and so I'm on the train. at almost 300 km per hour my watch vibrates every minute to warn me that I have done 5 kilometers. I have no way of telling him that I am now traveling by train, he still thinks he is on a bike.
but for now I have cycled enough.
the line between France and Italy is closed for a landslide, SNCF canceled my train and did not give me an alternative way to return home. here they say only desolé.
anyway I was in Orleans, I think.
a year ago, I think.
a year ago I got back to riding on the Loire, finally with the wind behind it, a nice fresh Northeast wind that pushed me along the river and in the middle of castles and villages.
France from the train is not very different from that from the bike, only faster and crowded with people who do not smile at me as much.
I leave the river almost without realizing it, I expected a climb but it is so soft that it is not there. there are wheat fields instead, it is mature and there is a great deal of harvesters. the wind pushes me as far as Vendôme, I go through the historic center which is as beautiful, green and elegant as the Paris square.
after Vendôme I begin to feel tired, especially at the saddle. the roads of France are not smooth, they are an endless series of invisible bumps, and in the long run even the most comfortable bike in the world becomes unbearable.
at a curve, through an opening in a hedge I hear an accordion, I see a lake and a meadow. within, there is a big tent full of old people having lunch, with a young lady who plays the accordion and one who makes them sing. they beckon me to come in, they smile at me, but I don't know the songs and I take a coke. I applaud, and I go and lie down by the lake. I sleep maybe twenty minutes, enough to feel good, but I go away reluctantly. I think that was the most comfortable spot of the trip.
as arrived at Le Mans I go immediately with Fred to the station, to ask how to get back home. désolé.
Fred and Steph are very nice, they prepare me a healthy and proteic dinner, a couple of beers, and then immediately to bed before the last stage.
I feared that it would be the hardest, instead pedaling in three (with Fred it is Michel, ça va sans dire) the day passes quickly, traveling without bags the bike is light again. we chat while pedaling, we buckle uphill, we stop by a lake to have a picnic with Steph and Liliane, the sandwich seems to me the best ever, I eat half of it right away and keep the other half for later. spending ten hours a day on a bike you get used to doing everything, pedaling. eating is normal, even if stopping to eat is also a way to rest. in the longer and less steep descents I came to rest my elbow on one knee, and my chin on my wrist. and rest like that.
the wind is not strong, but it pushes us a little to Fougères, which compared to twenty years ago has become a tourist town, looks like a fortified city in Val d'Orcia.
from then on the air changes color.
there are still twenty kilometers to go, but you can already smell the sea. the wind turns and turns against, when in the distance I begin to glimpse the flèche among the trees, I go atmorethan 30 kmh against the wind, I leave the others behind. arriving pushes me, I push to arrive, I have infinite energy. pedaling on the catwalk is forbidden, or maybe not, but let's go anyway.
I laugh as I ride to the end of the road, I cry when I get there. for no reason. low tide smells of algae. two Turinese people arrive by bike, exhausted. they rented the bikes in the village, five kilometers away. they must never have come a long way by bike. me neither.
we say goodbye to Michel, Steph and Liliane, we are both exhausted, we deserve two beers, a galette and a pancake each. I add a calvados.
today we made the last 60 kilometers on small roads in the middle of the woods, it is Saturday and there was no traffic, we cycled side by side and chatted, we had time, it was not hot, we were fine.
in Rennes, we took just the time for a shower, a sightseeing tour of the city, lunch. Bicio is now in a bag, on the train. the fields around the train are the same as those around the bike, but the grain is no longer visible.
day 7
pedaled 169km
height difference 822
Drank 4.5 liters
pissed 4 times
day 8
ride 185km
height difference 872
drank 4 liters
pissed 4 times
day 9
ride 61km
height difference 245m
drank 2.5 liters
pissed twice
1233 total km
total height difference 7431
collected 1634 euros
drank 37.5 liters
pissed 23 times.
but for now I have cycled enough.
the line between France and Italy is closed for a landslide, SNCF canceled my train and did not give me an alternative way to return home. here they say only desolé.
anyway I was in Orleans, I think.
a year ago, I think.
a year ago I got back to riding on the Loire, finally with the wind behind it, a nice fresh Northeast wind that pushed me along the river and in the middle of castles and villages.
France from the train is not very different from that from the bike, only faster and crowded with people who do not smile at me as much.
I leave the river almost without realizing it, I expected a climb but it is so soft that it is not there. there are wheat fields instead, it is mature and there is a great deal of harvesters. the wind pushes me as far as Vendôme, I go through the historic center which is as beautiful, green and elegant as the Paris square.
after Vendôme I begin to feel tired, especially at the saddle. the roads of France are not smooth, they are an endless series of invisible bumps, and in the long run even the most comfortable bike in the world becomes unbearable.
at a curve, through an opening in a hedge I hear an accordion, I see a lake and a meadow. within, there is a big tent full of old people having lunch, with a young lady who plays the accordion and one who makes them sing. they beckon me to come in, they smile at me, but I don't know the songs and I take a coke. I applaud, and I go and lie down by the lake. I sleep maybe twenty minutes, enough to feel good, but I go away reluctantly. I think that was the most comfortable spot of the trip.
as arrived at Le Mans I go immediately with Fred to the station, to ask how to get back home. désolé.
Fred and Steph are very nice, they prepare me a healthy and proteic dinner, a couple of beers, and then immediately to bed before the last stage.
I feared that it would be the hardest, instead pedaling in three (with Fred it is Michel, ça va sans dire) the day passes quickly, traveling without bags the bike is light again. we chat while pedaling, we buckle uphill, we stop by a lake to have a picnic with Steph and Liliane, the sandwich seems to me the best ever, I eat half of it right away and keep the other half for later. spending ten hours a day on a bike you get used to doing everything, pedaling. eating is normal, even if stopping to eat is also a way to rest. in the longer and less steep descents I came to rest my elbow on one knee, and my chin on my wrist. and rest like that.
the wind is not strong, but it pushes us a little to Fougères, which compared to twenty years ago has become a tourist town, looks like a fortified city in Val d'Orcia.
from then on the air changes color.
there are still twenty kilometers to go, but you can already smell the sea. the wind turns and turns against, when in the distance I begin to glimpse the flèche among the trees, I go atmorethan 30 kmh against the wind, I leave the others behind. arriving pushes me, I push to arrive, I have infinite energy. pedaling on the catwalk is forbidden, or maybe not, but let's go anyway.
I laugh as I ride to the end of the road, I cry when I get there. for no reason. low tide smells of algae. two Turinese people arrive by bike, exhausted. they rented the bikes in the village, five kilometers away. they must never have come a long way by bike. me neither.
we say goodbye to Michel, Steph and Liliane, we are both exhausted, we deserve two beers, a galette and a pancake each. I add a calvados.
today we made the last 60 kilometers on small roads in the middle of the woods, it is Saturday and there was no traffic, we cycled side by side and chatted, we had time, it was not hot, we were fine.
in Rennes, we took just the time for a shower, a sightseeing tour of the city, lunch. Bicio is now in a bag, on the train. the fields around the train are the same as those around the bike, but the grain is no longer visible.
day 7
pedaled 169km
height difference 822
Drank 4.5 liters
pissed 4 times
day 8
ride 185km
height difference 872
drank 4 liters
pissed 4 times
day 9
ride 61km
height difference 245m
drank 2.5 liters
pissed twice
1233 total km
total height difference 7431
collected 1634 euros
drank 37.5 liters
pissed 23 times.
also check my instagram page for daily pics
