I'm in Poitier some where in central France having cycled 500 and something kilometers over the last week heading pretty much south all the way. The last few days hve been drenched in rain and i'm feeling pretty damp sitting here in 'cybercorner'.
A couple of days ago i met a group of Duch cyclists also heading to Santiago in northern Spain and it turned out that i was already on a pilgrimage route that ran right across France to join the Spanish Camino in St Jean-Pied-de-Port on the border in the Pyrenees. I made photocopies of their maps and i'm now heading south and a bit west with a new sense of purpose and clearer direction as to the route to take. Every now and again the is a little image of a shell on a lamp post guiding the way or even the odd sculpted figure of a wandering pilgrim.
It feels some how reasuring to know that thousands of others have made this very same journey for hundreds of years. Apparently since 800 AD so i'm not the only one mad enough.
This particular route is called the La Route De St Jaque and the guy i met who told me a bit of the history was himself called Jaque. I decided it was meant to be so on i go.
It is suprisingly not that hard to cycle a hundred kilometers in a day, you just have to keep at it for hours on end.... and no my bum's not even sore. My old school leather Brooks saddle, that a lot of people seemed worried about, has now shaped it's self nicely to my butt and all is well and comfortable.
I've camping out in the wilds some nights, in Forests and by rivers and every now and again when i feel the need for a shower I've been in the municipal campsites but France is surprisingly expensive so generally opting for the wildside.
Having said that there isn't really much wilderness about but just endless agricltural fields of sweetcorn, sunflowers, cabbages and the like, loads of shockingly amazing chateaus around every other corner though and ample boloungeries selling baguettes and sweet cakes, which i like!
Oh yes, and i eat alot..... i mean alot. This trip maybe pretty much fossil fuel free but it's deffinitly taking enormous amounts of food to fuel me along the way and i discovered today that a good strong coffee can get me about 15km even in the rain.
So south on the pilgrims road i head dreaming of dryer sunnier places, still with the memories of the fantastic Phoenix Fayre and all the support of my beautiful friends in my heart. It's going to take i little while to get the hang of this internet blogging technology thing but hopefully i can stick some videos up next time to.
Big love to you all and to Magnus for his endless texting of great jokes.
Here in France they like to say Bon Courage! to me when they relise what i'm doing so Bon Courage for what ever it is that you are up to!
Untill next time
Met some Travellers in Lewes opposite Tescopoly where the artistes and anarchs hang out who know you today Ed. Look fwd to more postings.
ReplyDeleteGeoff and Oscar.