a spanner, a route book, all a man needs...
…and so to this year’s fool-hardy quest. Personally I blame my recent reading of the Charles Dickens classic, a perfectly symetrical tale of revolution and love with immortal opening and closing lines. Couple this with a need to be in ‘good shape’ to race in the Nocturne Penny Farthing races come saturday the 11th and add in the fact that various American and Canadian riders happen to be in France for the IVCA rally, I thought it only made good manners to ride these ancient steeds from Paris to London over 5 days along the very coach road Darnay took in the book.
I was not surprised to find that, in the year of our lord 1790, their coach made the journey in similar time, but they had to climb out to allow the horses to get over Shooters Hill. We won’t have to get off, and there are more differences, besides.
“These are the best of times, these are the worst of times…..” (with apologies to Mr Dickens..)