Yes, but it was a close thing. We bagged our bikes in tarps. They were looking for professional stuff but the person called her boss who said it was ok. We had asked for two prior days of various people. We had to transfer to a regional train after the high speed. Michael got fined 20€ because he didn't put his disassembled bike (per high speed train specs) in the assembled bike space. Somehow Robin and I skated. It is rain again, et demain et demain prochaine.
We walked to the train station in Girona yesterday to discover how and if bikes can be taken. A RENF service lady printed out directions for the size. Again major disassembly. Three tarps bought in St Cyprien will hopefully be conjured into bike bags this PM. This morning we walked around to the massive farmers' market across the river. Bought food for lunch and more tape to make bike bags. Buen suerte!
It's 7 AM, in Figueres, as the bell near our hotel announced. We passed into Spain yesterday. I led Michael up a 17.5 % road and we quickly made a u turn because we had taken the wrong road. Amazingly the two of us found Larry at the border. It was marked by a pyrimidal stone where Robin who had been searching for us regrouped.
The Dali museum is up the street, apropos as the bike trip has been somewhat surreal. Breakfast now?
It's on the horizon, just a few kms away. But it's uphill to the border. We can see it clearly now the storm has passed.
We're near the border to Espana and will be there tomorrow. The wind and rain howled last night, flashes of lightning and thunder. We are camped in a condo at St Cyprien plage for the day, as we got soaked yesterday and needed a little drying. My phone was bizarre acting cause it got wet and hopefully it will work today.
Not much to say, no rain pants, some trepidation about riding in the potential heavy rain.
We are waiting at Lola's house in Durban de Corbieres for the rain so we can plough thru 40 miles of water on the road. St Christopher protect us! Oh that's ok he's not really a saint anymore, right?
The man examining my bike is a retired electrical engineer. We invited him to sit with us for lunch, but he declined saying he was a solitary spirit.
I searched the web weather;
http://www.meteofrance.com/previsions-meteo-france/narbonne/11100
told a story of things to come. The past day has been relaxing but now I have got to buy rain pants to get to Spain.
Aujourd'hui:
Une vigilance orange pour Orages et Pluie-Inondation concerne les Bouches-du-Rhône et le Var (83), valable jusqu'à aujourd'hui lundi 16h.
Un épisode pluvio-orageux intense a débute sur le pourtour méditerranéen. Sur la moitié nord, le soleil revient.
We were sailing along, protected from a fierce headwind by the banks and the paved path's trees on the sides of the Canal du Midi. When we did have to use roads the wind took a toll on our spirits. And then the paved path became a dirt path peppered with small stones, tree roots and ruts from prior rain. It was Labastide-d'Anjou before Castelnaudary that we realized our choice was between nasties, headwind or bumpy trail. My bar end plug plopped into the Canal. Larry crashed. Felled trees blocked the bikes. We chose the road and headwind.
Well I succeeded in mailing Anna's Key back to her but we has to ride a whole 4,6 kms out of the way. The Poste was open from 9 to 12 this being samdi, in the town of Castenet Tolosan. Way helpful lady took my 5 and changed it, 2 euros for sending the keys with tracking. Afterwards I called Anna and I felt better.
Now to where we got to facing the wind for 8 hrs. The view from Robin's room. He got the couch, ha ha.
Poised atop a hill overlooking lush green countryside and the Aude River, Carcassonne’s fortified upper town, known as La Cité, looks lifted from the pages of a storybook—literally, perhaps, as its circle of towers and battlements is said to be the setting for Charles Perrault’s classic tale Puss in Boots.
Yes it's true. After she called tonight I discovered her house key in the pocket of my patagucchi vest. Merde, I need to post it back demain. A few kms out of the way riding to the post office from the Canal du Midi!
Larry is a man of incredible energy. I have trouble taking his picture because he is moving around so fast. The only time he slows down is when we are climbing hills. Also he is very considerate, and has few admonitions. One is: Ride at a speed where you can talk, 24 kph usually. And at that speed one can stop to see something of interest. Of course being a bad dog I tease him by riding up the hill as fast as I can, telling him I want to see what's at the top.
Okay, Robin is probably the kindest person I know. When he meets a new person, a salesperson, waitress, concierge, cyclist, he always says "Hi my name is Robin, what is your name." He always asks if it is okay to take the first shower or let's you take the first. He looks at the best in things, people and situations." I haven't found many faults in him and I'm not going to look to hard.
Here's Robin with Claudine, owner of Auberge du Puits where we stayed last night.
Michael is amazing. He is generally always happy and engaging people all the time. First he took pictures for two bike riders and then they took our picture. I have a lot to learn from him.
Thanks to Larry to leading us up to the Mountain city Domme that he had fond memories. But he forgot to tell us of the three Alpe d'Huez switchbacks!
Dear Larry,
I couldn't send your picture in an attachment so I am putting it in the bottle of vin you had for dinner hier soir.
Bonne chance,
John
Yesterday Robin had a flat and we also went in circles looking for a hotel like the day before. People are helpful but are put off when you screw up the french. We are in the town of Sarlat in a region of castles and Chalets. Also many of the 30,000 year old caves with paintings nearby. Biking is harder in this region because of the climbs up from the River Dordogne.
Today was mostly a cool breeze heading to La Dordogne River. Serge is a retired farmer and his wife Bernadette runs the BnB, Gite de Peyriere. He led us half way to Bergerac. Maps.me did the rest and we followed.
Falling in France along the Canal du Midi after taking a picture of a sailboat moored to the bank was a first. Falling like this hadn't happened in sometime, forgetting to unclip making an extremely tight and slow u-turn. Patience and acceptance. Trust and courage. Serenity and wisdom. Just scuffs but I think I need to be aware and also enjoy the trip as we adventure farther onto France.
From Arcachon to Peyriere, castles in mind, dinner, repas, at Serge's and Bernadette's farm, Gite. I ate way too much...beautiful sunset.
All of us survived another day. Robin and I ate heartily at the hotel breakfast while Larry and Michael tried coffee and pastry from the store. I led the bunch following cues from my phone's maps program until I was at the D660, D5 intersection, looked behind and no one was there. I backtracked after hooking up the little solar charger and found them waiting for me at the start of a wonderful cycle path. It was built on an old train track line. The path ended near a castle that we entered before going shopping for dinner and heading to our lodging at Chalet du Gelat. This was a set of chalets or houses in the forest. I went swimming in their pool. Brrr but it got ok and so I swam and floated looking up at the blue sky framed by oak treetops.
We, Robin, Michael, Larry and moi, headed down the road including the less travelled gravel path through pine forests that the computer enticed.us to enter. Like the sirens the asphalt surface turned to sharp rocks well beyond the alluring road set before us. Cap Ferret was nice, we skirted between bay and sea and road the ferry to Arcachon. Mais oui! After exploring the block around our eventual hotel for 2 hours, we showered and rode to dine, c'est ca.
Hi Kevin, I'm traveling over to Bordeaux this weekend with 3 other cyclists. Going to head to the Med along canal route. I just wanted to say I am impressed with your blog. Especially to make it a point to ask at least once a day for help.
It's excellent of you to remember me as I do you. According the Atisha, "sending and taking should be practiced alternately These two should ride the breath." Giving takes nerve and humanizes also, may I say. But when you consider that so many failures are required for a success it only makes sense to link up with as many of other peoples' failures and give them the opportunity to give to you which is a noble gift especially when it is truly received.
Bless your way
Kevin
We are getting better at some things. We sleep and we eat. But changing rooms may be another thing. Walking tour?
Shopping with Robin could constitute a chapter in Victor Hugo's book. I wish I had taken pictures but I was able to put a 40€ chip in my phone, so now I'm able to call home. Here's Robin and my unpacked bikes ready to go. Manana I mean demain is another day, duh!
I took a couple pictures but cannot figure out how to add more than one. So here's food for u. I'll have to put my bike together, and I'll take a pic when I succeed.
Shit I can't think of a thing. You could write it in French. Merde, je ne pense pas du rien.
That is what you want to tell the world?
No not really.
Then what do you want say?
I don't want to say anything. I'd like an IPA. I would like an IPA.
What can I say? Robin's driving, Michael's in the front seat, and traffic's not so great. We left San Luis Obispo at 1300 and got to the Welcome Inn around 1800 which is typical time for the drive. I'll find out who snores loudest probably.
