In which we buy supplies, assemble the tandem and test it

First things first!  We unloaded the bikes and luggage from the car. The tandem took only a few minutes to reassemble into a functional machine.

We then all piled off to a supermarket to get some food and other things. G bought a new SIM card for the portable WiFi router – after considerable confusion. As it turned out, the new SIM was for a phone and we quickly used up its entire data allowance. We also bought a more up to date map of Normandy.

Back at the house, we had lunch (baguettes and camembert), then set out on a test ride on the tandem. We went out on the training route G and I use for training purposes – a hilly route of a shade over 15 miles, and involving several stiff climbs. Of course on the tandem we were taking it easily, and just enjoying the polite motorists and lovely quiet roads. 

After returning to the house, G and I decided to whack round the same circuit. I had some problem persuading my Garmin bike computer to start up but eventually, part way round the circuit, it did. Unfortunately it has started to persistently over-read cadence, and this seems to be due to how I have it set up – possibly it’s picking up the wheel magnet I glued inside the disc wheel for turbo use. The circuit is out ‘standard’ training circuit when staying in that part of Normandy – it effectively mimics the hillier sections of the Duo Normand course, and we use it for practicing the climbs in 2-up formation and indeed the art of smooth 2-up change-overs.