Europe Bike Tours
France 2010 - Geneva to Frankfurt - Trip Log
06 Jun 10 - Depart home at 08:00, Lynn drives to the Airport before church. Check in OK, explosives swab at inspection. Odometer 19230. Weight 140 lb, 64 kg. Checked bags 20.5 kg. Carry on 5.7. Light turbulence over the Australia and the tropics. Arrived Changi about 1800 - 1.5 hour time difference. Munich boarding at 2230 seat 41A. Some minor turbulence through the night.
07 Jun 10 - Munich, landed around 06:00, cleared immigration and customs after claiming baggage. Large chain wheel on bike bent. Straightened to reduce interference. Way out of airport for bikes was unclear, bike path along the Isar was nice. Reconnaissance of the rail station in afternoon. Bike lanes even with small traffic lights for bikes. Camping colleagues - Sebastian from Brisbane on BMW 1200 who finished working in Saudi Arabia and hiker who hiked across Spain, etc since Oct 2008.
08 Jun 10 - Munich to Geneva. Light before 05:00 and similar at 22:00. Packed and departed by 07:15. Packed bike on sidewalk outside rail station and used luggage cart when possible. First ICE train, bike was in end aisle space with other large bags. First transfer at Mannheim was poorly executed. My car was car 3 and I had to get onto car 13 due to the short stop time. Leapfrogged with bike bag and panniers to my carriage. The Basel transfer had just sufficient time and I boarded at the bike carriage. Nice country around Basel. In Geneva I took half an hour to assemble my bike and adjust the packing - no apparent damage. Unlike Munich - Geneva is not particularly cycle friendly. Point la Bise caravan park was about 7km from the city . Stores were closed by 20:00 - I will have a big breakfast in the morning.
End Odo 19310 dist 22.5
09 Jun 10 - Geneva to Champfromier. Bumbled my way through Geneva to Chancy and through the hills to Bellegarde. No camping there so 15 km more to Champfromier. Beautiful municipal campground overlooking the town and valley. Met Marcos from Friebourg Germany. Sausages, couscous and capsicum for tea with 2 beer, fruit to go.
End odo 19382 dist 65.3 Time 4:06 Average 15.9
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10 Jun 10 - Champfromier to St Claude. Hills and valleys through picturesque Haut Jura. Campground is 3 km from town. Laundry hung before shopping in town - meat loaf from boucherie, plus carrots and zucchini, vin de pays Cabarnet Sauvignon in 1 litre carton. Shared bottle of red with cycle tourist from Koln. Thunder storms overnight.
End Odo 19440 Dist 58.8 Time 3:57 Average 14.8
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11 Jun 10 - Saint Claude to Bonlieu. Hilly with favorable weather. An extra six kilometers traveled due to a navigation error. Food for evening from St Claude. Bread from Camp restaurant (full bread, how much would you like - one third, one Euro), Beer from Bonlieu hotel. Rain through the night. Evening break managed to do dishes before dark. Tried phone booth, no luck with credit card.
End Odo 19501 Time 4:06 Dist 60.8 Average 14.8
12 Jun 10 - Bonlieu to Malbuisson. Hilly terrain through interesting mountains. Saine and Doubs rivers. Left the Jura for the Doubs river region. Saw one older cycle tourist nearby. Interesting waterfall and mill early in the day. Supermarket - duck sausage for tea with couscous, carrot, zucchini. Will be eggs, cheese, baguette for breakfast.
End odo 19561 Time 3:26 Dist 59.5 Average 17.3
13 Jun 10 - Malbuisson to Nozeroy. Windy during travel with light winds. Hills and valley with forests and the clanging of cow bells. Sunday cyclists active throughout. Nozeroy walking photo tour in evening. Arrived before Vival store closed and got baguette and directions for the boulangerie before it closed. Nozeroy is a 13th to 15th century fortified town, old style buildings, gardens outside the bastion walls. Older people worked till evening in the garden plots. Meal at noon and ongoing conversations. I was the only camper in the grounds although it was oriented to camping cars - with some good spaces for tent(s). Lights in the showers, no mirrors or hand basins. The Travel Information center advised that the camping was free since no one collected the 5 Euros.
End odo 19603 Time 2:14 Distance 37.7 Average 16.9
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14 Jun 10 - Nozeroy to Arbois. No overnight rain. Tent almost dry in the morning. Moderate rain shortly after departing decreasing to drizzle in about 2.5 hours. Down to long sleeves by Arbois. Rolling terrain. Found the Route de Sapins alternatively. About 8 extra kilometers due to navigation. Laundry by hand after grocery shopping. Some blue sky patches in evening. Boudin de poisson and de St Jacques with capsicum and onions for tea. Found one supermarket with with 250 ml bottles x 2. Coffee now in stock. Tissues and dish soap. Used the D2 computer odometer function to help with navigation. Hazel nut bush hedges in the campground near the sports complex.
End odo 19676 Time 3:59 Dist 73 Average 18.3
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15 Jun 10 - Arbois to Besancon and Auxerre- nice country but navigation problems at start and end. Followed N83 into Besancon sharing the lane with large vehicles, little verge, barriers and hard places. Followed the signs to the SNCF station and train to Laroche Migene via Dijon departing at 15:30. Three types of regional and local trains, fast and comfortable and OK for bikes. Arrived Auxerre before 20:00. Some wrong directions before finding campground. Stores closed so had "leftovers" including couscous. Laundry dried overnight, no rain or dew. Lynn not back from tea - phone ~ 20 minute return walk.
End odo 19751 Time 4:22 Dist 72.03 Average 16.5
16 Jun 10 - Bourgogne - Auxerre to Noyers sur Serein. Went back into town to return past the campsite on the way out. Rolling terrain again. No water fountains in the towns and roadside ditches are dry. Many vines around Chablis. Serein river flows slowly. Noyers is an old fortified city, cobble stone streets join the main gates. Streets are mostly single lane. Camp area is a gem, 6 foot high stone wall and locked gate of wrought iron, etc. Stone toilet, shower and basin area, tiled roof extends over the kitchen and table area including clothes lines. Artisan 2 flour bread from the boucherie. Half size bottle of Corbieres red wind, nice. Two pasteries today, one apple, one fried dough, both good.
End odo 19832 Time 5:10 Distance 80.9 Average 15.6
17 Jun 10 - Noyers to Vezelay - started the ride with 2 x 6.5 km in the wrong direction. Rolling hills to Avallon. Cold with drizzle there and after. Set up wet - need a dry day. Groceries from Vival store in fortified town of Vezelay. Bordeaux, pork sausages, and courgette for tea. Lynn not checked in to hotel - bad weather in south of France. Doorless shelter with table was hard for cooking my meals. Met Netherlands lady who lived in New Zealand for 18 years. Evening photos in the old city - fog and mist. In morning found that slugs turn away from coffee grounds.
End odo 19902 Time 4:26 Distance 70.09 Average 15.8
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18 Jun 10 - Happy birthday Grant - Vezelay to St Brisson - mostly up hill and only about 400 meters gain in elevation. Packed wet but not in the rain. Drizzle and low cloud through the day - few photos. Shoes wet for the third day. Groceries in minor villages. Saucisson sec, with carrots and courgettes and couscous, chocolate and coffee. Washed out socks since they still were not dry. A bottle of Bourgogne red from Yonne with a cork - 4 euro. The 2E wine was as good. Perhaps Lynn's group stayed at another hotel. Left a message on Dave C's phone. 00 in the international access code. No general hot water in the facilities here. Sound of the dam overflow near by. Hills and forests surrounding.
End odo 19959 Time 4:02 Distance 57.25 Average 14.1
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19 Jun 10 - St Brisson to Chateau Chinon. Coldest overnight temperature so far - fog in the morning. Wet shoes, socks - rain pants and jacket all day. A few blue patches in the evening - still cold with a breeze. Missed a turn at 15 km which added 7 km to the distance - otherwise less than 50 km of traveling. Few pictures during the day due to drizzle and rain. Evening cold and breezy so unlikely to go out later. Atac supermarket and tortellini for tea. Eggs and bread etc for breakfast. Cotes du Rhone wind 375 ml with supper. Lynn eating when phoned in Avignon.
End odo 20017 Time 3:52 Distance 57.70 Average 14.9
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20 Jun 10 - Chateau Chinon to Autun - probably colder than the previous night. No dry socks to wear. Toque helped. Windy and misty. Rain gear while riding. Some tiny sunny breaks by Autun with about one eighth clear in the evening. Breeze to dry the laundry. Bibracte museum was free today. Phoned Lynn 1915 no answer. Warm water in the basins at the campground. Grassy site with hedge surrounding on three sides. Club de Sommeliers Sauvignon wine for tea. Roast chicken breast with ratatouille of onion, yellow pepper, zucchini and roma tomatoes. No patisseries today.
End odo 20081 Time 3:30 Distance 63.78 Average 18.2
21 Jun 10 - Autun to Beaune - spoke with Lynn by phone 1900 in Avignon. Hilly through the ride with a cold start and clear patches. Arrived in Beaune by D974 by about 1400, set up dry. Two other cycle tourers , Greg (Seattle) and Ferdinand (Belgium). Evening meal together, cowboy coffee, cheese and wine. Summer Solstice celebrations in the town center - street bands setting up. Grocery shopping - "il faut les peser" and self check out. Turkey, capsicum and round courgette for tea.
End odo 20156 Time 4:01 Distance 66.53 Average 16.5
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22 Jun 10 - Beaune to Dijon - uphill for 15 kilometers then descend to the d'Ouche canal bike track for 40 km of level gravel tracks becoming paved closer to Dijon. Camped about 2 km from train station at city center. Finding alcool a bruler was a challenge - paint and wallpaper store had it - varnish thinner. Salmon cutlet / steak for tea with rose half bottle. Some evening photos in the city. Finally figured out that I could not pick up the bike travel bag from the Strasbourg post office the day before a Monday. Need to revise the plan.
End odo 20264 Time 5:42 Distance 90.41 Average 15.8
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23 Jun 10 - Dijon to Strasbourg - dry overnight and not too chilly. Eggs for breakfast. Decided to go to Strasbourg first - train departed at 1039 via Belfort and Mulhouse to Strasbourg (41.40 e). Transfer at Besancon I went to the wrong end of the train - switched to the bike / baggage car at Belfort which then became the back of the train. Chased around Strasbourg to find the main post office, collected the bag and found the campground and a coop grocery before closing. 2.30 euro of cab shiraz - OK. Conversation with Denis from Cav Power equivalent. Toe blister from too much walking in Strasbourg.
End odo 20266 Time 2:16 Distance 2018 Average 18.8
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24 Jun 10 - Strasbourg to Barr - found my way out of Strasbourg OK and spent much time around Molsheim finding the road to Rosheim. Gentle hills for the first half. Sunny day, short sleeve shirt. Chocolate croissant and orange juice for lunch. Vines, German names and styles our houses and buildings. 3.35e bottle of Cotes de Luberon with tea, good quality (dumped the second half). 10 eggs for 1.09e so did not buy the three at 0.40 each. Gave the extra eggs to the Slovenian bike tour organiser camped nearby who reciprocated with a fresh croissant. The 2 shirts and socks laundry dried before morning. Other bike tourists with sag wagons at the campground and other groups on the bike paths. The St Martins campground was sort of the green yard part of the school grounds - the campground hostess waived the 1.70e camping charge - don't tell anyone.
End odo 20345 Time 4:45 Distance 78.65 Average 16.5
25 Jun 10 - Bar to near Colmar - Alsace vineyards and hills over 31C and clear, little breeze. The previous night's campers were a cycle touring family from Slovenia. I stuck to the roads for the second half of the distance- little luck in matching the bike path map directions with the ground.
End odo 20425 Time 4:48 Distance 79.93 Average 16.6
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26 Jun 10 - Colmar to Hunigue (near St Louis - by the Germany, France, Switzerland triple border point - in the middle of the Rhine river) - Mainly flat terrain in the corn fields and Hardt domain forest. At least 32C and clear at mid day. High clouds in the evening. Crossed the Rhine on the foot bridge for some dusk photos. Met Gerhard and Elizabeth, Germans from Switzerland - bicycle tourers for over 28 years, now retired - only touring 4 weeks this year. They had Vaude brand 100 gram fishermen chairs. Courgettes and mushrooms with Montibilliard sausage for tea. Coffee and Alsace pinot noir (rose) half bottle - cooled in ice water and jug supplied by the campground host (along with some sangria and green salad).
End odo 20524 Time 5:29 Distance 98.8 Average 18.0
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27 Jun 10 - Hunigue to Waldorf (near Frankfurt airport) - on the second attempt - I decided that "zoll" meant "customs" not toll road - I found my way to the main D bahn rail station in De Basel / Bale. I got a 5 train connection to the Frankfurt airport with changes at Offenburg, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Frankfurt. It was fairly busy with younger Sunday rail travelers. Chatted with an architect from Karlsruhe who designs load bearing compressed straw bail houses - bails compressed one third their average size. Arrived in Frankfurt airport at 1700 and did some quick shopping at the airport grocery store then bumbled around the area and found the campground near Waldorf. Germany played England in the world cup soccer and victory celebrations were outside sporting clubs.
End odo 20559 Time 2:00 Distance 34.0 Average 17.3
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28 Jun 10 - Waldorf to Winnipeg. Morning was spend on laundry, pre-cleaning of bike, tent, etc. Ride into Waldorf for groceries and dish soap. Packed by 11:00 and followed bike paths to FRA - a 15 km ride. Packed the bike and separated the panniers for checked and carry on. Went through security in cycling gear and changed before the flight departure. Arrived in Toronto about 30 minutes late and found way from terminal 1 to 3 . I had packed my bike tools in the carry on bag and ended up checking a third bag (West Jet waived the fee). Flight departed 1:30 late due to late arrival of crew out of Ottawa. Sandra met me at the Winnipeg airport and arrived at her house around 01:30.
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Italy 2011 - Milan to Trieste
Thursday 8 September 2011 Dorval - Toronto and Lufthansa. Left the room after drying the tent and making bicycle pack parts. Packed nicely at the airport within two hours. Flight to YYZ OK. Changed terminals and joined long tour queue for the flight to Dusseldorf - time to spare. Departure about 45 minutes late but arrived only slightly late. 2 4 2 seating in Airbus. Two hour transfer time in Dusseldorf. Regional Bombardier jet to Torino 2 - 2 seating.
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Friday 9 September 2011 Turin airport to Avigliana. Bike unpacked and re-assembled by 12:20. Headed northward to join the Montagne Doc route at Lanzo. Some navigation problems. . 15 km uphill to Col de Lys around 18:00.
Downhill down to Avigliana. Had real trouble finding the camping place. Finally crossed the train lines and found the main part of town and a local map. Viewed with flash light for detail. Arrived at camp after 10:00 PM. Passed the bike and bags over the 2 meter high fence using rubbish bins to gain height. Somewhat sloped and rough site for camping - paid in the morning.
End odo 5242 Dist 73.1 Avg 14.9 Time 4:54
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Saturday 10 September 2011 to Oulx - 4 km. Bike path along the Susa river had some signage problems. Quaint villages. Climb to Oulx and campground 4 km before the town. No camp store and still looking for stove fuel. Take away pizza and beer from the restaurant. Got cash from the ATM in the morning and a SIM card etc from the Telecom Italia store in the morning - need to charge the phone. Wash the knicks and a shirt each night. French brie or camambert cheese 1.25 e for 200 gm. Super Motard style biker campers at the campground.
End odo 5316 Dist 62 Avg 14.7 Time 4:12
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Sunday 11 September 2011 Oulx to Aosta. About 3 hours ride to the Col de Sestriere summit. Steep downhill for the first 4 km after the col and then gently downhill into Pinerolo. Say the kangaroo icons on the roadway toward the col - Go Cadel. Met a French cyclist at the col, preparing for his decent on the route I had just come up. I found the train station and got the 1748 train out and arrived at Aosta at 2133. Stayed there at the Hotel Turin. Many cyclist out on the weekend. They road bikes pass me on the uphill stretches at twice my speed.
End Odo 5469 Dist 75 Avg 15 Time 5:00
Monday 12 September 2011 Courmeyeur to Aosta. Got the train to Pres St Didier and continued uphill to Val Feret where there were several chair lifts for skiing or viewing Mont Blanc. Spent time looking for camp fuel and found none. Unable to locate the Tourist Information office. Stayed at the hotel again. An Esso Station manager phoned a friend to help me find camp fuel - go to the Grand Cedac across the tracks - a superstore. Found "alcool" in the cleaning section near the dry cleaning fluid, shellite, acetone. Looked like it might contain enough ethyl alcohol for my need. The perfume, pink coloring and moisturizer might gum up the burner. I had seen the liquid before labelled as an anti-bacterial product. It is used for cooling relief in hot weather - more common in the drier and warmer areas. Puncture and slow leak caused by piece of bone through the tread - changed in Pres St Didier.
End odo 5535 Dist 65 Avg 15 Time 4:10
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Tuesday 13 September 2011 To Lago di Viverone - past Ivrea. An early start from the hotel. Pedaled on small roads till I took the SS26 most of the way. No camping at Ivrea. Met a french cycle club on tour from Chapaigne. One of there members was the 2000 olympic and track champion. Learned that "abazo" means the lower town, not the town on the hill.
End odo 5631 Dist 96 Avg 17.9 Time 5:23
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Wednesday 14 September 2011 To Bergamo. Found a regional train station abut 15 km from the camp. Took the train to Milan central and then transfer to Bergamo. Found tourist office and map towards the HI Bergamo. $18 per night for a dorm room. Took a bus to tour the old city in the afternoon. Grocery shopping on the way back to the hostel. Fine weather with temperatures above 30C.
End odo 5665 Dist 29 Avg 14.1 Time 2:03
Thursday 15 September 2011 To Iseo. Hills and descents through the nay. Nice campground. Beautiful views of lakes and valleys on the descents.
End Odo 5746 Dist 81 Avg 16.4 Time 4:56
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Friday 16 September 2011 Ti Sirmione - train to Brescia. Alternate route suggested by other cyclist was less steep uphill. A 13% grade downhill. Garda goes on and on. Sirmione campground is near the town center and shopping.
End odo 5815 Dist 69 Avg 16.1 Time 4:17
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Saturday 14 September 2011 To Mantova and Trento. I gave up on the bike path directions and followed the SP roads. T took the train to Verona then Trento. More bikes and towns in Trento. Stayed in hostel near Railway Station. Groceries from the Co-op in the middle of the old town.
End Odo 5877 Dist 62 Avg 16.4 Time 3:48
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Sunday 18 September 2011 To Pinzolo. Took the regional train to Mistizolo. Late but got on in time - strike on the state rail train but this line not effected. Bike path for 15 k then SP roads for the rest of the way to the col at 1682 meters, started at 500 meters elevation. 2 star campground. Raincoat on all day with hood up most of the time. Sandwich at summit restaurant before descending to Pinzolo. Calcetone for take away tea with two beer. Ate all the food supplied - Sunday most shops closed. End Odo 5942 Dist 60 Avg 12.1 Time 4:54
Monday 19 September 2011 To Molveno. Packed up in the rain and dried the tent ut at lunch. De Brenta and Ademello park. Partly cloudy with a high of 13. Lakeside campground. Pasta and sausage from the mushroom and honey shop - coop closed on Monday. Lovely day compared to the previous day. Dried the clothes etc.
End Odo 6000 Dist 58 Avg 14.3 Time 4:05
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Tuesday 20 September 2011 To Bolzano / Bozen. Bike paths and mainly quiet roads through the vineyards and apple orchard country. Hostel not available in Bolzano. 4 star campground easy to find because it as near the hospital. Murals in the showers, nice camp store with wine & beer. Sunny and 25C.
End odo 6083 Dist 83 Avg 16.5 Time 5:02
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Wednesday 21 September 2011 Trento - Ferrara. Ince dike top bike path to near Trento. Fine weather, downstream. Trains to Verona, no room for bike out of Bologna - an extra hour wait on the Venezia Santa Lucia train. Had a problem finding the old walls of the city - they all looked old until I found the right ones. Thanks to persistent phone directions from the campground hostess. Arrived at the camp in time to make it to the pizzeria at the nearby sporting club and bring it back to camp with a beer.
End Odo 6173 Dist 89 Avg 16.5 Time 5:26
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Thursday 22 September 2011 Ferrara, rest day and bicycle maintenance. Got mosquito prevention and treatment products. Spent 2 to 3 hours touring in the town. Did the laundry, food, fuel, etc. No luck with Telecom Italia so cancelled the data plan.
End Odo 6196 Dist 23 Avg 12.3 Time 1:50
Friday 23 September 2011 To Chogia. Departed by 8:00. sunny with some haze, humid. Followed river and canals then small roads for the last 30 km through the Po delta. Choggia - a beach resort town, lots of choices for camping.
End Odo 6295 Dist 100 Avg 18.6 Time 5:21
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Saturday 24 September 2011 To Mestre. Island hopped to Venezia, bikes not allowed in Venice. Cycled toward Mestre and camped about 2 km from the causeway. Sunny with flat terrain. Missed the sole entrance to the bike path from the causeway road and rode near the rumble strip, the traffic and guardrail along the 5 km causeway.
End Odo 6338 Dist 42 Avg 15.6 Time 2:43
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Sunday 25 September 2011 Venice tour day. Bought a 12 hour bus / transport pass and got the but to Venezia around 8:40 and returned around 1500. tourist crowds increased through the morning. Nearby grocery store closed, tried for a Carefour store about 15 km away - also closed. Bumbled my back into Mestre and found a Pam store open. Nice rose, sausages and zucchini. 500 gm of ice cream and coffee.
End Odo 6370 Dist 33 Avg 18.5 Time 1:48
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Monday 26 September 2011 To Aquileia. Cycled into St Lucia station and got local train to Porto Grardo to transfer to Aquiliea. 2 hour wait for next train. Missed the connection while checking the time table. Arrived in town and camp around 1500. Campground in use by youth team building exercise group. Toured the basilica and Roman port ruins in the late afternoon.
End Odo 6406 Dist 36 Avg 12.9 Time 2:45
Tuesday 27 September 2011 to Trieste. A navigation error added an 8 km tour of a reserve / park. Sunny again 30C. Did a bike tour of around the coast of Trieste without finding the hilltop campground. Followed a bus through the tunnels with bike lanes and got back to the western side of town - and the coop store. Returned northward 7 km to the hostel. Dorm room but no other clients. Tomorrows task to find plastic sheeting in Monfalcone and camp there for 1 and a half days. Covertly cooked tea in the terrace garden and enjoyed two beer on the rocky shore at sunset. End Odo 66509 Dist 102 Avg 17.6 Time 5:49
Wednesday 28 September 2011 to Monfalcone and Grado. I found possibly suitable plastic sheeting in the paint section of the Brico store and identified a store near the airport where I could get cardboard. Shared wine and stories until dark with a German couple in the adjacent campsite. He was a former artillery officer who had spent time at Shilo Manitoba. On my arrival - supplied me with a hammer to tap in the pegs. On completion passed me a cold beer and proclaimed Octoberfest. They gave me some polenta and salad for my tea and invited me for coffee the next morning.
End Odo 6592 Dist 81 Avg 23.9 Time 3:22
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Thursday 29 September 2011 Grado to Monfalcone. Delightful breakfast of cheese, bread and sliced meat with the P**** family. Rode in to Grado about 5 km away and got cardboard for packing. Lunch of leftovers. Cleaned and packed with the neighbors assistance and departed around 1300. Used two wraps of plastic - I should have finished off the roll of tape on the second sheet of plastic. Cardboard U channels on the pressure points worked well. Lynn had reserved seats on the flight to Singapore. Traveled about 1462 km by bicycle in Italy. Met Lynn at the airport and Jenny on the plane.
End Odo 6638 Dist 46 Avg 23.4 Time 1:58
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France 2013 - Marseille to Barcelona
1 May 2013 Wednesday. Lynn took me to the airport and went to her workplace from there. 10.00 am departure for Singapore was on time. Smooth flight. I found the “E” zone lounges at Changi. A380 flight to Frankfurt departed before midnight.
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02 May 2013 Thursday – Start odometer 18180 km. Arrived Frankfurt and cleared immigration, customs and passport control before 0600. 07730 boarding for the 2 + 2 across regional jet flight to Marseille. Bus for Manosque departed at 1225 and the Forcalquier bus arrived at the destination around 1400. Trees are in the new leaf stage.
The Alps were covered with snow – could not see the bottoms of the valleys at that time of day. Forcalquier is a sort of historic town with old buildings and tourist shops. Camped within a kilometer of the old town. Market day in the town square – live band playing and horse drawn wagon rides for children. Sunny periods with some showers in the evening. Assembled the bike in the parking lot opposite the tourist office.
From email sent - Thru baggage collection by 10.00 am. Bus to Manosque departs 12.20 End odo 18188
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03 May 2013 Friday – Two bell clocks rang on the hour overnight. Slept well. Familiar bird calls from blackbirds and pigeons. Sausage, cheese and bread for breakfast. Packed and posted the bike bag etc from the Forcalquier post office. Bananas, apple, bread and cheese for snacks and lunch. Followed the Luberon Velo Route to Apt. Some rail trail, mostly minor roads through the “park”. Municipal camp ground at Apt – in a river valley and less historic buildings. Intermarche for food and groceries. Numerous cyclists during the day – more car camping cyclists but some touring cyclists – who spent the extra e3.50 for a powered site. I found out later that is was a long weekend for most workers. Cotes du Rhone light red / rose for e1.69. Rolling terrain today, bicycle reasonably set up – wheels straight enough, brakes need some attention, the 37 mm wide rear tyre seems to work well with the 32 mm on the front.
From SMS sent – Arrived Apt. Nice bike route and good weather
End odo 18252 Dist 64 Time 3:52 Avg 16.5
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04 May 2013 Saturday. Chilly morning, could see my breath – less than 10C. Scrambled and boiled eggs for breakfast and snacks. Departed around 0900 and followed nice bike paths for about 20 km before sharing the D roads. Passed through the named towns without finding bike route signs, Rather than go all the way into Cavaillon and back out again I side tracked on the D2 and D15 to the hilltop town of Gordes. Zucchini with Provencial sauce and pork pate for tea with Alsace beer. From emails sent - Skipped going all the way into Cavaillon and hooked onto the route to Gordes. Camping about 2 km from upper town. Will set up camp then shop etc. Fine weather for cycling.
End odo 18315 Dist 63 Time 3:35 Avg 16.8
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05 May 2013 Sunday. Bypass to Mont Ventoux – section of the road closed for rally drivers added 8 km to the distance. Found a route through Carombe to M Vaison bike route on an outward loop added 5 more km to the day. Grocery stores closed in the early afternoon on Sundays – many close between noon and 1700 other days. Went into Vaison la Romaine to look for convenience store – none found. Found a bakery open with a km of the camp ground. Quiche, fruit, bread and cheese for tea. Local rose with tea tonight. Will shop before breakfast in the morning. Phone battery needs charging. Raincoat on for most of the day. Vaison la Romaine an old town with steep streets. Steep streets, no tourist cars allowed.
From SMS sent – Arrived Vaison la Romaine. Raincoat on while cycling. Enough clear sky for sunset photos of town. To Avignon tomorrow.
End odo 18408 Dist 87 time 5:33 Avg 15.7
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06 May 2013 Monday – Breakfast and bakery shopping at 0730. Departed around 0930. Back roads and cyclotouristique for the first ten km then minor roads on the plains. Crossed the Rhone river and once again into Avignon. Lots of Cotes du Rhone vineyards. Visited Chateauneuf du Pape village and the old ruins. Many stores close between noon and 1500 daily. Lidl was open at 1700for 2 liters of no name water for e0.17. It is a compromise between drinking sufficient water and urinating frequently (with few public washrooms) – or leg cramps in the evening. Sunburn in spite of early sunblock application.
End odo 18504 Dist 96 Time 6:00 Avg 16.1
07 May 2013 Tuesday – cycling to St-Martin d'Ardeche. Partly cloudy and to applications of sunscreen, Tried to be more disciplined with taking breaks and eating/drinking. Felt I was off the route on several occasions and the expected junction was farther up the road. - some extra kilometers through lots of vineyards, frequent views of Mont Ventoux. Passed through several of the plus beaux village de France. Nice forests and quiet roads as well. Indigo camp ground – more expensive – I don't use the pool, umbrellas, etc. Shopping at St-Martin d'Ardeche Vival convenience store. Ratatouille, tomatoes and country pate. Cucumber, fruit and cheese for tomorrow.
End odo 18592 Dist 88 Time 5:17 Avg 16.7
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08 May 2013 Wednesday – Gentle climbs according to Lonely Planet Guide – I am certain that they use motor transport to scout the routes. Lots of photos of the Ardeche gorges. Numerous cyclists and some touring cyclists. Vival shopping at Villefort. Club des Sommeliers 25cl wine – merlot and white. Tinned cassoulet and tomatoes for tea. Left over cheese for tomorrow. Late arrival at Villefort camping du Lac – 3 km from town. A 5 km times 2 navigation error mid day resulted in the late arrival at camp. Evening rain will hinder the laundry drying. Lots of motorcycles and holiday folks – something to do with two public holidays on the May calendar. From email sent - Long day yesterday.113km an extra ten due to navigation error. 900 meters climb in first half of distance today. Got phone batteries charged yesterday as well. Rain showers on arrival at camp. Overnight laundry not dry.
End odo 18706 Dist 113 Time 7:25 Avg 15.2
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09 May 2013 Thursday – Got the phone batteries charged last night (must find a location with power and the phone and charger can be left safely or out of view). Up hill for the first 60% of the day then coast the last 25 km. Snow in the bush at Col de Feniole. Frequent stops on the way up. Missed talking with a solo cycle tourist – we both had our heads down – one against the wind, one up hill so we just waved from 30 meters after passing. Raincoat worn for warmth on the decent. Set up camp in light and continuing rain. Some seam leaks in the single skin of the tent. Waiting for a laundry drying day. Camp store depanneur for shopping. Florac closed in the afternoon that week. Many campers and motorcycle tourists – it may be holiday season?
End odo 18774 Dist 68.5 Time 4:40 Avg 14.5
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10 May 2013 Friday – Cold for first 5 hours. Steep climb out of Florac – walk and pedal combination with pacing and rest brakes. Rest of the day was mild undulations. Gorges scenic route with lots of photos, cleared in the late afternoon and stopped after 1800. Used GPS to assist with finding the Meyrueis campground. Potatoes Carrots, pate, smoked salmon for tea with rose. Got new reading glasses – old ones fractured due to handlebar bag packing. End Odo 18858 Dist 83 Time 5:32 Avg 15.1
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11 May 2013 Saturday – Cold morning, less than 10C based on pharmacy display at 0900 – start of the 26 km climb to a windy mountain top. More weekend cyclists. Some extra weekend tourers I suspect. Last 50 km was mostly down hill. Spar convenience store shopping. Cassoulet, zucchini and pasta sauce. Some stock for Sunday transit from Millau to St-Martin de Londres via Montpellier.
End odo 18955 Dist 95 Time 5:50 Avg 16.5
12 May 2013 Sunday – At Millau – Packed and went to the railway station. Sunday schedule. The Sunday scheduled departures southward depart at 17:32 and 20:52 – would not be suitable for the ride to St-Martin de Londres. Walked about 10 km around the lovely town of Millau during the day. Lots of shops and old buildings – closed on Sunday. Automated laundry open – fresh and clean clothing. Plan B - took the train to Bedarieux an 18 km ride to St-Gervais sur Mare (river) at 17:32. Climb 600 meters then a 10% downhill grade into the village. Arrived at the camp ground with the sun below the ranges and light rain visible in the distance. Pasta soup and sauce, cheese, bread and yogurt for tea. Camp ground poorly maintained and not yet ready for the summer season – mainly annual clients. From email sent - Found a free WiFi hot spot. Train to Montpellier 06:00 tomorrow. Evening train today to alternative. Near St Gervais sur Mare. Will go for evening train. Weather cool but dry today.
End odo 18988 Dist 33 Time 3:27 Avg 9.4
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13 May 2013 Monday – The ride ascended for the first hour or so and descended for the last 20 km and was rolling in between. Forests and farms with some field crops and not vineyards. Municipal Camp ground near Mezamet was tidy and well kept. I was the only camper in the upper part / half of the camp ground. Caravans and camping cars chose the lower part – each half with its own facilities. Leclerc store 400 meters away. Leather goods seemed to be the product of the area. I had a Route Barree detour around a lake that added at least 5km to the day's distance. I used the phone, maps and GPS to help figure out an alternative route. Pork roast cutlets with mushrooms and capsicum for tea with a rosé.
End odo 19085 Dist 97 Time 6:06 Avg 15.9
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14 May 2013 Tuesday. Partly sunny in the morning. 11 km uphill in the morning then mostly down hill following a river and minor roads along side. Crossed Santigo de Compostella routes during the recent days. Some walkers / randoneurs. At least 10 bike tourists in the camp ground. 4 Dutch, 4 Brits, 1 Canadian. Crossed the Canal du Midi. Will have a rest day at Carcassonne tomorrow.
End odo 19149 Dist 65 Time 4:04 Avg 15.9
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15 May 2013 Wednesday – Cool to cold through the day with showers. Took the 2.5 hour walking tour of the upper and lower city with emphasis on the architecture and military from the 5th to the 18th century. Roman, Romanesque to Gothic architecture. The Carcassonne restoration has sections that are accurate for a variety of periods rather than one single period. Tour and lunch with Gary – teacher from Calgary touring toward Avignon. Tent leaks not a problem in spite of the rain. Heavy rain causes the condensation to fall off the interior of the fabric. The clip-point round gussets need to be sealed.
From email sent - Short 60 km ride in fine weather today. At least ten touring cyclists camped here. Canal de Midi is an easy ride... Will probably spend an extra day here - rest day. 7mm rain forecast.
Dist 10 km
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16 May 2013 Thursday – Less rain but cold. Rain coat on all day usually with beanie. The ride was a series of climbs with brief descents on small roads. Rennes les Bains is a small village – convenience store open 9-12. Left overs for tea with noodles and a bottle of Social Club Sav Chenin Blanc. Will look for traveling groceries in the morning.
From emails sent - Rest day at Carcassonne was rainy. 2.5 hr tour of upper and lower town in morning with fellow tourer from Calgary. Weather forecast for tomorrow is better. Will head south - Perpignan on second day. Numerous UK tourists due to cheap flights to Carc... from UK. Sunday is Whitsunday / Ascension public holiday so more shops than normal closed. There were two public holidays in the previous week - end of WW2 and something else. (I thought it was school holidays).
From SMS sent - … Rain. Should be better tomorrow
End odo 19239 Dist 79 Time 5:50 Avg 13.5
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17 May 2013 Friday- Sunny breaks at the start of the day. Back into Rennes les Bains for groceries – very limited. Rolling hills and the Pyrenese off to the side. Bread for snacks. Groceries 20 km before Perpignan. Thunder showers for an hour while navigating to the urban camp ground with longer term residents. Trying to navigate using the phone was a problem because of wet fingers and droplets on the screen. Supermarket a half km from the camp. Will try a bicycle route to Barcelona tomorrow after collecting the bike bag from the main post office.
End odo 19323 Dist 84 Time 5:22 Avg 15.7
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18 May 2013 Saturday – Rain started at 0500. Put the phone battery on charge till 06:30 in a locked wash room booth by reaching over the space at the top from an adjacent booth. Rain easing and into town to collect the postes restante package and returned shortly after 09:20. bought a map at a petrol station, got advice from the attendant and a client – gave me a bottle of water and their wishes for my successful journey – bon courage. Food and supplies purchased in Perpignan and Figures. Few stores expected to be open on Sunday – tomorrow. (ants are hauling away the sugar crystals that dropped from my bread as I write this). Didn't reset the trip distance, so the times are estimates. End odo 19396 Dist 76 Time 4:54 Avg 15.5
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19 May 2013 Sunday – Dry overnight and nice sunrise clouds. Followed the N-11 southward over rolling terrain (I previously stuck to the D roads in France– the N indicates a National route in Spain.) Some field crops. Some sections of road with reasonable shoulder space – in other sections there was little space between the white line and the guard rail. It rained for the last 90 minutes of the ride before stopping 10 km from the destination to top up the groceries. Rain coat on for most of the day chasing the bright patch of the sky near the horizon. It turned out that the Bon Repos camp ground had a substantial supermarket that was open. In the Catalunyan area of France/Spain – for tea fatty sausages with capsicum and tomato puree - with a nice local red wine.
From SMS sent – Will ride to Barcelona since I have spare days. 200 km. 148 to go. At Figures Spain tonight.
End odo 19484 Dist 87 Time 4:36 Avg 19.1
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20 May 2013 Monday – it must have been a public holiday in this part of Spain – most of the stores were closed with lots of cyclists and runners. I followed the coast and N-11 into Barcelona then around to the port but no luck finding a road that crossed the spaghetti junctions of two parallel Autoroutes. After several tries I went back a couple of kilometers and used the phone GPS and Maps to guide me along minor roads and finally say signs that guided me to the airport. I scouted the route to the camp ground from Terminal 2 – but my departure was from Terminal 1 which seemed to be isolated by a 500 meter section of Autoroute. I will get tape and packing materials tomorrow and check out the route to Terminal 1. The bike bottom bracket seems to be loose (probably worn out).
End odo 19578 Dist 94 Time 5:41 Avg 16.6
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21 May 2013 Tuesday – Preparing for departure. Laundry concurrent with breakfast. Cool with sunny breaks. Rode to T1 – a bike path bypassed the Autoroute section. - only had to travel the wrong way down half a km of one lane minor road to get there. Lufthansa check in is easy to find now. The area near the terminal entry seems OK for bike packing purposes. Found duct tape at the camp souvenir shop after searching at a supermarket and shopping center 6 km away. It might have got to 19C today.
End odo 19600 Dist 22 Time 1:26 Avg 15.4
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Ireland 2014 - Trip Log
11 May 14 – Lynn gave me a ride from home to the airport departing around 18:00. International departures opened after 20:00. On time departure for the 14 hour flight to Dubai. Start odometer 26357.
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12 May 14 Arrived Dubai on schedule and departed for Dublin about 20 minutes late but arrived in Dublin on schedule. Assembled the bike OK. Post restante service not available for parcels through Ireland post – for the bike bag. Will send it the the Dublin International Hostel (HI) and collect it from there. Slane Farm hostel was nice. I was the sole camper. About 12C with some showers. Purchased Meths, power plug adapter, chain oil and food.
End Odo 26399 Dist 43.4 Time 2:17 Average 19.1
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13 May 14 Trouble opening the kindle reader application so I re-installed at Slane Farm camp. The other apps wanted updates and this slowed the downloading process. Could not find the Dublin HI using the WiFi. I finally found a tourist info office which provided the address, and I mailed the bike bag. I will reserve a dorm room there for 4/5 June. The N (national) roads had some 100 km/h sections and had shoulders of minimum width. Some with raised profile delimiters that had to be dodged. Rode with the rain coat all day – rain pants not required. Purchased food from Lidl and Aldi. Giles Quay is oriented to long term (seasonal / annual) weekend mobile homes.
End Odo 26462 Dist 63.2 Avg 18.4 Time 3:26
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14 May 14 To Newcastle. A few sunny breaks again. Coat on for most of the day although no rain showers while I rode. Shopping in Carlingford and Rostrevor and Newcastle. Several castles or ruins of castles. Camped at Tollymore Wood after visiting two mobile home parks described by Google as Caravan Parks. In Northern Ireland (UK) now using pounds and miles.
EndOdo 26549 Dist 87.2 Avg 18.4 Time 4:44
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15May 14 to Delamont Country Park. Followed coast and inland roads. Mainly hilly terrain (drumlins country). Breakfast of eggs. Mourne mountain. Mainly sunny and down to one and a half layers. My bike computer was dislodged on a rough section of shoulder. While I was trying to locate the compute, a car ran over it on the opposite land – damaging it beyond economic repair.
Dist 70.0
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16 May 14 to Jordanstown. Departed around 09:00 with morning tea at Comber then into Belfast. Looked for a bike computer and purchased one from the second shop I visited – Chain Reaction. - a CatEye hard wired. Like my previous CatEye computer this one has no provision to set the odometer to a value other than 0. I continued northward and found a vacancy at a small camp ground. Got groceries and two beer from shops 2.5 km away. I missed out on a beer the previous night. Mostly sunny and maybe 20C. Charged the phone battery overnight in the laundry.
End Odo 26 Dist 70.0 Avg Time
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17 May 14 to Glen Ariff Forest Park. Wind and cloudy weather. Followed the coast most for the day. Traffic decreased with distance from Belfast. Carrick Fergus is a partly restored castle in the Larne area. Windy through the day, often no shoulder on the road and traffic was considerate. I purchased extra groceries in case stores were not open non Sunday. The forest camp has one or more scout / guide groups. I camped in a wooded area not far from the amenities.
End Odo 103 Dist 80 Avg 19.2 Time 4:10
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18 May 14 to Bally Castle. Drizzle through the night and day. Semi-loop route to Ballcastle following some very minor roads. Sheep farther out and cattle closer in. Long valleys and cols. Groceries from the co-op store in B. Maguire strand and Camping – beside mobile home for shelter from the wind. Wet shoes for the first time this trip. Beers so far – Guinnes Original and Dark, both nice. Tennent – from Scotland – poor. Co-op ale and pilsener OK.
End Odo 157 Dist 55 Avg 17.2 Time 3:10
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19 May 14 to Portrush. Followed the coastal route and visited the Rope Bridge National Trust area then the Giants Causeway. The granite spires are much bigger in Tasmania. Still seeing remnants of the passing of the Giro d' Italia. Freshly painted pink bikes, gates, sheep fences...
End Odo 209 Dist 51 Avg 16.0 Time 3:11
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20 May 14 to Malin Head. Stopped at several places before finding stove fuel. Bike loaded with a day's extra food fell over and I caught the large chain wheel on my right shin – bandaged for several days. I took the ferry across to the republic. Dutch bottle of beer carried in case none at the destination. Rain coat and rain pants on and off through the day. There seem to be a fair number of new houses and a lot of mobile home parks with few vehicles around. No camping at Culdaff. Malin Head hostel was 17 km farther on. It was a nice hostel at e12 per night. There were only 4 other clients so there was plenty of space. More hills than earlier sections. I walked up several steep slopes. I locked the bike in an open shed.
End odo 060 Dist 82.4 Avg 16.4 Time 5:00
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21 May 14 rest day touring Malin Head. I rode up to the head and loop roads in the morning. Shopping and laundry around noon. Beach walk in the afternoon. Laundry mostly dry by 3:00PM. Skype phone call with Lynn and Mark around 5:00PM. Good weather, no rain with some sunny periods.
End Odo 314 Dist 23 Avg 15.5 Time 1:28
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22 May 14 to Buncrana. Rain on departure and raincoat on intermittently during the day. Arrived Clonmany around 11:00. Purchased groceries and walked to the waterfall and had lunch at the picnic shelter. Went via Tulloch Strand over Mamore Gap. 2 km to climb 280 meters mostly pushing the bike. Brakes on for the 2 km decent. Viisited the tourist office in Buncrana – only wild beach camping in the area but a nice hostel for e15 per night – an old corn mill and part of the Gaelic school. Chatted with Gordon – an engineer / Architect taking a 25 week stone mason course.
End Odo 373 Dist 60 Avg 16.9 Time 3:30
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23 May 14 Departed the old corn mill around 9:00AM and met Tony Banks shortly after. A New Zealander (working with high commission in PNG) who was also following the Cicerone guide. We cycled together down to Letterkenny – for lunch at a cafe he had previously visited. We rode into the moderate to strong wind for the 40km northward. Some light drizzle but no rain pants. Tony rode on to a BnB near Downies. The area was remote with only a few BnBs which were being used to accommodate folks attending a funeral and the wake the next day. Tuna, tomatoes and couscous for tea.
End odo 457 Dist 84 Avg Time
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24 May 14 to near Bunbeg. Wind from the north so it was adverse at times. Arrived Downies and found a poor choice for groceries so I rode back through Carickart for supplies and followed the N56 loop toward Bunbeg. The Errigal HI hostel was not far off the route. Delightful views of the park and mountain from the dining area. I shared a 4 bed dorm with two older hikers from Scotland. Had tea with Paddy, Dorren and sons (13). Paddy a Gael lecturer for Gael teachers and Dorren a sales rep and proficient on the Irish whistle and unaccompanied singing. A couple of Guinnes for me at the Irish pub while some watched the soccer match. Later than usual for me.
End Odo 551 Dist 94 Avg 17.4 Time 5:24
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25 May 14 Sunday breakfast with the 4 from the previous evening. Eggs, bacon, sausages. Departure in the rain around noon. Missed some turns so followed main roads in the drizzle. No photos today. Socks wet but shoes only damp. Tramore Beach Campsite in the dunes with sand flies.
End Odo 609 Dist 58 Avg 17.4 Time 3:18
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26 May 14 Monday, to Carrick. Fog at sunrise with clearing patched. Substantial climb up Glengesh and down Glencolmcille. Gorceries at Ardara and Glencolmcille. Stayed at Dorylahan. Raincoat not used after first rest stop in morning.
End Odo 665 Dist 56 Avg 14.9 Time 3:46
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27 May 14 to Ballyshannon. Depart hostel around 9:AM. Hilly terrain and sum fine sunny breaks. No raincoat today and cumulus clouds. Town triangle in Donegal town for snack and a visit to the tourist information office before shopping and taking the main roads to Bally Shannon. Some overpasses and round abouts to get to the Lakeside Camp ground. Winds mostly light and unfavorable. Beamish draft beer with smoked mackerel and cucumber for tea with spaghetti and mushrooms.
End Odo 735 Dist 70 Avg 16.4 Time 4:14
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28 May 14 Wednesday to Castle Archdale. Mostly clear with dew, chilly overnight. Rolling terrain through lakes country. Easy navigation along main roads then on National Cycle Network to a large camp ground with only a few users. WiFi access in one area. Wandered through the old "castle" which was used by the air force for a float plane base in world war 2. Lough Erne. Mid day temperature around 20C.
End Odo 785 Dist 51 Avg 16.2 Time 3:07
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29 May 14 Thursday to Garrison. Lakes country again. Nice forest roads. Cliff views over Lough Erne. Nice decent to the forest exit and into Garrison. Shopped along the way and got breakfast – eggs locally. Carlsberg lager with sausages, tomatoes, onions and couscous for tea. I was the only tenant at the "Holiday Park" Grotty showers and bathrooms. At 15 pounds the poorest value camping I encountered on the tour.
End Odo 852 Dist 67 Avg 17.7 Time 3:45
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30 May 14 to Ballyconnell via minor roads and come cycle routes. Cool and cloudy. I arrived at Sandville house hostel around 14:00. No one there. Did a hand wash Landry and dried the tent. Around 4 PM 2 persons arrived by car and commented to me and another bicycle tourer that his work group had booked the hostel for exclusive use for the weekend. Mike – the other cyclist from North Wales (Chester Easy Riders, former Civil Engineer, roads and public works) found a roadside B and B within 5 kilometers and shared the cost. Beans and Stew with cold food for tea.
End Odo 916 Dist 64 Avg 17.4 Time 3:38
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31 May 14 to Trim. Mostly fine day, warm with some nice views through rolling country. Passed a wedding at an old castle – lots of shiny black vehicles and folks in fine dress. The bride outside. Shopped then had lunch with with two day cyclists. Shopped in Trim for the evening meal. Chicken roast, baked potatoes, salad, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. Beer and cider with Mike at hostel. Walked around the old town and castle around sunset. The castle was used in the film Brave Heart.
End Odo 1009 Dist 93 Avg 19.0 Time 4:53
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01 Jun 14 to Dublin. Departed the hostel after 9:00 and took the N road to Navan, Slan and Drogheda. Some short cuts down the coast. Distance would have been around 95 km but the headland loop that was used in the Giro d'Italia was included making a distance of 127km for the day. Cloudy skies with light breezes inland. Cooler and windier on the coasts. Chicken, corn, salad and vegetables with spaghetti for tea. Mike will take the afternoon ferry back to Wales and seems happy to be catching up with his family
End Odo 1136 Dist 127 Avg 19.0 Time 6:41
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02 Jun 14 Dublin touring. Laundry done and dried before 8:00AM. Breakfast at the hostel with mike then a ride to Phoenix Park (Dublin flower show on, parking through the parklands) Grand Canal, embassies area, university area, sports stadium and more before 12:30. Back to the hostel for lunch and then bike to the tall ships on the Liffey River. Visited Trinity College campus. There was pedestrian (thousands) traffic congestion due to a mini marathon on that side of the river. Pizza at the hostel and Smithwicks Winter beer for tea.
End Odo 1180 Dist 44 Avg 12.0 Time 3:40
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03Jun 14 Dublin Touring. Commercial and shopping areas north and south of the Liffey river. Back to the hostel for lunch. Bike tour in the afternoon to Church of Christ, St Peters Park and cathedral. 22C but still needed the rain coat when riding.
End Odo 1189 Dist 8.7 Avg 9.1 Time 0:57
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04 Jun 14 Dublin touring. Made my way to Stephen park and toured the National Museum – ancient artifacts, gold hordes, prehistoric, Viking, medieval. Washed bike and tent in the afternoon. Got the packing ready and laundry in the evening. Weather 6 to 14C and cloudy. The bike lanes are abundant but navigation is difficult due to the one way streets. Lots of stopping to check directions, even when walking.
End Odo 1199 Dist 10.5 Avg 7.5 Time 1:24
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5 Jun 14 to Montreal. Packed and on the road before 9:00 – the ride to the airport was straight forward. Packed the bike in about 90 minutes in a convenient area – the car park atrium. A short flight eastward to London Heathrow. Saw the Millennium Eye over the Thames. The city goes on and on... I had window seats on both flights and stomach cramps on the long haul. The flight arrived a few minutes early into Trudeau airport. Re-assembled the bike after sunset in the taxi smokers area. Lights attached, I made my way to the hotel that I used several years ago. Fully booked due the Grand Prix, but they had an unused room scheduled for renovations which I accepted. In bed around 23:00
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Germany 2015 Rhine Moselle
1 May1 5 Depart home with Lynn around 06:30 and drive to the airport. Plenty of time to get through the international outgoing line. Arrived Singapore on schedule but did not get to the Free City Tour desk in time to take the tour – only the 18:00 to 20:00 tour was available. Received email from Lynn
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02 May 15 Arrived Zurich on schedule. Amsterdam flight was a half hour delayed. Low clouds with showers in Zurich. I assembled the bike in an open area used mostly by people waiting for ground transport. Found and followed bike paths through Nordwik to Katweg. Temperature around 15C with 5C overnight. More than half of the tulips had been harvested but there were still some spectacular fields. Saturday drivers were out and traffic was backed up on some of the smaller roads into the area. Purchased food, fuel, etc. Still have the Tardis bike bag.
End odometer reading 32436 Distance traveled 63 Time 4:01 Average Speed 15.4
03 May 15 Sunday – Rain jacket worn after the first 30 km. Went through the dunes area along the north sea to the Hook of Holland. Followed the main bike routes for 20 km before Rotterdam. Crossed the Erasmus bridge somewhere south of Rotterdam. Got the 1600 ferry to Kinderdik then followed close to the Rhine to a camping area near Schoonhaven staying on the south-east side of the Rhine. Grocery stores were not open on Sunday so I had hamburger chips and a cornetto for tea from the snack bar.
End odo 32556 Dist 120.2 Time 6:40 Avg 18.0
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04 May 15 Monday – Remembrance Day equivalent – 2 minutes silence were observed at 20:00
Streets around was memorials were set up for the ceremonies. Crowd and traffic control measures for parades or marches. It was generally cloudy with some sunny breaks. Passed several shipping locks on the Rhine canal. Some stores were open in larger towns. I am learning the names of the grocery store chains and the brand names. There seem to be more car sales businesses than there are grocery stores. Some Rolling terrain and woodland encountered away from the Rhine plain. Camp ground was "full" but had extra room for bikes and small tent camp-sites The old growth forest had no under story in the shaded area. Goats and sheep were more common than cattle in this area. I had lunch at a park within the Rhine dike area, with toilets and drinking water. People were friendly to me as a bike camper. For tea – chicken breast, tomatoes and pate.
End odo 32650 Dist 94.06 Time5:02 Avg 18.7
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05 May 15 Tuesday – to Wesel. Changeable weather with some showers yet enough sun to redden my face. Location markers and signage for bicycle disappeared once I crossed into Germany. Far fewer cyclists, runners and high class bike paths, more cars. Xanter is an old walled city. It was the National Day in Holland – stores closed. Post offices not open so I still have the bike bag. I found that I was on the wrong side of the river for my preferred camp ground Met two other solo tourers at the camp ground I stayed at.
End odo 32763 Dist 113 Time 6:29 Avg 17.8
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06 May 15 Wednesday – to Dusseldorf. Clear and cold in the morning. Traveled 10km back to rejoin my route. Posted the bike bag from Rhineburg. Some dike roads then industrial and urban areas until well past Duisburg. Steel mills, pumping plants, power plants, etc. Bike route signs seemed intermittent through the built up areas. Fewer cyclists now in the working week I suppose. There are bike lanes on most of the streets that I used. Most shops have good bike parking racks.
End odo 32847 Dist 83.5 Time 5:20 Avg 15.6
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07 May 15 to near Koln. Through Dusseldorf center and built up areas at a slow pace – an urban area, and the same when closer to Koln. Bike route signage did not appear to be continuous around the factories, ports, etc. Some back tracking. Camped by the Rhine and could hear the boats passing.
End odo 33930 Dist 83.4 Time 5:10 Avg 16.1
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08 May 15 to Koblenz. Nicer river tracks and easy navigation up to the last 5 km. More hills by the riverside now. Still some industry chimneys and cooling towers. Met a Dutch cycle tourist on a pilgrimage to the Malaysian Airline crash area in Ukraine. 250Ml bottles of reasonable wine for 0.80. Half liter of beer is similar price – plus deposit. Camp ground overlooks the university where Gutta taught. Single layer shirt in the afternoon today.
End odo 33034 Dist 104.3 Time 5:57 Avg 17.5
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09 May 15 to near Boppard. I got onto the south bank of the Moselle rather than the Rhine for 7km then tried the overland back to the Rhine. Auto route complication and hills before I got back to the Rhine route after 37km. Camped 5 km from Boppard and rode to St Goar / Loreley and return. Sunny afternoon with showers in the evening. I will follow the river route tomorrow when I go back to the Moselle – rather than trying the hilly/overland route.
End Odo 33118 Dist 84 Time 4:59 Avg 16.8
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10 May 15 Sunday – to Bitburge Frankel. It was a nice day for cycling, light breezes and partly cloudy. I returned to Koblenz and found the Moselle trail winding along the river with good cycling tracks / lanes on both sides of the river. Tour buses replaced most of the river cruise boats. Supermarkets were closed but tourist shops were open in the larger towns. The vineyards were on the steep slopes of the valley when oriented in a favourable southward direction. Pizza beer and chocolate for tea. The area name is similar to Bit burger brewer – which sponsored many of the hospitality businesses in town.
End odo 33206 Dist 87 Time 4:58 Avg 17.5
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11 May 15 Monday – to near Wintrich. Mostly sunny all day with light breezes. Following the Moselle, easy navigation. Many cyclists were out today, even touring cyclists. Some short haul scenic cruise boats on the river. Dams and locks, although the river flow is not fast enough to clearly indicate the direction of flow. Caravans seem to be single axle with a maximum length around 15 feet. Lots of seasonal caravan campers and only a few daily / traveling campers in this camp ground.
End odo 32295 Dist 89.3 Time 4:44 Avg 18.8
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12 May 15 to Saarburg. Warm and mostly sunny. Many "touring" cyclists on the section toward Trier – probably the nicest section of the Moselle. There were still tourers on the Saar River route. I shopped in Konz and saw another suitable store in Saarburg. There was lumpy ground beneath my tent the previous night and I was somewhat tired today. I plan to take the train back to Konz in the morning. Good weather – a single layer most of the day.
End odo 33384 Dist 88.9 Time 5:14 Avg 16.9
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13 May 15 to Remich. Saar valley is closer but has lower hills than the Moselle valley – a very nice ride. I got the 1348 train back to Konz and found my to Remich along the three rivers route. Groceries were more expensive in Luxembourg, fewer cyclists and no bike park at the supermarket. I camped on the German side of the Rhine at a small camp ground.
End odo 33465 Dist 81 Time 4:42 Avg 17.1
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14 May1 5 to Metz. I rode in three countries today, Germany, Luxembourg and France. In the morning there were good bike paths in Luxembourg and "bike paths in progress" in parts of France. There seemed to be more litter in France. It was a national holiday today – I searched widely for an open supermarket and found none. I finally found an open epicerie about a half km from camp. The phone box at the camp only accepted phone cards – no cash or credit cards. Unable to phone Solange's brother. I'll get a phone card Saturday. Casoulet, tomatoes, bread and Bordeaux 2013 for tea. Municipal camp ground where the tent sites were on a sloped embankment. There seemed to be a church bell ringing episode for about 15 minutes in the evening. The biggest bell gonged last around 7:15pm. Numerous dogs barking through the night.
End odo 33554 Dist 89.9 Time 5:17 Avg 16.9
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15 May 15 to Nancy. No phone card available from Tabac shop – phone boxes being phased out. I will try to call Dani in the evening. Mostly rode through the winding valley. French more friendly – asked if I was OK when I was checking my phone maps. Cyclists nod when passing – there are fewer of us now. It was a fair climb up to the camp ground Three tents of touring cyclists that evening. I bought extra food for the weekend in case all supermarkets are closed on Sunday. I got a Skype Wi-Fi connection for 0.16 per minute and figured out that I needed to add the area code to Dani's phone number e.g. +33 03 … Had a 13 minute chat with Dani – disappointed that I was unable to stay at their home.
End odo 33629 Dist 74.1 time 4:19 Avg 17.1
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16 May 15 to Epinal. Mainly road riding to Charmes – the "tow path" mud convinced me to stay on the D-road to Charmes. Nice path along the Vosges canal into Epinal – about 30 km. After 30km I found an open Aldi store and got some extras for Sunday. Small camp ground about 3 km from the town center. Chatted and had a beer with two families north of Paris – CG about 300 km their home. They are here for the long weekend. Ascension day.
End odo 33715 Dist 83.7 Time 4:37 Avg 18.1
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17 May 15 Sunday to Huningue. Two layers on top and long knicks weather. Found the D road out of Epinal to Remiremont and then the Voie Verte to Busange. 3 more km uphill to the coll, then downhill to Fellering. Got the regional train to Mullhouse and changed to the train to St Louis. I got to the camp ground around 16:00.
End odo 33801 Dist 88.6 Time 4:59 Avg 17.7
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18 May 15 to Waldshut – back along the Rhine and a mix of bike paths and minor highways usually close to the river or a railway line. Three other cycle touring couples at the camp ground – English, French and German/Swiss. The camp ground had a lawned area with young trees (for shade that afternoon). I rode into Koblenz Ch to get rail tickets – but only an automated kiosk there. The Dbahn counter in Waldshut sold me a ticket to Zurich and said I could get the bike ticket from a Swiss rail kiosk. Out of chain lube – so used canola oil as a temporary substitute. German beers – schwartzbeer – dark beer, Pilsner – the beer our parents drank, Alt – probably ale, hell – half beer and half wheat beer. A Belgian cycle tourist explained that Saturday was a "bridging holiday" to join two close public holidays.
End odo 33884 Dist 83 Time 5:16 Avg 15.7
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19 May 15 Tuesday to Trun. Packed by 815 and rode to Waldshut station, a small local train went to the transfer point, then a faster regional train went into Zurich. I got train information from the sales counter and got the 1209 train to Guschen then a small train to Andermat, then a tourist narrow gauge train to Oberalppass. The Glacier Express runs on the same line. Steep valleys and fast running water on the way up. Plenty of hydro electric potential there. Rain increased with the elevation. Deep snow was still covering the uncleared areas around the pass. The camp ground at 12 km from the pass was closed and I continued downhill to Trun. I was the only tent camper there. Rain was steady. I hoped that the sloped tent pitch helped to reduce run-off problems. A sign in one of the towns showed the temperature as 11C.
End odo 33932 Dist 48.4 Time 3:44 Avg 15.7
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20 May 15 Wednesday – to Bad Ragaz. It rained for the first 60 km. The road was dry for only several kilometers for the day. There were some spectacular gorges and single lane ledge road through some gorges. Climbed out of the valley at least twice. Nice camp ground – expensive but it included a heated camp kitchen. Cleanest amenities blocks on the tour. The area was known as Heidiland. Passed several Glacier Express trains along the way. Shoes filled with water several times during the day. Ring out the gloves. I wore three layers on top all day and mostly with the hood up. There was almost some drying. Tuna, onions and vegetable pasta sauce for tea. With the persistent rain it was a challenge to control the tent drips. The Giro stage tomorrow ends in a Swiss city.
End odo 34012 Dist 79.2 Time 4:00 Avg 16.9
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21 May 15 Thursday to Bregenz. Followed Route 2 most of the way along the river with some valley excursions. Rain for 60 km, no dry pavement. Did not cross the bridge to Lichtenstein. Into Austria tonight then back to Switzerland tomorrow. Sausages and wok vegetables for tea and breakfast.Washed the bike off – dirty from a 3 km section of gravel. Equipment kept dry inside the bags. Bottom bracket bearings need to be replaced.
End odo 34091 Dist 79.7 Time 4:18 Avg 18.5
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22 May 15 to Steckborn Ch. Cycle tourists on the lower parts of the Rhine spoke of three day of rain in their decent from Oberalppass. The three days seems to be standard for that part of the route. I noticed that the road workers were well prepared for the rainy weather. It was reasonably easy to follow the signs for the Bordensee Radweg. Most of the way was within sight of the shoreline with some excursions around industrial areas. I rode with my coat on most of the day but changed to the summer gloves in the afternoon, with the pavement drying. Light cloud became broken by sunset. Monday is a public holiday so I will stock up on Saturday with some food for Sunday and Monday.
End odo 34170 Dist 78.8 Time 4:31 Avg 17.4
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23 May 15 Saturday to Kaiser Sthul. In Germany I followed the Route 2 signs again. There was variety in the track surfaces with more forest trails today. Once I was almost certain that I was off the route, and then found an R2 sign right at the intersection were it should be. I did grocery shopping for two and a half days before the 1600 closing time. There were sunny breaks through the day with some other touring campers. The tenting part of the camp ground was OK although the Skate Board group did not add to the peacefulness.
End odo 34256 Dist 86.0 Time 4:45 Avg 18.1
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24 May 15 Sunday – Hohentengen camp ground night 2. Partly cloudy with light breeze – 2 layers and shorts for riding. Bike maintenance and wash carried out in the morning. One pannier rack hole was broken. I added a flat washer to try to hold it in place. I rode back to Koblenz Ch and then back on the German side. No grocery stores open – I was looking for a bakery or convenience store and found none. I adjusted the brakes and lubricated the cables and adjusted the rear derailleur.
End odo 34314 Dist 57.9 Time 3:20 Avg 16.5
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25May15 Monday at Hohentengen Camp ground night 3. Partly cloudy with showers after 4PM. I followed the bike routes into Eglisau and Bulach and then back to Kaiser Sthul. Eglisau is the preferred route. I found a roadhouse convenience store at Eglisau and bought bread and yogurt. The Skate group campers had departed. A family of parents and 2 kids arrived using a kiddy trailer to haul some of the equipment. A solo German tourer arrived after 7PM. The washer on the pannier rack seems to work. I will fix it when I get to Dave and Ann's home in Port Hope. Did a laundry in the evening.
End Odo 34351 Dist 37.25 Time 2:18 Avg 16.1
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26 May 15 Tuesday night 4 at Hohentengen camp ground Weather – damp today. Ii rode into Kloten to get my bike bag from the post office. One cord was missing after the customs repack of the box. I rode to the Zurich airport and found a reasonable covered area where I could pack my bike tomorrow. I located the Swiss Air check in area – near the bike packing area. It rained heavily while I was there so I waited it to decrease to a drizzle. The ride back to the camp ground was on wet and damp roads – about 32 km and more than 80% was on bike paths and the remainder was in bike lane or on shared minor roads or streets. Switzerland has a very good bike path system, with national, regional and local signed routes. Routes are sometimes for horses or skaters in addition to bikes. By the evening there were 8 cycle tourist tents at the camp ground – 20 persons, including 4 children. I am hoping for dry roads in the morning.
End odo 34415 Dist 64.2 Time 3:45 Avg 17.1
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27 May 15 Wednesday to Dorval. I followed the bike paths through Eglisau to the airport. Roads were dry, bike packing took 1.5 hours. I finished with 2 hours for check in, security screening etc. I got a aisle side seat just behind the business class bulkhead. I chatted with a University of Montreal Architect prof who was in Zurich to help make student projects. I arrived in Dorval and assembled the bike – all OK. I shopped at the IGA before checking in to the 1 bedroom apartment – the hotel was old but OK,
End odo 34450 Dist 35 Time 2.02 Avg 17.1
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28 May 15 Thursday to Port Hope. Breakfast then depart for Via Rail station. Some confusion as to how to get to the Via station rather than the Montreal Transit station. Arrived in Cobourg on Schedule, reloaded the bike an got to Port Hope (headwind) in time to go to the bike shop in Oshawa and purchase new bottom bracket bearing set.
End Odo 34465 Dist 15 Time 0:55 Average 16
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Scotland 2016 - Trip Log
24 May 16 Drove with Lynn to Adelaide airport arriving around 07:15. Singapore Airlines was doing manual ticketing exercise. I got through ticketing and immigration with time to spare. The flight to Singapore was good on an Airbus A320-300. As planned I on the City Highlights free tour between 17:30 and 19:30 – saw the Merlion and Waterside Gardens.
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25 May 16 The Lufthansa A380 flight to Frankfurt was relatively smooth and on time into Frankfurt. The flight to Edinburgh arrived on time. Scotland immigration officer commented on my Scottish name. I used the mobile phone GPS to find the Edinburgh Park station and got a ticket to Oban with one train change. The bike area on the electric trains is at the door below the pantographs.
The train ride to Oban was on older rail diesel cars through lovely areas with trees in new leaf. The motors would run up the inclines than become silent on the descents. I found the Tesco store and finished shopping before sunset – 2200. The hostel that I planned to stay at was no longer open, my second choice was less than half a kilometer from the ferry terminal. I charged batteries, etc
End Odo 27293
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26May16 I was in a 12 person dorm with about 7 occupants. It was light outdoors after 0430 and I got up at 0500, showered, shaved and had breakfast. I shopped for methylated spirit - 4 pounds for 0.5 liter at hardware store, ｣6 for .5 litre for surgical spirit, the bloke at the hostel advised me that the Outdoor shop would have a better price - ｣5 per liter for ethanol. I purchased a HopScotch ferry ticket for the outer Hebrides for ｣38.65. It was a partly cloudy morning. I arranged for the hostel to hold my bike bag and packing for two weeks and cleared out of the hostel by 1030. There were at least 8 cycle tourers at the hostel over night. There were numerous bike / pedestrian lanes in Oban and about 11 cycle tourists going on the ferry and one coming off. I shopped at the Coop foods store in Castlebay. At the campground near Castlebay I had a nice grassed site overlooking a bay and the surrounding hills ・ there were no other cycle tourists camped there. I had ham, peas and potatoes for tea with a Hobgoblin beer.
End Odo 37319
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27 May 16 It was partly cloudy for most of the day ・ very good weather for cycling. There were many single land stretches of road with frequent passing places. The terrain was rolling with views of the coasts. The Shell Bay caravan park was nice for tents. There were 2 other touring cyclists and 2 ladies cycling ・ with dad and 2 kids in the car who set up the tents and made meal preparations.
End Odo 337380 Dist 61.3 Avg 19.7 Time 3:13
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28 May 19 Saturday I stopped at a bakery on the way back to the main road. Rain overnight with sunny breaks during the day. From Barbecula I passed through North Uist then on to Harris. Arrived at the ferry terminal around 11:30 for a 13:30 departure. The camping family neighbors from the previous night were on the same ferry. There were beautiful beaches and lovely cumulus clouds. Peas, cucumbers and two meat pies for tea with a nice Irish apple cider.
End Odo 37451 Dist 71.2 Time 4:02 Avg 17.6
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29 May 16 Sunday. I started around 09:00 ・ cloudy skis with sunny breaks through the day. It was 20 km into Tarbert with terrain similar to the previous days, then larger steeper hills from there on. I took long rest breaks. I passed peat harvesting sites a couple of times. Stores were closed in Stornoway and there was a bank Holiday on Monday ・ so I was hoping that the large Coop food store would be open. The family cycling group was at the same campground ・ but they stayed in on-site accommodation ・ before their return to the main land (Dublin and London). Locals commented that midges were out early in the highlands.
End Odo 37535 Dist 83.5 Time 5:00 Avg 16.7
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30 May 16 Monday ・ Rolling terrain and head wind for the first 55 km. I checked in to a nice hostel / bunk house ・ a converted portion of an old barn. It had bunks for 6 with two other occupants. Nicholas ・ an Edinburgh U graduate student from Chile and Suzie from London a half marathon runner doing the five Hebrides half marathons. I rode out to the Butt of Lewis and back. It has an impressive rock formation in the area of the lighthouse. Winds were favorable on the return to the hostel. Chili beans and peas for tea with two beer. The Tennents Special was a good one.
End Odo 37602 Dist 67.1 Time 4:17 Avg 15.6
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31 May 16 Tuesday ・ I rode a loop route back to Stornoway. It was mostly cloudy and colder than previous days. I had my hat on under the helmet for the first third of the day. I had favorable winds for the first 50 km. I stayed at the same campground as on Sunday night. On war memorial the names and units were recorded ・ Seaforths, RN and Canadians were common units. There were fewer touring cyclists but I did see a group of 7 heading north against the head wind to the Butt. I plan to get the 0700 ferry to Ullapool and ride toward Inverness tomorrow.
End Odo 376675 Dist 72.6 Time 4:01 Avg 18.0
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01 Jun 16 Wednesday ・ Stornoway to Riverside Campground. I set the alarm for 05:00 and had yogurt and granola for breakfast. Loading onto the ferry went smoothly. I had brunch of ham and bread rolls ・ the sky was clear by landfall and stayed that way till 20:00 with cloud increasing afterward. Two layer riding after Ullapool. The road was uphill with adverse wind for the first 40 km then generally down hill past the dam following the Black river. There was no hard stand sites in the campground so there were fewer motor homes. The local teams were playing a game of round ball footy in the adjacent pitch in the evening. It was the campground attendants day off - he had girlfriend visitor and did not come around to collect the fees.
End Odo 37743 Dist 68.2 Time 4:30 Avg ~15
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02 Jun 16 Thursday ・ Clear and sunny at dawn with cloud increasing after noon. I stayed at a caravan park in Inverness and followed a bike route for the last 20 km into Inverness. I saw several large red-deer in the cleared areas near the highway and went through the smell of carcasses in several locations. I put a load of laundry in the wash then went Tesco shopping. I dried the washing on a fence with overcast skies while I went to a Go Outdoors shop for Ethanol fuel. The evening was cool / cold and I did not tour the town center.
End Odo 37792 Dist 49.4 Time 3:14 Avg 15.2
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03 Jun 16 Friday ・ Inverness to 20 km short of Ft William. Rain showers overnight. Cold morning with clout persistent till the afternoon. Favorable winds from the north. I rode the dual land highway which seldom had a paved shoulder. I encountered several touring cyclists in both directions. Fort Augusta is a popular location for tour buses. My Plan A hostel had no vacancies ・ probably due to a down hill mountain Biking event in Ft William. There were sunny breaks in the late afternoon which contributed to my sun burnt face. I considered wild camping in a forestry site. I found suitable water but the midges were out in force. I rode another 12 km to a campground not far off my route. Salmon and mixed vegetables for tea along with a nice Brakspear Oxford Gold beer.
End Odo 37893 Dist 1000.5 Time 5:226 Avg 18.5
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04 Jun 16 Saturday ・ sunny breaks at the start of the day ・ coat not worn and I was down to a light long sleeve shirt in the afternoon. There downhill mountain bike world cup event was held in Ft William. Park n Ride buses passed me on my route into Ft William. Spectators were gathered at points along my route into Ft William. There were many mountain bikers in town, bike trick demos in one of the town parks. There was a lot of traffic on the road to Oban. I joined Bike Route 78 for the last 50 km into Oban. The last 10 km had many uphill sections before the final descent into Oban. Winds were mostly favorable. I did shopping for two days in Oban before riding about 5 km out to a nice campground. I camped next to a cycle touring couple from Edinburgh ・ who were leaving their car (there) at the more reasonably priced location.
End Odo 37991 Dist 98.5 Time 5:29 Avg 17.9
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05 Jun1 6 Sunday ・ Mostly sunny and warm. Midges seem more prevalent now. I made pasta nad cheese for breakfast ・ angel hair pasta with half a stock cube ・ drain and stir in chunks of cheese ・ cover and wait a minute or two. The couple camped beside me are doing a short loop of the Hebrides ・ Mull, Malig, Lochmaddy, Castlebay. I saw them on the ferry to Mull. I booked a second night at Roseview Camping area and got the ferry to Mull around 10:00 and rode up to Tobermory and returned to Craignure ・ about 76km all up. There was a cycling event in the area 50 and 140 km loops, with the start/finish at Tobermory. There were many senior day trippers on buses on the 17:00 ferry back to Oban. Reasonably priced and pleasant tasting Bavaria Holland beer for the third time.
End Odo 38066 Dist 75.0 Time 4:04 Avg 18.4
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06 Jun 16 Monday ・ Oban to Gourack / Dunoon. Sunny morning with clout later. Single layer top and shorts for cycling into Oban. I picked up my bike bag from the hostel and bought a mailing box from a stationer (should have bought the bag which I noticed on the wall later) . The postal agency clerk could not provide the address for the Glasgow GPO and I went back to the stationer for assistance ・ she gave me a guest login to their wifi and I looked up the details before returning to the post agency ・ finding that my already sealed box was 12 grams over 2 kg... I got the 1211 train back to the stop before Glasgow Central. I met Richard (who I chatted with on the train to Oban on 25 May semi retired teacher) heading back to Edinburgh ・ he went on a week long retreat to Iona. That part of Glasgow is not so cycle friendly ・ lacking routes to avoid the main arterial roads. I arrived by rail around 15:00, dis shopping around 16:00. the 'hostel' shown on my maps was an aged care hostel - so I got a foot passenger ferry around 19:00 and got to the campground after 20:00. Midges increasing and it was the sort of campground one prefers to avoid.
End Odo 38123 Dist 57.1 Time 3:54 Avg 14.6
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07 Jun 16 Tuesday ~Dunoon to Brodick. This morning I found that the front cable outer for the rear derailleur was the cause shifting problems. There was no bike shop in Dunoon and the ・bike shop・ at the Holiday Village was a bike rental service only. I took the vehicle ferry back to Gourack and found Phillips bike shop. Mr P cut me a new cable outer and provided PVC tape to rewind the bar tape. The gear changing will remain spongy while the new cable outer seats. Some sunny breaks and a few spots of rain before a 40 minute wait for the one hour ferry ride. Grocery shopping at Mathesons about 15km before the ferry. I met a young couple from Pennsylvania USA a week into their cycle tour ・ and advised how to adjust the rear derailleur to get the lowest gear to engage. The Rosa Glen camping area had flush toilets and cold water ・ minimum services ・ take your rubbish with you. Irish stew and peas for tea.
End Odo 38190 Dist 66.6 Time 4:02 Avg 16.5
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08 Jun 16 Wednesday ・ Brodick to Port Askaig. Foggy morning, cycled direct to Lochranza for the ferry to Claonaig. Met a Dutch cycle tourer on a 29er with interesting home made bags ・ a large handle bar bag made from a dry sack plus harness. The frame triangle bag carried heavy items. Lighter items on a seat post hanger. Water bottle and stove on brackets on the front forks. He was heading to Oban. I got Islay return ferry tickets at Kennicraig and rode into Tarbert for groceries, etc. I had a yogurt snack and cooked my evening meal in the Kennicraig parking lot before the 18:00 departure. I arrived in Port Askig after 20:20 ・ it was foggy and the ferry toward the Jura camping area was cancelled. A ferry crewman advised that Mary, the publican had a green area and maybe I could camp there. Yes, so I had a beer at the pub and chatted with a Californian on tour, and steward from the large ferry. Midges were not so bad in the village, beside a small boat launch in front of Mary's house.
End Odo 38246 Dist 52.9 Time 3:27 Avg 15.2
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09 Jun 16 Tuesday ・ Port Askaig to Port Charlotte. The ferry to Kennicraig woke me before 07:00. Midges not bad. Granola, bread and coffee for breakfast, ablutions in the ferry terminal disabled toilet and got the 0930 ferry to Jura with a group of senior hikers. Cycled to Craighouse about 15km up and through two main hills on a single track road ・ and returned to get the 13:20 ferry back to Islay and cycled through to Port Charlotte. The campground facilities were quite nice ・ and also served the sporting (soccer?) clubs. It had a large playground, grassed and graveled areas, plus a cafe and meeting rooms, all well maintained. $8 per person per night. Chatted with an older couple in a camping van ・ from between Manchester ・ Liverpool. Did a load of washing and dried on an unused soccer goal net.
End Odo 38302 Dist 59.1 Time 3:49 Avg 15.4
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10 Jun 16 Friday Pt Charlotte to Pt Wemyss and Pt Ellen. Fog at dawn and some showers in the morning, wet roads up to noon. Numerous houses being renovated in Portnahaven at the end of the peninsula. A mostly sheep grazing area with some cattle. Some rabbits in the area. Followed the high road to Pt Ellen. Did the grocery shopping at Spar in Pt Ellen before going to the campground about 5 km north of town. By the end of the day ・ 2 layers for cycling ・ weather. Eggs, green beans and luncheon meat for tea.
End Odo 38371 Dist 68.5 Time 4:14 Avg 16.1
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11 Jun 16 Saturday ・ Pt Ellen to Mausdale. I shopped at Coop Foods before the 09:45 ferry to Kennicraig and cycled toward Tayubkirb ・ no tent camping there, post office / store closed at 13:00. Mausdale store had a ・for sale・ and no opening hours posted. I decided that the safer route / plan was to take the ferry from Campbelltown at 17:00 the next day to a campground near Saltcoats. There were some showers during the day, but the roads were dry by Mausdale. I noted the lack of road grime on the bike wheels. A Yorkshire dad and son in a Landrover Defender camped next to me ・ I watched them set up the tent last used 15 years ago ・ for entertainment. They were in the folding chairs in just over an hour. Midges came out after tea. Tomatoes, pasta and sausages.
End Odo 38416 Dist 45.1 Time 2:35 Avg 17.4
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12 Jun 16 Sunday ・ Mausdale to Kilwinnings. Cloudy with a few sunny breaks. I got the 1000 ferry to Gigha and returned on the 12:30 ferry then rode to Campbelltown. I did grocery shopping and found a bank ATM by 16:00 then proceeded to the ferry terminal. The ferry was half an hour late departing and there was only one couple B&B touring cyclists returning to their car at Ardrossan. I mapped the route to the ・camping・ area at a council country park. The ablution facilities were not open but tap water was available. (There were no roads or vehicle tracks into the area that was set up as gravel roadways and pads for vehicle campers.) In the village of Kilwinning I saw a crow chasing a fox ・ which disappeared through a hedge / fence. I had fish and chips on the ferry for tea and doughnuts and Strongbow Cider at camp ・ at ~ 22:12 twilight.
End Odo 38490 Dist 74.1 Time 4:33 Avg 16.3
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13 Jun 16 Monday Kilwinning to Rothsay. I made a donation to the park for the use of the facilities - as suggested on a sign. I cycled back to the nearest train station and got a ticket for Memyss Bay ・ change at Paisley St (almost Glasgow). I was the only cyclist going on to the ferry to Rothesay but there were others coming off. My map waypoint for the hostel was incorrectly placed and I ascended the Serpentine Way up Canada Hill. The Cicerone Guide address of Harborview on ・ Street was correct. There were no others in the hostel ・ until the operator came in after 20:00. I charged batteries, etc and booked the rail ticket Glasgow to Manchester Airport on line ・ so I will take the train late on 18 June. Salmon, corn and mashed potatoes for tea. ・Old Crafty Hen・ oak aged vintage beer was nice ・ good malt taste, small bubbles, 6.5% alcohol but not that crude alcohol taste.
End Odo 38499 Dist 8.7 Time 0:59 Avg 8.8
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14 Jun 16 Tuesday ・ Rothesay. I rode north on Bute and took a short ferry crossing to the Cowal area. I took a bike route (・short cut・) road over hills to Otter Ferry ・ about 4 km up hill, 2 km undulating and 4 km downhill. I pushed the bike more than a kilometer in sections of 50 to 100 double paces ・ alternating walking and riding. Otter is the 14th century home of the MacEwan clan. The road signs declared the beauty of the Secret Argyle Coast. Breezes and clouds were light with temperatures approaching 20C ・ a 2 layer afternoon.
End Odo 38569 Dist 70.4 Time 4:19 Avg 16.2
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15 Jun 16 Wednesday ・ Rothesay to Glasgow. I had breakfast and was packed and loaded before 0800. I arrived at the ferry in time to ride straight on to the 0800 ferry rather than wait for my intended 0840 ferry. I got train tickets and bicycle reservation for the Glasgow to Manchester on 18 June. I found Bath street from the Central Station and located the Blue Sky Hostel ・ one star. I was in an 8 bed dorm on the third floor with one other fellow. I visited the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum about 2 km away ・ it has a Glasgow focus museum. S Dali Christ of St John on the Cross is their famous piece, with a fair size exhibit of French painters. I spent about 4 hours there with a coffee/lunch break and 13:00 pipe organ performance. The gallery building was an exhibit hall for expo's in 1888, 1901 and 1911.
End Odo 38576 Dist 7.31 Time 0:56 Avg 7.9
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16 June 16 Thursday ・ Glasgow second day at the Blue Sky hostel. I found the central post office and retrieve my bike bag and packing materials ・ no problems. I found my way past the SEC Centro ・ to get over the motorway - to the Riverside Museum. It was mainly transport and manufacturing related ・ ships, steam engines, motor vehicles, bicycles, etc. I was there for around 4 hours. I had lunch at the hostel in the mid afternoon and rode to see the Glasgow Cathedral. The front entrance is more easily photographed and the other exterior sides were interesting but obscured by some work in progress.
End Odo 38600 Dist 23.2 Time 2:11 Avg 10.6
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17 Jun 16 Friday ・ Blue Sky hostel Glasgow. The third laundrette I visited was staffed and the laundry was completed within 2 hours around noon. I visited the nearby Hunterian museum at Glasgow University. Lord Kelvin was a local physics guru. Hunter was more the medico and collector ・ who attracted donations of other significant collections to the museum. I returned to the hostel for lunch and rode over to the Tennent Caledonian brewery in time for the 4PM tour. Tennents brew and bottle their own brand as well as others ・ Stella Artois, an (un-named) Edinburgh beer, amongst others. I met newly retired couple from Queensland gold coast, who spend two weeks at the Isle of Man TT races. Meat pie, onion, tomatoes and couscous for tea.
End Odo 38615 Dist 15.3 Time 1:16 Avg 12.0
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18 Jun 16 Saturday ・ Happy Birthday Grant. I packed, had breakfast and departed the hostel before 10:00. I visited the Peoples Palace winter garden and museum in city east area, its exhibits depicted life in the 50s 60s and 70s in Glasgow. The Glasgow (world) exhibitions were in 1888, 1901 and 1911. Women over 30 got the vote in 1918 and over 21 in 1928. I rode along the Clyde bike way. I went to the Central Train station about an hour before departure to get my bike baggage tag and was advised that I did not have a bike reservation. A kind service lady convinced the load master to take an extra bike as far as Carlisle where the other 4 bikes would get off. (Otherwise I would have had to quickly pack my bike as baggage ・ doable in 40 minutes I estimate.) I was on a fast Virgin train to Preston then a Northern Electric rail diesel car to Manchester Airport. I had the bike packed by 22:20 and found a vacant bank of seats in the check in Lufthansa area.
End Odo 38634 Dist 18.9 Time 2:17 Avg 8.2
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19 Jun 16 Sunday - Each time I rolled over the motion sensor would turn the lights back on for at least 10 minutes. I woke up a 3:30, 4:50 and 5:30 then went through security ・ which was quite busy by that time. Departure to Frankfurt was on time ・ it was an internal European Union flight. There was plenty of time for the transfer to the flight to Toronto. The Frankfurt security screening includes a full pat down, remove and inspect shoes as well as the metal and body imaging screening. The plane was a 747-400. I was in row 50 in the rearward compartment on the lower deck. There was a 45 minute delay departing Frankfurt because of a UK software system upgrade. There was no visual inspection of my bike / camping equipment in Toronto ・ I had wiped down the bike and washed the wheels and tires in Glasgow. The outgoing security in Toronto took longer than in Manchester. Westjet departure to Winnipeg was a little late and I met Sandra at the airport before 01:00
(bike still packed)
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France 2017 Ardeche, Loire, Normandy, Somme
02 May 17 After the 05:30 alarm, Lynn drove me to the Adelaide airport with my packed bicycle. There was little traffic on the roads and I went through luggage and security smoothly. A muffin for breakfast at Hungry Jacks before passing through International security The flight to Singapore went well. Movies: Sawback Rridge and Hidden Figures. I found the E transfer lounge and rested most of the time. Big Mac around 20:00 On time departure around 23:45
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03 May 17 I was not hungry for the post midnight meal. I watched one movie then tried to sleep as much as I could. The sun rose before the 06:00 arrival at Frankfurt. Immigration involved showing my onward ticket and flight information. I had plenty of time before 1 hour flight to Lyon on a 3+3 jet and plenty of time before the 13:42 train to Avignon. The Grenoble and Avignon trains were together at that time and I had to carry my bags from H to B area in short order. I arrived at Avignon Centro and assembled my bike, gears and brakes were not properly adjusted. I found the Leclerc store and withdrew cash from an ATM. I mistakenly purchased the E15 top up plan rather than the E15 per month SIM and fixed this before I left the store. The caravan park was a 3 star, the ground was damp / wet from prior rainfall. There was a grocery shop in the campground. I snoozed rather than try to organise things when I was tired. I cooked tea in light showers. Sore neck and muscles with a wet cough through the night.
04 May 17 Avignon to St Martin and Ardeche. I rose around 06:00 and adjusted the brakes, straightened the wheels and got the derailleur working OK. Rain and showers persisted until around 10:00. I got the SIM card and data working for the tablet. Email, Kindle and Maps OK. Emailed Lynn. I found la Poste busy with people transferring money. No postal bags available, only a large box, so I kept 200 grams of packing to get it under 2 kg. The phone was helpful with navigation. I got groceries at St Esprit, Casino supermarket. I crossed the Ardeche river on a single lane bridge. The 2 star campground was OK for cyclists, I chose campsite based on the direction of the morning sun. I cooked tea around sunset – Toulouse sausage and courgette with yogurt for entree/ dessert. The Belgian Ruby beer was somewhat too fruity. I went to bed by 22:30 with the battery charging in the toilet block. Ducks or geese were restless or crazy during the non daylight hours, nearby. Unable to get the bicycle odometer to work.
05 May 17 Friday. Some light showers overnight. I am getting the equipment etc packed/stored in accordance with touring logic. I had a good rest, up after 07:00, departed camp around 09:30 with the tent much drier. There was only one road to follow through the Ardeche gorges, climbing and descending. Much more elevation gain than the 500 meters suggested by the trail profile. There were plenty of rest stops with views. The second campground was ok at E13, set up by 17:10. I should check the internet before I leave the main cycle route tomorrow. Cassoulet and carrots for tea with Konigsbrau 42 beer. The Italian unit fell apart and usually generated more heat than power.
Distance 50km
06 Ma y17 Saturday. Les Nazes to Val les Bains. Breakfast during light showers, then heavier rain. I held off packing up until a light break around 11:30. Navigation was straightforward to Aubenas, a walled city. I found my way around and down to the Ardeche river, crossed the river then a few kilometers to camp. I purchased groceries for two days, although Monday might be a public holiday. Raincoat and pants for the ride on the D roads. Rain stopped by the time I got to camp but was still dripping from the trees. There were some minor sunny breaks up to 20:00. The tent is drying out OK. Bacon julienne, corn and couscous for tea. Biere de Garde – blonde du nord 6% - a nice malty fragrant beer. I bought a stainless steel pot scratcher and a second water bottle. The USB charger worked well over night.
07 May 17 Sunday Ucel to Ste Eullalie. I cycled 90% of the distance in lowest gear, making about 6 km/h but not having to get off and push. There was a river valley to Col of Mazebed then ridges and cols to Eulalie, 1411 meters at the highest point. I did not get to Grebier le Jen and avoided 150 meters of more climbing and got a nice 7 km descent losing 300 meters. Cloudy weather, cold and windy at the cols. Tablet says 7C and feels like 1C Forecast for tomorrow 7 and 2C then up to 10 and 3C. I will be at lower elevations tomorrow. Ardeche are volcanic mountains, basalt, etc. The bike is going OK. I was poorly prepared for today's energy demand. I purchased bread, VE day Monday is a public holiday. There might be supplies in the tourist town I pass through tomorrow.
08 May 17 Monday – St Eulalie to Goudet. Down to 2C overnight. Ice on the bicycle wheel rims on the way to the toilet and water point at 07:30. Overcast with a few sunny breaks. Climbing was intermittent rather than continuous, mostly along the high lines. Vival store was not open in Lac d'Issarles and the only service station was a garage. Municipal Camping was well sign posted in Goudet, but not open until 2 July. The other campground was open and I appeared to be the only one there at 15:30, temperature 11C, forecast 14 – 3C. 730 meters elevation in Haute Loire.
09 May 17 Tuesday – to Le Puy en Velay. A mixture of hills and about 500 meters of climb in 33 kilometers. Croissante and lemon bearclaw for lunch. Some sunny breaks. I arrived at camp early enough to get a laundry hung by 14:30 and dry by 17:00. The St Michel chapel is in view from the tent. 82 meters outcrop with a chapel/church built at the top. I visited the haute ville, cathedral, Hotel Dieu. I met a lady velo tourer from Constance hon her way to Lisbon, 1000 km traveled so far. This is one of the start locations for the Camino de Santiago. Coquille (signage) on the paths outside the cathedral. Pork cutlett with peas/carrots and couscous for tea, a better camambert this time. Beer – Fischer Tradition blonde du nort – Alsace.
10 May 17 Wednesday – Le Puy to Aurac sur Loire ~65kkm. Route Barre about 5km up the Loire gorges. I found a hilly / mountainous D71 an D7 to return to the guidebook route. Most of the climbing was done by then, but occasionally 200 rotations and rest to get up some of the hills. Hill tops and villages, some trees in new leaves. The Loire is now wider 20 to 30 meters, still in the volcanic area of Auvegne. There was no camping place closer to Le Pertuset. It was much warmer today, two layers for most of the day. 0C in the morning with a high of 18C in the late afternoon. The rear derailleur not returning so I cleaned and lubricated in after noon. I washed the road grime off the wheels after tea, which was Savaloys, peas& carrots, couscous and a better camanbert. Beer – the same Blonde du nord.
11 May 17 Thursday Aurac to Feurs about 70 km and about 82 km ridden. Learn to stay between the boundaries of the autoroute and the river. Showers started when packing up and continued intermittently through the day. The phone responds poorly to damp fingers. Croissant and pain choolcolat for lunch. Pork for tea with an Alsace blonde beer. The terrain is more wide valleys now with less ascending. Sun and showers forecast to end tomorrow, 16 and 8C. There were spaces in the municipal campground at Feurs at 16:00. Ruin of the Balbingy jail was about 8km away. I waited an hour for the rain to ease before setting up the tent.
12 May 17 Friday – Feurs to Pouilly sur Charlliey. A Route Barre on D56 added about 10km of pedaling distance. The campground I am set up in is closed, so I hope this camping sauvage works. Water OK, no electricity, toilets about 800m away. The Sports Complex about 100 meters away is somewhat active. Down to 2 layers form part of the day. I missed a big rain shower while I was grocery shopping. Not as hilly as previous days and it might dry out overnight.
13 May 17 Pouilly to At Agnan. Most of the route followed the Roane to Dijon canal. I took rest beaks at two of the tie up locations that had water and toilets. One had a shelter with a table. Half the cycling time was with rain coat, pants and hood up. There were some dry roads by the afternoon. I shopped at a small grocery store which opened after 15:30. St Agnan camping no longer operates so I wild camped in a sports field that had a toilet and water. Not as secluded as last night, but not too obvious. Dignon Rose at E2 but I will not carry the reminder tomorrow. Sigma bike computer is working OK. Knowing the distance, speed and times helps me to manage my energy levels better.
End Odo 40667 Dist 65.8 Time 3:52 Avg 16.98
14 May 17 Sunday. St Agnan to Nevers. Good cycling, weather cloudy, calm, no rain. I followed the Lateral canal de Loire in general. Cassoulet, couscous, onions and green beans for tea. I visited the city cathedral, Place de la Republique, etc. after tea. I found a Carrefour and biere de Garde – blonde du nord. There are at least nine bicycle tourists camped here.
End Odo 40766 Diet 98.85 Time 5:25 Avg 18.2
15 May 17 Monday – to St Satur. Clouds clearing and single layer temperature for the last third of the ride. Mostly it followed the Canal Lateral de Loire on D roads, straightforward navigation . There were many cyclists following close to the canal. Sanserre St Satur is a small wine producing region. The campground office opens at 15:00. There were no others waiting at 14:00. Vigneron Sausage for tea with Fischers Blonde.
End Odo 40833 Dist 66.8 Time 3:47 Avg 17.7
16 May 17 Tuesday St Satur to Gien. A fine riding day, single layer for most of the day. Close to the canal for most of the day with some rolling terrain. I replaced the rear gear cable last night and found one thimble blocked at the shifting lever end. I bored out the hole with a knife and it worked OK today. I arrived at Gien campground before 14:00 2km to the Intermarche which was closed till 15:00. I set up camp and went into Gien. The best views were from the campground. Chicken sausages with green beans and couscous for the main course. Entree bread with pate de campagne.
End Odo 40903 Dist 70.0 Time 4:04 Avg 17.2
17 May 17 Wednesday Gien to St Ay. Fine weather, ideal for cycling, partly cloudy and calm. I had some challenges finding routes through towns but usually ended up on favorable roads. Sully castle was impressive. I did not stop in Orleans, the campground was closed and I found another 10 km farther down the Loire. I shopped 10 km before Orleans so I carried that the extra 10 km as well. The campground was in a wooded section, without good distant views.
End Odo 40995 Dist 88.75 Time 4:56 Avg 18.01
18 May 17 Thursday St Ay to Chaumont sur Loire. Rain continuing after 13:00. I visited the Chambord Castle. 70 some velo tourers rolled into the campground after 20:00 having cycled 160 kilometers, mostly in the wet, I expect. The phone was damp and dead, I will charge it in the morning as the sleeping bag warms / dries up.
End Odo 41078 Dist 86.5 Time 5:15 Avg 16.49
19 May 17 Friday. To Rigny-Usse. Intermittent showers through the day, the roads were seldom dry. Occasionally followed the Loire par Velo route, which is best when it parallels the D route. 5 minutes of small hail around noon.. I got food from Vival and camped at a not-open bike oriented campground. BYO water, toilets in the village. I set up the tent in a 3 sided shelter with a concrete floor. Level, but hard compared to grass. One other couple was in the campground.
End Odo 41168 Dist 89.6 Time 5:59 Avg 14.98
20 May 17 Sunday. Rigny to Angers. A few sunny breaks ans wet roads as well. Wore the rain coat for warmth and did not have to put on the rain pants. I followed the D roads with only little difficulty through some towns – where the road numbers disappear and re-appear on the other side of town. Numerous castles and mansions. The campground was familiar with velo tourers due to the Loire a Velo. There were several groups of pre 1950s cars on the road, and some boat festival as well. For tea: duck sausages and tomatoes – the leftovers for breakfast. Belgian wheat beer (I thought is was white beer) nice. Shoes were drier than this morning, the socks might dry by morning. The left knee is sore, I moved the seat forward and hope that will help.
End Odo 41255 Dist 87.51 Time 5:17 Avg 16.56
21 May 17 Sunday. Misty in the morning. I packed up wet around 09:00. Rolling terrain with numerous climbs of less than 100 meters. One Route Barre due to boy racers in scaled down F1 style vehicles. This added about 6 km to my ride with 500 meters of uphill walking. They put black plastic over the destination signs … to indicate “something” like a road closure.. but not from where to where … or what alternatives might be considered. The campground at Drain was open so I did not have to search for one farther on. I carried the food from Saturday noon even though there might have been a Super U open along the way. Some chain squeaking so I cleaned and lubricated most of the drive train. It looks OK. Weather forecast for the next 7 days looks good. The left knee pain is less intense today. I moved the seat a bit forward and took care to shift gears over a narrower cadence range.
End Odo 41326 Dist 70.69 Time 3:58 Avg 17.85
22 May 17 Monday. To Savenay. Through hills and hinterlands, vineyards and farms. Fine cycling weather. Some challenges finding a short way to the campground. I stocked up in Nantes, so I was carrying the food for half of the days distance. There were no other bike campers at the campground. Zone d'activities was set up with pool, tennis, gym, etc in the Campground. I scouted the village after an evening meal of ground pork and tomatoes. The left knee is somewhat better but still complaining.
End Odo 41414 Dist 88.04 Time 5:20 Avg 16.49
23 May 17 Tuesday. Savenay to St Nazaire – Le Mans and Caen. Navigation problems added 20 km to the 30 km route. Numerous signs to St Nazaire led to the N road (not for bicycles). I followed D100 in the wrong direction for at least 7km, then other shorter turn backs. I saw the Atlantic Ocean and American war memorial. I got the TGV to Le Mans, 2 hours, then another 2 hour diesel to Caen. I booked a hotel in Caen due to my late arrival, about 6 km from the station. Basic facilities corresponding to nightly rate.
End Odo 41480 dist 65.80 time 4:14 Avg 15.52
24 May 17 Wednesday. Caen to Ste Honoire des Partes. I returned to the city to see the Auberge des Hommes before heading to the D Day beaches. I camped near Omaha Beach American Cemetery and visited Omaha Beach and the memorial. The tide was out and there was a long wide stretch of sand to the waterline. The headlands overlooked the beaches. I did late afternoon shopping after the calendar reminded me of Ascension day on Thursday. For tea: pilchards in tomato sauce with courgettes and angel hair pasta. A cidre Normand brut 4.5% was nice. I have enough food for tomorrow.
End Odo 41551 Dist 70.93 Time 4:38 Avg 15.29
25 May 17 Thursday. Ste Honaires des Pertes to Ranville. I followed D514 mostly eastward. Various beach memorials, Juno Beach – Canadians, fort Gary Horse, North Shore Regiment New Brunswick, Gary (highlanders), Stormont Dundas and Glengarry, Regiment de la Chaudiere mentioned on the plaques. A fine sunny day. Schools out for the four day weekend (Ascension Day plus a joining holiday). I hand laundered socks and two jerseys. For tea: turkey fillet, courgette and pasta with an Abaye blonde beer. The “Haute Couture” 4 star campground was full so I went to the 2 star about 3 km away. No problem.
End Odo 41614 Dist 63.2 Time 3:59 Avg 15.84
26 May1 7 Friday Ranville – Cael – Rouenn – Amiens – Villers Bretonneux – Corbie. I found the canal greenway cycle path into Caen and the railway station. I had plenty of time to catch the 10:21 TER train to Rouen and another train on to Amiens. I rode a single D road to Villers Bretonneux. The Adelaide war graves are east of town. I toured the newish Franco Australian museum in the town. The large Australian War Memorial is north of town with 10,000 plus graves / headstones. Building works are in progress for the 2018 centenary. Fine weather with some less favorable winds. The 2 star municipal campground is in Corbie about 6 km north of Villers Bretonneux. Tea: sliced ham with courgettes and pasta. Beer – another 6.2% Abbaye.
End Odo 41652 Dist 38.21 Time 2:52 Avg 13.33
27 May 17 Saturday. Carbie – Amiens – Paris Nord – Le Blanc Mesnil. Up at 06:00 for the early start ride into Amiens. I followed the greenway chemin des Halages along the canal, well signed and pleasant. I got the seniors rate for trains to Paris Nord E17,50. I had time to visit the Amiens cathedral and look inside. Some WW1 ammunition gouges are still evident on lower exterior walls. The city center shopping is a pedestrian mall longer than Adelaide's Rundle Mall. The TER to Campiegne and twin decks from there – the bike entry is near the main entrance and toilets area. The road out from Paris Nord leads to CdG and is reasonably easy to follow on a holiday weekend Saturday. I followed a city bus which helped to clear traffic for me and allowed cars to overtake.
End Odo 41697 Dist 45. time 3:00 Avg 15.
28 May 17 Sunday. Le Blanc – Mesnil. I departed for the local train station about 3 km away, after 09:15. Notre Dame was the 8th stop, lots of escalator distance exiting and only stairs going in, so I returned to Gare du Nord. Around the exterior of Notre Dame then west along the Seine river as far as the Eiffel Tower. I turned around and followed the Seine for about 2 km past the Champs Elysee park, Place de la Concorde, the octagon and Basin, in front of the Louvre. The Bastille (I walked the bike through that roundabout), the canal near the Place de la Republique, then boulevard d Magenta to Gare de l'Est and Nord. I got the bike caught in an exit gate at St Michel, a passenger used his travel card to open the gate – my ticket only works to open the gate once. The successful method is to stand the bike on the back wheel and move through the gate quickly, once the gate opens. Otherwise the gate “sees” the vacant space and closes. This method worked in Gare du Nord. The Carrefour store/shopping center was closed – two full levels larger than Tea Tree Plaza SA – about 500 metres long on the map. Verwailles would be closed on 29 May due to an official visit. 33 – 19C humid with a few spots of rain.
End Odo 41732 Dist 35 Time 3:46 Avg 9.28
29 May 17 Monday. Le Blanc – Mesnil. Rest, cleaning and laundry day. Plein Air shopping center in LeBM for groceries for the next two days from Leclerc's. I hand washed jerseys, trousers, socks and sheet. Audio book entertainment in the afternoon. There was vehicle accident on the east/west road to the west which blocked traffic. Buses were blocking possible turn around intersections. It was interesting to see the lack of skill making U turns. Some cooperation was shown, a bit more patience could have resulted in a smoother flow.
End Odo 41737 Dist 4.6 Time 0:22 Avg 12.38
30 May 17 Tuesday. Le Blanc Mesnil. I made a practice run to the airport. I cycled to the train station, the ticketing machine was not working. The train went to Terminal 1 then a shuttle train (not-for-bikes) to the other terminal(s), No bikes on the shuttle buses. A train driver advised that bicycle would be quicker from Le Blanc Mesnil. I scouted the route back to the hotel from the airport. A spaghetti tangle of one way roads in the airport. I marked abundant way points on Maps.me so I should be albe to determine keep right; keep left; straight ahead. The 6km from Le Blanc Mesnil are straight forward. I cleaned the bike and camping equipment in the evening.
End Odo 41757 Dist 20 time 1:20 Avg 15
31May17 Wednesday. Le Blanc Mesnil, CdG, Toronto
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Germany 2018 - Wesser, Elbe, Vltava
15May18 Tuesday - depart Adelaide for Singapore
Start Odo 44776
16 May 18 Wednesday – Singapore – Frankfurt – Kassel – Hameln. Flight conditions were OK. I did the initial shopping in Kassel, Aldi and Rewe. There was no easy route out of town and the phone battery drained on the way to Hameln riverside campground. I took an extended nap until after sunset. I rearranged the equipment for touring and had pasta for tea with a beer.
End Odo 448?? Dist 38
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17 May 18 Thursday – It was cool overnight and I was on the road by 09:30. The campground at 77 km was for mobile homes fo I went on to Polle at 91 km. I purchased bockwurst and tomatoes for tea. I chatted with a German neighbour from Westphalia about 60 km away who gave me a Hereford beer. There was no signal form Aldi phone so I will register the card tomorrow.
End Odo 44908 Distance 91.7 Time 5:34 Avg 16.48
18 May18 Friday – I was on the road by 08:30. Cool and cloudy with three layers on all day. I spent an hour on McDonalds WiFi trying to activate the Aldi SIM. I needed and to complete an ID check at a post office. Ground beef / pork with noodles and tomatoes for tea. I messed betting a beer. There is a 25 cent deposit for non glass beer cans / containers. I am getting better at finding the RadWeg signs and clues.
End Odo 45000 Dist 91.6 Time 5:29 Avg 16.72
19 May18 Saturday – to Drakenburg. Calmer winds and light clouds, 2.5 layers riding day. I did shopping about 6km before Wesser Sports Water Campground – a favored place by bicycle tourers it seems. There were at least 9 tents. Netto home brand beer, Pils and Export, somewhat sweet. Metwurst sausage and sauerkraut for tea. I completed the Post ID check at Munden in the morning. The campground had power points for bike campers and e-bikes.
End Odo 45095 Dist 95.36 Time 5:118 Avg 17.97
20 May 18 Sunday. Sunny all day in the low 20sC, sun block and one layer before noon. Many cyclists with panniers, stores closed on Sundays. The campground was north of Bremen – probably a university district. Birch, elm and ash are among the tree species. Moles like the area. I wondered where the Canadian prairie seagulls go in winter – the real snowbirds. The campground was about 5km from the RadWeg so there were fewer bike tourers. Stores closed but I managed to get a cool beer, noodles, cheese, peas and carrots for tea with leftover pate (which comes in a sausage shape). There were some mosquitoes. I relocated my tent before I remembered that the sun rises and sets north of east/west.
21 May 18 Whit Monday – a public holiday. I got bread rolls etc from an open bakery – follow your nose strategy. No other convenience stores were open. I crossed the river through the sands / beaches. Single lane agriculture roads with vehicle traffic today, many bicycles out today, a lot of e-bikes, families, etc. and still many with touring panniers. I shared a campsite with a similar aged fellow from San Fransisco, originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin – on a 20 year old Cannondale in pristine condition. Geese in the fields, some pussy willows on the branch ends. The canola fields were a meter high. Heffe weisenbier – white beer – might include wheat malt – OK. I washed my knicks and one pair of socks.
End Odo 45270 Dist 78. Time 4:31 Avg 17.28
22 May 18 Tuesday – to Offendorf. I took the ferry across to Bremerhaven. There was carnival equipment being dismantled. The port area was interesting with outgoing vehicles, combine harvesters, tractors, construction equipment in paved areas, trucks vans, cars etc on ships. I went through Cuxhaven to the campground about 4 km from Offendorf. Google guided me to the Aldi store and return. Chili con polo for tea. Aldi beer at 30 cents plus 25 cents deposit on the plastic bottle. There was an 8 meter high dike next to the campground – I could hear the out of sight ships passing. Some light cloud and sunny. Soft butter – must be under 20C.
End Odo45358 Dist 88 Time 5:30 Avg 16.
23 May 18 Wednesday – a forty minute wait for a lift bridge – morning tea. Light cloud and 25C in the afternoon. Marshland and dikes, some field crops and farms, sheep and cattle. I got groceries and rode to Gunderhandvuer tej – about 15 km past Stade. The blackbirds have a variety of songs here, as well. Apple orchards are common., 3 meter rows with closely space trees less than 3 meters high.
End Odo 45453 Dist 97.2 Time 5:52 Avg 16.57
24 May 18 Thursday – to Artlenberg Elbe. Easy navigation until the ferry to Hamburg, then frequent checking for the nest 30km. Light high cloud, about 25C in the afternoon and about 14C in the morning. Through Hamburg fish market and dockside where the tour buses gather. Lots of apple orchards, 3 meter row spacing with 1.2 meters between the older trees, less for the newer plantings. Trimmed to about 3 meters high. I shopped at Rewe about 12 km before the campground. Breeze from the south.
End Odo 45537 Dist 84.5 Time 5:30 Avg 15.34
25 May 18 Friday – to Domitz. Head wind prevailing, cloud increasing, maybe a change tomorrow. 26C at 17:20. The Aldi store was about 1km from the campsite by a canal lock. I was on the road around 08:00. It seems less windy in the early morning and more windy in the late afternoon. Large dykes ended, now smaller and less continuous dikes.
End Odo 45649 Dist 81. Time 5:05 Avg 16
26 May 18 Saturday – to Havalburg. Light to favorable winds, sunny with cloud increasing 26C. Pastureland, fine views from the tops of the dykes, gravel sections. A local man guided me for the last 20km toward Sommentary.
End Odo 45720 Dist 101.3 Time 5:41 Avg 17.76
27 May 18 Sunday – to Barleber See campingplatz about 15km downstream from Magdeburg. Another sunny 26C day, single layer after noon, sunscreen top-ups. Traveled through fields rather than dike tops. Barley, wheat, canola and probably lupines. A favorable light breeze. 2 item laundry in the afternoon.
End Odo 45826 Dist 106.00 Time 5:29 Avg 19.35
28 May 18 Monday – to Dessau. Reception opened at 08:00 for key deposit. Warm morning 31C in the afternoon. Scattered cloud, breezes were seldom helpful. The last ferry crossing on the RadWeg was for bikes and pedestrians only. No others waiting so I took the road route with a bridge crossing the river. Evening shopping about 10 km before the campground. The yacht club had about 5 sites for campmobiles plus the tent campers. People fixing boats, otherwise quiet. A family used the table near me for an evening picnic. I had a beer with one of the club workers who spoke very little English. Roll mop herring and spinach for tea – it wasn't the nice creamed spinach that I hoped for.
End Odo 45917 Dist 90.97 Time 5:25 Avg 16.78
29 May 18 Tuesday – to Prettin. The barley fields are changing color and the ends of the wheat heads are filling out. Hawks and Kites were visible from the trail, farther away from the river. The route follows the river most often, sometimes atop the dikes. The shade of the forest tracks was nice in the early to mid day. A few drops of rain and about 7/8 cloud at 19:30. There were some browned off areas of grass in the campground. I was the only tenter at that time.
End Odo 46001 Dist 84.7 Time 5:08 Avg 16.51
30 May 18 Wednesday – to 4km past Riesa. Some Soviet influence seen, a 1995 memorial. Country villages, more buildings in disrepair, more cobblestone roads and paths. Massive silage bins, a turkey farm in disrepair. Farther from the west German influence. Barley fields ripening, hawthorn and wild roses in blossom. (see the email to Lynn for the fox encounter story). Light but not favorable winds, thunder clouds in the evening but no rain. Views of the Elbe river with sheep grazing on the other side. Two caravans occupied, one tenter, me.
End Odo 46089 Dist 87.6 Time 5:10 Avg 16.94
31 May1 8 Thursday. I had a 7:35 start on this warm morning, afternoon was hot as per the previous two days. The river valley is becoming narrower, no more dikes, more gear changing. The Dresden churches and riverside buildings looked splendid across the river. Still plenty of bike traffic on the RadWeg. There was workable WiFi in the campground. There were river tiers, I was camped on the third tier. Turkey burger and mixed vegetables for tea. I pass into Czech Republic tomorrow. Early shopping, just in case.
End Odo 46177 Dist 88.03 Time 5:24 Avg 16.31
01 Jun 18 Friday – to Litomerice. The crossing into Czech Republic was indistinct. The RadWeg is fairly new in some places and cobblestones in others. The trail sometimes follows roads with no cycle lane (unlike Germany). Cloud increasing and thunderstorm at 70km. I waited for the bounding rain to abate to a drizzle and rode on with wet weather gear. I found a grocery store a about 60km then a top up about 2 km from the campground. There are more derelict buildings than in Germany, machine gun type bunkers along the Elbe, age uncertain, maybe world war two.
End Odo 46265 Dist 88.01 Time 5:23 Avg 16.32
02 Jun1 8 Saturday. A foggy morning which burned off by 09:00, In the afternoon, the trail followed the Moldau / Vltava river – Route 7 signposts, with some more strenuous climbs. Grocery shopping for tinned goods is a challenge, more pictures please (even if they are serving suggestions). Pilsner Urquell tonight. I recall having it in Canada. A small campground with an attached restaurant and hostel. Pay in the morning. Cumulus clouds seem to be clearing, less humid. Saturday soccer, sports, festivals and beer gardens.
End Odo 46364 Dist 98.55 Time 5:50 Avg 16.91
03 Jun1 8 Sunday. Reception was not open so I left e10 and a note for the restaurant manager who would be in at 10:00. I toured the waterfront at Prague, early and not so crowded. I cleaned and lubricated the chain, bike and wheels. The Vltava is now in an narrow winding valley, so the route goes through some hills. I didnt find an open store after 60 kms so I had a beer, ice cream and a plate of chops to supplement my sparse rations. I will shop early on Monday at Cholin on Vltava.
End Odo 46437 Dist 73.75 Time 4:54 Avg 15.07`
04 Jun 18 Monday - Hills forests and fields, the RadWeg signs did not follow the Moldau RadWeg route 7 main route. The smaller tracks tend to have steeper sections. I have not yet found spiritus fuel the stove. There are three places to try early tomorrow. I encountered a bridge construction and road closure. No men at work, so I packed the panniers and bike through the small creek. The road short cuts helped to reduce the effort and saved a few kilometers. Sardines, red cabbage and noodles for tea.
End Odo 46529 Dist 91.6 Time 5:42 Avg 16.07 Max 58.7
05 Jun 18 Tuesday. Near Cheske Krumelov, more fields, forests, hills and villages. About 26C, slight cloud and light wind. I found the route fairly well. Cheske Krumelov – the old part of the city is along the riverfront. Vltava is flowing faster here, it is popular with people canoeing. There were at least four school groups plus kayaking parties at the campground. Many tents and the hum of conversations. The distances for the next two days will be shorter, due to campground locations.
End Odo 46606 Dist 76.7 Time 5:01 Avg 15.26
06 Jun 18 Wednesday – to Frynborn. A short ride today with the most pushing the bike up steep sections. Thunder showers and 26-28 forecast or the next 4 days. Far fewer touring cyclists on this part of the RadWeg. Tomorrow should be less than 70km with climbing in the last quarter. The 100 series roads (eg 159) are easier than the five digit agricultural roads. The lake track was very nice – above the hydro dam. Exchange rate is about e1 = 24CK. Beer is less than 12 CK.
End Odo 46655 Dist 47.21 Time 3:23 Avg 13.94
07 Jun 18 Thursday – to Shrazny. I arrived at the ferry an hour before the 09:00 departure and did some co-op shopping during the wait. There are more reasonable slopes today, less uphill walking and pushing. I followed the wrong trail signs for about 3 km through the forest tracks. Strazny must be a border town... casinos, cigarettes for sale, Asian goods shops, Not much for groceries, perhaps skiing in the winter. The first campground was a back country camp with no water. The second – no facilities at all – just a creek level meadow, close to the highway but next to the cycling track and marked on the map as Camping. No other choice but to set up the tent in a stealth location. I treated 1.5 liters of water, just in case. Germany is now across the border. Some cumulative climbs tomorrow with no bypass alternatives. About 1000 meters of climb tomorrow, half in the first 22 km.
End Odo 46727 Dist 72.04 Time 4:56 vg 14.58
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08 Jun 18 Friday – to Zelezna Ruda. The climbs were as expected with many slopes greater than 10%, perhaps 5 km of pushing. The steep descents required hard application of both front and rear brakes. The track was a mixture of paved and gravel. Very few touring cyclists, fewer with panniers. More going north to south it seemed. There were signs of the old iron curtain – border fences now reconfigured to protect young trees. This is a skiing area in winter with hiking / nordic walking. 55Km to Deggendorf camp. I will shop in CZ to reduce my CK cash.
End Odo 46779 Dist 72.18 Time 5:39 Avg 12.77
09 Jun 18 Saturday – to near Deggendorf. The campground host arrived to collect the fees at 08:00. I shopped in CZ side. Prosperity became evident on the German side of the border. I followed the bike paths for the first 30 km then a 2 land road with no shoulder for the remainder. 500 meters of climbing, all in the last 20 km. From the start of the Donau valley a 13% downhill grade for about 5 km at about 50 km/h with brakes applied. The first campground was unpleasant and online reviews confirmed. The next campground was about 8km out with good reviews and good for bike tourers. I did shopping for Sunday about 4 km from the campground. Good weather, 28C and humid.
End Odo 46871 Dist 72.02 Time 4:44 Avg 15.23
10 Jun 18 Sunday – rest day, waiting for the post office to open on Monday, to collect my bicycle bag. I washed the bike and checked the wheels – a spoke broken on the non drive side of the rear wheel. The threaded part of the nipple broke inside, spare parts on hand, repaired, seems OK for now. A good day for laundry if the washing machine is available. I met an Austrian tourer who was on is way to see his Swedish grand parents, on a dual suspension mountain bike with rear panniers only.
Dist 14km
11 Jun 18 Monday. I was packed and at the post office by 8:45, they opened at 08:30. I got the parcel and headed to Plattling. I found the ticket sales across the street from the station. I got to the train with 30 seconds to spare. Standing room only for bicycles. A group of 10 from Munster were heading home on regional trains (with more places for bikes). We separated at Warzwig, then was the sole cyclist on the long leg to Frankfurt. I took a shuttle to the airport no problem. I found an entrance through the parkade. Raincoat on, I found my way to Rewe for evening shopping. I waited for the rain to ease then moved on to shelter by a car dealership for 30 minutes. No let up of the rain on the 3.3 km ride to the campground through some dirt and muddy tracks. After checking in the rain eased a bit. I set up the tent somewhat sheltered by a hut. Beer, biscuits, bread and cheese for tea around 22:00. I got into bed as usual with just the sheet for the first few hours, then with the sleeping bag partly zipped up. The zip fails to engage unless zipped flat – a challenge at night sometimes (fixed this later by clamping the slider)
End Odo 46922 Dist 38.36 Time 2:39 Avg 14.45
12 Jun 18 Morfelden / Waldheim. Showers in the morning. I cleaned the bike and equipment. More showers until about 14:00. Into Rewe for food, etc and scouted the route to the corner of the Airport. The route from Shell / Rewe can follow streets and gravel paths. No need to used the Maps.me bush tracks in the dark and rain. Some gravel so I need to clean the bike before packing at the airport. Roll mops and buttered vegetables for tea. 2 nice beers – Dunkel and Kellerler (unfiltered) No rain since 16:00. The laundered items were still damp at 21:00
End Odo 46933 Dist 11.52 Time 0:46 Avg 16.08
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France 2024 - west and northwest coasts
05 May 2024 Sunday – Adelaide to Singapore. I drove with Lynn to the airport departing at 06:00. I went through bag drop and security by 07:10. There was an on time departure and smooth flight to Singapore. I found the E transfer lounges and later more comfortable lounges in a snooze area. I had a subway evening meal . The plane was loaded and departed before midnight.
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06 May 2024 Monday – The flight to Frankfurt was smooth other than turbulence exiting the Gulf of Aden. The distance from the Frankfurt arrival gate to the A terminal gates was not distant. Immigration processing was simple, what are you planning to do and how long will you stay. The flight to Charles de Gaul Paris airport was short. The over size luggage was delivered well after the normal luggage was finished. I decided to take the night train to Bayonne, otherwise I would not get to the campground until after 2100. I arrived at Austerlitz train station around 1400. My bike bag temporary wheels were unsatisfactory – a skid plate might have worked better. Changing RER lines and station levels with the bike bag was a challenge. I arranged for the middle bunk in a 6 bunk (second class) couchette – probably the best location. Bagged bicycles were allowed on the night train, the car conductor provided access to a locked storage room. The night train departed around 2230.
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07 May 2024 Tuesday – I had a reasonable sleep on the night train. The 6 person couchette was OK, although the occupants heads had to be outside the bunks in order to sit up. The train paused during the night so that it arrived at its destinations on time in the morning. I re-assembled my bicycle outside a cafe (near the train station) that had not yet opened. The front brake disk was bent, I should have removed it when packing the bike. It took several map reference stops to get to the Leclerc store and purchase the mobile phone card. I mailed the bike bag “poste restante” from the la Poste office near Bayonne. The signage for the EuroVelo 1 route was usually comprehensive. There were many sand dunes between the ocean and the bike route. I visited the tourist information office and found that there were two open campgrounds within five kilometers. I shopped for food and fuel at Carefour Express
End Odo 7470 Distance 49.6
Time Average
08 May 2024 Wednesday – to Mimizan Beach. I got the phone working on the France SIM. Seems to have mobile data on it. The GPS takes a minute or two to find the current location. The rear tire was almost flat in the morning and I changed the tube before departing. I checked it this evening but no soap bubbles showed up. I removed the bent front brake disk and average speed went up about 4 km/h. I got a replacement disk here and installed it while the cassoulet was warming up. Sunset about 8:30, cloudy and 20C in daytime. 70km today, following the route reasonably well
There were many cyclists on the route today, mostly day trippers, many families on E-bikes, less than ten percent were touring cyclists. The bike way surface was paved or hard packed material. It passed through commercial forests and over sand dunes. The car parks near the beach access points were full – a long weekend in France. Sunny day.
End Odo 7440 Distance 70.4
Time 4:003 Average 17.3
09 May 2024 Thursday – Continuing through sand dunes area on this sunny day. Of the 4 camping places after 72km, 2 not yet open, one with a queue and traffic manager and the last was now a construction site. I consumed my emergency can of tomatoes around 1800. I set myself a maximum time and kilometer limit; I crossed a small river with a bushland area with single track bike trails. Camping Sauvage after 2000. Sandy ground , it worked OK. Out of the sand dune area, it seems.
End Odo 7547 Distance 107
Time Average
10 May 2024 Friday - to Lacanau ocean beach northwest of Bordeaux - I had a river wash in the morning and breakfast after riding 14km. Another day of forests and dunes. The beach access car parking areas are full of cars for kilometers it seems. A 5 day weekend so a lot of family groups out cycling, some touring. This campground is 64 km from last night's stealth camp, I decided to take the 'bird in hand'. Pine trees are typical of the forest plantation here. Surf schools at some of the beaches. I purchased the French campground power adapter, I will get a 2 amp euro USB charger soon. It's easier to buy bottled water than find potable water along the route. At 1830 the temperature is still 24C and sunny. Sunset is after 2030.
The ferry across the Gironde estuary is 72 km from here - the goal for tomorrow.
End Odo 7612 Distance 65
Time 4:05 Average 16.0
11 May 2024 Saturday – the Gironde coast - Sand dunes, filled beach head car parks and fine weather have encouraged the tourists. Victory in Europe day and Ascension day make a 4 day weekend for some. Plenty of other touring cyclists on the Velodysee route.
I am enjoying biere d'abbaye from various brewers, nice soft cheeses and pates.
I will cross the Gironde estuary tomorrow.
End Odo 7700 Distance 88
Time 5:09 Average 17.1
12 May 2024 Sunday – to Rochefort - Happy Mothers day, Lynn. Cooler and cloudy today but didn't need the raincoat. The route was a gravel rail trail for part of the way. Mid teens forecast for the next few days. Swamp land and drainage channels inland. Light and favorable wind.
I planned to get the first ferry after 9:00 across the mouth of the Gironde, the previous ferry was finishing loading around 835 and I was last to board. Many cars left waiting...
Rochefort is noted for the aerial bridge over the Charante river. I crossed on the new bridge, the old apparatus is still in operation. The number of tourist families has decreased, although there are at least 6 touring cyclists at this campground tonight, 4 in tents. The towns a e now less tourist oriented, stores are usually closed Sundays but there was a Co-op open within a kilometer of the campground.
End Odo 7790 Distance 90.1
Time 5:00 Average 17.4
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13 May 24 Monday – to Marans northeast of la Rochelle - More tractors and less tourists today. The last 26km followed an old canal to this town, some deep cuttings, otherwise not too much up and down. Oyster and mussel area, based on the seaside cafes. Many sailboats docked at La Rochelle.
I purchased a 10 and 5 watt USB charger, it makes a big difference, not having to leave the battery or phone at risk for so long. 511 km of the Velodysee traveled in the first week of cycling.
End Odo 7875 Distance 85.4
Time 4:42 Average 18.2
14 May 2024 Tuesday – into the Loire district - Unfavorable winds with a few showers, a 2.5 layer day, with rain pants on and off. About half of the distance was on gravel tracks / trails. Followed a canal to the west of Marans, more canals, marshland, pastures and some field crops. Less cloudy by late afternoon. Several days south of Nantes. No E-bike tourers or day trippers. Nice campsite.
End Odo 7955 Distance 80.3
Time 5:07 Average 15.6
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15 May 2024 Wednesday – to St Gilles Croix de Vie - Raincoat riding all day, rain pants off occasionally. About half of the distance was on packed sand tracks, OK in the dry, but messy in the wet. Clearing weather once I got camped. Most of the sand mess brushed off when dry. I lubricated the chain. Rear brake pads are worn out. I will buy new ones tomorrow.
More sandy beaches on the way. Two more days of rain in the forecast.
No photos today...Rain...
End Odo 8030 Distance 75.3
Time 5:25 Average 13.9
16 May 2024 Thursday – to St Urbain - Rain, heavy at times throughout the riding day. I got the brake parts I needed and installed the pads ok. More packed sand trails in the first two thirds of the way. Got groceries and found the most likely campground was 7 km back. It was closed due to an inundation, I entered anyway and found a overgrown grassy but well drained site. The showers had hot water. Too wet for motor vehicles but OK for a bicycle. Weather forecast for tomorrow is a bit better.
End Odo 8096 Distance 66
Time Average 13.5
17 May 2024 Friday – to near Pont St Nazaire - Bon voyage, Lynn.
South of the Loire estuary. Only light rain until 13:00, rain pants and coat off for the last hour of cycling. The chain was squeaking badly in the early afternoon and I stopped to clean and hot wax it, worth the effort. More paved roads in the late afternoon. Nice camping with 14 sites for touring cyclists, Five touring cyclists in the campground tonight. Sunny periods forecast for tomorrow. I will head northeast tomorrow rather than riding to Nantes before heading northward.
End Odo err Distance 77
Time Average 13.5
18 May 2021 Saturday - 10 km past Redon Brittany - A good day for cycling, rain gear on for about an hour, more paved roads and agricultural tracks, mostly flat. I rode the bike lane across the 3km St Nazaire bridge, about it 10% grade like Addison Avenue with 70 km/h traffic. Down hill the second half of the bridge crossing. I bypassed Nantes and picked up the Velodysee at St Clair about 45 km after the bridge. I got groceries at Redon. The campground was at about 85 km from the days start. Got set up before the rain started at 1900. Some sun and 22 / 11 forecast for tomorrow.
End Odo 8193 Distance 86.5
Time 5:33 Average 15.6
19 May 24 Sunday – at Josselyn Brittany - A good day for cycling, fog for the first 20 km then clearing. Following the canal towpath, mostly sealed tracks today except for a diversion, where I missed the return sign. Campground at 64 km otherwise 22 km to the next campground. Therefore laundry day. A public holiday here tomorrow, so had to stock up at a small shop, most stores closed Sunday afternoon. More locks on this section, there is some down stream flow, numerous watercraft, holiday makers, more E-bikes as well. Two cycle touring couples at the campground; northbound from Narabonne to Roscoffe, and the other southbound from Roscoffe to St James de Compostella Spain
End Odo 8263 Distance 70.4
Time 4:33 Average 15.4
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20 May 2024 Whit Monday - An overnight flat tire repaired in the morning, glass bit. A good day for cycling, down to a single layer for the last hour. All shops closed. I will shop early tomorrow.
Lots of locks today with some downhill sections. A pleasant campground with at least 6 touring cyclists. I will take a Google route to get over to the EuroVelo 4 route at Yffiniac and cut off a few days through hilly areas. 50 km from here and moderate hills. I will leave the turn by turn guidance turned on for that part of the day. The weather forecast looks OK up to 1500 tomorrow.
End Odo 8334 Distance 71.2
Time 4:26 Average 16.0
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21 May 2024 Tuesday – cross country to 8 km north of Yffiniac - I got bread and croissants at Mur de Bretagne. I followed Google Maps 'best' routes to Yffiniac. Some of the tracks were unsuitable for mountain bike, some forest tracks were overgrown, fallen trees, while others were effective short cuts. I had to walk up some hills and enjoyed the downhill on the paved surfaces. The campground is 3 km north of the VeloMaritime route. I did my grocery shopping at Yffiniac Super U. My phone battery was dead about 4 km from the small campground. No other touring cyclists today.
I usually cycle for an hour then take a food break, bread, cheese, pate, cucumber, chocolate, water … Attached photo shows what is needed to keep the mobile phone charged. The campground outlets require the special plug adapter. I recharge the battery pack as first priority, the phone charge from the battery pack overnight.
End Odo 8406 Distance 72.5
Time 5:29 Average 13.2
22 May 2024 Wednesday – to near Matignon - I followed the route fairly well today. Took an off route excursion to see a light house. Hills were as advised by the VeloMaritime web page. More roads than trails, more walkers along the route in the afternoon There were some touting cyclists along the route but none in the campground. I stopped for about 30 minutes around 1500 to avoid cycling in the rain.
End Odo 8479 Distance 73.7
Time 5:30 Average 13.4
23 May 2024 Thursday - to 9 km northeast of St Malo - Good weather today except for 15 minutes of heavy rain after noon then 45 min of light rain. Dry in the morning and evening. 10 / 17C, a 2 layer day. I will check the route map more frequently tomorrow, a had an extra 7km off route today. St Malo seemed to be a bus tour shopping destination. Campground about 2 km from the Velo Route.
End Odo 8555 Distance 76.5
Time 5:29 Average 13.9
24 May 2024 Friday – to Pontaubault – Cool and mostly cloudy with winds that were not adverse. Passed the car park at Mont St Michel and did not go out to the Monastery. Some nice rail trails today which kept the grades at less than 4 percent and maintained elevation passing over the creeks. Wore the shorts through the cycling, somewhat warmer, and the seat appreciated the shift in padding. I had to back track 5 km to get groceries and to find a campground that was open.
4 touring cyclists at the campground tonight.
The route follows more minor roads, so more variety, Winter wheat, barley and flax, spring plantings look like corn. Wettest spring in many years according to a local.
End Odo 8634 Distance 79.7
Time 5:002 Average 15.8
25 May 24 – Saturday – to Camping Sauvage - A good day for cycling and mostly rail trail for the first 70 km. Shopped in Normandie Vire then found the campground was not available due to a big petanque tournament. No other campground near by or on the way. After 100 km and 7 hours, I found an un-fenced hay pasture surrounded by bokage / hedgerows. The nearest building were 200. meters, horses in next field but could not see anything through the hedgerows. No dogs nearby, the ground was lumpy but OK. It rained overnight
End Odo 8734 Distance 100.4
Time 7:02 Average 14.3
26 May 2024 Sunday – to Carentan les Marais - Another good day for cycling only brief periods of rain. Found a bakery open early in the morning, nice after a night of stealth camping. Route signs led me 3km by 2 off the downloaded route. The terrain was hilly for the first half of the day with walking up some hills. Saint Lo was at 55 km and no campgrounds in the next 30 km. With detours I ended the day at 97 km in a nice campground with hot showers with at least 5 other touring cyclists. This year is the 80th anniversary of D day landings. There were Information boards along the Vire river telling of the progress towards St Lo in June July 1944.The route heads eastward through Normandy tomorrow. I will omit the loop to Cherbourg.
End Odo 8831 Distance 97.2
Time 6:22 Average 15.2
27 May 2024 Monday – to Arrowmanche - Good cycling conditions today from Carentan to Arrowmanche, good tracks and favorable winds, less than an hour of rain or showers. A big commemoration of the June 1944 allied landing in Normandy will take place. Cycle route detours are now in place now, vintage army vehicles are roaming the area, parking areas being mowed and cordoned off, bunting flags are in place... The Carefour store is within 300 meters of the campground.
End Odo 8912 Distance 81
Time 5:24 Average 15
28 May 2024 Tuesday – to 6km from Deauville – Raincoat on all day and rain pants for about half an hour. Winds were nearly favorable with full cloud cover. Out of the D day anniversary preparation area so there should be fewer detours. Typical wide deep sandy beaches with no swimmers today, the waters were quite calm. Heavy showers after setting up the tent and a sunny break after 1700. 1600 km by the odometer so far in 22 days. The weather forecast is for cloudy daytime tomorrow.
End Odo 8987 Distance 72.9
Time 4:56 Average 14.8
29 May 2024 Wednesday – to Honfleur - Showers and rain through the riding day, rain pants on all the way. No sun to dry out the tent etc. The phone must have objected to the damp and stopped using my France SIM. It took a while to figure out which setting to change, or maybe I just got lucky. Anyway I set up the sim account properly now. Shorter ride today, the next campground was more than 30 km away. doing laundry. I cross the Seine estuary on the Normandy bridge tomorrow.
End Odo 9037 Distance 53
Time 3:48 Average 14
30 May 2024 Thursday – 9 km past Etretat - Half of the Normandy bridge was closed for resurfacing, so the 1 meter bike lane was bi directional while the vehicles used a single side of the bridge. I had to stand behind the bicycle to allow the only tow other oncoming cyclists to pass in the narrower than normal cycle lane. There was adverse wind and challenges navigating through Le Havre docklands and city. Rain in the middle third of the riding day. Steep uphill grades getting out of the city. I arrived at the campground before 1800. Similar weather forecast for tomorrow., 14 / 12c. Climate average is 20/10C. Sunshine is forecast for the weekend and beyond.
End Odo 9116 Distance 79.4
Time 5:59 Average 13.2
31 May 2024 Friday – 26 km short of Dieppe – I packed up almost dry with a wet ground sheet – becoming typical. Windy all day, 24 km cycled before the wet weather started. The “sur mer” villages involved an avg 100 meter decent and a similar climb back to the plateau, farmland. Corn, canola, wheat, barley, potatoes, flax, beets and probably turnips. A linseed festival coming to one of the villages that I passed. Rain started when setting up the tent with gusty winds on a sloped and half exposed camp site. I changed campsites to get in the lee of a hedge before 2100.
End Odo 9189 Distance 73.2
Time 5:12 Average 14.1
01 June 2024 Saturday – to 10 km past Treport – I cycled 10km cycled before the drizzle started and continued through the cycling day, no rain though, but no sign of the sun yet. Strong cross winds but calmer in the afternoon. Google chose agricultural tracks to get me to the campground – rather than following the EuroVelo route. The campground hostess offered me the Salle de Pause / Games Room for the price of a tent site. Cooking and wash up indoors, toilets next door, showers 150 meters away. I dried out my tent and ground sheet. I left my seat pad on a bench when I took a break during the day.
End Odo 9261 Distance 72.6
Time 5:37 Average 12.9
02 June 2024 Sunday – to Berck – I was on the route at 08:05, unfavorable winds, cloudy, clearing and sunny by late afternoon. There was better route marking today – EV4 directions painted on the pavement worked well. I passed through a substantial nature park today, it reminded me of Riding Mountain National Park, with the cottages etc. One Carefour city grocery store is usually one open in a larger city on Sunday afternoons, so I did not have to carry extra food for the day.
End Odo 9349 Distance 88.8
Time 5:42 Average 15.4
03 June 2124 Monday – to Wissant - A cloudy day with light wind, no rain – a good day for cycling. Some sunny breaks early and late in the day. Rolling country again. The last night of camping, I plan to use up the food items and start the cleaning activities. 2011 odometer km since the start of the tour. I encountered more touring cyclists heading towards Normandy, probably for the 6 June D day 80th anniversary. Calais is about 22 km from here
End Odo 9431 Distance 82.8
Time 5:27 Average 15.2
04 June 2024 Tuesday – The tent was dry in the morning, it was cloudy while riding, more hills and agricultural roads. I collected my “poste restante” bike bag package and got to the SNCF Calais station before 11:00. The 12:16 train for Amiens left on time. I had 25 minutes to transfer at Amiens for Paris Gare du Nord, arriving 16:00. Bicycles are not allowed on the crowded RER B line trains from 1630 until after 2100 business days, otherwise a 30 km bicycle ride. I got a carriage with space (with the consent of the platform guard) shortly after 1800. I had trouble finding my way out of the various levels of the airport – until I took the CdGVal to get close to the Ibis Styles hotel – near Roisseypole.
End Odo 9459 Distance 28.9
Time 1:57 Average 15.3
05 June 2024 Wednesday – at CdG Roissey en France – I familiarized myself with the required airport locations. Roisseypole city bus station was close to the hotel. I bussed to a Decathelon store looking for bike parts without success.
06 June 2024 Thursday - to Dorval – I packed my bike etc. in the terminal close to the check in area. At Air Canada check in I explained that the bag contained bicycle parts and that I would prefer to not pay extra for the one oversize bag that was less than 23 kg when my allowance was two 23 kg bags. Thank you AC. The flight to Dorval was smooth, full and on time – Montreal Grand Prix weekend. Oversize bags were not allowed by Via Rail between Montreal and Toronto. I had arranged to purchase and collect a bike box from Dorval airport – the box was not ready when I arrived and took an extra hour. I was therefore unlikely to get the Via Rail train to Kingston that evening. After a very long wait in the taxi cab rank, I got to the Air Canada Cargo location about 12 km through the suburbs. The counter staff was very helpful with the administration and recommended that the bike as adequately packed in the bag (without the carton). I got WiFi access to look for night accommodation, and bus routes. The AC Cargo member offered to drive me to the hotel, where (I had stayed in 2011). I made the train booking that evening expensive due to the Grand Prix event.
07 June 2024 Friday – to Kingston Ontario – I was awake early and decided to walk the 2 km to the Tim Horton shop which was close to the Via Dorval Station. The train was about half an hour late arriving in Kingston. Linda L met me at the station.