Our first post while beginning our trip. We left London after what seemed like a week of stress, getting everything together, packing our home and studio up. Saying goodbye to friends was the hardest part, but we did manage to milk a few send offs. On Tuesday morning (4.4.17) a few Greenland marina friends waved us off as we cycled our laiden bikes to St.Pancras station.Once on the Eurostar we celebrated the journey with 2 work colleagues (Flo & Matthew) and thankfully they were there to help with our panniers with only a couple of minute turnaround!
Lille to Rumegies – a short journey but confusing as battling with new signs and our limit French (24 miles) to our first stop over at a lovely b&b. During the ride we mistook a side road but to our delight we meet some older guys placing arrows on the cobbled path to way mark for the annual cycle race ‘ Paris-Roubaix’!
Day 2/3 a good petit dejeuner began the day as we set out for our first ride through quiet French lanes, national parks and small towns. A ride off 45 miles took us to Maubuerge where everything went wrong! Day 3 became our worst nightmare-robbed in the night in our tents! As we awoke on 6th April we discovered a side peg was out and only later realised 2 ortlieb panniers were gone. All our bike spares, bike tools, cables for charging, cooking pots etc etc.
So I am writing our first blog sitting in a hotel room after a long day researching for replacement gear and going to the French police! We are hoping for a better few days/weeks ahead//
The only paper we have collect is a police report today!
Cycling the Paper road 
Fantastic to read you’ve set off on your big adventure, but so sorry and shocked to hear you were robbed! Hope you’re both okay and not put off by the experience 🙂
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We are upset and angry but we are regrouping and getting replacement things to carry on. Thanks for your thoughts.
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Omg so sorry to hear about the robeery pleased your both alright please take care x
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So sorry to hear, what a frustrating start! We (Alex and Lars) wandered down the canal to the Thames in the sunshine to see you today, finally, and just before getting on the ferry I thought ‘let me just check the Press is open’ and saw that we had missed by just a few days! Was briefly very excited for you until I read what happened. Not sure if we can do anything to help but if we can – let us know! xxx
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Thanks for offer of help but we are getting by and have brought some replacements. Sorry we missed you. Hope you are both good. Xx
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Ah! Glad to hear you are getting into a rhythm after such disappointing start! Looking forward to seeing more photos! Best wishes from the Smokey crew! Xx
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Hope you have a good day tomorrow take care love Caz xx
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Keep going girls your doing fine xx
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Thinking of you both. We just heard the sad news but very glad you are ok and moving on! I found our lower part of our land on the Nevernaise is full of wild garlic! So love the stuff as it looks like Barbara does! Bon chance! Looking forward to more news! Xxteresa
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Dear Jack and Barbs,
Okay I am very late in seeing this so I am hoping as I read more of your posts there’ll be lots more sunny posts from you both. Hyper annoying about the theft…what!??….but I’m sure you’ve both put it behind you and cycled onwards and upwards. Can’t wait to look at your other posts. I think you two are amazing!!! And am very happy to be living a little bit of the dream with you. Bug hugs, Deb xoxx
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Hi lovely Jack and Barbara.. I’ve only just subscribed to your blog and seen this post. Poor you! I hope (am sure) that now you’ve moved on to bigger and better things. Karma will ‘get them’ (in the end).
Hugs and bon voyage my dears!
x x
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