte; London to Paris Day 7
We thought we were getting the hang of the Avenue Verte by day 7, but we soon realised our false sense of security.
15 minutes into our ride from Avernes to the outskirts of Paris & disaster strikes…one of our trailers falls apart. Luckily we’d had the foresight to pack the tools.
As the majority of the Avenue Verte route is located in rural areas, it is vital that you are prepared for all eventualities & don’t rely on picking up parts along the way…you’d be lucky to find a tea shop let alone a bike store! As for assistance from fellow cyclists, they are practically non existent too, (cyclists not helpful assistance!)
With an array of inner tubes, puncture repair kits, tools & expertise at the ready, we’re about to put them to good use. 90 minutes later & our newly adapted trailer is raring to go.
However our maintenance troubles are far from over as, over the course of the day, we experience a grand total of 7 punctures! No, we hadn’t cycled over a path of glass & nails but just a combination of bad luck, an over-packed trailer and general wear & tear. The falls also began to increase, perhaps because we were tiring, so worth remembering the first aid kit too!
Our 34 mile journey, whilst full of adventure & scenic beauty, took us a grand total of 9.5 hours to complete! Exhausted, we make it to our hotel for 9pm. However our first view of the Eiffel Tower lifts the spirits….last day tomorrow!
More Avenue Verte Information
Avenue Verte London to Paris; From The Beginning
