Blue skies today! I think this is the first day I've ridden without a jacket or raincoat. This afternoon was actually quite hot.
I wore my skin tight (ultra comfy)biking pants today. Note to self: when wearing these pants, find a discreet place to stop and do your touch-your-toes stretch. Got a few honks and hollars today. I'm just going to tell myself it's because I'm so sexy, and not because I was obstructing the road or something.
I saw some sheep who ignored me, a horse who really wanted to come up to me for a pet (or a bite of my cereal), but couldn't because a ditch separated us, and some barking dogs whose intentions I failed to decipher ("Come play with us!" or "Keep away!"). I also saw the Eiffel Tower today.
The last 20km coming into Blaye were quite easy. I remember the same in 2011. It must be downhill all the way :-)
I took the ferry from Blaye to Medoc. Then, once on the other side, I rode over to Margaux. Upon arriving at the hotel, I saw a nice welcoming sign saying "OPEN" but the place was deserted. I called the number of the hotel, and somebody answered thankfully, and sent somebody to open up for me and give me the key to a room. The person who answered the phone told me that business was slow today, so they left early : probably just a few minutes before I reserved the room online. Well, at least I got a room in the end. I went to a pizza take-out place next to the hotel : probably the only place open after 8pm here. :-)
Another milestone today! I've finished the "Poitou-Charentes" fold-out map and have started the "Aquitaine" map, which is my last map!
I think I did 87km today. This will probably be the longest day of this trip.
Nice picture of you, Carmen.
ReplyDelete87 miles today? That's terrific. At this pace you'll have a day or two to spare.
By your highlights, or rather what you see during your rides, I must say that it is a peacefull countryside, sort of an Arcadia.
Enjoy, that it is coming to an end.
Next year the Tour de France???
Love you
Papa
Yes most of it has been peaceful. I didn't take too many pictures of the bigger cities I visited.
DeleteI thought this was already the Tour de France :-)
Sorry if you already mentioned this earlier (I don't remember reading it though), but is there any chance you'll be downloading your GPS data when you get back home and posting it for those of us who aren't as familiar with Paris and would like to see where exactly you went? :-)
ReplyDeleteI'll probably upload the gpx tracks when I get home, and do a wrap-up post, possibly also including some pics I forgot to upload during the trip, or some short video clips it was too complicated to upload.
DeleteI think most French people wouldn't know where half these cities are :-) I've purposely picked smaller cities to avoid traffic, and cities which happen to fall along a line as straight as possible which goes from the border with Belgium to the border with Spain.
What a great, funny post. The Eiffel Tower sure is smaller than I remember it, though. The last map is cause for both celebration and regret. Cheering you to the end!
ReplyDeleteThanks Don ;-)
DeleteThere are plenty of eiffel towes in the world. There's the one in Vegas, one in Brussels (at mini - Europe), another one not far from Versailles (at France miniature). I think there may be one in South Korea. Sometimes I like to check them out in Google Earth . But I didn't know about this one.