The European Phantom Trek is finishing the first of four weeks. It was not an easy start thanks to various airline's inconveniences but still the group managed to tour the Queen's castle at Windsor the first afternoon, dine at a local Pub, and lodge at a very new Travelodge hotel that night. On the second day, one missing bicycle and 2 Trekkers arrived but we were still short 2 bicycles that had to be acquired so that the group could move on with their adventure. Our first day of real biking was a nice 32 mile backroads ride to Basingstoke on our way to Salisbury. Since we were a day behind the next day we hopped on a train into Salisbury before noon and biked through the very hilly 'Salisbury Plains' on our way to Stonehenge. We stopped along the way for a picnic lunch outside one of the many thatched roofed houses and met some very friendly local folk. Stonehenge was awesome and the audio tour provided plenty of history and thought provoking questions on the origins of those amazing, humongous stones. That night was our first hostel experience, staying at the YHA Salisbury Hostel. The kids very much enjoyed the nice rooms, showers, full kitchen, dining room, and English Breakfast. Before we left town we had a cha
nce to see the grand Salisbury Cathedral, but missed viewing the Magna Carta because the rooms are closed during Sunday mass. By noon we were on the road to Southampton and covered some 30+ miles before finding a very nice campground south of town. Tomorrow we have a short day of riding, including 2 ferries and the Portsmouth Maritime Museum. Later that evening we take an overnight ferry to France.
The European Phantom Trek is finishing the first of four weeks. It was not an easy start thanks to various airline's inconveniences but still the group managed to tour the Queen's castle at Windsor the first afternoon, dine at a local Pub, and lodge at a very new Travelodge hotel that night. On the second day, one missing bicycle and 2 Trekkers arrived but we were still short 2 bicycles that had to be acquired so that the group could move on with their adventure. Our first day of real biking was a nice 32 mile backroads ride to Basingstoke on our way to Salisbury. Since we were a day behind the next day we hopped on a train into Salisbury before noon and biked through the very hilly 'Salisbury Plains' on our way to Stonehenge. We stopped along the way for a picnic lunch outside one of the many thatched roofed houses and met some very friendly local folk. Stonehenge was awesome and the audio tour provided plenty of history and thought provoking questions on the origins of those amazing, humongous stones. That night was our first hostel experience, staying at the YHA Salisbury Hostel. The kids very much enjoyed the nice rooms, showers, full kitchen, dining room, and English Breakfast. Before we left town we had a cha
nce to see the grand Salisbury Cathedral, but missed viewing the Magna Carta because the rooms are closed during Sunday mass. By noon we were on the road to Southampton and covered some 30+ miles before finding a very nice campground south of town. Tomorrow we have a short day of riding, including 2 ferries and the Portsmouth Maritime Museum. Later that evening we take an overnight ferry to France.
