P-268 Logo

Back in 2005, when I drove round the Baltic Sea with my neighbour, we had a logo for the "Barents-to-Baltic Project". And that project only lasted one summer. Paambi has been in the planning stage since 2001, and with the current plan, it will take three years to complete. It deserves its own logo, which can be used on T-shirts, business cards, envelopes and letter heads.

My first starting point is "How do I signify Paris, Belgium and Amsterdam in a graphic way?" Or the route. Or France/Belgium/Netherlands?

Paris or France is easy: Eiffel tower. Amsterdam or Netherlands is easy: Tulip or windmill. I will avoid making use of red lights or cannabis as a symbol here: I might get arrested in France with a photo of a cannabis plant on my T-shirt, and we don't want that. But what to do with Belgium? French fries? I found out that the saxophone was invented by a Belgian.

Trying to put the Eiffel tower, a saxophone and a tulip together with simple lines, however, does not create the simplicity I'm after. Especially if I should put a bicycle in there - which incidentally is also another great symbol for France. Nothing screams "France" more than a bicycle.

On another note, I went ahead and bought a new bicycle chain. It was cheaper than getting rust remover and oil to treat the old one.

And finally: Route Paris-Creil

Minus 270: Accomodation

I have been doing research on accomodation along the route. Not very thorough research, but enough to put numbers into the budget.

• Paris: Expect €84/night since we're two: http://www.waytostay.com/search-en-109-2-110515-110521
• Creil: Expect ca 46€: http://www.hotel-bb.com/reservation-hotel/hotel_info?hotelId=4509#hotel&utm_source=googlemap&utm_medium=2010&utm_campaign=googlemap
• Ayencourt: Couchsurfing arranged
• Albert was surprisingly expencive for a town that size. What I managed to get of prices. Expect €85 from Hotel Ibis http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-6234-ibis-albert/index.shtml and with even more luxurious Best Western Royale more downtown at €15 more, that could be a well deserved treat when I get that far.
• Similarly, Arras gives me an option down to €60: http://www.ostel-les-3luppars.com/news/TARIF,16-16.html which is less than expected.
• In Wingles, I only found an address and no website to Le Rustique. I may have to send them snail mail to find out more.
• Finally, in Lille, not made any specific notes yet, but have found one below €100, there are probably better deals.

Add 5% leeway, and estimated travel cost totals about €1200. Airplane tickets still uncertain, should I bring a bike or buy one, and I should also consider long biker pants, must get a new helmet - it's all those "other preparations". Total budget through savings is approximately €3200 for Paambi-project only. Eurovision and five day vacation in Paris is a different project.

However, the schedule is pretty much set as such:

• May 12: Fly to Germany (city TBD)
• May 14: Eurovision in some pub
• May 15: Train to Paris
• May 20: Family sent home to Norway
• May 21: Paris-Creil (60 km)
• May 22: Creil-Ayencourt (47,7 km)
• May 23: leeway #1 (if unused, then Ayencourt-Montdidier, spend more time in Montidier)
• May 24: Ayencourt-Montidier-Albert (10+40 km)
• May 25: Albert-Arras (46 km)
• May 26: leeway #2
• May 27: Arras-Wingles (20 km)
• May 28: Wingles-Lille (24 km)
• May 29: leeway #3
• May 30: Fly home
• May 31: Rest day
• June 1: Back to work!

Countdown! (275 days to go!)

I have been planning this on and off since 2001. There has always been a reason why it didn't happen. The trip was already split in three weeks of five days bicycling, two days rest. So to increase the chances of making this actually happen, I have extended the rest to a year. One week Paris-Lille, one year rest, one week Lille-Maastricht, one year rest, one week Maastricht-Amsterdam.

Step two in making something happen is to set a date. I am half way there. It will happen in May 2011. The exact date is yet to be determined, but it will be two weeks before or one week after Eurovision in Germany, May 14th. At the moment of writing, it is more likely to be one week after Eurovision.

Step three is to hold myself accountable for going through with this. This is achieved by telling everyone about it, mark my work calendar, blog about it (this blog) and do something every day (well, at least every week) to get closer to the goal. And after all, since I already set a day in step two, and everyone knows about this date, I am already accountable.

Step four is figuring out where to stay, how much it costs, and make sure I have finances to cover the trip before it begins. I am open for sponsorships if only I find out why someone should want to sponsor me.

Assuming a schedule where I start riding the morning of May 21st, the link to the countdown is http://www.timeanddate.com/counters/customcounter.html?day=21&month=5&year=2011&hour=10&min=00&sec=00&p0=195