Season 5. Episode 9. Rising up again.

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 basically what we are doing, traveling self-supported by bike is quite common here. Though most people we meet are commuters or traveling for 3-14 days.

We finally hit the west coast and had our first glimpses riding along the Atlantique.

And how weird for us life long east coasters to watch the sun SET over the Atlantic Ocean.

At this point, I’m starting to feel the cumulative wear and tear of the riding and feeling some aches. I really try to stay present and not think too much ahead to when is our day of rest, but today I confess to wondering ahead. The ocean views and dinner with sunset do help soothe aches. Ice cream is also an effective balm - to eat, not rub. 

August 26, 2025. Brem-Sur-Mer to La Rochelle. 72 miles. 

Much of today was either riding between inland canals, or...

...along the ocean where we’d stop and watch surfers.

Southwest France happens to be the surf capital of Europe. 

Because of a 4km stretch of road being repaved, we had to ride instead for the first time here in what we’d call a really busy highway with fast cars and trucks passing us. That kind of riding was common on all 4 of our American epic rides, but very rare here. 

But what made it even crazier was we were with this older married French local couple who told us about the detour. They were easily late 70s or older and she was riding in a dress on this highway. 

We had no idea what a treasure of a town La Rochelle is. Another highly recommended place to visit.

It’s a charming old medieval town that is seaside with a port and marina and many alleys to explore. And I learned it was the base of the French Protestants (Huguenots) which makes the connection to our neighboring town at home - New Rochelle whose athletic teams are the Huguenots. 

August 27, 2025. La Rochelle to Royan. 51 miles. 

More of the bike as part of their culture here used as one of those neighborhood little free libraries.

Royan is a beach resort town known for its 1950’s modernism as the city was destroyed by the bombing of the Allies in 1945 when the city was held by the Germans. 

Notre Dame de Royan built in the 1950’s is the modern symbol of Royan rising up again.

Its modern design stands in marked contrast to all the other churches one is accustomed to seeing. It’s something I first imagined that Howard Roark, a literary hero of mine, would design. But then again I know that he’d rather not.

Royan is a popular beach resort. While it doesn’t have the charm of places that survived the war with their old cities intact like La Rochelle, it represents the spirit of survival, of overcoming challenges - phoenix like. 

So it seemed fitting that it was here that I was catching up with Lenny on the phone while walking through Royan. (As a reminder, Lenny is one of the two people with paralysis who we honor in riding for the Reeve Foundation.) Lenny and I chatted about the moment when his doctor told him he will not walk again. And that was after fighting for his life through multiple surgeries that he survived. Survived to then hear that devastating news. I can’t imagine how I’d respond to such news. Could any of us possibly imagine how we’d really respond? Anger? Denial? Fear? A range of emotions no doubt. 

And so after multiple surgeries to survive, Lenny then had to undergo months of rehab. Rehab that didn’t lead to walking again, but learning how to manage as best as possible with not walking. 

And as I’ve written in past years, when we’ve gotten to know people with paralysis, they have told us the inability to walk while very significant, (and for sure they wish to walk again), is amongst the least of their issues. The collateral medical issues include bowel and bladder management, difficulties regulating body temperature, blood pressure issues, neuropathic pain, skin pressure sores and infection risk to name some.

Lenny and I talked about getting to a point of acceptance of whatever you call it - a new normal. It takes years to get there - if you do, because not everybody gets to a point of acceptance. 

If that doesn’t take epic spirit of survival, overcoming challenges, what does? It’s why we are so inspired by Lenny, Ernie and others we have met through the Reeve Foundation - Alan and Ron to name a few. 

If you’ve not yet had a chance to support the Reeve Foundation, please consider making a gift at Heather & Mark Ride for Reeve.

© Copyright Mark Segal 2025.