Aug 16-19, Paris=>Brest=>Paris, 18th edition, 2015

Jerry, Kathy, Hamid and I started PBP at our selected time, 8pm, crossing the sensor at 8:01.  I was sluggish, as I usually am at the start of these things, and quickly was dropped by the other three.  Kathy was riding strong, waited for us a few times until we stopped for coffee at the same place as 2011, but we lost track of her coming into Mortange au Perche (MaP), the first official food stop but not a Control.  It's a control on the way home, but not on the way out.  It was crowded; I saw Vytas who'd seen Kathy outside, but we were not able to make contact.

And so the ride went; into Villaines at 6:51 a.m.; Fougere 12:19; Tinteniac 15:57; Loudeac, our overnight, at 20:39.  Sandy and Shab were there to meet us; Kathy had come in long ago and was planning on heading out again around 11pm, as I recall.  She thought at the time that she was running tight for time, not realizing that the times on the Control Card were for a 5:15 p.m. start, not for our 8pm start.  Oh well.

Loudeac at 20:39 was about the same as 2011 except that we left 1:15 earlier.  We spent more time at Controls, being three of us and I was riding slower.

By myself, I'd have probably headed out earlier but Jerry and Hamid both wanted a little more sleep.  I forget exactly, but I think that we headed out around 2+am.  That put us well behind the 8-ball, compared to 2011.  We hit Carhaix at 7:32 and Brest at 13:10.  I believe that my Brest time in 2011 was before noon, but I don't have the card with me to check. In Brest, we were with Dick who suggested that we stop on the way out for food.  That we did, picking up three (or was it four) chickens, stuffing ourselves and spending the better part of an hour lounging around.

Back to Carhaix by 18:58 and then Loudeac at 00:11; we were in Loudeac before dark in 2011.  Jerry tried to pick up some extra time (sleep) on the way into Loudeac and rode on ahead, picking up 1/2 hour, but perhaps sacrificing his PBP as a result, who knows.

At Tinteniac on Day 3, Jerry needed some work on his Achilles so he visited the medic and then went upstairs for a snooze.  I didn't need a snooze -- hindsight would have had me ride on ahead -- so I went inside and sat and waited while Hamid slept on a bench outside and Jerry on a cot.  Eventually I texted Jerry to see how he was doing and he'd already left.  Drat.  Hamid was also down the road somewhere.

He stopped to wait for me; I headed out but not before I bought a set of batteries for the SPOT and not before I'd left my wallet at that station ... but found that out when I caught up to Jerry.  Drat.  I headed  back; they'd kept my wallet, thank goodness, and eventually caught up to Hamid and Jerry who were sleeping on the grass at Fougeres.  I was ready to continue but gave them some extra time, went inside and got something to eat that I didn't need, lounged around a little and then woke them up.

Between Fougeres and Villaines, Jerry really had his Achilles acting up.  While I was stopped with him, we saw Hamid ride by, not seeing us.   We went a little further and Jerry had to throw in the towel.  He couldn't even walk.  It was heardbreaking.  We spent quite a bit of time at a pharmacy trying solutions like braces and tape, but they didn't work.  He called his son-in-law to pick him up; I rode on, catching up to Hamid around Villaines.  We stopped for a drink and then tried to make up some time.  Somewhere in there I stopped at a little grocery store --   I should have written this sooner !

Villaines to Mortange au Perche seems like it's up on a high plain.  There were numerous houses open providing free coffee -- I did partake even though it was more hot water than anything -- and we rolled into MaP just before 2am.  Hamid was a little behind me at that point but caught up.  Shab and Sharam were there to meet Hamid; he got some sleep in Sharam's car.  I grabbed an hour lying across three chairs and headed out at 3:30; Hamid probably followed me about 1/2 hour later.  I told Shab that I couldn't wait; she understood.  I'd even waited an extra half-hour but didn't want to wait any longer.

Getting into Dreux at 7:53, I was half drunk.  I needed coffee badly.  I got some food, a couple of cups of coffee and then headed off.  Hamid came in just as I was leaving.  I rolled into St. Quentin at 11:37 for a time of 87:36, I believe, about 4 hours slower than last time.

I didn't get as much sleep this round but I did have more total time off the bike.  Was it a good PBP ?  I accomplished objective number one, which was to see Hamid through his ride (almost).  He needed the encouragement and was doing well.  He was having knee problems towards the end which I put down to favoring his groin and back accidents.  I don't think that he'd have had knee problems otherwise.

Objective number 2 was to accompany Jerry.  I had no doubt that he'd finish the ride, but he didn't.  What a disappointment !  He was/is certainly strong enough.  The Granite Anvil is a much tougher ride.  But, but, we spent too much time off the bike and not enough of that in quality rest.  He might have pushed himself too hard coming back into Loudeac.  That lounging after Brest, extra time in MaP on the way out, sleeping on the grass -- all patchy stuff and not as effective as a solid block of time in a bed.  The four hours time difference is easily accounted for, but it does show you that it doesn't take much to push one over the edge, from a time standpoint.  I've always kept a steady pace, albeit slower than many, with very little wasted time.  I felt that there was more wasted time, and it wasn't quality time.

On the way back to Loudeac, I stopped for a second to check something, told Hamid to continue and then rode on.  We were with Mike Wali at the time and afterwards Mike said that he could believe how Hamid had taken off.  I stopped to wait for him a few times, thinking that somehow I'd passed him, but no.  I gave him a real dig when I got to Loudeac.  "Don't do that again" kind of dig !  We all get more testy as these things go on !

All that said, I did enjoy myself.  I always do.  I said to myself at the end that I'd probably skip the next one but Jerry is already planning his revenge.  Oh well, that means that I'll be back !