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- День 24
- пятница, 13 сентября 2019 г., 17:59
- ☀️ 26 °C
- Высота: 110 м
ФранцияSange47°46’12” N 2°22’32” E
A Message from the Portland Ghostriders

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.Читать далее
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- День 25
- суббота, 14 сентября 2019 г., 22:16
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Высота: 108 м
ФранцияPlace du Martroi47°54’7” N 1°54’25” E
In the City of St Jeanne d'Arc

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.Читать далее
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- День 26
- воскресенье, 15 сентября 2019 г., 09:34
- ☀️ 16 °C
- Высота: 107 м
ФранцияPlace du Martroi47°54’6” N 1°54’30” E
Enjoying our Day of Rest in Orleans

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.Читать далее
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- День 27
- понедельник, 16 сентября 2019 г., 10:36
- ⛅ 20 °C
- Высота: 99 м
ФранцияBeaugency47°46’40” N 1°37’58” E
What a Difference Sunshine Makes

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.Читать далее
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- День 28
- вторник, 17 сентября 2019 г., 22:07
- 🌙 16 °C
- Высота: 98 м
ФранцияBlois47°35’21” N 1°20’25” E
Goodbye Leonardo

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.Читать далее
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- День 29
- среда, 18 сентября 2019 г., 22:34
- 🌙 16 °C
- Высота: 73 м
ФранцияMasse47°24’46” N 0°58’60” E
A New Bike and a Beaver in Blois

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.Читать далее
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- День 30
- четверг, 19 сентября 2019 г., 21:35
- 🌙 16 °C
- Высота: 63 м
ФранцияMasse47°24’37” N 0°59’3” E
Rest Day in Amboise

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.Читать далее
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- День 31
- пятница, 20 сентября 2019 г., 21:46
- 🌙 18 °C
- Высота: 106 м
ФранцияTours47°24’29” N 0°42’12” E
Goodbye Sam & Carol

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.Читать далее
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- День 32
- суббота, 21 сентября 2019 г., 21:34
- 🌧 23 °C
- Высота: 30 м
ФранцияAzay-le-Rideau47°15’30” N 0°27’37” E
Villandry and the End of the Pies

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.Читать далее
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- День 33
- воскресенье, 22 сентября 2019 г., 22:19
- ⛅ 15 °C
- Высота: 55 м
ФранцияForteresse royale de Chinon47°10’2” N 0°14’17” E
The Rain Starts but we Stay Dry

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).Читать далее

The World on Two WheelsThis 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.
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- День 34
- понедельник, 23 сентября 2019 г., 20:36
- ☁️ 15 °C
- Высота: 48 м
ФранцияSaumur47°16’13” N 0°3’59” W
Troglodytes and the Prime Meridian

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.Читать далее
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- День 36
- среда, 25 сентября 2019 г., 14:23
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Высота: 37 м
ФранцияAngers47°27’48” N 0°33’49” W
The Day with Everything

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.Читать далее

ПутешественникIt was not day David and I want to remember. It all turned out well in the end 🤗
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- День 36
- среда, 25 сентября 2019 г., 22:29
- ☁️ 16 °C
- Высота: 38 м
ФранцияAngers47°28’22” N 0°33’3” W
Rest Day in Angers

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.Читать далее

The World on Two WheelsThis was the view from our hotel window. We were situated on the fourth floor, right behind the "DE" in the sign "HOTEL DE FRANCE".
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- День 37
- четверг, 26 сентября 2019 г., 18:20
- ☁️ 18 °C
- Высота: 18 м
ФранцияMontjean-sur-Loire47°23’32” N 0°51’45” W
Our River is Changing

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.Читать далее
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- День 38
- пятница, 27 сентября 2019 г., 21:11
- ⛅ 15 °C
- Высота: 74 м
ФранцияChamptoceaux47°20’14” N 1°16’2” W
A Glorious Ride to Champtoceaux

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 ?Читать далее
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- День 39
- суббота, 28 сентября 2019 г., 22:12
- ⛅ 14 °C
- Высота: 23 м
ФранцияSaint-Sébastien-Frêne-Rond Railway Station47°11’35” N 1°29’42” W
I Lose an Old Friend

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.Читать далее
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- День 39
- суббота, 28 сентября 2019 г., 23:31
- ⛅ 14 °C
- Высота: 18 м
ФранцияErdre47°12’33” N 1°31’33” W
Les Machines de I'lle

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.Читать далее

ПутешественникI have enjoyed re-living through your trip diary the trip we did in 2015. Janna
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- День 40
- воскресенье, 29 сентября 2019 г., 22:12
- ⛅ 16 °C
- Высота: 9 м
ФранцияLe Pointeau47°13’56” N 2°10’43” W
A Hard Day at the Office

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.Читать далее
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- День 41
- понедельник, 30 сентября 2019 г., 22:35
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Высота: 9 м
ФранцияBaie des Sables Menus47°17’16” N 2°31’54” W
Mission Accomplished

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.Читать далее
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- День 42
- вторник, 1 октября 2019 г., 22:24
- ⛅ 16 °C
- Высота: Уровень моря
ФранцияBaie des Sables Menus47°17’15” N 2°31’52” W
Final Rest Day in Le Croisic

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.Читать далее

Путешественникwell 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
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- День 43
- среда, 2 октября 2019 г., 22:12
- ⛅ 11 °C
- Высота: 20 м
ФранцияPlage de l'Éventail48°39’18” N 2°0’25” W
Hello St Malo

It is a great feeling to complete something that has been anticipated for such a long time. It is an even greater feeling when you have been able to share the experience with a group of like minded people. Unless you have actually done something like this, it is very difficult to convey exactly what it is like.
After being through so much together, the members of the group really do begin to feel like some sort of extended family. That always makes it somewhat difficult when the ride eventually finishes and the time for farewells starts.
Although the "official" trip finished this morning after breakfast,, the final time the whole group was together was at dinner last night. Several had to leave early this morning to catch trains to various other places. By the time we sat down for breakfast, we knew that our group was already beginning the process of breaking up. We will surely miss the fun and camaraderie that was an integral part of every day of the past 5 weeks.
For six of us, the adventure will continue a little longer as we make our way north to St Malo. This is a wonderful coastal city in Brittany that we fell in love with several years ago. We have been back many times since then and never fail to be mesmerised by the place.
St Malo has a rich history, being home to numerous privateers (state pirates) from the 16th to 19th centuries. It was also the site of a very important German naval base in WW2. When the German commander refused to surrender at any cost, it meant that the original old city was almost completely destroyed in the allied bombardment. It was then rapidly reconstructed in the 1950s. At first glance the city still looks medieval, however on close inspection, you can see that it is a brilliant reconstruction of what was originally here.
There is another natural phenomenon that makes this place special - the super tides. The coastline in this region is home to some of the most extreme tidal variations on the planet. In fact the variation between high and low tides can regularly exceed 10 metres. In order to protect the city of these huge tides a massive stone sea wall has been constructed. Even with the impressive wall, at times of the king tides, the huge waves can go over the wall and crash into the waterfront buildings. At such times huge crowds gather to watch the spectacle.
We had all had a marvellous time in Le Croisic, so much so that several of the group started to dream about how good it would be to retire there. But now the time had come for us to leave. Along with Maggie and me, there would be 4 others travelling with us to St Malo. This included Gerry and Gael and also Annie and Kay.
The trip to St Malo meant that we would have to take three train trips. First we had to travel to Nantes, then take a second train to Rennes, and finally a third train to St Malo. Such trips can be much more exhausting than cycling, especially when you have to rapidly drag your luggage up and down numerous staircases in a very limited amount of time. It is at times like this that everyone decides that their luggage is too heavy, but no one ever remembers that when the time comes for their next trip.
Somehow we all managed to survive the trains and we finally arrived at the Gare St Malo at 6.30 pm. Of course we still had a very lengthy walk to the Hotel Beaufort. It must be quite a comical sight seeing six old people dragging their suitcases over cobblestoned steets, vainly trying to dodge the dog poo and avoid snapping the castors off their bags each time they bounced over a curb.
Eventually six exhausted seniors arrived at the hotel. For us it felt like we were back home. The hotel is situated right on the ocean front and the views are priceless. The manager explained to us that we had arrived right at the time of the "very dangerous king tide" that would arrive in just two hour's time. In order to help protect the hotel they proceeded to fasten wooden shutters and armoured glass panels to the seaward facing windows. I had always wanted to witness the king tides, but had not realised that it was due on the very night of our arrival.
Although the tide rose right on time at 10.38 pm, the sea was quite peaceful. No waves came crashing through our first floor windows. I was just slightly disappointed.Читать далее
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- День 44
- четверг, 3 октября 2019 г., 22:41
- ☁️ 16 °C
- Высота: 20 м
ФранцияPlage de l'Éventail48°39’18” N 2°0’25” W
The St Malo Citadel

Apart from watching the never ending performance of the rising and falling of the huge tides, the other major attractions of St Malo are walking the huge sea wall and exploring the so called "old city". With such monumental tides and damaging waves to defend against, the city requires a very serious barrier to prevent their buildings being destroyed by the marine onslaught.
The major part of these defenses is a gigantic stone wall that has been erected along the Atlantic coastline. Not only does this wall provide a primary defence against the huge waves, but it also gives the people of St Malo a perfect place to walk, jog, cycle, roller skate or walk the dog. At any time of the day you will find a continuous passing parade of people and dogs moving past.
The old city (aka "The Citadel" is an impressive walled city that was home to a German garrison in WW2. The commander of the garrison refused to surrender and this resulted in nearly all of the original structure being destroyed by allied shelling and bombing. It was a complete waste of a priceless historic relic. An intensive 12 years rebuilding plan from 1948 to 1960 resulted in the construction of the current reproduction of the original city.
On our first free day in St Malo we had no ambitious plans, apart from walking to the city and then wandering the full length of the sea wall. So that's exactly what we did. We even got to see a couple of dolphins cavorting near the water's edge. It was a perfect day and an ideal way to relax after our long days on the bike.Читать далее
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- День 45
- пятница, 4 октября 2019 г., 19:03
- 🌧 16 °C
- Высота: 16 м
ФранцияPlage de l'Éventail48°39’17” N 2°0’31” W
Watching the Tides

It's a strange feeling walkin on sand, knowing that in a few hours time, it will be 10 metres under the sea. But such is life in magical St Malo. Life in this city is intimately connected to the daily cycle of the rising and falling of the tremendous tides. Just watching the process is a truly hypnotic experience.
As we left our hotel this morning the tides were at their highest. Although it is now a couple of days past the monthly maximum, the variation between high and low water levels is truly extreme.
As the waves crashed into the sea wall there were loud thumping noises as the reflecting waves collided with those coming in. Regular sprays of foam were thrown high into the air. Crowds of people had gathered, just to watch the waves.
Later in the day the sea had retreated many hundreds of metres, revealing a vast expanse of clean sand. This sand becomes a daily playground for a diverse range of activities. Dozens of wind surfers were also making use of the stiff breeze to race back and forth on the water. At the same time, the late afternoon sun was making a bashful appearance from between the clouds to cast an eery light on the Citadel. It really was quite a spectacle.
In two day's time we will be leaving St Malo and heading back to Nantes to collect a hire car. From there we will be spending a few day's exploring the Dordogne Region. It has been a remarkable trip but our thoughts are starting to turn back to those waiting for us in Australia.Читать далее
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- День 46
- суббота, 5 октября 2019 г., 22:20
- ⛅ 15 °C
- Высота: 26 м
ФранцияAnse de Dinard48°38’2” N 2°3’3” W
A Day in Dinard

Reached by a 10 minute ferry trip across the Rance River from St Malo, there lies the interesting township of Dinard. Apart from the impressive collection of subdtantial "old money" homes, the other dominating feature of Dinard is the large Casino.
Since we had no other definite plans for the day, five of us decided that it would be good to get a little sea air and take the short cruise to DInard. Another advantage of taking this short trip is that it also provides another vantage point to view the old city of St Malo.
When we arrived at the ferry terminal we noticed that two massive passenger liners had moored in the harbour. A steady relay of transfer boats were busy transferring people from the ships to St Malo. Gerry took one look at these multistory people transports and asked "Why would anyone ever want to get on one of those ?" Since I could not think of any rational answer to his question, I replied "Damned if I know".
Soon we had crossed the Rance and were walking along the waterfront walkway to the town centre. Since we had arrived at lunchtime, it was time to buy a baguette and coffee. Maggie recalled that the last time we visited this place her lunch had been stolen by an aggressive seagull. Not only did it pinch her raspberry tart, but it also managed to empty its copious bowels on us at the same time. It was not a happy memory.
Fortunately this time no avian attack took place and we were able to eat our lunches without incident. It was then that the ladies discovered that it was market day in Dinard. That discovery was akin to pouring petrol on a bushfire. Within seconds they had disappeared our of sight, leaving me to snooze in the warm sunshine.
Sometime later in the afternoon they reappeared, laden with fresh shopping and trying to justify the spending by some sort of lop sided logic about how much money they had saved. Maggie is the only person I know who seems to think that spending money can somehow actually save money that she can then spend on something else. Yes it makes no sense whatsoever, but she believes it like a fundamental law of the universe.
It was near 3 pm when we realised that the return ferry must be about to leave. Since we did not want to get stuck in Dinard, we fastwalked to the port and just managed to clamber on board as the ferry was leaving, The timing was perfect.
Another ten minute trip took us back to St Malo and a long walk took us back to the Beaufort Hotel. The tides had repeated their daily performance and the locals were back during their aquatic workouts.
At the end of the day the "St Malo six" went out together for our final dinner together. Tomorrow morning we will all be heading in different directions. Maggie and I will be heading back to the Loire to revisit Nantes and to collect our rental car.Читать далее
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- День 47
- воскресенье, 6 октября 2019 г., 22:11
- ⛅ 12 °C
- Высота: 27 м
ФранцияBras de la Madeleine47°12’35” N 1°33’59” W
Back to the Loire

I must admit that we all felt quite emotional. It is not easy to say goodbye to friends you have shared so many experiences with over the past few weeks. It was also something of an acknowledgement that our time in France was inevitably coming to an end.
Kay and Annie were catching an early train from St Malo to Paris airport. In a few hours they would both be on their way back to Australia. A couple of hours later we were farewelling Gael and Gerry as they headed off to spend a few days in Paris. That meant we were down to just the two of us. And where will will be going ? We will actually be heading right back to where we were about a week ago.
It was time to pam (ie cram) the suitcases again for another train trip. With bulging zippers we said goodbye to the girl at the desk of the Beaufort Hotel. It had been our fourth stay at this hotel and we told her that we both hoped it would not be the last.
As soon as we started rolling our way towards the train station, we started to miss the sound of the ocean. That continuous white noise of the waves and tides really does work its way into your subconscious. It is certainly a magical way to drift off to sleep.
Our plan was to travel back to Nantes - the place where we had seen the giant automated elephant and dined like royalty at La Cigalle. That meant catching the train from St Malo to Rennes and then getting a second train to Nantes. Although the French make amazing trains that can cross the nation silently at 300 kph, their station design leaves a lot to be desired.
It is apalling that so many of their stations still have no lifts or escalators. There is often no alternative to manhandling suitcases up and down long flights of stairs. I cannot understand how anyone with any sort of physical disability would manage. It is bad enough for people of "senior years", like us.
Even if you successfully manage to get your luggage through the station and on to the correct train, there is almost no storage room on the trains for suitcases. We have often had to jam the case into the same seats we were sitting on and then have an extremely uncomfortable journey as a result.
At least the train to Rennes was only partially full, enabling us to grab a couple of spare seats for our luggage. We then sat in fear that additional people would board the train and demand those two seats. Fortunately that did not happen and we made it to Rennes without incident.
With only a few minutes to catch the next train, we performed the "suitcase two step" between the platforms, arriving exhausted at the Nantes train. In the process I think I also managed to do more damage to my back and knee. This really is the not so glamorous part of travel.
Although the Nantes train was more densely populated, we somehow managed to find a tiny piece of space for our luggage and sat down to enjoy the wonderful scenery outside. An hour later we were getting off the train at Nantes. Ity almost felt like being back home again as the place was familiar. It was also significantly warmer than it had been in St Malo, so we were soon discarding our coats.
After checking into our hotel we wandered back into the streets of the centreville. One shop caught our attention. It was an optical shop with a slogan "10 Euros in 10 Minutes". And yes, it is true. They can make you a pair of glasses for 10 Euro in 10 minutes. Everything is highly automated and done in front of your eyes. You don't even need an appointment OR a prescription as they can do a high tech eye test on the spot. It seemed an incredible concept and we would have gone inside and given it a try if it had not been a Sunday and if they had not been closed. I could do with a spare pair of 10 Euro glasses.
Tomorrow we will be colelcting our hire car from the depot and then heading further south to the Dordogne region.Читать далее
ПутешественникIt was great to share the adventure with the Oregon trio. Also great to meet a few Ghostriders I had not met before. It ended way too soon.