Category: Bike Touring
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Progress so far…
So far we’ve cycled about 1,050 miles, which is about midway of our planned trip. The entire trip should be about 2,100 miles if I’ve calculated correctly. 😎 it’s kind of cool to see our progress on a “real” map! This map was on the wall of the common room at the camping place at…
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Sancerre to Nevers in the cool
We left our cozy apartment after morning squalls wet the pavement and further cooled the air. It was a short day to Nevers, giving us some time to relax and enjoy the voyage. The day started with a cat and Chris the cat whisperer lured another off the side of the road for some snuggles.…
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A day in Sancerre
To be fair, it was really a scant half day in Sancerre, since the temperature was forecast to be 101°. We really wanted to get back to our apartment shortly after noon, and lock ourselves into the cool shaded ground floor and wait out the worst of the heat. So we gave Sancerre a couple…
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Going to Sancerre!
Anyone who drinks white wine knows Sancerre, one of the notable wines of the world. The route we are on passes right by the village of Sancerre, and this seems like a perfect place to hunker down for a couple days/nights until the heat dies down. It’s going to be 101 degrees today (and tomorrow)…
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A canal over a river, and other tales
We left Orléans at about 7:30am, enjoying the cool morning air. It’s going to be hot today and hotter the next couple days so we need to keep getting out early. We rode 54 miles today in a mild headwind, had our first flat tire and made it to camp about 4:00pm.
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A day in Orléans
Days when we get an apartment for a couple nights in a city are great. We get some extended time out of the sun, sleep in a real bed, watch Netflix at night and are able to shop for groceries and cook for ourselves. And we get a whole day to do normal stuff, meaning…
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Into Orléans, and another visit to Decathlon
We started this segment of our trip in Roscoff Brittany, planning on 3-4 weeks in cool and wet conditions, cycling and maybe some hiking along the coast. Naturally, we packed for that type of weather and activity, carrying waterproof everything and clothing to keep us warm, and allowing us to hike some longer distances. And…
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Bastille Day – July 14!
The party started yesterday evening and lasted well past midnight – the French celebrating Bastille Day! The noise kept Chris awake but I slept through it all. The National Day of France, also known as Bastille Day, is one of the most important days in the history of France, as it marks the fall of…
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Amboise – amazing chateau (and retail therapy)
Today was a practical day when Chris and I went to Lidl for groceries and Decathlon, a large outdoor gear retailer, to get camp chairs, a new helmet for Chris ( hers was cracked), some clothes, bungee cords, plastic cutlery and other stuff. We got up early but the store opens at 9:00 so we…
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My bike and panniers
I’ve had a few people express interest in how my bike is configured and how I carry gear on the bike. Chris has her own bike and panniers which I will cover in another post. The bike is steel and is a general purpose/touring/gravel bike. Touring bikes generally are not fancy or expensive. The name…