Day 0 - Passing the point of no return

 My experience of long-distance, multi-day bike rides is that the months of thinking about it, planning and organising inevitably culminate in me thinking that two days before leaving that I would much rather not go, and that lying on the sofa would be a preferable way to spend the time. But I struggle through these days of gloom and get to the point of no return, this time driving on board the ferry at Plymouth and setting sail for Brittany.

At this point the die is cast and I have to go through with it. So we spent a pleasant enough 6 hours on the ferry, crossing a calm, blue sea to arrive in Roscoff at about 8 p.m. It then took less than an hour to drive west to the village of Plougonvelin to find the aire where we would spend the first night.

I think I have everything I will need. As well as the tools that might be needed on a day ride, such as tyre levers and a multitool I have also brought a torque wrench, oil and grease, and a selection of bike clothing to meet all eventualities (apart from snow). Although the forecast for my route over the next two weeks shows sunshine and pleasantly warm temperatures, some warnings about thunderstorms have crept in for the Vendee coast, so I might yet get very wet.

I also have little idea about the terrain that awaits me. My memories of visiting Brittany 20 years ago give me the idea that it is not unlike Devon and Cornwall, so I might spend the first three days going up and down steep hills, but I am in some denial about that. Rather, my mind sees me gliding across gentle hillsides, greeting friendly locals in my slowly improving forgotten French and stopping in little villages to eat croissants dunked in a cafe au lait.

Anyway, I am here now, and from tomorrow on my mind will shift into the Zen-like state of cycling ever onwards along unfamiliar roads, focusing on taking the turns to the next significant place on my planned map. And where I can get my first croissant of the day.