>>>>>>>>>Back from Holidays.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Another Windows 10 gripe.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Sound.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Plug my headphones into the laptop and I have to go to the hardware and sound window to click headphones plugged in or they get ignored. Ok when I unplug it switches back to the inbuilt speakers but every time I plug them in I have to select headphones .
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>:-}
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Where did you go on holiday ?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Do you think that might be part of the problem :-)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>It's a computer - could be anything :-}
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>France and Spain camping. Big site near Salou. http://www.sanguli.es/
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Hope you had good weather. Our cycling trip this year was Spain/Portugal (basically Madrid to Lisbon then N. back to Galicia). Bit hilly - 55000' of climbing.
>>>>>
>>>>>You must have thighs like a bag of walnuts now.
>>>>>
>>>>>Our weather was mixed. At first very hot and dry but the last week serious thunderstorms and rain. When you stood on the ground sheet in the tent you could see ripples running way under it and then the water startde seeping up through it. Still we had a good time and my brother in law partner and 4 children came over from nuremburg as well. First time I've driven down there on my own which was ok but makes it a bit dull.
>>>>
>>>>It's a long slog on the AutoRoute. In the past we've usually taken the ferry to Santander - this time their were three of us sharing the driving and we were outside Madrid in less than 24hrs from Calais. If I'm on my own I'd take a couple of days and potter down the smaller roads.
>>>>
>>>>Cycling wasn't too hard - I took my bike to Graham Weigh in N. Wales and they did a great job of customising the gears - managed to get a huge range with only two chainrings. Cost about £200 but well worth it.
>>>>
>>>>Beautiful countryside going through Extremadura and again going over the mountains back to N. Spain.
>>>>
>>>>Did you take a bike ?
>>>
>>>I stopped outside Limoges there and back driving on the A20 (which was closed for resurfacing near Limogesovernight which was a bit unhelpful).
>>
>>That must have been about half way ? I find that, on the whole, travelling on French autoroutes is a joy compared to UK motorways....
>
>A20 is only two lanes dual carriageway though which means you have a choice of lorry speed or fast. Also I never fail to be surprised by cars appearing suddenly on my right on slip roads. The french seem to go for very abrupt slips roads, the Spanish entry and exits slips are much better.
>
>Limoges was about half way but both ways I felt I should have stopped a little earlier, especially on the way back as I'd spent the morning packing up our camp in heat and was a bit knackered.
>>
>>>Are you a tunnel or ferry person. I prefer the ferry as I like to see the sea.
>>
>>I also prefer the ferry. With a 4-5 hour drive from here to Dover a couple of hours on the ferry is a welcome break. That said, this time we arrived at the docks to find ferries were being cancelled because of bad weather and there was a three hour delay - we drove back to Ashford and took the train (although we had to wait an hour for a slot). In the end we were in Calais about the time originally planned. Cost a bit more but P&O refunded the ferry ticket cost.
>>
>>>
>>>On the way back we got a flying display by two Spitfires (that was Sept 10th about 4.00 pm) as we arrived at Dover. Very spectacular and very low over the ferry.
>>>
>>>I have taken overnight ferries to St Malo before and it a nice way to travel. A few years ago we put the car on a train at Calais and arrived at Narbonne the next morning which also was nice but I think they may have gone out of business now. I think the German railways still do motorail..
>>
>>You can still put your car on a train in Paris for S. of France for about £100 - but it's not a passenger train so you have to travel separately - OK if you llive in Paris but not much use otherwise.....
>>
>>>Decided not to take a bike to Spain as it wasn't that sort of trip though I did take it to France earlier in the summer which was good.
>>
>>Where did you go ?
>
>Arras again so cycling round the WW1 cemeteries and on the canal systems

A6/A7 might have been a quicker drive ?

Nice countryside around Arras - I've cycled down that way a couple of times and also along the France/Belgium border.....