I finally made it back home. Unfortunately, the bike didn't; pulling away from a peage between Arras and Douai, the split link disintegrated, causing a marked drop-off in forward motion. Cue lots of swearing, together with a dawning appreciation that the decision not to bother with breakdown cover may possibly have been a false economy...
Recovery guy turns up around 2 pm and takes me and bike to his base in Arras. Then, another bombshell: bike dealers in France aren't open on Mondays. So I can't even stay overnight and get it fixed. Cue more swearing, then a tortuous journey home via new fewer than four trains, plus 45-minute waits in Douai and Lille and half an hour at Euston. So now I need to get a couple of spare split links and get out there, re-connect the chain, and come home. This will be my longest, most expensive and least enjoyable RTE to date!
Having said all that, until the chain came apart it was a good weekend. Decent night out in Calais on Friday (though I realise I was something of a lightweight for turning in at 11 pm) and a nice ride down. Stopped off at a cemetery to visit the grave of a Buck ancestor, then on to Verdun. Great crowd for the photo, really good meal in the evening. I can't make Poland, unfortunately.
Regards,
Martin