Top of Wolcott Divide
We have to confess that we have become certified "Cycle-Paths" taking every opportunity to get on our bikes when the weather permits.
Kim and I are the Yin and Yang that inspires our passion. Sometimes we start out planning to skip a day, then one of us says "maybe a short ride" (< 20 miles) which evolves into a "medium ride" (20-40 miles) and on occasion a "long ride" (>40 miles).
This is our third trip to Europe in less than four years. We did southern France in the fall of 2016 to celebrate our 50th anniversary then northern Italy in the spring of 2018 to celebrate Kim's 70th birthday. This trip is in celebration of being healthy and able bodied enough to bike another 1000 miles this season. Some times you don't need an excuse to celebrate.
They say that the "third time is the charm" and we certainly hope so. Kim is now a seasoned AirBNB expert finding out of the way locations that have all the modern conveniences of home (big bed, laundry, well equipped kitchen, devoid of rope ladders or spiral staircases, and WiFi). Our Peugeot minivan can hold all our baggage and bikes (boxed for the flights and assembled for riding). I am the route specialist and already planned our rides for each location. Doing this ahead of time means not having to spend each evening planning the next day's ride. And my upgraded cycling computer means automatic turn by turn instructions without consulting a paper map. Hopefully it also means that getting lost is a thing of the past. While getting lost is part of the fun it loses its appeal when getting back on course means unnecessary hill climbs or the agony of loose gravel roads pelting you and your bike for untold kilometers.
As departure day approaches we are confident that bodies and bikes are in good shape for the challenge. The nice thing about northern France is that it is more like Iowa farm country than the Colorado mountains. No KILLER climbs like Mount Ventoux in Provence or mountain grades in the Italian lake region..
They say that the "third time is the charm" and we certainly hope so. Kim is now a seasoned AirBNB expert finding out of the way locations that have all the modern conveniences of home (big bed, laundry, well equipped kitchen, devoid of rope ladders or spiral staircases, and WiFi). Our Peugeot minivan can hold all our baggage and bikes (boxed for the flights and assembled for riding). I am the route specialist and already planned our rides for each location. Doing this ahead of time means not having to spend each evening planning the next day's ride. And my upgraded cycling computer means automatic turn by turn instructions without consulting a paper map. Hopefully it also means that getting lost is a thing of the past. While getting lost is part of the fun it loses its appeal when getting back on course means unnecessary hill climbs or the agony of loose gravel roads pelting you and your bike for untold kilometers.
As departure day approaches we are confident that bodies and bikes are in good shape for the challenge. The nice thing about northern France is that it is more like Iowa farm country than the Colorado mountains. No KILLER climbs like Mount Ventoux in Provence or mountain grades in the Italian lake region..
Itinerary
Dates:
September 1: Depart Colorado
September 2: Arrive Paris
September 2 - 11: Stop 1 - Dizy (9 nights)
September 11 - 18: Stop 2 - Arras (7 nights)
September 18 - 26: Stop 3 - Normandy (8 nights)
September 26 - October 3: Stop 4 - Brittany (7 nights)
October 3: Night in Paris
October 4: Overnight Paris airport
October 5: Paris to Colorado
France Locations
We will be staying in four locations in Northern France (blue flags):
Stop 1: Dizy - in the Champagne region south of Reims just outside Epernay.
Stop 2: Arras - in the north east section of France close to the Belgium border
Stop 3: Aclou - south west of Rouen near the Normandy beaches
Stop 4: Vire - south of Saint Lo in Brittany
Here are some of the highlights which will be excruciatingly described with photos as we pile on each daily blog post...
-- The Champagne region speaks for itself. As Kim's beverage of choice she has already staked out her "must sample" wine farms. It is a spectator sport for me.
-- The north eastern corner of France will provide biking access to Calais and Dunkirk, a short foray into Belgium, and some World War One battlefields such as the Somme.
-- Since this is the 75th anniversary of "D-Day" visiting the Normandy beaches, D-Day museums, and cemeteries will have a special meaning.
-- A one day excursion to the channel island of Guernsey will be a boating and biking adventure, if we don't kill ourselves riding on the "wrong" side of the road.
-- The Bayeux tapestry and Mont St. Michel will be ride day highlights.
-- A night in Paris and tour of the Louvre will be a great way to re-enter civilization and cap off a five week adventure.
Here are some of the highlights which will be excruciatingly described with photos as we pile on each daily blog post...
-- The Champagne region speaks for itself. As Kim's beverage of choice she has already staked out her "must sample" wine farms. It is a spectator sport for me.
-- The north eastern corner of France will provide biking access to Calais and Dunkirk, a short foray into Belgium, and some World War One battlefields such as the Somme.
-- Since this is the 75th anniversary of "D-Day" visiting the Normandy beaches, D-Day museums, and cemeteries will have a special meaning.
-- A one day excursion to the channel island of Guernsey will be a boating and biking adventure, if we don't kill ourselves riding on the "wrong" side of the road.
-- The Bayeux tapestry and Mont St. Michel will be ride day highlights.
-- A night in Paris and tour of the Louvre will be a great way to re-enter civilization and cap off a five week adventure.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Feel free to post a comment which will be gladly received.