Page 10 - PBCMarch2020

Pickwick Bicycle Club Magazine Volume 17 No.1 March 2020 10

Mr Watty Rides to Rouen

After months of training of both bodies and machines, the 19 velocipede riders met at
06h30 on Saturday 9 November at the Place de l’Etoile by the Arc de Triomphe, as our
th
predecessors had done 150 years before. Ahead of lay 173kms to Rouen in 3 days along the
route taken by those pioneers of cycling back in 1869.

Early dawn in Paris with a
daunOng ride ahead

I was quickly reminded why the British renamed my machine a ‘boneshaker’ as the first
kilometres were on cobbled roads that shook me awake, as did the cold and rain! There
were lost pedals and lamps as we approached the tranquillity of the Bois de Boulogne and
then the busy suburbs of Paris. Those on their way to work were startled by our strange
machines, but often smiled and waived as we passed by. Publicity of the event had brought
crowds along the route which we honoured with regular stops to satisfy their curiosity.
Many had come to meet Gérard Holtz, the well-known Tour de France commentator, who
was proudly riding his velocipede on this voyage of discovery.

After 56kms and 10 hours of riding we arrived in Mantes la Jolie at the end of day 1 and
after a few minor repairs with oil, grease, glue and a heavy hammer we were ready for
supper and a good nights’ sleep! On Sunday we set off at 07h00 on our ride of 61kms to Les
Andelys in heavy rain, but this couldn’t dampen our spirits! We were soon passing through
villages with flag waving crowds and Mayors keen for us to stop and recount of our
progress. In Giverny we visited the beautiful house and gardens of Claude Monet, who
probably watched the original race go by as he would have been 26 years old in 1869.