As always, meeting up with a group of ten strangers with the intention of going on an 11 day bike trip together brings with it a mixture of excitement and uncertainty. A 7am start at our usual meeting point of the Stop24 services on the M20 sees us heading for the Channel Tunnel in a whirlwind of names, faces and booking references!
Once through the check-in process and safely aboard our train there’s a half hour lull as we chug under the English Channel and this gives us a chance to start getting to know each other and nosy around everyone’s bikes. This year’s group is a truly eclectic mix! With ages ranging from 24 to 70, some have toured extensively while others have yet to turn a wheel on foreign soil. With a retired firefighter, a sales manager, a carpenter and a marathon runner amongst others it’s fantastic to see such a disparate group of people with a common interest become close friends over the course of a week and a half.