Highly Accurate Map There was a flash in the sky, followed 30 seconds later by a deep rupturing grumble from the sky and a gust of wind, but the storm didn’t start until later and the continuous cracking and booming was at least partially the reason I didn’t sleep very well. In the morning I had to decide if I was hungry or not, and I decided that I was and at 07:30 I walked out in my socks into the small dinning area of the F1 hotel and helped myself to a pretty good continental breakfast (especially for the €5 price). Read more...

Map strava So I had intended to catch the late sailing from St. Malo to portsmouth today. As I lay down in my tent the prvious evening I decided it would be a good time to reserve a ticket, I went to the Condoor Ferry website, selected France-UK and all was going well until it told me the bicycle spaces were sold out. This was an inconvenience as there were two possiblities, wake up very early and take a different ferry which sails at 10:30 or stay a night in St. Read more...

Map strava I’m now sitting in “Le Petite Creperie” in St-Jacut-de-la-mer. They don’t have 50cl beers, and only have 25cl, it’s going to be an expensive crepe. The campsite was a mistake, there are so many tents it’s rather more like a refugee camp than a campsite (to be fair I think it’s also a refugee camp). I’m installed in close proximity (very close proximity) with a cycling couple from Brighton. Read more...

Map strava The french guy was short and maybe around 65 and his eyes sparkled as he talked at me about his cycling trip around the highlands. I was exhausted and gave him little encouragement “ah bon!” “mais c’est pas mal” “bah ouai” “fault le faire”. Until he ran himself out. I ended up camping next to him, and he was snoring at 8:30 and he snored until 8:30 for 12 hours he snored. Read more...

Map strava I read from The Pest, having to check at least one word per page in the dictionary on my phone, and then slept unevenly. I slept in later than I would have liked, only rising at 08:30 and making my coffee and eating some cereal with water, it was then to pack up and leave in the usual fashion. I wasn’t feeling super great in the morning, which perhaps was a sign for how I would feel towards the end of the day. Read more...

Map strava The weather eased up over the night and in the morning it was clear. At campsites they often ask if you’d like to reserve some bread or pastries for the monring, and for once I reserved a Pain au Chocolat and a Pain au Raisan In the morning I made a coffee but didn’t drink it, packed up my stuff and then walked over to the reception (l’accueil) to collect my breakfast and sat on the wall eating, drinking my coffee and reading the news from the internet, afterwards I just went back, got on my bike and cycled out. Read more...

Map strava “C’est bon, on peu parle francais” “i like very much to talk with the English, well, the people that speak English, not the Americans, I cannot understand them” “Ouai, it’s not the Queen’s English” “Ah the Queen” “Oui, it is sad” “yes” “a shame” “he makes how the Prince?” “the King madam, he makes how the King " “yes the King” “who is next Harry or the other one” “William? Read more...

Map strava The beer was disappointing for €4.50, it was une “demi-pression” presented in an unimpressive half-glass. There was nobody else in the “bar” at the campsite, and the internet barely worked, but the owner was kind enough to give me an extension cable to that I could type my blog post. After doing so I looked at the Auberge de Jeunesse (Hostel) in Brest, they were fully booked, I then checked booking. Read more...

Map (started recording late) strava Today was a better day in regards to my knee, it hasn’t fully recovered but is clearly stronger than it was yesterday. I was cautious to walk up the few steep hills that I encountered, it should be almost as good as new tomorrow. I slept well at the campsite last night, instead of squeezing myself into the slightly-too-small-to-be-comfortable sleeping bag I used instead a musty sleeping bag liner and the sleeping bag as a “duvet”. Read more...

(8% battery left on the laptop, I was sure I charged it on the ferry) If I were to explain today in one word it would be “knee”. On the boat I went to my cabin after writing my blog post and drinking my beer, had a shower, and immediately fell asleep. The next thing I know I wake up in the pitch black to the ships alarm clock, which proceeded to repeat itself at 10 minute intervals before announcing that the boat would be docking in one hour. Read more...

Map (strava) I’ve checked in to the ferry terminal and am siting on a bench at the port. 3 border guards are queuing at the cafe “I was at their last concert, they both flew in on separate helicopters and wouldn’t talk to each other for the entire gig (it was great mind)”. I was physically searched before being let through. The boat hasn’t arrived yet and I can expect to wait another hour and a half. Read more...

Map There are kids running about outside “une, deux, trois”. I’m at a campsite, not a bad campsite, althought there is nowhere for me to plug my laptop in, or any table at which to work at, so I’m typing this in the tent. The showers are hot and don’t cost money (why should that be surprising?) and there is a copious amount of toilet roll in the toilets. It costs £13 for the night and I’ve got a reasonable hillside view when I stand up outside of my tent and can see over the fence. Read more...

This year I’ve decided to cycle across the Pyrenees, again. 2010 ¶ 13 years ago I rode from St. Malo to Santander and then crossed the Pyrenees and continued along the coast before crossing the Alpes to Lac Leman. I’ve recovered my sparse web journal from that time: This was my first time in France as an adult (I was 30 years old) and the first time I had ever been in the mountains, I remember it being extremely tough - I lost a tooth - and progress was extremely slow on some days. Read more...