06.05.09
UPDATEY Goodness
OK so we’re currently n the town of Bandol on the mediterainian coast of France and I’ve realised that I’m never going to be able to keep upto date if I keep trying to add loads of detail. SO I’m gunna give a really quick run down since our teary fareweel to our initial cycle buddy, Jen in Paris.
We went to versailles and were amazed by the awesomeness of the gardens. The museum pass is invalueable in Paris as it saves you hours of queuing.
After Paris and a big thanks to Alexis for his awesome hospitality and putting up with us for 3 days we headed south.
Camped in teh bush and were nearly blown away by a thunderstorm overnight.
Hit the Loire valley the next day in Briar. Bloody beautiful town and this began the start of many wonderfully flat days and our first real tail winds that lasted all the way to Marseille.
The loire was beuatiful country side with lots of farming, white cows and old chateaus. Lots less inhabited and lots more organised than northern france.
From the loire valley we pushed a 120 km day, over a mountain range into the rhone valley. Stayed with Italian couchsurfers Samuele and his girlfriend and they were supernice and really looked after us after our longest day yet.
Then into Lyon for a quick stay and more awesome hosptiality from Jo and Tom and their kids. Lots of food and chats and fun. Tom rode 30 km with us out of Lyon and we went with the flat and the tail wind south. FIrst night stay in the field of a cool restauranteur, Bernoit and in a castle the next. Bernoit served us wonderful local cuisine of fried minnows and grenouilles (frogs). I never thought that my chips would be bigger than the fish on my plate.
We then made it to Avignon which is a pretty a ok city.
Then pushed south to keep the wind behind us and were planning to stay in Marseille. Unfortunqtely the city sucks and I caught 3 people trying to steal from us in the first hour. lucky that I’m on the ball or a guy would have walked off with Nics bag and 2 pickpockets would have got stuff. So after getting our fix of the Chateau d’if of Count of Monte Cristo fame we made a quick exit over the hills to Cassis. Then today we are heading along the Med passed Toulon. Its great.
One thing that we’ve really noticed is that there is a significant proportion of the french that really go out of their way not to go out of their way for you. Its not all of them, its not even half of them but there are an annoyingly large number of people in this country, especially the south, that seem to take enormous pleasure in being rude and.. well to put it bluntly pricks! It really detracts from the great and helpful people that we have met.
In other news Nic has taken the pressure off of me by having the first stack (crash) of the tour. I really thought that it would be me that would bite the dust first but in Marseille yesterday Nic missed a small gutter and fell off cutting her knee. Nothing too serious (no amputations required) but it’ll sting for a while and we’ll have to watch it for infection and nastiness. She did pretty well as I would have cried if it had been me.
Anyway, time for lunch and getting back on the road so that we can meet Dan and Christal in Nice in a few days.
Love and hugs
Tc
Russ said,
June 24, 2009 at 2:30 am
Did you get a chance to rough up the pickpockets or give them a boot? Or did your manly voice yelling at them scare off the germs?
Love your work! Hope Nic’s knee mends well!