The weather changed direction this last week, coldness drifting in from the east, the forecast a couple of days ago even threatened snow flurries.  At least the wind has weakened. The sea has been smashing the beach at home for weeks and last month’s ferry crossing was quite rough. Deciding to do all the Randonneur Round the Year rides on northern French daytrips ups the ante somewhat. The gap between disembarking the overnight ferry and last check-in for the evening return ferry skims a couple of hours from the official audax time allowance. Two hundred kilometres is two hundred kilometres but a functional rather than exploratory route is sometimes needed to shorten it in my head, particularly come winter. Riding all the way over there to turn around to ride back is longer than a spin that loops back on itself never too far from the ferry. Foregoing surprises for the security of the known.  Bigger roads between places where I know the patisseries and PMU bars are. Remembering there’s a back entrance to the 24 hour services on the A28. Factor in bail points just in case. I can’t rely on trains here. It’s tedious though, I should have ridden all the way over there.