The 'Hotel' Ibis - Abbeville - Day Two

After spending around 8 hours in the saddle we arrived at Abbeville and followed the ‘orange’ arrows through the town which was a bit of an experience, to the Ibis Hotel. We knew it would be on the outskirts, because as with the water stops/hills this was hotels/outskirts. There were a few people already showered, changed and seated with beers/wine etc looking very relaxed and fresh. We were given our key & pointed in the direction of the ‘lounge’ to find our bags. I use the word lounge very loosely due to the fact that it was simply a very small room with a couple of armchairs in it! Perhaps I should have taken this in a little more I may have been ready for what came next……

The room!!!! Or should I say the shoebox!! It was tiny, couldn’t swing a cat!! No! Seriously, you couldn’t. The bathroom door opened outwards, because there wasn’t enough room for it to open inwards!! The beds were 2’6” wide so you had to get out of them to turn over!! There was a tiny wardrobe and a connecting door to the next room, where we could hear everything they were saying! But the crowning glory was the ½ bath!!! 88 miles in the saddle, aching limbs, sore arse, cold and tired, ready to relax in a hot bath of Radox muscle soak kindly supplied by Daphne (my father-in-laws partner) and we have one that I can only just get my bum into!! Em went 1st; while I sprawled on the bed then it was my turn. I had to put my legs up the wall to lie down, so my legs got cold, when I tried to sit up I got chronic cramp in my side & back, it was like a comedy film! Ah well, at least we got clean.

Once we’d cleaned up and got dressed, we headed off to the bar & a well earned drink. We walked across reception, (I wondered where Em was going?) she turned to me and said, “Do you know where the bar is?” to which I simply motioned to the corner of the reception area we’d just walked past! It was like something you used to see in peoples homes in the 70’s!! However, the beer was cold & hit the spot. We went outside to join the rest of the crew, and sat talking to some of our new found friends, Mark Wharton & Chris Drury, who we’d chatted to on the DA forum, and a cardiac doctor named Mike Foley, who was on holiday!!! He was doing a 300 mile cycle ride in 4 days for FUN!!! Barking mad if you ask me! No seriously though, he was lovely.

Dinner was great, steaming hot tureens of soup and fresh bread. Followed by lasagne & salad and then a bit of an odd apple tart tatin which would have been better a) warm & b) with cream or custard but you can’t have everything. After dinner we had our briefing for the morning, same as that day, but we could just set off as and when we were ready. Then we decided to retire to the shoebox as we were knackered.

So, Goodnight Mary Ellen, Goodnight John Boy …………………..