Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Day 11: Rest Day
Biarritz, France
Ahhhhh, rest day.
7:00 Breakfast
7:30 Laundry
10:00 Beach
1:00 Walk
2:30 Poolside. Finished a good book.
5:00 Shower
6:00 Happy Hour
7:00 Dinner
9:30 Garmin and lights charged, clothes laid out
10:00. Lights out
Ready for lots of hills, miles and heat.
Heading to Spain tomorrow.
11 days to the finish in Praia da Luz, Portugal
What an adventure.
Day 10: Another wet day
Parentis-en-Born. Miles: 75 Feet: 2,430
On the ride across the US, we took our bikes into our hotel rooms at night to clean them and to keep them secure. Many of the hotels on this trip will not allow bikes in the guest rooms. They offer a shed (outside) to store your bike or perhaps a meeting room that is near the front desk. When we arrived at the small resort last night (and the only one in the vicinity) the young man at the desk said we had to take our bikes to the back of the hotel. We followed him around to the back, and he motioned that we could rest them against the fence, next to a piles of trash and various discarded items that had not been touched for a long time, as evidenced by the tall weeds growing around them. We said, “No, we can’t leave them outside. How about in that shed?” pointing to a rusted, little tin shed nearby. He agreed, and when he opened the door, I could see we were not the first riders to arrive that evening. I guessed there was nearly $70,000 worth of bicycles in that little shed. It gave me comfort knowing that my bike would be with such good company that night.
I woke to the sound of rain and the forecast was for rain the entire day. The hotel did not serve breakfast until 8:00, causing us to start later than we usually do. As we prepared to set off, Gene discovered he had a flat, so it was nearly 9:30 by the time we started. The roads were wet, the rain continued, we had a late start and we had 70+ miles to ride. I was grumpy. We decided to ride at a leisurely pace to take care on the wet pavement, and as it turned out, most of the day was on cycleways, which doesn’t allow for riding as fast anyway. The five of us rode together the entire day. It was great fun. My bad mood quickly changed.
We continued south along the border of France, riding through the heavily wooded region. The forests of tall pine trees lined both sides of the road, and I thought I could very well be in northern Michigan, until we came upon the typical white stucco home with red tile roof, bringing me back to southern France. It was a holiday week end and every village we traveled through had art shows, food stands, and people everywhere. It reminded me of Petoskey or Traverse City on July 4 weekend. At mile 54 we stopped in a small village and had lunch at a boulangerie. The rain had stopped and we sat outside at picnic tables to eat. As we were preparing to leave, I let out a scream. A huge slug had attached to my shoe. I turned out to be the entertainment for the other customers having lunch there.
The closer we got to Biarritz, which is a fairly large city, the heavier the traffic became. We were on a cycling path until we got into town where we stopped for photos on the bridge. The last five miles I would have been biting my nails had my hands not been clenched to the handlebars: rush hour traffic on big hills in a downpour. Quite a finish. I hope to get out to see the city tomorrow because I was too focused on the road to take in much of its beauty today. Biarritz is in the southernmost tip of western France nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees. Our next riding day we will reach Spain, but tomorrow is rest day and I am happy for that. This is an amazing adventure, but after 10 straight days of riding, I am ready for a break and I need to do laundry!
On the ride across the US, we took our bikes into our hotel rooms at night to clean them and to keep them secure. Many of the hotels on this trip will not allow bikes in the guest rooms. They offer a shed (outside) to store your bike or perhaps a meeting room that is near the front desk. When we arrived at the small resort last night (and the only one in the vicinity) the young man at the desk said we had to take our bikes to the back of the hotel. We followed him around to the back, and he motioned that we could rest them against the fence, next to a piles of trash and various discarded items that had not been touched for a long time, as evidenced by the tall weeds growing around them. We said, “No, we can’t leave them outside. How about in that shed?” pointing to a rusted, little tin shed nearby. He agreed, and when he opened the door, I could see we were not the first riders to arrive that evening. I guessed there was nearly $70,000 worth of bicycles in that little shed. It gave me comfort knowing that my bike would be with such good company that night.
I woke to the sound of rain and the forecast was for rain the entire day. The hotel did not serve breakfast until 8:00, causing us to start later than we usually do. As we prepared to set off, Gene discovered he had a flat, so it was nearly 9:30 by the time we started. The roads were wet, the rain continued, we had a late start and we had 70+ miles to ride. I was grumpy. We decided to ride at a leisurely pace to take care on the wet pavement, and as it turned out, most of the day was on cycleways, which doesn’t allow for riding as fast anyway. The five of us rode together the entire day. It was great fun. My bad mood quickly changed.
We continued south along the border of France, riding through the heavily wooded region. The forests of tall pine trees lined both sides of the road, and I thought I could very well be in northern Michigan, until we came upon the typical white stucco home with red tile roof, bringing me back to southern France. It was a holiday week end and every village we traveled through had art shows, food stands, and people everywhere. It reminded me of Petoskey or Traverse City on July 4 weekend. At mile 54 we stopped in a small village and had lunch at a boulangerie. The rain had stopped and we sat outside at picnic tables to eat. As we were preparing to leave, I let out a scream. A huge slug had attached to my shoe. I turned out to be the entertainment for the other customers having lunch there.
The closer we got to Biarritz, which is a fairly large city, the heavier the traffic became. We were on a cycling path until we got into town where we stopped for photos on the bridge. The last five miles I would have been biting my nails had my hands not been clenched to the handlebars: rush hour traffic on big hills in a downpour. Quite a finish. I hope to get out to see the city tomorrow because I was too focused on the road to take in much of its beauty today. Biarritz is in the southernmost tip of western France nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees. Our next riding day we will reach Spain, but tomorrow is rest day and I am happy for that. This is an amazing adventure, but after 10 straight days of riding, I am ready for a break and I need to do laundry!
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Day 9: A short but hard day
Bordeaux to Parentis-en-Born
Miles: 55 Feet: 656
Be careful what you ask for. I thought I was tired of hills And asking for flat terrain, until we had wind today. Give me hills over wind any day. The course today was flat with a strong headwind. We left Bordeaux as a group and did an off-course tour of the city. Bordeaux is a beautiful place and I hope I can come back someday to do a decent visit of the architecture, museums and restaurants. It is a beautiful place. We rode 15 miles on city streets and bike paths through the suburbs before we got into the countryside. I was riding with Jed and at mile 15 he had a flat. His second of the trip. Thus far we’ve had five flats and three accidents. But all is good. I had a really hard time today. I am very tired from yesterday’s 120 mile day. This morning when we set out 55 miles seemed like an easy day, until the wind hit us. The terrain today was very different from what we’ve seen in the rest of France. No farms, orchards, or vineyards here. We are in southwest France, getting close to the border with Spain and just a mile from the Atlantic Ocean. It is flat and wooded. We rode a two lane highway that had no shoulder and drivers were not happy to see us there. Many cars honked and yelled at us. I was tired and frustrated by the wind. Jed and I rode together, taking turns pulling each mile. I just wanted it to be over. When we finally reached our destination for the day, it was too early to check into the hotel, so we had lunch. When the rooms were ready, I went straight to my room, took off my sweat drenched biking clothes, and laid across the bed for a nap. I was totally spent. When I got up, I showered and took a walk to the lake. We are in a resort area popular with French families. No Americans here, just campers and vans in the campground on the beautiful lake. Our resort and restaurant is the only one in town. I sat by the lake watching the families while I did some stretching. My knees are sore and the legimemts in the backs of my knees are tight from all the climbing. I am so looking forward to the rest day. Just one more day of riding and then we have a day off. I need it. James (who organized this adventure and has ridden the route once before) warned us that the toughest days are ahead. The heat and terrain in Spain are more brutal than anything thus far. I hope I am up to it. I am so tired this evening, it is hard to decide. The forecast for tomorrow is for rain. I am actually hoping it does, because it will be cooler. 77 miles tomorrow with little climbing. I am hoping there is no wind.
Be careful what you ask for. I thought I was tired of hills And asking for flat terrain, until we had wind today. Give me hills over wind any day. The course today was flat with a strong headwind. We left Bordeaux as a group and did an off-course tour of the city. Bordeaux is a beautiful place and I hope I can come back someday to do a decent visit of the architecture, museums and restaurants. It is a beautiful place. We rode 15 miles on city streets and bike paths through the suburbs before we got into the countryside. I was riding with Jed and at mile 15 he had a flat. His second of the trip. Thus far we’ve had five flats and three accidents. But all is good. I had a really hard time today. I am very tired from yesterday’s 120 mile day. This morning when we set out 55 miles seemed like an easy day, until the wind hit us. The terrain today was very different from what we’ve seen in the rest of France. No farms, orchards, or vineyards here. We are in southwest France, getting close to the border with Spain and just a mile from the Atlantic Ocean. It is flat and wooded. We rode a two lane highway that had no shoulder and drivers were not happy to see us there. Many cars honked and yelled at us. I was tired and frustrated by the wind. Jed and I rode together, taking turns pulling each mile. I just wanted it to be over. When we finally reached our destination for the day, it was too early to check into the hotel, so we had lunch. When the rooms were ready, I went straight to my room, took off my sweat drenched biking clothes, and laid across the bed for a nap. I was totally spent. When I got up, I showered and took a walk to the lake. We are in a resort area popular with French families. No Americans here, just campers and vans in the campground on the beautiful lake. Our resort and restaurant is the only one in town. I sat by the lake watching the families while I did some stretching. My knees are sore and the legimemts in the backs of my knees are tight from all the climbing. I am so looking forward to the rest day. Just one more day of riding and then we have a day off. I need it. James (who organized this adventure and has ridden the route once before) warned us that the toughest days are ahead. The heat and terrain in Spain are more brutal than anything thus far. I hope I am up to it. I am so tired this evening, it is hard to decide. The forecast for tomorrow is for rain. I am actually hoping it does, because it will be cooler. 77 miles tomorrow with little climbing. I am hoping there is no wind.
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Day 8: The big one
Noirt to Bordeaux Miles 121 Feet 4491
We started early today, given the route was long. Only 4 riders set out. Jed and I agreed to stay together today. After a few miles to get out of the city, the rest of the day was on country roads and two lane highways. As we headed south, the terrain changed. It was less hilly and the farms were bigger. We rode through some areas where the sunflower fields stretched for miles on both sides. Because the route was long, we rarely stopped. Jed and I took turns pulling. We follow the path the Garmin gives us, and we aren’t even aware of where we are going. The Garmin displays a map that highlights the route, and gives an alert when we need to turn. We simply ride along, waiting for the next command. We we are at the end it displays, “End of route”and we look up to see the hotel we are in for the night. With the Garmin for navigation and Google translate on my phone for communication, I think I could comfortably travel just about anywhere. As I rode today I reflected on family. My family. Especially my mother and father. I wish they were here to follow this. They had an adventurous spirit and I know they would have enjoyed following my trip. I am so grateful to them for the values they instilled in me. Several times today as I rode through the rural countryside I thought “This could be Bengal, Indiana”, except that it is in France and these are sunflowers and vineyards, not corn and soybeans. But all the same, riding through that fertile, productive area where people make a living from the land made me miss them. We are in Bordeaux, but we aren’t going to see the city. After riding 121 miles, everyone is tired, ready for dinner and then, bed. Tomorrow we continue the journey south. Tomorrow is a short day, just 55 miles. The forecast is for another sunny day.
We started early today, given the route was long. Only 4 riders set out. Jed and I agreed to stay together today. After a few miles to get out of the city, the rest of the day was on country roads and two lane highways. As we headed south, the terrain changed. It was less hilly and the farms were bigger. We rode through some areas where the sunflower fields stretched for miles on both sides. Because the route was long, we rarely stopped. Jed and I took turns pulling. We follow the path the Garmin gives us, and we aren’t even aware of where we are going. The Garmin displays a map that highlights the route, and gives an alert when we need to turn. We simply ride along, waiting for the next command. We we are at the end it displays, “End of route”and we look up to see the hotel we are in for the night. With the Garmin for navigation and Google translate on my phone for communication, I think I could comfortably travel just about anywhere. As I rode today I reflected on family. My family. Especially my mother and father. I wish they were here to follow this. They had an adventurous spirit and I know they would have enjoyed following my trip. I am so grateful to them for the values they instilled in me. Several times today as I rode through the rural countryside I thought “This could be Bengal, Indiana”, except that it is in France and these are sunflowers and vineyards, not corn and soybeans. But all the same, riding through that fertile, productive area where people make a living from the land made me miss them. We are in Bordeaux, but we aren’t going to see the city. After riding 121 miles, everyone is tired, ready for dinner and then, bed. Tomorrow we continue the journey south. Tomorrow is a short day, just 55 miles. The forecast is for another sunny day.
Friday, August 10, 2018
Day 7: Rural France
Angers to Noirt Miles: 88 Feet: 4524
It was chilly this morning when we left, just 52 degrees, great weather for arm warmers and brisk riding. After an easy route out of town and rush hour traffic, we were on rural roads the rest of the day. We rode through the agriculturally diverse Loire region of France. I road with Jed who is fluent in French and made many visits here for his business. He read signs and could point out many things I would have missed riding alone. We first were in the Loire wine region. Vineyards flowed across the hills in waves. Some plants were trimmed into neat box shaped hedges. The old vine areas had thick trunks while some areas were very recently planted; the stalks of the plants were protected with covers and the ground was recently worked. All of them had one thing in common: there were no weeds. We rode the wine trail for a while, going from vineyard to vineyard. Then the the vineyards gave way to fields of corn, wheat and pastures with grazing cattle. The wheat has been harvested and in many places farmers were spreading manure. The sweet, dense smell filled my nostrils frequently as I rode along the quiet roads. inpassed many orchards of of apples, peaches and plums and berries, and the acres of trees were covered in netting, I assume to protect from the birds. There was very little traffic, only an occasional car or tractor. As I got closer to Noirt, a town of about 60,000, I came upon vast fields of sunflowers, their dropping heads turned toward the sun. It was an incredible sight seeing sunflower fields as big as Kansas wheat fields. At about mile 25 Jed and I accidentally got separated in one of the villages, and I rode the rest of the day alone. I don’t mind riding alone. I enjoy it. But today there was a head wind and it would have been nice to shared pulling so that each of us could have had drafted for a rest from time to time. As a result, this was an exhausting day of beautiful, scenic riding. 88 miles and 4500 feet of hills. I am tired tonight. Tomorrow is our longest day, 120 miles and 4500 feet of hills. Is there nowhere flat in France?
It was chilly this morning when we left, just 52 degrees, great weather for arm warmers and brisk riding. After an easy route out of town and rush hour traffic, we were on rural roads the rest of the day. We rode through the agriculturally diverse Loire region of France. I road with Jed who is fluent in French and made many visits here for his business. He read signs and could point out many things I would have missed riding alone. We first were in the Loire wine region. Vineyards flowed across the hills in waves. Some plants were trimmed into neat box shaped hedges. The old vine areas had thick trunks while some areas were very recently planted; the stalks of the plants were protected with covers and the ground was recently worked. All of them had one thing in common: there were no weeds. We rode the wine trail for a while, going from vineyard to vineyard. Then the the vineyards gave way to fields of corn, wheat and pastures with grazing cattle. The wheat has been harvested and in many places farmers were spreading manure. The sweet, dense smell filled my nostrils frequently as I rode along the quiet roads. inpassed many orchards of of apples, peaches and plums and berries, and the acres of trees were covered in netting, I assume to protect from the birds. There was very little traffic, only an occasional car or tractor. As I got closer to Noirt, a town of about 60,000, I came upon vast fields of sunflowers, their dropping heads turned toward the sun. It was an incredible sight seeing sunflower fields as big as Kansas wheat fields. At about mile 25 Jed and I accidentally got separated in one of the villages, and I rode the rest of the day alone. I don’t mind riding alone. I enjoy it. But today there was a head wind and it would have been nice to shared pulling so that each of us could have had drafted for a rest from time to time. As a result, this was an exhausting day of beautiful, scenic riding. 88 miles and 4500 feet of hills. I am tired tonight. Tomorrow is our longest day, 120 miles and 4500 feet of hills. Is there nowhere flat in France?
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Day six. Not paradise today.
Fougeres to Angers. Miles: 83. Feet: 4,098
I woke to the soothing sound of water in the fountain, and then recalled there was no fountain. It was the sound of a downpour of rain, my biggest fear. I thought, maybe, everyone would agree to delay the start, but no, we decided to set off at 8:00, as planned. There was a steady stream of rain when we pulled away from the hotel on rain slick cobblestones. We road the village streets carefully to the edge of town where we entered a busy highway. The traffic was heavy and fast and semi trucks sprayed us thoroughly when they flew by. The temperature was in the 50’s, and by mile 5 my feet and hands were numb. We road cautiously and slowly. It has been hot and dry here and the rain brought oil to the surface of the road. I focused on the oil slicks, the white lines, and manhole covers since any one of those can take a cyclist down in the blink of an eye. We were on every type of road available today, cobblestone streets, highways, country roads, bike paths, and interstate highways. The rain continued all day, and I rode heads down with full attention on the road. I can’t describe much of what I saw because I didn’t see much. We visited two major cities, Laval, where we stopped for warm pizza to keep us going, and then Angers at the end of the day. Angers is a beautiful city with a Roman castle, many universities and colleges, and a vibrant art district. After the end of the ride, I visited the castle, the museum gardens and the cathedral where I had a nice, long chat about politics with the greeter. Even though it had a rocky start, today ended up being another great day Tomorrow is a big day, 88 miles and lots of climbing. The forecast is for cool, sunny weather. Perfect of taking a bike ride.
I woke to the soothing sound of water in the fountain, and then recalled there was no fountain. It was the sound of a downpour of rain, my biggest fear. I thought, maybe, everyone would agree to delay the start, but no, we decided to set off at 8:00, as planned. There was a steady stream of rain when we pulled away from the hotel on rain slick cobblestones. We road the village streets carefully to the edge of town where we entered a busy highway. The traffic was heavy and fast and semi trucks sprayed us thoroughly when they flew by. The temperature was in the 50’s, and by mile 5 my feet and hands were numb. We road cautiously and slowly. It has been hot and dry here and the rain brought oil to the surface of the road. I focused on the oil slicks, the white lines, and manhole covers since any one of those can take a cyclist down in the blink of an eye. We were on every type of road available today, cobblestone streets, highways, country roads, bike paths, and interstate highways. The rain continued all day, and I rode heads down with full attention on the road. I can’t describe much of what I saw because I didn’t see much. We visited two major cities, Laval, where we stopped for warm pizza to keep us going, and then Angers at the end of the day. Angers is a beautiful city with a Roman castle, many universities and colleges, and a vibrant art district. After the end of the ride, I visited the castle, the museum gardens and the cathedral where I had a nice, long chat about politics with the greeter. Even though it had a rocky start, today ended up being another great day Tomorrow is a big day, 88 miles and lots of climbing. The forecast is for cool, sunny weather. Perfect of taking a bike ride.
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Day 5: Magnifque Journee
Lessay to Fougeres. Miles: 73 Feet: 4865
Absolutely beautiful day today. Temperature: 68 and sunny Roads: smooth with little traffic Route: challenging with lots of hills Scenery: Gorgeous. Cyclists paradise today. We left the hotel at 8:00 and traveled through lovely French countryside the entire day. The day was a day of constant climbing. The climbs were l-o-n-g and gradual, winding up and over the hills of northwest France. The descents were miles long with sweeping turns that ended in a stunning, picturesque village, and at the edge of the village the next climb began. So the day went. It was one of the best cycling days of my life. The roads here are wider than in England (and rural Michigan), the surface is smoother, and the traffic is much lighter. The conditions, along with being back on the right side of the road, made the riding less stressful even though t rolling terrain made it a tough physical challenge. Strong quads and good climbing technique were needed today, which is my favorite type of ride. It was so much fun to be on country roads away from the typical tourist spots. From time to time as I rode along I laughed out loud at the realization that I was riding my bicycle in France. Because we have different climbing abilities, our group spread apart early and we rode individually most of the day, gathering at the SAG stops over the course. With 17 miles to go as my quads were starting to ache, the terrain changed and the climbs became much steeper. It was a brutal finish, but finish we all did. The hotel provided rags and buckets and we spent the first hour after arriving cleaning our bikes. We ave challenging terrain and lots of miles in the upcoming days, so need the bikes to be in good condition. We are in Fougeres, a town of about 20,000. One stage of the the Tour de France started here this year. The banners are still hanging across the cobblestone streets, giving the village a very festive feel. Jan and Leah from Holland arrived this evening and will be riding with us for part of the trip. They were part of ride across the US and used this opportunity for a reunion. It will be fun having them in the group. Unfortunately, the forecast for tomorrow is for cool temperatures and rain. I’m hoping they are wrong.
Absolutely beautiful day today. Temperature: 68 and sunny Roads: smooth with little traffic Route: challenging with lots of hills Scenery: Gorgeous. Cyclists paradise today. We left the hotel at 8:00 and traveled through lovely French countryside the entire day. The day was a day of constant climbing. The climbs were l-o-n-g and gradual, winding up and over the hills of northwest France. The descents were miles long with sweeping turns that ended in a stunning, picturesque village, and at the edge of the village the next climb began. So the day went. It was one of the best cycling days of my life. The roads here are wider than in England (and rural Michigan), the surface is smoother, and the traffic is much lighter. The conditions, along with being back on the right side of the road, made the riding less stressful even though t rolling terrain made it a tough physical challenge. Strong quads and good climbing technique were needed today, which is my favorite type of ride. It was so much fun to be on country roads away from the typical tourist spots. From time to time as I rode along I laughed out loud at the realization that I was riding my bicycle in France. Because we have different climbing abilities, our group spread apart early and we rode individually most of the day, gathering at the SAG stops over the course. With 17 miles to go as my quads were starting to ache, the terrain changed and the climbs became much steeper. It was a brutal finish, but finish we all did. The hotel provided rags and buckets and we spent the first hour after arriving cleaning our bikes. We ave challenging terrain and lots of miles in the upcoming days, so need the bikes to be in good condition. We are in Fougeres, a town of about 20,000. One stage of the the Tour de France started here this year. The banners are still hanging across the cobblestone streets, giving the village a very festive feel. Jan and Leah from Holland arrived this evening and will be riding with us for part of the trip. They were part of ride across the US and used this opportunity for a reunion. It will be fun having them in the group. Unfortunately, the forecast for tomorrow is for cool temperatures and rain. I’m hoping they are wrong.
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