Rescue Mission- Valenciannes

Hey all-

A friend of mine was cycle touring on her own and had a very scary experience with a hotel/mob family/cast of very shady charectors (it's her story, I don't feel like putting it on the internet) and needs help rescuing her bike.
She had to leave the town of Valenciannes rather dramatically and left the bike with a nice woman that she met and who had helped her to get out of the hotel, but now she isn't sure how to go about getting the bike back. A DHL pickup isn't against the realm of possibilites, but the bike is currently un-packed, and it would be asking a lot for this woman who doesn't know anything about bikes to pack it for her. She could take it to a bike shop, but there is a chance that the bike shop would be owned by the same family as what owns the hotel.

I'm mostly asking for ideas, but if you are going on holiday to Northern France, she would be very happy to give you some money to throw her Cross-Check in the back of your car.

Are Winspar back yet? I'm guessing so, but they were driving from Berlin - London.

Ah, I don't have his number anymore..

I've got a mate in Charleroi who will be coming back to the uk at some point this weekend. Will let you know if he can do anything as he's not bikey at all.

That'd make a nice day trip in a car. Does she have any money to spend on this? Off to Wales this weekend but would happily drive there next weekend if she payed for a car + petrol + ferries

(lot's of monies I know, but would get her bike back + give me a random day in a car)

Mate is out I'm afraid. Wasn't sure his Mrs. and baby would appreciate a detour and then a bike joining them on the train. (I'd forgotten about them)

Good luck anyway, I hope she gets the bike back soon.

Speak to the Lille polo bods... nny, shinscar, slamm, jonomarshall, lebowski, chukker norris and playswellwithotters all stayed out there for the polo tourney last month... They have hook-ups in the area...

I'll pm them tomorrow when I get to a real Internet connection... I'll see what kind of money she has for this as well.

I can't help but notice that the town is near a big forest.

Rather than people just driving out to get this bike, why not get in some MTBing. If this was an option, and it was the last week of July, I'd chip in some money for a little French MTBing adventure.

I know this doesn't necessarily help with retrieving the bike, but it could cut the costs a little.

Hmmm, I like how your thinking. I would love to go, but may not be able to get time off work. Hmmm.

Will be passing through the area between the 29th and the 31st July with a van and returning to London...... PM me if you need the help..

Will be passing through the area between the 29th and the 31st July with a van and returning to London...... PM me if you need the help..

that's weird. so will i. en route from cologne to calais.

ditto with the pm offer of help.

You two are heros.

I have contacted Priya (she's in Scotland at the moment, she's over here from America and is trying to figure out what to do now that she isn't touring europe by herself), and I'll get back to you as soon as I've heard from her.

You are absolute legends.