Shifting Gears

Season 5. Episode 10. To take off the edge.  August 29, 2025. Royan to Lege-cap-Ferret. 68 miles.  We had a short ride of less than a mile to the ferry that would take us from Royan across the Gironde Esturay to Le Verdon.  The day was off to an awful start. It poured on us as we sprinted by bike to the ferry. On top of the rain, the weather forecast showed wind gusts up to 29 mph that made the 65° feel like 57°. We could hear the wind howling throughout the night, that made me anxious for today’s ride. While waiting for the ferry, we befriended a local couple and took solace that we were not the only cyclists braving the elements. Standing on the pier we all felt the wind blowing us and could see the ferry rocking back and forth aggressively. As George Costanza would say, the sea was angry that day, my friends. It seemed fair that after over 2 weeks of great riding weather, we were due to get some rain. I also took some comfort thinking that maybe it was also raining in ...

Season 5. Episode 9. Rising up again.   August 25, 2025. Nantes to Brem-Sur-Mer. 62 miles.  We woke up today in Blois in the Loire Valley for our train back to Nantes and to resume our riding towards Porto.  Unfortunately I woke up an hour earlier with a cramp in my left calf that’s happened on a few other nights. I’m confident it’s from insufficient stretching so need to allocate more time to stretch. At least we have a foam roller with us if I want to use it.  In the Nantes train station, getting bikes upstairs (they don’t fit in the elevator) requires pushing up a side ramp. And we were 2 of many. It’s just common. On topic of infrastructure, the Blois hotel was another new experience for us. It’s the first place that would not allow our bikes to go in our hotel room. Instead they needed to go in the underground garage with cars but in a special locked bike room. Travel by bike is that popular. The 2 level bike parking “lot” at the Nantes train station. So basical...

Season 5. Episode 8. It’s good to be the king! Or is it? August 23, 2025. Treilleurs to Nantes, (train from Nantes to Tours), Tours to Amboise and Chenonceaux 35 Miles.  August 24 2025. Chenonceaux to Chambord to Blois. 55 Miles. Our bed and breakfast host Guillaume (William) surprised us with a candle in our baguette to celebrate today being our 33rd anniversary. So this is a good space where I pay tribute to Heather. My love, best friend, partner in life, and sidekick for joining all my crazy expedition ideas. She’s super smart, incredibly determined, truly reliable, a wonderful mother, grounded, real, down to earth, practical and cute to boot. I’m barely able to keep up with her on a bike and in life. I’m lucky she’s still tolerating me!  (When I showed this blog to Heather, I did not include this paragraph. So it’s a surprise and she is seeing it at the same time that you are. I am compensating for her having an anniversary card for me that morning, and I not having one.) ...