The ride home

We decided to have breakfast in the hotel and then leave. It wasn't cheap but you could eat enough to make sure that lunch wasn't needed.

Over breakfast a couple of other guys said that there had been an accident after the racing and they couldn't get on the D338 from the Le Mans ring road. 

It must have been behind us as we had no problems getting back to the hotel.

Can only hope the riders are all okay.

We left at a few minutes to 10am.TomTom decided to come back a different way to the one we went out.

The N12 and N154 instead of the variants of the 138/338/438 that was formerly simply the N138.

The route includes some sections of dual carriageway and single. The limit goes up and down depending on whether there's a "median" or not.

The blanket 80kph limit outside towns stretched to 90 on some sections where they have a passing lane. Usually these were less than a kilometre! Must be fun on busy days stuck behind a truck!

We made good progress to Rouen and onto the A28. 

We made a stop at the Bosc Mesnil services for a pee,  bum rest and some of the snacks left over from Sunday. The little sausages needed the paper peeling off but tasted okay. 

It looked as though the other northern dwelling bikers had gone on the A28 péage or a 138 variant as we saw very few bikes on our run up to Rouen. TomTom had said it was 25 minutes quicker.... Neill later said that it was free on the toll sections for bikes! Boring but probably much quicker.

The services were pretty packed (not just bikers) and I couldn't be bothered to queue for a coffee. Many of the cars and vans and occupants with their 46 stickers or yellow "The Doctor" shirts!! 

Petrol at Nouvion Carrefour to tank up proved to be the most expensive of the trip but also the 50mpg dream was finally reached.

Generally you can expect that hypermarket petrol stations are cheaper than any competition. Not here!

From Fuelly

We had a quick dip into the shop itself, Neill for some beers as he always does, and me to get some too, plus the de-rigeur local stuff to take to work, and something for us at home. Plus. Cheese. 

A livarot. A particularly smelly cheese in the Camembert mode.

I also bought a can of VR46 Monster Energy. Much cheaper than at the track.

My Carrefour buys...

The last 55 miles shot past quite quickly and it was around 4pm as we pulled up to the tolls at Eurotunnel. 

There weren't too many people and the only holdup was French customs working to rule. Must be a bugger to do the job you are paid for without complaining....

We were booked on the 1650 and we were loaded quite quickly. And.   

It left a minute early!

Let that seep into your consciousness! A Shuttle train left early.

Neill's BMW - a bit blurred as the train moved!!

Pepé

I was home at about 4.43pm UK time. Another trip over.

A thoroughly enjoyable weekend that even the race day dropping of Pepé couldn't spoil.

The fact that there seems to have been no damage apart from the lock itself is amazing.

I have since bought a yellow cord thing to remind me the bloody thing is attached. After joining the dickhead club, I don't want to try again.

P.S. Even over the short time the cheese was in the pannier it stank it out.  Luckily nothing else was affected as they were in cans and jars....