5/7/2019

 

St Malo

I wake early and shower.  Exiting the ferry it was time to find Euro money and food.  So into the center St Malo and have my first croissant of trip.  Legs ache as I ride.  Taking back roads till I find a trail to ride.  Midafternoon I arrive at Mont Saint-Michel.  Bikes are not allowed to approach the island. So I ride the bus packed like sardines.  Take a circle routes around the Monastery which take me up and down.  Yes there were many stairs.  I walk back to the bike and ride on in the rain.  A few more miles and I get to a campground.

Love and kisses

Steve

Ferry Distance 174 Miles / Total Time 12:01 / Time of Day 8:16 / Average Moving Speed 15.5 / Average Speed 14.5 / Moving Time 11:14 / Stop Time 0:47 / Max Speed 25.0 / Temperature  68F / Max Temp 70F / Min Temp 59F / Ascent 1379 ft / Current Elevation 0 ft / Max Elevation 114 ft /

Distance 48.2 Miles / Total Time 9:41 / Time of Day 20:29 / Average Moving Speed 7.4 / Average Speed 5.0 / Moving Time 3:15 / Stop Time 5:39 / Max Speed 22.1 / Temperature  56F / Max Temp 69F / Min Temp 55F / Ascent 1470 ft / Current Elevation 49 ft / Max Elevation 360 ft /

         I see my objective

The Horde Invades

 

 

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5/6/2019

Another dawn and I am up.  Legs still hurt to move.  I see another long day ahead.  I want to catch a boat today so it is time go.  I head down the downs and back into traffic. The pavement makes the riding easier.  On a bike path a lady yells at me as I read a sign on the roman history of the area.  I surprised her on the cycle path as I passed her as she was walking her dogs.  She was surprised as can't hear well and wants me to use a bell.  From her volume she has a hearing issue she wants to spread.  I consider what size church bell I would need to carry to ensure she could hear it.  As the issue seems to be with her and I don't want to travel like an old time leper, I will not be riding with a bell ringing.  You think she would expect bicycles on the bike path.  Yes the sign note it was a bike path before I was interrupted reading it.  When I get to the ferry terminal most ferries arrive after dark in France.  So I go for the overnight ferry arriving at dawn.

Love & Kisses

Steve

Distance 44.8 Miles / Total Time 11.26 / Time of Day 18:48 / Average Moving Speed 6.5 / Average Speed 3.9 / Moving Time 6:51 / Stop Time 4:35 / Max Speed 33.0 / Temperature  60F / Max Temp 65F / Min Temp 43F / Ascent 1325 ft / Current Elevation 34 ft / Max Elevation 860 ft /

5/5/2019

Another dawn and I am up.  Legs hurt to move, it feels like a pipe was hammered against them.  I see a long day ahead.  I ride against a marathon that is happening.  Provide a lead runner with a Band-Aid for her foot.  After going up and down the South Downs for 16 miles I find a nice forest.  It’s time to camp.  I find a place deep in the woods and hard to find as it is mid afternoon.  My legs are finally happy as lie down.   A few hours later I spot someone fifty yards away in the woods.  He spots my camp after he has set up his camp.  Another person is wild camping.
Love & Kisses
Steve

Distance 17.0 Miles / Total Time 9:41 / Time of Day 18:03 / Average Moving Speed 4.1 / Average Speed 1.8 / Moving Time 4:10 / Stop Time 5:32 / Max Speed 13.2 / Temperature  49F / Max Temp 53F / Min Temp 43F / Ascent 2311 ft / Current Elevation 847 ft / Max Elevation 877 ft /

5/4/2019

Ready to load

There is nothing to worry about in the dark

The birds are noisy at dawn so I am up and going.  I head southwest on back roads.  Coming across an old railroad route that has been turned into a path I take it.  It is heading south and it has no cars honking at me as they drive on the wrong side of the road.  I find that it goes all the way to the sea so I stay on it.  After many miles I get to the South Down Way and turn on it.  Now I have hills to climb and my legs are not ready for distance I have already done.  Large pig farm adds an unique smell.  I push on with hopes to get upwind.  I find a bit woods and camp.  Sleep comes on me as I cook dinner.  51.6 miles and my legs are trashed.
Love & Kisses
Steve

Distance 51.6 Miles / Total Time 13:27 / Time of Day 20:14 / Average Moving Speed 6.6 / Average Speed 3.8 / Moving Time 7:49 / Stop Time 5:40 / Max Speed 20.0 / Temperature  47F / Max Temp 54F / Min Temp 38F / Ascent 3109 ft / Current Elevation 668 ft / Max Elevation 785 ft /

5/2-3/19 It Begins

The trip starts slow with the plane held by the passenger bridge not detaching for two hours, then a 9 hour flight.  Many passengers were not making their connections.  Me! I was running late.  Back in The trip starts slow with the plane held by the passenger bridge not detaching for two hours, then a 9 hour flight.  Many passengers were not making their connections.  Me! I was running late.  Back in England where I left off on my last trip.  Bike needed assembly with a helpful supervising security suggesting a campground next to the runway.  For some reason the roar of jet engines does not help me sleep.  It is five PM and I am on the road.  I ride into town to find a bank and grocery store.  No fuel for the stove so bread and cheese for dinner.  At 6:30 PM I supplied and it is time to ride for some forest I know of.  It is just 13 miles as a crow flies.  Light rain and wrong turn does not help the progress.  As the light fades I start up the long hill climb for the last two miles.  In the dark I find a forest road and am able to locate a camping spot.  Those glowing green eyes in the woods I figure is just a fox.  I go to sleep to the sounds of a boar grunting and a fox barking

Love and Kisses

Steve

Distance 24.7 Miles / Total Time 5:17 / Time of Day 22:38 / Average Moving Speed 7.3 / Average Speed 4.7 / Moving Time 3:23 / Stop Time 1:54 / Max Speed 37.0 / Temperature  47F / Max Temp 75F / Min Temp 45F / Ascent 1406 ft / Current Elevation 563 ft / Max Elevation 641 ft /

8/5/18

Late start and knock the slugs off my ten. There can be only one slug on this trip and I do not want to give up the starring role.  Back over the road I traveled yesterday.  This time I go over the pass and down the other side. I see a nice wide trail but it is blocked off as it is being worked on.  Lower down I am able to ride it.  It is steep in a positive direction and I ride my brakes.  As always I wonder who believes loose gravel is needed on trails.  I’ll stick to the road going the other direction up.  At Fort Augustus I follow the canal.  See a nice spot and camp early.  Rain was predicted and it is nice to be a head of the weather.  Once again I forgot to check the internet while in town.  The need to be connected is fading.
Love and kisses
Steve

8/4/18

Back 5 miles to Inverness. Not going to the library as the laptop needs power. Decision is made and head out on the south great glen route.  I look across Loch Ness for Nessie.  The road turns into the hills.  I go to some forests to camp. There are no forests as the trees are cut.  The new trees are short and the ground has been ripped up and to limply. I go back five miles to a nice camp spot I saw.
Love and kisses
Steve

8/3/18

Rain over night. Midges are friendly so I decide not work on the bike. Nine miles to the bike shop. The shop replaces the bottom bracket and it does not fix the clicking. Spoke is also fixed and the wheel trued. Pedal is the problem and I will see if adding grease will help. In Inverness I find out the library does not allow people to plug in devices as they are afraid they might exceed their electricity quota. I head up the Great Glen trail to camp.
No photos taken today.
Love and kisses
Steve

8/2/18

Watch a salmon trying a falls.  I am to slow on the camera for a pic.  Stop at a Pictish stone.  A cyclist invited me to her home for tea.  She had a bottom bracket tool.  I tried to fix the bottom bracket, but the click click continues.   Back on the road I noticed a spoke is broken.  As it is getting later in the day I seek a place to camp.  Tomorrow I need to fix my spoke and see if the bottom bracket can be fixed.
Love and kisses
Steve

8/1/18

Rest day

Love and kisses
Steve