Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Jerking down the road
Day 1 in the car, we had a scenic drive along the northwestern coast of Normandy to Mt. St. Michel and upon arriving to the campsite that night, we could see the lights of the island. In the morning, we explored both the touristy area as well as the more historic aspects of the island. Before a road was constructed for access, the island was only accessible via a land bridge which only emerged at low tide. Before becoming a major tourist attraction, it was originally a place of pilgrimage (and still is) as well as a prison due to its secluded nature. We then drove to Tours and stayed at a campsite near a somewhat busy road which was a lot different than all previous campsites. The next day, we needed to get some gas and just when we thought we were out of luck, we found a gas station that would only give us 30 Euro worth of gas. We did not understand why but just assumed it had something to do with the language barrier. We later found out that France is currently experiencing many gas strikes and protests. We camped that night in Royat at the Indigo Campgrounds. It was interesting following the GPS on the bicycle mode as it directed us to take many small "unpaved" roads. When we do use is for navigating by bicycle, however, it directs us to interstates and motorways. The next day, we had a beautiful scenic drive through many canyons and mountains. Due to a spelling error, we realized that we were heading toward the wrong village. Luckily, a well timed phone call allowed us to re-route and make it Emma's aunt's house in a tiny perched village in the heart of Provence. We arrived after dark, but in the morning, we were astonished by the magnificent landscape and vistas surrounding us and can understand how one could come here and never leave. Happy to return the automobile, we were delighted to have wonderful hosts who brought us to their favorite places including their own vineyards and olive orchards, natural springs, pine forests, Les Apilles (the Little Alps) and Le Ventoux (one of the peaks cycled in the Tour de France). We checked out a few of the surrounding villages in the area by bicycle, including visiting a weekly market with fresh bread, cheese, vegetables and the like. More to update soon...We look forward to your comments!!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Entry 1: pre-France
Dear diary,
It has been a long time since our last entry, but life has been splendid on and off the road. Upon leaving Barley, England, we were delighted to cycle roughly 53 km and to have the opportunity to spend the night camping at St. Albans Abby in the dean's garden. It was an interesting experience to awake in the presence of a historic cathedral after a lovely night out on the town. The next day, we cycled about 118 km to New Arlesford where we had our first experience with difficulty finding a place to sleep. We wandered the village for a few hours and ended up camped out in the back garden of a small bed 'n breakfast. We then had a nice short backroad ride to Southampton! We were home! The trip was over, hahaha. In contrast, Southampton, England was a rather large, bustling city and we much prefer our home. After lunch, we continued on to Portsmouth, England where we hopped on a ferry to Cherbourg, France. It was then that we were hit with the reality of entering a new country with little knowedge of the language. Still unsure of a definite place to spend the night, we wandered the dark streets of Cherbourg. After being waved away from our first choice hotel we ended up staying in a comfortable hotel in the central port area of the city. With internet at our fingertips, we researched the availability of camping in the area along our potential route, only to realize that about 9 out of 10 campsites were closed for the season. After much discussion about options and resolution to this significant debacle, we spent most of our first day in France weighing out our options and coming up with alternative solutions. Cycling and staying in hotels and bnbs would have cost significantly more than we had planned for camping, so we turned toward alternate forms of transportation to get us further south faster, where we hoped to have more camping options. We discussed ferries to Spain, which would have still cost more than we were willing to spend and we would miss out seeing northern France. A train also would not allow us the freedom to explore the landscape as we would have enjoyed. Afrer research and discussion at the ferry port, we we struck with a brilliant idea which we never would have anticipated and had even previously joked about... rent a car! This would allow us to avoid hotels by getting to open campsites, yet still be able to explore and visit sites not accessible wih our bicycles. From the ferry port, we coordinated for an appropriate timing and mileage for a rental car, but upon arriving at the office, we were stopped in our tracks as reality dictates that we must drive a manual car as they did not rent any automatics. Emma was the only one of us old enough to rent the car, and it was up to her as to whether we could pull this off. She agreed, only with the promise of much practice around the supermarket parking lot. We piled our gear into what we later named the car, "the jerk," and we were off, around and around and around the lot. Braking and accelerating were difficult at first, and we were a car full of laughter, but eventually, she felt confident enough to get out on the road.
Post two too come.. On the road south!
It has been a long time since our last entry, but life has been splendid on and off the road. Upon leaving Barley, England, we were delighted to cycle roughly 53 km and to have the opportunity to spend the night camping at St. Albans Abby in the dean's garden. It was an interesting experience to awake in the presence of a historic cathedral after a lovely night out on the town. The next day, we cycled about 118 km to New Arlesford where we had our first experience with difficulty finding a place to sleep. We wandered the village for a few hours and ended up camped out in the back garden of a small bed 'n breakfast. We then had a nice short backroad ride to Southampton! We were home! The trip was over, hahaha. In contrast, Southampton, England was a rather large, bustling city and we much prefer our home. After lunch, we continued on to Portsmouth, England where we hopped on a ferry to Cherbourg, France. It was then that we were hit with the reality of entering a new country with little knowedge of the language. Still unsure of a definite place to spend the night, we wandered the dark streets of Cherbourg. After being waved away from our first choice hotel we ended up staying in a comfortable hotel in the central port area of the city. With internet at our fingertips, we researched the availability of camping in the area along our potential route, only to realize that about 9 out of 10 campsites were closed for the season. After much discussion about options and resolution to this significant debacle, we spent most of our first day in France weighing out our options and coming up with alternative solutions. Cycling and staying in hotels and bnbs would have cost significantly more than we had planned for camping, so we turned toward alternate forms of transportation to get us further south faster, where we hoped to have more camping options. We discussed ferries to Spain, which would have still cost more than we were willing to spend and we would miss out seeing northern France. A train also would not allow us the freedom to explore the landscape as we would have enjoyed. Afrer research and discussion at the ferry port, we we struck with a brilliant idea which we never would have anticipated and had even previously joked about... rent a car! This would allow us to avoid hotels by getting to open campsites, yet still be able to explore and visit sites not accessible wih our bicycles. From the ferry port, we coordinated for an appropriate timing and mileage for a rental car, but upon arriving at the office, we were stopped in our tracks as reality dictates that we must drive a manual car as they did not rent any automatics. Emma was the only one of us old enough to rent the car, and it was up to her as to whether we could pull this off. She agreed, only with the promise of much practice around the supermarket parking lot. We piled our gear into what we later named the car, "the jerk," and we were off, around and around and around the lot. Braking and accelerating were difficult at first, and we were a car full of laughter, but eventually, she felt confident enough to get out on the road.
Post two too come.. On the road south!
pics 2.
Le Ventoux, the "monster" of Provence (no, we did not cycle here, unfortunately because of dangerous cycling conditions: windspeed 120kph, temp 0C, windchill -9C)
poprocks chocolate!!
picnic near Les Alpilles
Thursday, October 7, 2010
3 more.
Great Chrishill Windmill, dentures in flint wall, Sweet Baby James and Jemimah. haha, might have to wait for some explanation from the girls, my job's just to upload! still jealous of the girls though, dreaming of the day we reunite in Rome. --georgia
... a few more.
here we got, chickens in the kitchen, peafowl and chicken friends, and Sir Robert Peel.
more pics!
okay! having trouble situating these pics with their captions again! but i'll do my best. we've got huli with fresh fruit, emma's magical expierence, and wellies!
new update!
To begin the month of October, we were honored with a lovely wet and windy day of riding in England. We cut our day short to get warm 'n dry at a bed n breakfast in Stow-on-the-Wold, spending our evening cozied up, watching movies while our saturated clothes took up most of the room. The next morning began bright 'n crisp. After a traditional English breakfast of meat, beans and eggs, we had the pleasure of witnessing an old fashioned fox hunt! Dozens of horses with quads and cars following trotted through the streets more for show and fun than to actually catch any fox.
Our goal for the day was to make it 90+ miles to our first planned rest day that turned into the rest of the week. After about 6 hours in the saddle (70ish miles) it began to rain and get dark but we pushed on (total of 93 miles) and made it to Barley where we made ourselves at home for the next week, feasting on cheese, bread, and wine, apples, pears, and plums from the orchard and the most wonderful home cooked meals.
Aside from hanging out with Dexter cows, peafowls, chickens, rabbits, squirrels, woodpeckers, pheasants, and horses we visited London, Cambridge, Saffron Walden, Barkley, Barley and Royston, also exploring the local footpaths nearby. Tomorrow we continue cycling on in good spirits.
H, G, E
Our goal for the day was to make it 90+ miles to our first planned rest day that turned into the rest of the week. After about 6 hours in the saddle (70ish miles) it began to rain and get dark but we pushed on (total of 93 miles) and made it to Barley where we made ourselves at home for the next week, feasting on cheese, bread, and wine, apples, pears, and plums from the orchard and the most wonderful home cooked meals.
Aside from hanging out with Dexter cows, peafowls, chickens, rabbits, squirrels, woodpeckers, pheasants, and horses we visited London, Cambridge, Saffron Walden, Barkley, Barley and Royston, also exploring the local footpaths nearby. Tomorrow we continue cycling on in good spirits.
H, G, E
Sunday, October 3, 2010
the first photos!
sorry guys, I (georgia) got frustrated trying to upload them and write the comments next to them in a fashionable way. we've got for the first photo, leaving Wales, entering England, their first pale ale, day 1 en route (Ireland- somewhere south of Dublin), and not sure about the last one. enjoy!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Hello from Brazil
Hey All,
Just thought I would say what up from Bazil and share with you the pictures of Emma and Gen´s bikes from Traffic Bikes flickr site.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trafficbikes/sets/72157624868891544/
The only biking I have been able to do recently is some beach cursing on a huge beautiful white sand beach in Southern Brazil, warm and dry. I know this isn´t optimal training but it is all I have, so it will have to do. Brazil has been an amazing experience so far and I am getting excited and ampted to join the crew.
I wish them luck and safe travels.
Love Lucy
Just thought I would say what up from Bazil and share with you the pictures of Emma and Gen´s bikes from Traffic Bikes flickr site.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trafficbikes/sets/72157624868891544/
The only biking I have been able to do recently is some beach cursing on a huge beautiful white sand beach in Southern Brazil, warm and dry. I know this isn´t optimal training but it is all I have, so it will have to do. Brazil has been an amazing experience so far and I am getting excited and ampted to join the crew.
I wish them luck and safe travels.
Love Lucy
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