Page 11 - Shining On Winter 2022

Monday

The Ulysses GB group as often occurs had agreed to split and go home in different directions. One
group went back via the Black Forest (see Rudy’s article below, Ba), another via Rüdesheim am Rhein
and the Belgium classic TT (see Mike’s article in Issue 82, Ba), while me and Nick Clamp were heading
for a place near Lille, a little town called Lompret, and the hotel La Ferme Blanche, some 300 miles
away. Thankfully today was a little cooler and we set off nice and early. Today was mostly main roads
which, despite wanting to see the open countryside, was a
necessity, but we did manage one stop in Givet. We arrived
late afternoon at our accommodation for the night.
Travel-wise Nick had managed to find a little pearl of a place
tucked away in a little oasis. The place looked like it had
once been a massive stable complex for a grand house, with
a courtyard and surrounding fields. It also had its own
restaurant. It did look a bit tired in places, but for an
overnight stop, it was ideal. We had been expecting
thunderstorms, but thankfully our ride to Lompret had been a
dry one. Later after freshening up as I walked across the
courtyard to the restaurant the heavens opened up! It was
raining that hard, along with the odd clap of thunder, that any
attempt to move from the walkway cover and I would have
been immediately drenched. So I waited about 15 minutes
for it to pass. The end was near now - the last day was to be
another 300 odd miles but should see us home.

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