#BBBR13 Day 1 - Paris to Compiegne

We left bright and ready from the basement car park up a ridiculously steep ramp (I walked!) into a drizzly Paris morning.  The morning traffic was, ahem, entertaining; and the pavé even more so, but after a few miles we arrived at our departure point (!).

Then followed the usual (for me) first day experience of a Big Battlefield Bike Ride - a bit of hanging around.  Because of the likely dignitaries who would be coming, the riders need to be there in plenty of time.  But to keep us jolly us we had a French military band who kept us entertained - their choice of tunes was certainly geared to their audience!

 A few shots from around L'Hotel

 The dignitaries arrived and the speeches start

at this point there is a large gap in the photo record - about 50-60 miles worth!  That's because it was mainly cold and wet during the day, and the focus was on getting the miles done!  So here is the memorial and clearing at Compiegne at which we arrived very much later in the day after (for me) a slashed tyre and inner tube, and a few assists at other punctures.

It was now only a few more miles to the hotel, and finally I arrived.  To find I had travelled 7 miles further than I needed and was at the wrong hotel!  A lift back from the DA support crew and straight into dinner.
Unfortunately time was short and I was rushed to the table and spent the next hour or two dining in some very wet cycling gear. It seemed nothing at the time, but that was going to come back and bite me later on...