Final Rest Day in Le Croisic
1 Oktober 2019, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
After the continual frenetic activity of the previous few weeks it was a relief to finally know that there would be no riding today. There would also be no need for packing, moving bags, finding hotels, etc. In fact we had lots of time and very little to do with it. It was heaven.
The breakfast room of our hotel was actually across the the road in the waterfront restaurant where we had dined the night before. You could not imagine a more spectacular place to enjoy your morning baguettes and orange juice. The building is situated right on the edge of the Atlantic and has panoramic windows on the ocean side that offer continually mesmerising view of the ever changing waves crashing outside. It was the sort of place you could spend hours, just watching the ocean.
Of course, there was one essential task that had to be done. Our bags were bursting with laundry that urgently needed the services of a washing machine. We already knew that there was a coin laundry, only about 1 km away from the hotel. So that's where we headed. The next hour was spent watching the clothes do round and round in the washing machine, then in the dryer. It was nowhere near as exciting as watching the waves, but it was a soothing feeling to know that you would finally have clean clothes once again.
One incredible feature of this part of the world is the huge tidal range. At low tide the water recedes so far away that you can no longer see it. At the fishing port all the moored boats are left sitting on the sand. It is quite a sight to behold, especially when the tide turns and the water starts russhing back in again. Over the space of 20 minutes I sat and watch the entire scene change before my eyes. Boats that were stuck firm are lifted from the sand and start bobbing away in the water.
Le Croisic is very clearly a holiday location and, at this time of the year, most of the houses are already locked and shuttered for the winter. It does seem like quite a waste seeing so many magnificent homes being left empty for so many months at a time.
In the evening we met for the final group dinner of the ride. We had been booked into L"Estacade Restaurant. This is a Michelin restaurant that is rated number 1 out of about 50 in Le Croisic. We discovered that this rating was richly deserved. The food and service was simply superb. It was a magnificent way to end an incredible trip.
After dinner we had a lengthy walk back to the hotel, but the evening was mild and the wind had dropped. It was a magical feeling, walking back through the narrow streets, lit by subdued sepia lighting. I suspect we were probably all a bit noisier than we should have been, but it really didn't matter much since the place was almost deserted.
In the morning our group will disperse to places all over Europe. What an unforgettable time we have shared together.Baca selengkapnya
Mission Accomplished
30 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Although we had already ridden to the mouth of the Loire at St Brevin, our ride was not yet fully completed. We all know that the Tour de France is not completed until the riders enter Paris and ride around the Champs Elysees. That final day for the Tour de France riders is something of a formality, the maillot jaune has already been effectively won in the final day on the mountains.
If yesterday was something of our final day in the mountains, then today was our epilogue. While we had achieved our primary aim, we still had to continue our way westwards to the wild Atlantic coast at Le Croisic. It still had the potential to b e another really challenging day, especially as the weather forecast was for more rain and very strong winds from the west. This would not be an ideal way to complete our ride, but we would have to accept whatever was thrown at us.
You can imagine my relief when I awoke to find that the rain had stopped. So had the wind. That was a very promising development. We donned the cycling gear for the last time and went down to attack the breakfast buffet. The breakfast itself was in keeping with a large casino hotel, so I took maximum advantage of what was on offer. I then gathered the group together for a group photo in front of the hotel.
Then it was time to begin our final day. The first challenge was to safely get across the huge bridge across the Loire to St Nazaire on the right bank. This bridge was built in the 1970s and was for many years the longest bridge in France and the longest cable suspended bridge in the world. At 3.4 km long, it certainly would take a brave cyclist to try to ride across it, especially as there is no bike lane and the wind at the top would be horrendous.
We had arranged for a mini bus transfer of ourselves and our bikes to the other side. The only problem was that it could only transfer 7 of us at a time. This meant that the first group would have to wait by the side of the road for 40 minutes, until the others arrived. I did the right thing by volunteering Maggie and I to join this first batch. Another 5 people reluctantly joined us. We took the bus trip and then waited. And waited. I got tired and decided to sit down, unfortunately right in the middle of a puddle of water I had not seen. Result - a wet backside.
When the group was finally complete, we were glad to see that the wind was still lacking and the rain was absent. It was ideal for riding. Russell and I had also done a little research and found that the route could be "fiddled with" in order to save us quite a few uneccessary km. I call it a stroke of genius and the rest of the peloton seemed to agree.
Although we had been expecting a flat final day, we did manage to find quite a few moderate sized hill and one big one along the way. It made us happy that we had excised those extra kilometres.
One surprising feature of the houses in this region were the lovely thatched roofs. They almost made us feel we were cycling in the UK.
The final major attraction was the impressive medieval walled city of Guerande. Not only is it fully surrounded by a massive stone wall, it even has a moat as well. It looks like it has come straight out of the Dark Ages. We were also somewhat surprised that it was very quiet. Although we had expected it to be full of tourists, the place was almost deserted. Not only was it a Monday, but we arrived right in the middle of the siesta time. Fortunately a couple of the cafes were open, so we were able to get some sustenance before the final leg to Le Croisic.
After leaving Guerande we immediately found ourselves riding through the famous salt pans of the region. Here salt is harvested from the sea water in a huge array of interconnected shallow ponds. It is quite a spectacle, but it is also highly exposed to the wind. As we drew closer and closer to the coast, the headwind started to blow in our faces as a reminder of what might have been if the weather bureau had been correct.
With our final destination almost in view there was a feeling of exhileration in the group. The route had been changed since we last rode this section and the revised version gave us a lovely tour of the city before we began the final cruise to the hotel. With the waves crashing on the rocks to our left and the magnificent stately homes on our right, it certainly makes for a memorable sight.
When I announced that the ride had been completed, everyone dismounted and hugged each other. We had shared so much together and it is an indescribable feeling to have achieved something we had been anticipating for over a year. It was also time to do what we always do at such times - take a group photo.
We noticed a lady walking towards us and asked if she would take our picture. She entered into the spirit of the occasion with enthusiasm, almost getting run over as she stood in the middle of the road. She also told us that we had arrived just in time for the next king tide. It would be there in just a couple of hours. How is that for perfect planning ?
All we needed now was a hotel to stay in. We had previously stayed in the nearby Les Nids Hotel, but is was now closed and boarded up. The replacement hotel was Les Vikings and I have to admit that it looked absolutely dreadful from the outside. Large pieces were missing from the facade, the paint was peeling, it looked derelict. I was more than a little worried. It would not be a great way to finish such an epic ride if we had to spend the last two nights in a dump.
Our fears dispersed as soon as we entered the front door. Apparently we are the final guests to be housed here before the full restoration takes place. As soon as we leave the place will be closed so that the builders can start. We were thrilled to find that, not only were our rooms huge, clean and modern, but they all faced the ocean. We ran back and forth from room to room in a silly game of "you show me yours and I'll show you mine". I knew that I had a very happy peloton.
That evening we had dinner in the oceanfront "Restaurant de L'Ocean". You could not get any closer to the water than this place and we looked through the panoramic windows at the setting sun and the huge waves crashing against the rocks below us. It was a night to remember.
Yvonne Parsons had spent some time collating statistics of our ride along the Loire. This is what she calculated. Total time in the saddle - 57 hours. Distance ridden 812 km per person. The total vertical distance climbed was over 4,000 metres. Of course this does not include the riding we had already done in Provence. I could also add another very important statistic - Number of punctures ZERO. It truly had been an epic ride in every sense of the word.
We now have a free day in Le Croisic, before we all begin to make our own ways back to Australia.Baca selengkapnya
A Hard Day at the Office
29 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
On every extended ride there is usually one day that is remembered as "the day of suffering". On our 2019 French Ride, today was that day. Not that we can complain, up till now we have enjoyed an uncanny run of glorious weather. I guess that really had to come to an end sooner or later.
We all knew that the day was not going to be easy. All night we had heard the sound of rain falling outside the hotel. I had also been kept awake by the seemingly constant progression of drunken knobs walking past the hotel at all hours of the night. I don't mind them walking past, but why do they all want to yell at the tops of their voices as they do so ? Nantes is indeed a lovely city, but I was already seeking somewhere quieter.
The rain continued as we assembled with our riders - a more comic bunch of umpa lumpas you would be hard pressed to find anywhere. It seemed that everyone had managed to find even more wet weather clothing than Horatio Hornblower would have worn in an Atlantic gale. And thus the ride started.
The first major challenge was to navigate our way out of Nantes, without the aid of the GPS. Finding the Loire was easy, the rest was not so easy. I asked the entire group to help by keeping an eye out for those little green bike signs. We made a couple of minor errors before making a major one. By the time we realised that we had missed the turn, it was too late to double back. The brains trust (aka Russell and Gordon) came to the conclusion that we could get through anyway. And we did. It turned out to be an inspired mistake that probably actually saved us a little time.
Like all big cities, Nantes has an outer ring of ugly industrial complexes, storage facilities and the like. When you combine this with the still pouring rain, we were starting to look a little ragged before we had even made the first 10 km. And did I mention the head wind ? Well I should have. It soon became evident that we would be pushing into the teeth of a stiff westerly wind all day. At times the wind was so strong as to almost bring us to a standstill. Considering that this was also going to be our longest day in the saddle, it was not a prospect to be savoured.
Somehow, by sheer force of will and bloody mindedness we made it as far as Indre. At this point we had to cross to the south bank of the river by catching a ferry across the Loire. There were two good points to this crossing - it gave us a short break from our labours and it was free.
When we were deposited on the opposite bank we all knew that we still had another 45 km to ride. The rain was still falling heavily. The head wind was still blowing. And my severely compromised GPS had to be completely relegated to the pannier. In fact I could hardly see through my wet glasses. Our strength was failing. On the positive side, at least we had left the busy roads behind and were able to ride on a quiet, albeit waterlogged, bike path.
"This rain will really help the Loire", I said, trying to think of something positive.
"Who cares about the river ?", was the consensus response.
It really was hard going, but just as our strength was failing, Yvonne made a wonderful chance discovery. She spied a large cafe, right on the edge of the bike path. Before I could say or do anything, she had already dropped her bike and was making a bee line for the front door. We weren't far behind her.
Over the next hour we ordered coffee after coffee and galette (waffle) after galette. Our morales started to improve as we warmed up and dried out a little. Things improved even further when we noticed that the rain had finally stopped and the clouds had started to thin a little. Perhaps we could make it after all.
We finally suited up again and started off. Our destination was St Brevin Les Pins, situated at the mouth of the Loire. Although it was still a long way off, it certainly made for more pleasant riding when we no longer had rain finding its way into every part of our anatomy.
The final twenty or so km really seemed to take for ever, but our chance encounter with a large group of Citroen 2CV drivers added a welcome diversion. They seemed just as glad to see us as we were to see them. They all proceeded to salute us with a caucophony of horns, hooters, tooters, klaxons and whistles. It was another of those unplanned events that makes travel so incredibly addictive.
As we entered the outskirts of St Brevin, we got our first glimpses of the famous massive bridge that spans the mouth of the Loire, although it was somewhat difficult to see through the mist. The route become a winding labyrinth of twists and turns that made me glad that I had been able to resurrect the GPS, just long enough to guide us to the hotel.
By the time we finally reached the large Spa Du Beryl Hotel and Casino, we were all near to our physical limits. It really had been a hard day, but we had now reached our primary objective of reaching the mouth of the Loire. Tomorrow's final ride to Le Croisic would be a wonderful epilogue to an incredible cycling experience.
The hotel however was not my type of place. Although the rooms were comfortable, I find it hard to take pleasure from an establishment that grows rich from the stupidity and weakness of others. I watched the people in the casino as they mindlessly gambled away their hard earned money. I noticed that not a single one of them was smiling as they just kept pushing the buttons on the poker machines. With every push of the button, a little more of their future was robbed from them. Every external door of the place was surrounded by a clump of smokers, trying to pump a little more nicotine into their systems, before returning to their gambling.
The location of the hotel was right on the Atlantic coast. I guess we would have had a wonderful view if our rooms had been on the other side of the building. The view of the car park was not quite as exciting as the view of the ocean would have been.
Tomorrow we will be donning our cycling gear and climbing on our bikes for the very last day as we complete our ride to Le Croisic.Baca selengkapnya
Les Machines de I'lle
28 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Although I have been to Nantes twice before, there is one sight that I had not yet seen. Nantes is home to one of the most fantastical collections of automated giant creatures that you could ever find. The giant creatures are an homage to the creative mind of Jules Verne - Nante's most famous son.
Towards the end of today's ride from Champtoceaux we made a special detour to visit Les Machines and we weren't disappointed. The most famous of these creatures is the giant mechanised elephant. This huge construction can actually carry up to 40 passengers as it walks around on its huge wooden legs. The highly articulated trunk regularly soaks bystanders with jets of water. None of us had seen enything like it, in fact the place was so special that I thought it warranted its very own footprint.
It truly was the stuff of dreams and imaginations.Baca selengkapnya
I Lose an Old Friend
28 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
I am the first to admit it. Although I have travelled quite a bit, sometimes I can be directionally challenged. While some people seem to have been born with an inbuilt compass in their heads, sometimes I am inclined to lose all orientation. At that times I can find myself heading in the entirely wrong direction.
Fortunately, in this wonderful age of technology, there is a little gadget that can be a real lifesaver in these situations. Some years ago I purchased a Garmin Oregon 650 GPS and it has been my almost constant companion on every trip since then. It has faithfully kept a record of hundreds of rides, both in Australia and all over the world. It has been with me on the Inca Trail, the Camino, all the way along the Danube, across the UK, Turkey, Scandinavia, the Baltics, Russia, etc. That little companion has travelled hundreds of thousands of km with me and has proven to be my faithful pathfinder wherever I have been.
You coan therefore imagine my horror when the little helper finally reached its end in Champtoceaux. When I tried to turn it on, the entire switch collapsed, leaving a big hole in the outer case. My distress was not only for the loss of my hitherto faithful GPS, but for the fact that we still had three more days of riding to complete. Up till now the Garmin had indicated every turn in the road - all I had to do was follw the little black line and I could not go wrong. Now we were really heading into unfamiliar territory. How on Earth can people navigate using primitive paper maps ???
After some further experimentation, I discovered that I could sometimes trigger it to turn on by plugging it into my external mobile phone battery. Perhaps all was not completely lost after all. Before we began our rider out of Champtoceaux I rigged up the GPS on the bike with a lead running to the battery in the pannier. What could possibly go wrong ? The only thing that could make it go even more pear shaped would be rain.
There is an old adage that "what goes up, must also go down". Since we had climbed up a steep incline to reach Champtoceaux, we knew that our day's ride would start with the same steep descent. It was a lot easier than the ascent, I can assure you of that. But the drizzle was a bit of a worry. I stopped to wrap the GPS up in plastic to keep the water out. The only problem was then I could not read it through the wet plastic. Oh well, someone once said that life was not meant to be easy - just fun. And we were certainly having fun.
Although the day's ride was not going to be long, it certainly was eventful. The bike path along the Loire was simply beautiful and the cooler weather made the riding easy. Can it be just a few weeks ago that we were all suffering in the heat ? The carpet of fallen leaves is getting deeper every day and the colour of the trees changes with each passing day. It is amazing to watch this take place before your eyes.
Although we went looking for a coffee stop for morning tea, a search of a likely looking town failed to discover any open shops. All we did almost succeed in doing was to lose Andrea as she was sent in search of coffee. We decided to forget the coffee and push on to Nantes instead,
A short distance further on we found ourselves surrounded by dozens of other riders and joggers. We had stumbed our way right into the middle of a mass participation cycling event. There were people of all ages and sizes wobbling their way along on a variety of bikes. Somewhere in the middle of them all was a group of 14 rather surprised riders from Australia. When people saw that we were from Australia, there were lots of friendly greetings.
On the outskirts of Nantes the bike path widens into a lovely smooth sealed bikeway that was a dream to ride along. Since we were still a little early early to check into the hotel, we decided to take a detour to see the huge animated creatures (Les Machines de l'lle) that are housed on the large island in the middle of the Loire. These creatures were designed to capture something of the imagination and vision of Jules Verne. He was the famous writer of works such as "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". "From the Earth to the Moon" and "Mysterious Island". Verne is Nantes most famous son and the city has embarked on an ambitious plan to keep his memory alive.
The most famous of the animated creatures is the huge elephant. It really is enormous and can carry around 40 passengers on its wanders around the park. To the delight of the onlookers, it also regularly sprays everyone with torrents of water from its trunk and massive squirts of wee from its rear end. It really is a sight to beyond.
We finally checked into the Hotel Graslin about 4 pm. The hotel was in a superb location, but the rooms were about the size of a pocket handkerchief. It was a serious struggle to get our bags into the room and an even harder struggle to climb over the top of them to reach our bed. It was another example of the principle that the larger the city, the smaller the hotel rooms.
A short distance from the hotel is the Pommeraye Arcade. We had visited this incredible shopping arcade back in 2015 and wanted to see it again. It dates back to 1840 and gives a glimpse into what fashionable shopping used to be like before the days of Westfield shopping centres.
The undoubted highlight of the day was our dinner at La Cigalle Restaurant. This is surely one of the most iconic restaurants in France. It opened in 1895 and the sumptuous and flambouyent decor is still wonderfully preserved. It is also a spectacle watching the well disciplined staff work together to serve the clients in the quickest possible manner. When we arrived at the door, there was already a long queue of hopeful diners, all trying to gain admission. Of course we were the guests of honour and able to bypass the masses to proceed straight to our table.
Although the experience will never be forgotten, the food itself was not up to the same high standard. It was a case of "fish, fish or more fish". At least the desert was excellent.
It had been quite a day.Baca selengkapnya
A Glorious Ride to Champtoceaux
27 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
We began our current French adventure five weeks ago, at the end of a long hot European summer. Our first week in Caumont Sur Durance gave us an idea of what the locals had been suffering throughout the previous several months. When our cycling began in Avignon, we could see that the lack of rain had caused the countryside to become parched and brown. Of course the lack of rain, while no good for the locals, had actually made our cycling much easier.
We then transferred to Nevers to begin our ride along the Loire. Although the temperature was markedly cooler, we enjoyed an unbroken sequence of sunny and dry days. Of course nothing can ever halt the inevitable progression of the seasons and the telltale signs of autumn are now appearing all around us. The trees are starting to change colour to the delightful yellows and browns of autumn, and the bike paths are beginning to be carpeted with fallen leaves. This is a particularly beautiful time to be cycling in Europe, where the seasonal transition from summer to autumn seems to take place in front of your eyes.
The local weather bureau had warned that today was going to be cool and rainy. During the night I could hear the sound of rain falling on the roof of our hotel. It was looking like our run of fine riding was about to come to a dramatic end. You can therefore imagine our relief when we emerged after breakfast to find that the rain had stopped and most of the clouds had blown away. It actually looked like a lovely day for riding.
The first few km of the day's ride took us along an elevated road that obviously served as a levee bank in much wetter times. However, in the middle of the current drought, the water of the Loire was too far away for us to even see it. With the low, early morning sun shining through the broken clouds, the lighting was absolutely amazing. I thought it was pretty enough to be an oil painting. It was a slight pity about the head wind, but sometimes you can't have everything. It certainly was a good time to be enjoying life.
Maggie and I had remembered a fantastic boulangerie in Saint Florent Le Vieil, and we were thrilled to discover that it was still there. The riders stocked up on baguette sandwiches and cakes for a picnic lunch. We also remembered that there was a good TABAC just around the corner - an ideal place for coffee.
In an uncanny example of perfect timing, the rain started just as we entered the TABAC. It gave us an ideal opportunity to spend a while chatting and drinking coffee, while the rain fell outside. Although the cakes had been intended for lunch, some of the team could wait no longer and decided that there was no time like the present.
By the time we were finished our coffee, the rain had also stopped and we were able to resume our ride with dry clothes. That made for a very happy peloton.
About 45 minutes later we were able to stop by the Loire for our picnic lunch. Baguettes were unpacked and eaten while we watched the water flow past nearby. A local resident poked their head out the window and shouted "Bon appeitit" to us. Another magic moment.
The remainder of the ride took us through some absolutely beautiful shady paths. Cycling does not get any better than this. We even saw a few squirrels scurrying across the road. Unfortunately one of the little creatures was not fast enough to make it across the road and was killed by a passing car. It was the only bad part of a lovely day on the bikes.
Champtoceaux is a small town, located on an elevated position above the Loire. This meant that, in order to reach our hotel, we had first to pedal up a substantial hill. It was amazing to see how the fitness of our riders had now improved so much that all were able to reach the top without too much difficulty.
After checking into the hotel we were able to walk to a nearby lookout to gain a magnificent scenic view of the Loire Valley. We now have only three days of cycling remaining. I wonder if our luck with the weather will continue ?Baca selengkapnya
Our River is Changing
26 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
One of the fascinating aspects of completing an extended cycling trip along a river, is watching the way the river evolves as you follow it towards its inevitable exit into the ocean. When we began our ride along the Loire at Nevers, the river was small and interrupted by numerous rapids.
Over the past three weeks we have not only watched the river grow in size, but also been able to see the dramatic changes in the geography and architecture of the places we rode through. We will never forget the succession of magnificent chateaux between Orleans and Tours, but that is not where the story ends.
This morning we made our way out of the bustling centre of Angers and were relieved when we finally resumed cycling along the quiet riverside bike paths once again. Although the weather has been cool and overcast, it never actually started to rain. For most of the day I was able to ride in shortsleeves.
We had been expecting a gentle ride of about 40 km, without any hills. The 40 km was about right, but the absence of hills was a myth. I can assure you that there are hills between Angers and Montjean Sur Loire and we rode up every one of them.
The final few km were along La Queue de L'Ile, a large island in the middle of the Loire River. The group rode along at a good pace, meaning that we arrived at the hotel in Montjean Sur Loire earlier than expected. I guess that is a result of the increased fitness earned after 4 weeks of almost daily cycling.
Montjean is a tiny hamlet situated on the banks of the Loire. It was a huge contrast to the hussle and bussle of Angers, although it was also quite sad to see how low the Loire was at this point. When we were last here, the Loire was a majestic sight with its waters extending from bank to bank. This year the river is reduced to maybe a third of its normal flow. It is no wonder that the boats are finding it very difficult to navigate the greatly reduced waters.
One thing is certain - no one will be kept awake by crowd noise tonight.Baca selengkapnya
Rest Day in Angers
25 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
When you are involved in an extended ride, there is something sacrosanct about designated "rest days". They are in fact, so special that riders eagerly count down to the next one. As the much anticipated day draws closer, team members share their plans for the day of freedom.
"I might go and see a chateau, but I probably won't"
"I need to catch up on washing my putrid clothes"
"I plan to sleep until lunchtime"
"I am not going to do a single thing"
And so on it goes.
After our long and tiring day getting into Angers, I must admit that I had no ambitious plans. I had been in this city twice before and I was perfectly happy to enjoy a stress free and almost totall relaxing day.
There was however, one task that just had to be done - the washing. Fortunately we located a lovely modern coin laundry only a few hundred metres from the hotel and spebt an hour there watching the clothing go round and round. It was completely boring, but somehow therapeutic at the same time. When I returned to the hotel with two bulging bags of freshly washed gear, I felt like a load had lifted from my shoulders.
Maggie went in search of her own Holy Grail - a hairdresser. In France such establishments are known by the somewhat flambouyant title of "Institute of Beauty". Some time later she returned to the room, announcing that she had found a suitable beauty institute who would cut her hair and only charge a small fortune for the privelege.
There were several modern looking boulangeries near the hotel and we decided that it was time for lunch. We both chose the "Croc Monsieur" . This is just a fancy name for a hame and cheese toasted sandwich. They might have been nice if they had been heated up even a little. After a few mouthfuls of the cold, stodgy cheese, we left most of the lunch on the plate and walked away feeling very disappointed.
Another thing that is common in the vicinity of our hotel is organised Gypsy beggars. Within the same block as the hotel we discovered no fewer than 4 of these, each one with their location carefully allocated by their overseer. They all had the same type of handwritten sign, imploring for money. This was the first time on our current trip that we had seen this type of professional begging, and it did not leave a favourable impression of the city.
In the late afternoon Maggie went off to the Institute of Beauty and returned some time later with both her head and her wallet considerably lighter.
Our evening meal had been arranged at the lovely La Ferme restaurant. We had eaten here on our previous ride on the Loire and we had all loved the place. I am pleased to say that we enjoyed our 2019 meal almost as much as we had loved our 2015 meal. It was a nice way to finish our short stay in Angers, but I was already to move on again.Baca selengkapnya
The World on Two Wheels
This was the view from our hotel window. We were situated on the fourth floor, right behind the "DE" in the sign "HOTEL DE FRANCE".
The Day with Everything
25 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Four years ago, on this very day, we suffered a dreadful catastrophe. After a challenging day in the saddle, Carol Yates slipped and fell in the shower, breaking her ankle. That resulted in a trip by French ambulance to the Angers Hospital, followed by surgery. Of course that also meant that the cycling was prematurely terminated for Carol and her husband David. It was indeed a dark day for the Ghostriders.
I did not want a repeat performance in 2019, so warned all the team that the day was going to be "long and tough", and therefore they must all take extreme vigilence. The degree of difficulty was increased even further when the weather forecast predicted "steady rain and raging head winds". Oh well, such conditions can either make us or break us. Only time would tell.
We made our way out of Saumur in steady rain. Once again, some of the team had donned their finest umpa lumpa outfits, so we did not make for a great sight as we started our ride along the riverbank. With 60 km to ride and, with unfavourable conditions ahead, I advised that we needed to just keep moving along.
We initially made steady progress, but so did the rain in penetrating every weakness in our cycling gear. I had already left off my gloves, as I hate riding with wet hands. The next things to go were my riding glasses. It was impossible to see through the wet lenses and they were only making it more difficult to find the way. Since the rain can have strange effects on my GPS, I had already wrapped it in plastic. That meant that it was even harder to read the screen.
Our progress was made even harder when we encountered the first of several hills. Riders went in search of the proverbial "granny gears". Ebike riders went in search of their Turbo buttons. Since I was still worried about the state of my left knee, I got off and walked. In situations like that, walking is often no slower than riding (and a lot less tiring on the body).
About 11 am we discovered a likely looking TABAC, hidden right in the middle of some major roadworks. We were relieved to get out of the rain for a while and get a welcome coffee boost. I looked behind the counter and saw that it would be possible to select from about a hundred different brands of cigarette, all of them complete with horrific health warnings. All I wanted was a biscuit to enjoy with my coffee. Surely a place as big as this would have a packet of biscuits ????
Just when I thought my search for biscuits was futile, Maggie spied a packet sitting on a shelf near the door. I went over and brought them back to our table. The picture on the outside looked exciting - the actual contents were anything but. All the biscuits had fused themselves together into a single cylindrical mass. I suspect that the use by date would have been about the same time as the French Revolution, but I figured that they were probably doing marginally less damage to my health than one of the hundreds of packets of cigarettes. They tasted like a mix of jaffas and toejam.
When we resumed the ride, the sky had lightened a little and we were tempted to believe (hope) that the rain had passed by. The sun even came out for a while, and we started to dry out. Unfortunately the respite did not last. The rain returned with a vengeance, leaving our team huddled together under a large bridge. This reminded me of that infamous day when Karlo led us along the Mullum Mullum Creek when it was in full flood. At least I wasn't quite that wet yet.
When the rain abated we crossed the bridge and stopped for lunch in the quaint town of Saint Mathurin Sur Loire. It was here that Carol Yates had done her best to leave her purse on the town hall steps. On that occasion it had been found by a helpful local who tried to tell Carol that it was safe in the town hall. Carol's incomplete knowledge of the French language meant that she did not quite grasp what the lady was trying to say. Carol explained to the rest of the 2015 team that the French lady was looking for her lost dog. It was little wonder that the lady looked confused, especially when Carol starting mimicking the barking that the non existent dog might have been making. It was a funny moment.
On this occasion no such dog went missing. We arrived just in time to buy our lunches before the entire village shut down for siesta time, and then we sat on the town hall steps to enjoy the sunshine that had finally made an appearance.
Although it was good news that the rain had stopped, it was not so good that it had been replaced with a soul destroying head wind. Since I was at the front of the peloton, I was working harder than anyone else. Unkind people might have commented that, since I was an established expert at breaking wind, I was the best person for the job.
The next 15 km were along an exposed plateau and the wind was so severe that at times I felt like I was trying to cycle through a wall. The speed dropped to below 10 kph as I wobbled along, knowing that we would be riding in that direction all the way to Angers.
Eventually Maggie noticed that I was about to expire and brought some of the ebike warriors to my rescue. It really made a huge difference to have some protection from the wind, and I could feel my energy slowly returning.
Perhaps the most exciting part of the ride was when we arrived at a river crossing and discovered that we had to propel ourselves across the river in a small bac (ferry boat). I had known that it was coming up, but wanted to keep it a surprise from the others. What followed was a wonderful time of laughter as small groups of Ghostriders and their bikes were transported across to the far side of the river. It is driven purely by human power, by pulling on a chain connected to both sides. It was an experience they will treasure for a long time.
Soon after the river crossing we entered the outskirts of Angers and rode through a series of old slate mines. We might have thought that, by this time, we had escaped the rain, but we hadn't. Within a few km of the hotel, the skies blackened again, the temperature dropped, the wind freshened and the rain came down in torrents. The tree we were huddled under did little to keep us dry, but we were actually having huge fun. It is surprising how times like this really make you treasure how good it is to be alive and to share these experiences with your friends.
The final few km into the centre of the city were a little hectic, but we all managed to safely arrive at the stately Hotel de France, right opposite the large Angers Railway Station. It was a relief to have completed what may well be the hardest day of the ride. It was even better to know that we all had a rest day waiting for us tomorrow.
Our evening meal was at the restaurant that was attached to the hotel. Although the food was excellent, the staff seemed to be making a point of serving us at the slowest speed possible for a human being. Eventually some of the group gave up and went off to bed instead. The rest were finally able to finish their desserts some time after 10 pm. It had been a long and memorable day, but at least no one had broken a leg.Baca selengkapnya
Troglodytes and the Prime Meridian
23 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
One of the problems that you face when travelling through this part of France is that you are daily faced with an embarassment of scenic riches. Time after time, when we apporach a new town, we are blown away by the sheer beauty of the place. Just when you think it could not possibly get any better, there is another impossibly glorious village just around the next bend.
Although we were not so sorry to escape from our cramped rooms at the Hotel de France, we were all a little sad to be saying goodbye to this lovely city so soon after arriving. However, we have a schedule to stick to and our journey must continue.
It was a relief to see that the wet weather appeared to have passed by. When the new day broke it revealed a cloudy sky, but with no imminent sign of rain. Gordon and Sue somehow managed to manhandle their luggage back down the winding staircase, without destroying either themselves or the hotel in the process. Maggie and I similarly managed to haphazardly jam everything that was scattered around our room back into the ever expanding cases, and stumble our way back down to the reception.
Although the rooms were tiny, the location had been exceptional and the breakfast was also one of the best we had enjoyed for some time. We climbed back on the bikes and headed out of Chinon for the final time.
Ever since we began our journey along the Loire from Nevers, we had been working further and further westward. Today we were due to reach a significant milestone - the crossing of the prime meridian. This is the line of longitude that passes through the Greenwich Observatory and which denotes the reference point for all other meridians on our planet.
With the aid of our GPS units it is possible to determine the exact location of the prime meridian to within a few metres. The last time we did this ride in 2015, we stopped to mark the position on the road and to take some group photos. I figured that we should repeat the process in 2019, just to see if the prime meridian had moved. It hadn't. The location was exactly where it had been back in 2015.
On that occasion our festivities had been interrupted by the owner of the house whose driveway we were blocking. He did not seem to appreciate that his house was in such a strategic geographic location and seemed a bit put out that we were creating a scene. In truth, we probably were, but we had ridden a long way to reach this point and felt that we had some entitlement to celebrate.
This time we were able to draw the chalk line on the road without disturbing anyone. We fooled around for some time taking pictures and then resumed our ride.
The other major highlight of the day's ride had been passing through the region of the Troglodytes. These people built their homes right into the sides of the rock and reminded me of similar rock dwellers I had seen in Turkey.
The rest of the ride could be described with a single word - delightful. We enjoyed a wide variety of quiet, shady paths, challenging climbs, expansive views, vineyards and historic villages. After riding every day, the team is obviously getting fitter and the kilometres seem to roll by effortlessly.
Our destination for the day is the historic city of Saumur, dominated by (yet another) huge castle. The council seems intent on tearing up every street in the city and replacing them with cobblestones, so it was a bit of a challenge to reach our hotel.
One thing that was a relief was the size of our rooms. We discovered that they were all a bit larger than the ones we had at the previous hotel. They even had put all our bags in the rooms for us - something that is very welcome after a day in the saddle.Baca selengkapnya
The Rain Starts but we Stay Dry
22 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
It had to happen at some stage. It is not possible to conduct an extended 5 week ride through France without encountering rain somewhere along the line. Or is it ???
Not only was today the first day of the European autumn, but it also brought the first sounds of heavy rain that we had heard since we arrived in France over 4 weeks ago. I would have been even more concerned if the rain had been falling during the daytime. At 3 am we were all snug and dry in our giant beds in the Grand Monarque Hotel. The rain was of little consequence to us at that time, but it did suggest that maybe the weather patterns were finally about to change.
By breakfast time the skies were still grey and the rain was still falling steadily. At times like this. those of little faith are inclined to run around like chickens and seek out every layer of clothes they can find. I chose to enjoy the sumptuous breakfast buffet instead.
At 9.30 I assembled the team and looked at them with astonishment. They looked more like a line of umpa lumpas than elite Ghostriders. The Queensland contingent looked particularly noteworthy as they were draped in multiple layers of plastic, parkas, scarves, waterproof pants and shower caps. They could hardly move in that sort of ridiculous getup, let alone ride their bikes. Anyone would think that rainwater was toxic. Some of the others looked almost as silly (but not quite).
I tried to tell them that the rain had already passed over and that the skies were getting clearer. They didn't believe me. All I could do was warn them not to have an accident when all their unnecessary clothing got caught on the seat and/or chain.
Fortunately the first stop of the day was only a short distance from Azay le Rideau and we managed to complete it without getting wet at all. Unfortunately Gerry did not manage to safely dismount from his bike without getting one of his seven layers of clothing wrapped around his seat post. The next 10 minutes were spent bandaging Gerry's nasty leg wounds and trying to staunch the flow of blood. (I should clarify that it was the wounds that were nasty, not Gerry's legs).
We finally managed to park the bikes and enter the amazing Maurice Defrenne Museum. This incredible collection was assembled over a period of 60 years by the incredible butcher turned collector. I had visited the place twice previously and been staggered by the range and uniqueness of the items that he had found. It is the sort of place that you could spend hours just wandering. It even includes a fully restored guillotine ! The massive building itself is also worthy of mention, as it was a mill that Maurice Defrenne had relocated and reassembled to house his collection.
While we were inside the rain started falling again. The timing was perfect. By the time we were ready to leave, the rain had stopped again. In fact it never appeared again for the remainder of the day. It could not possibly have been planned any better. It was actually a welcome relief to be able to ride in cool and overcast conditions.
Our destination for the day was the medieval city of Chinon. After successfully getting the whole team safely down a parlous descent, we turned into a narrow, cobblestoned street to take us to the old part of the town. I could not believe my ears when I heard music wafting towards us. Even more remarkable was the fact that the song that was being played was one of my favourites - "I am a man of constant sorrow". Contrary to popular belief, that song is not the lament of a long distance cyclist with an uncomfortable seat, but it is the main track from the movie "Oh Brother Where Art Thou ?" Great blue grass music runs through the entire movie, but it was a surprise to hear it being played here.
It turned out that we had arrived in Chinon just as they were enjoying a special weekend of free outdoor music. All over the town performers were playing in the streets and the atmosphere was amazing. We were even more thrilled to find that our hotel was right in the middle of the old town and that we would be able to enjoy the music, just by opening our windows.
What was not so popular was the fact that the rooms in the historic building were tiny, the staircases were narrow and (or course) there was no lift. Gordon and Sue had been strategically located on the top floor. For some reason Gordon was NOT happy. It was quite a contrast to the spacious rooms we had all loved the previous night, but such is the serendipity of travel.
After checking into our rooms we wandered the city, admiring the ancient buildings and listening to the performers. One guy in particular held the audience spellbound as he simultaneously played the guitar, drums, cymbals and mouth organ. It was a performance worthy of the cheers and applause he received. In fact it was a highlight of the trip so far.
Another highlight was our evening meal at the Les Annees 30, surely one of the best restaurants in the city. Their food and service was exceptional and the building was magical. It had been a superb day (and none of us got the slightest bit wet).Baca selengkapnya
The World on Two Wheels
This was actually a travelling dentist's van. His family lived in the front part of the covered section, while he practised his dentistry in the back.
Villandry and the End of the Pies
21 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ 🌧 23 °C
Despite the severe risk of becoming repetitive, I will begin with a comment on the weather at the start of our ride. Once again it was absolutely perfect, without a single cloud to blot the sky. Although this is great for us, it is not so good for the locals who are becoming increasingkly concerned about the lack of water. Much of France is now suffering from strict water restrictions, and the rivers are only a pale shadow of what they normally would be at this time of the year.
Our first challenge was to navigate our way out of Tours. This was made even more difficult by the fact that large sections of the main road were being torn up. We eventually made it to the bike path and were able to start making real progress.
The main highlight of the day was the famous Chateau at Villandry and its even more famous gardens. This place really is quite beautiful and the gardens are sensational. The only other garden that comes even close would be Lothar and Celia's famous garden at Pakenham in Australia.
Of course, while we were riding, we were also very conscious of another significant event taking place on the other side of the planet - the preliminary final football match between Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney. I could well imagine all those tattooed and toothless Collingwood supporters shouting their abuse at everything and everyone, and we could only hope that Collingwood would lose the match and put them all out of their misery.
Towards the end of the last quarter we pulled aside to listen to the commentary. When the final siren sounded the death knell for the pies, there may have been tears of grief from the magpie army in Melbourne, but a resounding cheer went up from the Ghostriders thousands of km away on the Loire.
We spent a couple of hours admiring the gardens and chateau at Villandry and marvelling over the fact that it is actually privately owned. By the time we were due to leave, the temperature had risen to around 30C and we were not relishing the thought of another 20 km in the hot sun.
Although the path along the river was really quite beautiful, there was a challenging succession of climbs on the outskirts of Azay le Rideau that really made us sweat and sway as we climbed. When Gordon stopped to wipe the sweat from his face, Russell told him that there was really no need for him to cry like that. I guess that's easy to say when you only weigh about 50 kg.
We were all very happy for the ride to end, and we were even happier when we realised that we had been booked into the very comfortable 4 star Grand Monarque Hotel. This building was built in the 18th century as a staging post, but it is now a lovely hotel. Our rooms were huge, probably the best equipped we had stayed in for the entire ride so far.
Azay le Rideau is also home to a beautiful chateau, but it was a little distressing to see how the lack of water had reduced the water in the moat to a stagnant puddle. We happened to have arrived in the middle of a fete, complete with various performers and bands.
Our meal was arranged for us at the hotel, where we had a private room exclusively for us. We are beginning to feel like royalty. We were even sent off to to sleep with a fireworks display.
Finally, it is worth pointing out that today marked the official end of summer in Europe. Tomorrow will be the first day of autumn and also the first day that some rain is predicted to fall. It will almost be a relief from the continual sunshine we have had up till now.Baca selengkapnya
Goodbye Sam & Carol
20 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ 🌙 18 °C
Our time in Amboise had been a highlight for all our team. The spirit of da Vinci is everywhere, especially as this year marks the 500th year since his death. Our accommodation at the historic Clos D'Amboise had also been memorable. After all it is not often that you get the chance to stay in a 400 year old mansion.
The morning dawned crystal clear but quite chilly. Our riders began the day decked out in jackets and jumpers - a far cry from those scorching hot days that we shared together in Avignon, just three weeks previously.
We had not gone more than a km or so before we found ourselves in the middle of the weekly market. Once again the temptation was just too great for the female members of the group and they quickly disappeared with their purses in their hands. I stayed to watch the bikes.
About 30 minutes later Maggie reappeared. "There is a great hat shop that you should look at", she demanded. It was useless to debate the issue, so I meekly followed her like I always do. About 10 minutes later I was the reluctant owner of a newsboy cap. I suppose I should be grateful that it only cost me 25 Euro, and not the $65 Euro that Gordon and Gerry had paid for theirs. I had to admit that it was a bit of fun wearing it and I did feel a little more French than before.
The ride soon meandered into the vineyards of the Montlouis region where we rode through a succession of vineyards and past a series of underground wine cellars. Wine is obviously a big deal in this region, but as a non drinker, the big mystery to me is why anyone would actually pay money to drink the stuff.
We also encountered some of the biggest hills of the ride so far. Of course the ebike riders sailed up with huge smiles on their faces, while the rest of us huffed and puffed in their wake. Yvonne had decided to take up the ebike previously used by Samantha, so she had an extra reason to be enjoying herself.
We rejoined the path along the Loire on the outskirts of Tours and then crossed the river on a bikes only bridge. It was a glorious way to be introduced to this substantial city of some 400,000 inhabitants. Our hotel is the appropriately named "Grand Hotel", situated right next to the amazingly beautiful Gare de Tours railway station.
The Grand Hotel was once one of the city's luxury hotels and it still bears the wonderful Art Deco style that was so popular during the 20's and 30's. Although the hotel now feels like a grand old dame who is now enjoying a stately retirement, we were thrilled to find that the room was spacious and looked directly out to the front of the railway station.
In the evening we enjoyed a "Private Soiree" at the Petite Cuisine. This was a remarkable experience as we were the special guests at what felt like the owner's house. We were all seated around a large table while the owner and her assistant cooked our dinners in the fully visible kitchen. It was another unique dining experience in our culinary odyssey.Baca selengkapnya
Rest Day in Amboise
19 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
On any extended ride rest days are something to be eagerly anticipated as they approach, and enjoyed when they arrive. I had especially been looking forward to our time in Amboise, partly because I knew how much the group would enjoy visiting the beautiful Clos Luce (the final home of Leonardo da Vinci), and partly because of the opulent accommodation we would be staying in.
Since this was my third visit to Amboise, I decided not to return to the home of Leonardo, but to visit the imposing Chateau d"Amboise instead. This towering building dominates the centre of the city and is reached via a long sloping walkway. Although the external appearance is rather uninviting, I was pleasantly surprised at how beautiful it actually is when viewed from the inside.
The Chateau d'Amboise occupies an prominent location that affords glorious views down to the city of Amboise and the River Loire. Unlike Chambord, the chateau is a much more aesthetically pleasing building and the rooms are of a more modest size. It is surrounded by spectacular lawns and gardens. If I was a king of France, I know which place I would choose to live in.
The Chateau is only a short walk from Leonardo's home. During the time of Leonardo's three year residence at the Clos Luce, a secret tunnel was constructed to join the two buildings together. This meant that Leonardo could meet his patron Francois 1, without having to venture in the open spaces of the city. Leonardo's short sojurn in Amboise ended in 1519 when the great genius died, most probably as a result of a stroke.
Maggie and I spent the afternoon wandering the streets of the old city and we ended up in a quaint Salon de The (coffee shop). As soon I entered the place, I had a feeling of deja vu. I remembered that I had enjoyed a cup of coffee in the same place, back in 2013. It is amazing how strong some recollections from the previous trips can be. Events that I thought I had completely forgotten come flooding back as if they were yesterday.
Our evening meal was held at our hotel. It developed into quite a celebration as we all knew that it was the final night that Carol and Samantha would be with us. Tomorrow they will be leaving the team to make their way back to Paris, and then home to Australia. We will all be sorry to see them leave as they have been such a valued part of the group.
Tomorrow our reduced group ofd 14 riders will continue to Tours.Baca selengkapnya
A New Bike and a Beaver in Blois
18 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
Ever since my unfortunate crash, way back in Sancerre, I had been having trouble mounting the bike. It is not easy to throw your hind leg over the seat when you have limited mobility in your knee. Each time I tried to mount the bike in the conventional way, not only was it ungainly, but I felt like I was in imminent danger of ending on the ground in another ugly tangled pile of bike and person.
There is a very practical advantage to the low bar "unisex design" that is so popular in Europe. Not only can it be used by people of either sex, but it is much safer for anyone with a flexibility issue. I happen to qualify on both counts.
Blois happens to be the location of the head office of Loire Valley Travel - the operator who supplied our bikes. They had already arranged for one of their bike mechanics to service all our bikes before we left the hotel. That gave me a thought.
"Would it be possible to exchange my bike for a low bar bike ?", I asked.
"My bike has a broken headlight because some idiot fell off it", I added.
I was very pleased when the reply was in the affirmative.
About 90 minutes later all the bikes had been checked, adjusted, lubricated and, best of all, I had been supplied with a replacement step through bike. I practised mounting and dismounting. It was sheer bliss. Gael had also swapped her bike for a similar step through and was also rejoicing loudly.
It was while we were gathered by the Pont Charles de Gaulle (aka Big Bridge), that we made a wonderful observation. Down in the river there was a strange animal swimming and cavorting with the ducks. Was it a rat ? Was it a cat ? No, it was a beaver !!!! The women all squealed with delight. It was like watching Wind in the Willows. It really was a big beaver, and he even swam right over to our bank of the river to show off his swimming skills. It was magical way to start our day's ride.
Although the weather was cooler than we had been used to, it still showed no sign of rain and the bike mechanic assured us that the freshening breeze was actually a tail wind. What a perfect start to a day's ride.
I happily jumped on my new bike and off we went. Our destination for the day was Amboise, about 45 km downstream. Although 45 km does not sound like far, I well remembered that the previous times I had ridden this route we had been battered by the twin demons of hills and head winds. Although the hills were still there, it was amazing just how much easier life is when the wind is coming from behind you.
The second part of the ride is across an elevated and exposed plateau and the tail wind really was a wonderful gift. Although the cycling conditions were amazing, a "domestic disagreement" between Maggie and me threatened to put an untimely end to our 45 year marriage. I guess the stresses of the last four weeks had to find an outlet sooner or later.
Fortunately the atmosphere cleared later in the day and we were able to join the rest of the team for an absolutely divine dinner at "L'Alliance" restaurant. Everything about that place was incredible. It would have almost been worth the price of the trip, just to experience that food again. Many declared it was the best dinner they had ever had.
Our home for the next two nights is the "Clos "D'Amboise", a magnificent 17th century mansion that has been converted to a 4 star hotel. It is a wonderful way to experience some of the style that the wealthy of that era enjoyed. I had one of my best night's sleeps since the trip began. Tomorrow is a free day to allow our team to explore this wonderful city where Leonardo da Vinci lived out his final years.Baca selengkapnya
Goodbye Leonardo
17 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
Five hundred years ago, in 1519, one of the greatest geniuses the world has ever known breathed his final breath. In the same year, a short distance away, work began on a hunting lodge for the reigning king - Francois the FIrst. That lodge is now known as the Chateau de Chambord, the largest of all the chateaux in the Loire Valley. Although it is the largest, it is certainly not the most beautiful.
When I first laid eyes on this building in 2013, I thought that it looked like the work of a manic imagination. I have now seen it twice since and my opinion has not changed. There is no argument that it is a collosal work of engineering, but the scale and opulence do little to make up for the sheer lack of any sort of good taste.
It took many years and an incredible amount of money and resources to construct, but it is worth noting that Francois only spent a total of 7 weeks there. After his death it was left abandoned for 80 years. It proved to be unpopular and highly impractical for either a hunting lodge or a place of residence and it is easy to see why.
The enormous rooms were impossible to heat and all the furnishings and decorations were taken away whenever the king was not in residence. Its existence is just another example of the way that French royalty lived in a profligate fantasy world, completely removed from their poor subjects. The sheer ego and arrogance of Francois is reflected in the way that his iniitial F is prominently displayed everywhere in the design.
And what exactly was the role of Leonardo da Vinci ? The scholars seem divided on how much input the aging Leonardo had in the design of Chambord, but the consensus seems to be that the distinctive double helix staircase was his idea. It is certainly the most startling feature of the building and one that would be worthy of the creative genius of the great man himself. The architects who designed the rest of the monstrosity have very little to be commended for.
Our ride today took us from Beaugency to Blois and the Chateau de Chambord was the most significant highlight of the day. Earlier in the morning we had ridden past our third nuclear power station of the trip so far. This one had the same huge cooling towers that we have become familiar with, although it was a little disconcerting that it also seemed to be leaking steam from the base of one of the towers as well.
Perhaps it was because of the excellent navigational skills of Gordon, or maybe it was because we are all getting stronger each day. Whatever the reason, we managed to complete the day's ride without even raising a sweat. We were also pleased to be staying in the modern Mercure Hotel, right on the banks of the Loire. When we stayed here in 2015, our hotel had been unkindly situated right at the highest part of the city. We were very thankful to be spared that final climb.
Blois (pronounced like Loire, but with a B at the start) is a beautiful city with a lovely old bridge spanning the river. The most striking feature of the inner city area is the huge staircase that has now been decorated with a reproduction of the famous Mona Lisa.Baca selengkapnya
What a Difference Sunshine Makes
16 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
All those who took part in our 2015 ride from Orleans to Le Croisic will never forget the first day on the bikes as we rode out of Orleans. It has been indelibly etched on our memories as one of the coldest, wettest and darkest days we have ever spent on our bikes.
On that occasion the rain fell continuously from the moment we left the Oceania Hotel in Orleans, the temperature never left single digits and the punctures came in regular bursts (pardon the pun). It was a indeed a bleak day.
Forur years later to the day, the conditions could not have been more different. The sunshine was unbroken for the entire day (actually it has been unbroken for the entire time we have been in France). The temperature hovered in the mid twenties and as for punctures ? We don't know what punctures are any more - these bikes are unbreakable. All of these factors made for a very enjoyable (and relatively short) ride.
Our first challenge was to get out of Orleans. I had made the foolish decision to allow the women some shopping time before we got on the bikes. Since most of the shops had been shut yesterday, they were showing definite signs of shopping deprivation. I gave them definite instructions that they would need to be back to start the ride by 10 am. That must have gone straight over their heads as they started to slowly (but happily) drift (or is it doidle ?) back with their bulging bags of treasures.
As least the women were happy, but their husbands almost certainly won't be when they get the credit card statements. Sometime around 10.30 we were finally ready to leave the city. Maggie had said that she knew a good way to reach the bike path, so I handed her control of the peloton. To my surprise, her route actually worked and we were soon all safely back on the Loire a Velo bike path.
As we made our way along the bike path it felt good to be back on somewhat familiar territory. I had ridden this part twice before - in 2013 and 2015. It felt even better to be able to enjoy it in perfect conditions. The kilometres quickly slipped by. The riders happily chatted together as they rode along. After our rest day in Orleans it actually felt good to be back on the bikes and resuming our ride along the Loire.
I guess the only somewhat sad note to the ride is the low level of the water in the river. It is painfully obvious that the lack of rain has severely reduced the flow of water and the usually majestic Loire River is only a much reduced version of its normal self.
Since we had a short ride, our plan had been to stop in Meung Sur Loire for morning tea and then continue to Beaugency for a late lunch. The only problem was then we arrived in Meung, most of the shops were closed for Monday. (Yes Monday is a bit like a second Sunday here). We searched for coffee in vain. Just as we were about to give up, we were spied by an elderly lady who asked in very broken English what we were looking for. Apparently she had not spoken English since she had been in school, but she did reasonably well.
When she realised that we were looking for coffee, she explained that she knew a place. We were instructed to follow her. So off we went.
"It's about 100 metres", she explained. (That was a lie). We went up and down hills, through narrow alleyways, around roundabouts, etc, etc. We looked at each other, wondering just where she was taking us, I just hoped that she wasn't the famous poisoning Frenchwoman who was leading us all back to her house.
"You will have to forgive me, I am very old" , she explained. I thought that she must be at least 90 or so to be making such slow progress, but she went on to add "Yes I am 71 years old ". Crikey at that rate she would have been one of the youngest in the Ghostriders. We shuffled on and on. I was just glad that Maggie and I had both updated our wills before this trip started.
Just when we were all about to give up, she finally led us around a blind corner and VOILA, there was a cafe. Although we were told that they had no milk at first, all came good in the end and we were able to enjoy our cappucinos after all. Crisis averted and another wonderful insight into the French psyche. It will be recorded in our memories as one of the highlights of the ride.
Our home for this evening is the L'Ecu de Bretagne" Hotel. It is the same place I had stayed in twice previously, although it was the first time I had the doubtful privelege of having a room on the top floor. With no lifts in the place, scoring a top floor room is like being allocated a poison chalice. After dragging our suitcases up the narrow winding staircase I felt like the mythical Sisyphus who was condemned to spend all eternity rolling a massive stone to the top of a huge hill, only to see it roll down to the bottom again every night.
In the evening we all shared what will surely become the most memorable dinner of the trip. The restaurant had set up a huge outdoor table for us in the central part of the town. We watched the sky change colour from blue to pink to purple as we ate and chatted together. The food was amazing, buit it was the location that was pure magic.Baca selengkapnya
Enjoying our Day of Rest in Orleans
15 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
Even in a large cosmopolitan city like Orleans, Sundays are quite different from every other day of the week. We have become so accustomed to shops being open 7 days a week, that there is something refreshing about a country that still has enough self belief to put family life ahead of non stop commerce.
Our rest day in Orleans happened to coincide with the traditional "day of rest" in France. As we walked the streets near our hotel, we found them almost deserted. Most of the shops were shut and shuttered. It even looked like the huge articulated trams that had been passing back and forth every few minutes on the previous day, had also stopped running. In fact we did not see a single tram all day.
Fortunately the coin laundry was open and we made good use of its facilities to catch up on all our laundry backlog. This is always a very important survival skill when you are undertaking an extended bike ride. We returned to our hotel with our laundry bags full fo freshly laundered clothes and a feeling of relief that we would be able to cope for the next few days at least.
We did not have any ambitious plans for the remainder of our time in this city. While some choose to frantically rush hither and fro, looking at every major historical site, we are not that type of tourist. I even avoid those well known "hop on, hop off" bus services, as I really hate being crammed together with a crowd of people, all wearing those dreadful headphones. I would much rather spend my time wandering the place to get my own feeling for the city.
The most obvious thing we found was that the entire city was in the process of getting ready for a Festival of the Loire, due to start in three day's time. Along the river a long line of marquis were being erected. Banners were hung along all the main streets and the spectacular floral displays looked to be in full bloom. It was a bit of a shame that we would not be here for the festivities, but we have a schedule to keep downriver.
Although I had been here twice previously, on those occasions we did not have any spare time at all. Today we were able to walk the central part of the town and make our own discoveries. Unfortunately the hot sun also meant that it soon became uncomfortably hot for exploring and so we returned to the relative comfort of our hotel room. It was there we discovered that somehow a mistake had been made in the room reservations. Although we all staying here for two nights, a change in the hotel management had somehow changed the booking to one night only. This could have been a disaster, but fortunately they had enough spare capacity to make sure that no one had to spend the second night in the bike garage.
Tomorrow we resume our cycling along the Loire as we ride to the nearby city of Beaugency.Baca selengkapnya
In the City of St Jeanne d'Arc
14 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Ever since we first arrived in France, over three weeks ago, one of the main topics of conversation has been the lack of rain . Paris has had no rain for almost a month and large areas of the country are suffering water restrictions. In a country where floods are far more common than droughts, this has created some degree of anxiety among the locals.
The lack of rain might not be so good for the people of France, but it has certainly made our cycling easier. We have not had a single wet day, and it is looking like there will be no rain for at least the next week. This is a huge contrast to the last time that the Ghostriders were in this region, back in 2015.
On that ride we endured one of the toughest days in the saddle that the Ghostriders have ever suffered. The rain started before we rode out of our hotel in Orleans and continued unabated for the entire day. The temperature was in the single digits, meaning that we were all in danger of severe hypothermia. I remember that David Yate's face and hands had turned an interesting shade of blue and we all began to wonder whether he would actually survive the day.
The most memorable event occured when we were gathered in an open cornfield, trying to repair one of the many punctures that were also part of that incredible day. We heard a noise coming towards us like the sound of a hundred speeding locomotives. It was a most dramatic squall that was cutting its way through the field and heading straight for us. We were already as wet as we could possibly be and about as cold as a mountain climber on the summit of Everest, but the approaching storm filled us with dread.
Riders huddled together, trying to find protection from the sleet and freezing wind, as the storm front roared right over our heads. It was something we will never forget. When we arrived at our hotel, we all sought any means possible to restore some warmth to our bodies - sit in the bathtub, stand under the shower, cuddle the radiator, etc, etc.
It is clearly obvious as we ride alongside the, greatly reduced, Loire River, that we are are in no imminent danger of saturation or frostbite on this ride. The fields are much browner than usual and each day the sun shines from a cloudless sky. Any form of rain seems a very remote possibility.
Yesterday we rode from our overnight stay at Sully to arrive at the major city of Orleans. Although it was long ride, the favourable weather conditions made it not as tiring as it should have been . The day was also notable for the fact that I made the bold decision to put the leadership duties in the hands of two women - Sam and Kay. I would have to say that they actually did a great job, and we found that we got lost no more frequently than we did when a man was leading.
Carol and Maggie took on the role of "tail end Charlies" and seemed to spend most of the ride laughing together and taking pictures. They did observe that Vicki was the best behaved rider when riding in heavy traffic. She was awarded a special "safe rider" award at the evening meal.
Orleans is a large city of around 400,000 people. It is most famous for being the home of the famous Joan of Arc. Nowadays her name and image is everywhere throughout the city. This is where we will also have our first rest day during our Loire Ride. I have well learned how p[opular and vital these rest days are to restore morale and energy during extended rides.
In the evening we dined at the L'Ardoise Restaurant. We had been allocated an upstairs room, presumably to stop us disturbing the other diners. Our waitress was a lively young lady who was wearing a very short skirt which amply revealed a pair of very long shapely legs. The men folk all began wishing they were fifty or so years younger. That was until we heard the way she regularly yelled strings of obscenities at her hidden husband in the kitchen. She also spent the entire evening running up and down the long narrow staircase, carrying dishes to our 16 diners and also to the 30 or so downstairs patrons as well. It was a herculean effort in anyone's language.
Dining in France is always something of a theatrical experience. You cannot apply the same assessment criteria that you would in Australia. Sometimes it is best to just relax and learn to live by their rules and customs. After all, that is why we came to this country in the first place. The food itself was superb, but it was the entertaining performance of the waitress that we will all remember, long after the trip is over.Baca selengkapnya
A Message from the Portland Ghostriders
13 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
I have previously mentioned that, when we were on the L'Estello barge in Provence, we were joined by three American riders from Portland Oregon. Although we teased them mercilessly, it was actually great fun to have them share the ride with us. Their good humour meant that they could easily fit in with the silliness that was a feature of every day's ride and every evening meal.
One of the Portland ladies has sent me the following account which I am happy to include in our blog.
"A noisy group -especially when playing PIG! They said they could hear us on the other boat! When I first met the Ghost Riders, I wondered how the week would go, but I felt welcome from the start, and I even became an honorary member. I learned many new words, like “chevis” and “as useful as a one-ended stick.” Dennis made sure I learned about Australia, but luckily he forgot about the promised “test at the end.” I can’t believe there have been over 42 Ghost Rider trips and hope your trip through the Loire Valley is as wonderful as it sounds!!
Let me know if you would consider coming to Oregon for an official trip -we have bike tours through the gorge that are spectacular, mid-summer are our Cycle Oregon weekends, and mid-September is our legendary, week-long Cycle Oregon; I would love to host a visit for you to the new Oregon Chapter! I had so much fun with all of you, and I have many found memories and pictures. I hope to ride with you again -let me know if there’s an opening for your Cuba trip! I wish you all the best and hope to come to Melbourne someday and ride with you again!!
Until we meet again-Mira Vowels, honorary Ghost Rider"
Thank you Mira, it was our pleasure to share those few days with you and your fellow Americans. Who knows, maybe one day we will be able to take you up on your offer of riding in your part of the world.Baca selengkapnya
The Chateaux are Starting
13 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
The crash I suffered yesterday had obviously done something horrible to my left knee. All night whenever I rolled over in bed I was awakened by the pain involved in having to relocate my leg to somethingf approaching a comfortable position. I started to have serious worries about how I would cope with the cycling over the next few days. The problem with this type of trip is that there is no "Plan B" - each day it is our responsibility to get ourselves and our bikes to the next hotel. On the other hand I have discovered that you never really discover what you are capable of until you are put to the test.
The day began promising enough. A glance at the sky showed that we would be in for another absolutely cloudless day. It is incredible that we have not seen a drop of rain since we arrived in France over three weeks ago. One of the locals explained it like this "We need rain, but we don't want it". A typically French attitude.
The town of Briare is an absolutely picture perfect treasure. No town has a right to be this beautiful. It makes it impossible to travel more than a few metres without stopping to take a picture. Russell had been chosen as our ride leader for the day, a task he took to with enthusiasm. It was not really his fault that he managed to lead us into a dead end within 5 minutes of leaving the hotel. These sorts of things can happen to even professional cycling guides.
The undoubted early highlight was the Pont Canal. This ornate iron structure carries the water of the Canal Lateral de la Loire over the top of the Loire itself. For a long time it was the longest such elevated canal bridge in the world, but it has now been exceeded by the new canal bridge in Magdeburg, Germany.
As we made our way across the pont bridge, my main concern was to avoid falling in the stagnant waters. I was having great difficulty in starting and stopping and had to evolve a completely new (and absolutely unsightly) method for getting my damaged body onto the bike. To my relief I did discover that, once I was underway, I could pedal without too much discomfort.
Once we found our way out of the town, Russell caught the wind in what was left of his hair and raced ahead. That guy is a real pocket rocket when he decides to be and he was obviously relishing his new job at the front of the peloton. I was also relishing my new role somewhere at the back of the group. It was good to be able to just follow the rider ahead without worrying where we had to go.
The next amazing sight was the huge medieval city of Gien. Although we did not cross the wide arched bridge to enter the city itself, the view from the opposite bank of the Loire was superb. We also found it to be an ideal place to stop for coffee (actually two, as it was so good). Gordon also found it an ideal place to stage his own crash. Apparently he had been so captivated by the view on the opposite bank, that he missed seeing the curb and performed a slow motion pirouette into the bitumen. A few minutes later, the women had managed to bandage his bleeding elbow and make him look like a cycling leper.
We then found ourselves riding within clear view of another massive nuclear station. This one had not two, but four huge cooling towers, three of which were belching clouds of white steam into the air.
Russell somehow managed to find a lovely spot for our picnic lunches, complete with seats and a water view. After lunch we completed the ride along a lovely sealed bike path on an elevated levee bank.
Our destination for the day was the town of Sully Sur Loire, dominated by the huge Chateau de Sully Sur Loire. It was our first taste of a genuine castle and a great foretaste for the large numbers of such building swe will see over the next week or so.
After checking into the very comfortable Hotel Burgevin, we had plenty of time to explore the local area and have a closer look at the Chateau. My knee had survived its first real test and I was hoping that things would improve from now on.
Our evening meal was at the stangely named Aux P'tits Oignons restaurant. It was a tiny place, run by a French couple. He did all the cooking and she did all the serving. Neither of them spoke a single word of English, but the food was sensational. On the way home we walked the silent streets of Sully under a brilliant full moon, It might have been Friday the 13th, but we felt like the luckiest people on the planet.Baca selengkapnya
Things go Downhill Rapidly
12 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
I suppose that there are several ingredients for a great ride. These would include favourable weather, amazing scenery, good friends to share the ride with, an absence of punctures and a glorious downhill. Today's ride had all of these things. It also had another ingredient that I would rather we had gone without. That unwelcome ingredient was a crash. To make matters even worse, I was the one that crashed.
The day began well enough. We left the hotel and climbed back up to the main sqaure of Sancerre where the cafe had agreed to make us baguette sandwiches for lunch. When the whole peloton had obtained their lunch supplies, all we had to go was head down the same very steep hill that had almost done us all in yesterday.
At first I started walking the bike, but I am not the most patient man in the world and thought it would be better to ride instead. I started to scoot the bike and tried to throw my hind leg over the seat. It was at that point that my life started to flash before my eyes. I managed to get the leg partway over before the seat of my cycling knicks caught on the saddle. With the combination of the very steep descent and the fact that I was involved in some sort of macabre embrace with the bike, things quickly escalated. Although I tried to maintain some sort of dignity and control, after a period of bicycle contortions, I fell over the handlebars and crashed heavily to the road. It was not my finest hour.
I lay on the road for some time, trying to disentangle my arms and legs from the wheels, chains and handlebars of the bike. Somehow we seemed to have become fused together. Gradually I staggered back up to my feet and examined the carnage. I had taken a large impact to my left knee and managed to collect some of the road gravel in it. The rear of my right thigh was also scraped and I had other assorted cuts and abbrasions over the rest of my body. Not such a bad result under the circumstances.
The bike had also taken a hit and the front light had been smashed right off its bracket. We managed to secure it witgh a motley assortment of bandages and tape. I tried to assure the others that it was "only a flesh wound" and that I was fir to continue the ride.
I did manage to complete the rest of the ride, but by the time we reached our hotel in Briare I was conscious of the fact that my left knee had completely stiffened up. This is the same knee that had given me grief in the Baltics and it had taken several weeks to get better again. It now appears that I am back to square one.
Apart from my unfortunate early malfunction, the rest of the day's ride went without a hitch. The cycling was some of the most delightful any of us had ever experienced. The early focal point was the huge nuclear power plant that we had been able to see from the hilltop of Sancerre. One of the massive cooling towers was blasting a continuous jet of steam high into the atmospehere. No matter how you feel about nuclear power stations, the jet of steam was certainly an impressive sight.
The towers themselves were so huge that it was very hard to tell just how far away they were. It seemed to take us most of the morning to reach them, but we finally reached the power plant surrounded with heavily armoured perimeter fencing. Large signs warned that taking photos was prohibited (but we cheated ever so little on that point).
We also managed to find perfect spots for morning tea and lunch. Even more remarkable was our find of a lovely little cafe for afternoon tea. The owner had obviously been celebrating for most of the day and seemed more interested in dancing to his loud music than in serving us. We also discovered that he could not speak French - only Spanish. He did manage to rip me off for about twice the normal rate for a bottle of water and a coke. Such is life.
Late in the afternoon we reached the beautiful town of Briare, best known for its elevated canal over the Loire. We also discovered that the streets and bridges of the city are liberally decorated with lovely flowering plants. Since I cannot keep any plant alive for longer than about two weeks, I was amazed that the flowers throughout the entire town were all flourishing.
In the evening we all dined al fresco at the Le Clos des Aromes restaurant. This is one of the very best restaurants in the town and we quickly learnt how they earned that coveted accolade. Their food was simply divine.Baca selengkapnya
A Test of Strength in Sancerre
11 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
After our late start yesterday, we were all keen to get rolling on our bikes as early as possible. I had previously instructed the team to be down for breakfast by 7.30 am, so that we could get started on our ride at 9 am. Since a peloton rides on its stomach, it is always important to begin each day with a hearty repast of cereal, juices, baguettes, yoghurt, cheeses, fruit and of course coffee.
Buoyed by the lovely meal we had been supplied with the previous evening, we all entered the breakfast room of the hotel with eager anticipation of what glorious delights would be waiting for us. Our spirits soon took a dive when we saw the meager assortment that was waiting for us.
Not only was there barely enough food for 6, let alone 16 hungry people, but there was almost no cutlery or crockery either. The cereals ran out in the first couple of minutes. This was perhaps just as well as there were no bowls left to put the cereal into. The six slices of ham did not go far either. Although there was still some orange juice, the glasses were smaller than an egg cup, meaning that it was all gone in a single swallow. The owner simply did not seem to appreciate that anything was wrong, even when people had to resort to eating from dirty crockery.
We looked at each other, wondering whether we were about to witness some sort of miracle of the loaves and fishes. Unfortunately miracles were in short supply and so most of the group went hungry. The owner even struggled to supply us with hot coffee - our staple heart starter for the morning. If it had been an episode of Masterchef, I would have scored the breakfast a 2/10. The only pleasing thing was the lovely crunchy baguettes.
Although the breakfast was a letdown, our group was in high spirits at the prospect of a lovely ride along the Loire. The early morning weather was cool and fresh, a far cry from the scorching days we had so recently spent in Caumont.
On the way out of Charite, we stopped at the local Boulangerie to buy some sandwiches and cakes for a picnic lunch by the river. At least we then knew that we would not go hungry during the day.
The first part of the ride took us out of the town and back across the Loire. The most obvious feature of this part of the city was how neglected the ancient buildings were. Most of the houses looked like they had been deserted, giving the place the feeling of a ghost town.
We were soon comfortably cruising along an elevated levee bank. We had no real need to hurry as the day's ride was relatively short. It was wonderful to be able to just savour the moment, stopping for pictures along the way. We knew that there would be very few opportunities to purchase food or drinks along the way, however the guide book promised that there would be a cafe at the little town of Pouilly.
Although we initially rode a short distance past the turnoff, we did eventually make our way across the long bridge and found the promised coffee shop. It gave us a wonderful chance to chat with a group of fellow travellers and laugh with the owner. He asked where we were riding to. When we told him we were going to Sancerre, he rolled his eyes and pointed upwards with his hands. It turned out to be a very accurate prediction of what lay ahead for us.
After our morning tea stop we continued for another few km, looking for a suitable place for our picnic lunch. We were very happy to discover a lovely spot, right on the river bank. It was the perfect place to eat our baguettes and enjoy the rising temperature.
When we caught our first glimpses of Sancerre we could see that the final few km were never going to be easy. The city was prominently situated, right on the crest of a distinctive hill. A very steep hill. The ebike riders were not daunted, the rest of us shook our heads in fear and dismay.
Although the early climb was modest, the road took an abrupt left hand turn, sending us directly up the side of the mountain. The gradient would have been at least 16% or more. I could have risked a heart attack by trying to ride up it, but I could think of no good reason to do so. I stopped and started to walk. When I looked back I found that almost everyone else had done the same thing. As it turned out only two of the ebike riders (Maggie and Sue) had managed to complete the first part of the climb without dismounting, the rest of us decided to ride "Shank's pony" instead.
As we walked our way slowly up the climb, the views opened up behind us. Although it was really hard work, the location was breathtaking (yes, literally breathtaking). A short time later we reached our hotel - the Clos St Martin, and were able to spend the rest of the afternoon exploring this beautiful hilltop city. Once our heart rates had settled a little, we all agreed that the effort was really worth it. How priveleged we were to be able to experience such a glorious part of the world.Baca selengkapnya
On the Road Again
10 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ 🌙 15 °C
After our three days of relative inactivity (actually disorganised mayhem), it was time to resume our cycling. After all, that was why we had come all this way to the far side of the planet.
Before we could start riding we first had to get bikes. That is sort of a basic fact of the universe. But there was a problem, There often is. I received a phone call informing me that the man who was bringing the bikes from Blois was stuck in thick traffic and would be "retarded by at least an hour". We would have to adapt Plan B.
We had read that there was an amazing market in Nevers that was really worth seeing. A little further research showed that it was apparently close to our hotel. I therefore suggested to our riders that they might like to have a look at the market first, and then get the bikes later. Before I had finished my sentence, the women were already out the door looking for the market and an opportunity to spend money.
About 45 minutes later I thought I might as well have a look as well. The bikes still had not arrived and the hotel foyer was getting a little boring. I had not walked far when I found Carol and Sam walking back towards me. They were devastated. They had not been able to find the market. Obviously life can not get much wore than this. On further investigation, I found that they had actually walked right past the front door. I had to admit that it was a little underwhelming as it was only a food market and most of the stalls were still locked. There were none of those exciting stalls where women could buy Chinese knock offs at inflated prices. What a letdown.
The big bike delivery van finally arrived about 10 am and the driver slowly and carefully unloaded all 16 bikes. He did not want help as he wanted to do it his way. About 30 minutes later the bikes were unloaded and then began the familiar process of each rider finding their allocated bike and assessing its suitability. I had been in this position many times before and always find it stressful.
"My bike's too big", "My bike's too small", "Mine is the wrong colour for my shirt", "I won't ride a ladies bike", "I didn't know we had to ride bikes", "My handlebars are too pointy", "My seat's all funny", "My bottom is hurting already", "How do you change gears ?", "What are gears for anyway ?", "I don't want a pannier", "I want more panniers", "I want lunch".
It went on and on. It's not easy trying to set up 16 elderly citizens with walking frames, let alone with bicycles. After every single bike was adjusted, poked, asssessed and decorated with ribbons, we were finally ready to go.
Our peloton slowly wobbled down the main street, watched by numerous bemused locals. We somehow made it to the old city without too much incident, but then stumbled into a complicated sequence of staircases. We had to manhandle all the bikes down the stairs, at times coming close to destroying a couple of the ebikes. It was not an an auspicious start to the ride.
We finally left the city by crossing the bridge over the Loire. We were on our way at last. Actually we were on the wrong way. I had made a small error of navigation and was leading the group in the opposite direction. I quickly realised my error, the group U turned and we found the correct route.
What followed next was a beautiful bike path, right alongside a shady canal. This was just the type of riding that we all adored. It was what we needed to settle our nerves after the stress of the morning. You can imagine my joy when I spied a lovely cafe, right on the bank of the canal.
"This looks like a suitable coffee stop", I yelled.
"But we have only been riding for 10 minutes", someone commented.
"We have no idea when the next opportunity will be", I countered.
Since no one could fault my logic, we all parked the bikes. Actually we spread them all over the precinct in a random array of unlocked vehicles. Arie was no longer here to dictate that all be parked in a precise line with locks and chains galore. We just needed coffee.
It was now after 12 noon and I think that everyone was happy to sit and enjoy the surroundings. We also took a new group photo to immortalise the occasion. Our adventure on the Loire was now officially underway.
We never did find another place to buy our baguette lunch. Well actually we did, but they had none left. We rode the remaining 45km on empty stomachs. Fortunately the scenery was absolutely superb - a never ending sequence of canals, locks, tiny flowered villages and quiet bike paths.
The highlight was the Pont de Canal, an amazing sight which allows the Canal of the Loire to cross the Allier River. It would even have been more amazing to see a barge crossing the Pont, but the canal was deserted. The huge lock at the end had gates which must have been 10 metres high and they were decorated with colourful flowers. From the side, the structure almost looked like the huge Roman Pont du Gard, that we had ridden past in Provence. In nature it would be highly unusual to see two rivers crossing each other !
By the late afternoon a steady head wind had developed. It was nowhere near as strong as the Mistral we had endured in Provence, but on empty stomachs it was a challenge. Our first view of Charite Sur Loire was a memorable one, cameras were produced and pictures were taken.
The final kilometre to our hotel involved a long walking peloton through the ancient town. Our hotel was the quaint "Thousand and One Books" hotel. Every inch of the place had been decorated in a literary theme. The staircases were about 30 cm wide and there was no lift. It was going to be the pitstop for the first day of our Loire Ride.
Our evening meal was at the restaurant attached to the hotel, so we did not have to walk far. Once again the food was glorious. It had been the first time most of us had eaten since breakfast in Nevers.Baca selengkapnya
Trains, Trains and more Trains
9 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Although there is no doubt we had all thoroughly enjoyed our time in Aigues Mortes, after two days of relative inactivity, we were starting to get itchy feet (and I am not referring to the tinea commonly experienced by some other travellers). We actually were ready to resume our cycling. The only problem was that first we had to traverse about 600 km of France to reach Nevers where we were to begin our ride along the Loire River.
When I was putting this trip together I thought that it would be a good idea to include a couple of day's break between the end of section one and the start of section two. This turned out to be a very wise move as we discovered that it is basically impossible to get out of Aigues Mortes at the week end.
Although there is a train station at Aigues Mortes, the long grass growing up between the rails is clear evidence that the line is not exactly frequently traversed by trains. In fact we found that the 11:52 am train to Nimes is basically the only option and it only runs on weekdays.
In order to make our way to Nevers we would have to somehow negotiate a complex sequence of train connections and a glitch in any one of the these connections could have potentially disastrous consequences.
The long odyssey began with a walking peloton from our hotel to the station. We piled our mountain of luggage in a strategic position and waited for the train to arrive. When it did finally roll into the station, we were horrified to find that it was more like a bus than a train. It only had one carriage and that was already filled with passengers from the previous station.
We had no choice other than to resort to brute force. Fifteen elderly Ghostriders jammed cases into every available space (mostly in the middle of the single aisle) and then tried to find a place to stand. I spent the next 30 minutes balanced on one leg and trying to avoid falling into the pram that was pressed against my other leg. To make matters worse, the airconditioning was almost non existent and the temperature was soon soaring. It was not a pleasant start to a long journey.
When we arrived at Nimes we all were exceedingly glad to be free of the train. Since we had a 90 minute gap before the next train was due, we took the opportunity to get something to eat for lunch. The next train would be a first class ride to Dijon. At least we would look forward to reserved seats. The only problem was that, when we reached the platform we were told that the "train was retarded". That was not the news we wanted to hear, especially as we only had a 20 minute break at Dijon before we had to catch the final train to Nevers.
Our train was indeed retarded and became more so as the trip progressed. Although the scenery was absolutely glorious, I was too stressed to really enjoy it. It was soon obvious that we would have no hope of catching our third connection and I had horrific visions of having to spend the entire night sleeping on the railway platform, surrounded by our luggage. At least the wifi on the train was excellent, easily the best we had experienced in our entire trip so far.
Of course we arrived at Dijon, just in time to see the train we wanted to catch, disappear into the distance. This could have been catastrophic, but we did discover that there was a second train due to leave in about 40 minutes time. At least it looked like we would be able to reach our hotel, but probably too late for dinner.
Although it had not gone exactly to plan, we were delighted to discover that the train to Nevers was almost empty. We spread out over an entire carriage and started to misbehave terribly. It had been a very long day in transit and the combination of stress and sugar was starting to make the group act like kids at a red cordial fuelled birthday party. The few remaining locals in the carriage soon departed for other quieter parts of the train.
We finally rolled into Nevers at about 8 pm. The light was fading and the temperature was dropping as we rolled our cases up the deserted main street to the Best Western Hotel de Diane. I was relieved to find that the hotel reception was still waiting for us and they informed us that we had not missed our dinner after all.
We were even happier to find that the rooms were amazing - large, clean and comfortable. Best of all was the fact that the dinner was absolutely superb. As each dish was presented to us, we relished every mouthful. The benchmark for dining has now been set at an absurdly high level. It had been quite a day. Tomorrow we will be back on the bikes again.Baca selengkapnya
Very Unwelcome News from Home
8 September 2019, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
It is not easy travelling on an extended overseas holiday when you have pets at home. After all, they don’t seem to be able to look after themselves. Not only do they require feeding, dogs also need daily walks and cats need to have their every wish catered for. Fortunately there exists a particular kind of nomad called the “housesitter”. These people have adopted a gypsy lifestyle, whereby they exchange free accommodation and utilities in return for caring for pets that have been deserted by their globetrotting owners.
We have used the services of several different housesitters in the past and have found that the arrangement was mutually beneficial to all parties concerned. We had assumed the same thing would apply this time, after all we had driven all the way down to Geelong to meet the potential sitter, many months before we were due to leave. We even introduced her to the dog that she would be looking after. We had no reason to believe that things would not go well.
As it turned out the arrangements seemed to be going well for the two and a half weeks we have been travelling for. For the first few days we even got sent emailed “happy snaps” showing how well the cat and dog were being looked after. Even when the communications started to slow down, we assumed that all was going well. You can therefore imagine my surprise when I got a short message saying that the housesitter had decided to immediately pack up and leave. No warning, no opportunity to make other plans – she had just packed her bags and gone, leaving the pets in an empty house. Even more surprising was the way she ended her message with “have a happy holiday”.
To say that this constituted something of a curveball would be an understatement. We then spent much of the morning on the phone trying to put alternate makeshift plans into operation. We have never heard of a sitter acting in such an irresponsible way before, but there was little we could do about it when we were on the other side of the planet. When Maggie’s sister arrived at our house to see what had happened, she found that not only were the animals left unattended, but the front door had been left damaged, the airconditioner was broken, the washing machine had been moved and some towels had been taken. I suppose under such circumstances we should have been glad that she had not stayed for the full two months as I don’t think the house would have survived. I guess we have learned to be far more selective in our choice of any future potential house sitters. In the meantime we will have to somehow get by with “Plan B” for the next 6 weeks.
Since today was going to be our final full day in Aigues Mortes, I did not want the entire time there to be spoilt by the unwelcome news we had received. We had already decided that we should all visit the ramparts that surround the city. These fortified walls extend around the full 1.7 km perimeter of the old city and certainly would have posed a significant obstacle for any would be medieval invader.
If we had been aged between 18 to 25 years of age we would have been able to get access for free. For some reason the ticket seller would not believe that I fell in that age range and charged me the full price of 8 Euro. There was no concession for old Australians at all, even if our ancestors had helped rescue France from destruction in both world wars.
Once we climbed the stairs to the top of the imposing main tower I had to admit that it was worth every cent of the admission charge. The views out over the surrounding flat marshes were magnificent. In front of us we could see the long canal that our boat had followed to reach the city. I then spent the next 90 minutes walking the entire length of the ramparts. At irregular intervals the walls are punctuated by a succession of larger constructions. These were used for various functions, including chapels, prisons, forts, etc. The sheer amount of material and effort that had gone into the construction must have been incredible.
By the middle of the afternoon I was feeling tired and returned to my room at the Chez Carriere. Our room was situated next door to Gael and Gerry’s. For some reason Gerry seemed to have an inordinate amount of difficulty unlocking their door. Every 30 minutes or so we would hear a prolonged ritual of clanking, banging, key turning, often punctuated by a period of loud cursing. Just when you thought that they had finally opened the door, it would start all over again. I am sure that it would have been easier to make a hole through the 5 metres thick stone ramparts, than to turn the key in Gerry’s lock. Although I tried to instruct him on the correct technique for opening this sort of lock, it was obviously a skill that he never managed to master. To the contrary, he actually seemed to get noisier with each successive opening and closing.
Although we had no such difficulty with our lock, we did manage to almost shake the building from its foundations several times when we accidentally let the door slam shut. On such occasions I think the resultant bang would have been audible in Paris. In spite of these minor hiccups, the hotel really was a fantastic place to stay. The rooms were clean and comfortable, the air conditioners worked well, the location was perfect and the manager was delightful.
Tomorrow we will be bidding adieu to Aigues Mortes as we undertake a gruelling all day train odyssey to take us to Nevers to begin the second part of our cycling adventure. After a three day break, I am sure that all our team is very eager to get rolling again.Baca selengkapnya
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Pelancongwell done everyone... Steve and i have loved following your journey. Hope the knee is ok Dennis. Now to go shopping for your new Garmin. Enjoy