Countdown has begun

So this is it...with just a little more than a week to go until 'le grand depart', and a couple more things to organise. But we don't want to organise too much ahead; part of the attraction of leaving for France is that there's no tight schedule. No diary, no commitments, no deadlines, no constraints.
Pure unadultered freedom.

typical Dutch countryside seen during last week's test-run

The newly-purchased bike is waiting patiently in the store room. Still gleaming and dust-free even after the test ride last week. It went like a dream. Even with a headwind and climbing a bridge (the Dutch alternative to mountains) the pedals glided easily, with minimum effort and I could enjoy taking in the scenery: the vast expanse of water below; the huge container barges and smaller yachts, wending their way to the sea or port. Downhill was even better.

I'm still not sure how many kilometers we'll be pedalling over the next four weeks. Somewhere in the region of 1500, I guess. But again, that's the beauty of such a loose 'plan'.
Tomorrow I'll pick up my ortliebs and then the real puzzle will start. How much (or little) can I pack in providing minimum weight and drag. The running shoes are going in, that's for sure.