I am writing this in a bar at a canmpsite in Gigny-sur-soane, France. This is the first campsite in France that has had a computer. Unfortunately Diego's phone, despite having the ability to connect to wifi, does not let us write blog posts. I will do my best to recount our past few weeks.
Below are summaries of when and where we have stopped for the night:
6/24: Waterloo, Belgium- Thanks to our friend Axel and his mom's hospitality this was our first night sleeping in a bed with a roof over our head after a week of camping. We took the train into Brussels in the evening and Axel gave us an insiders tour of the city. I am always impressed by the history that oozes from European cities. The main square in Brussels, Le Gran Place, was definiteluy a highlight. Sitting on the cobblestones surrounded by castle-like buildings, fountains and the hum of human activity is surreal.
Waking up to the rain pattering on the roof was actually soothing. It was like we had beaten nature by having the ability to eat breakfast while perfectly dry, watching the rain through the window.
Axel helped us buy train tickets to Luxembourg city, and after squeezing our loaded bikes into the VERY small cargo car, we got to sit back and watch the scenery go by in a blur. It was so different from a train window than from perched on a bike seat. The only unfortunate part of the day was when diego realzied he had misplaced one fo his bike gloves, althoug in retrospect it turned out not to be a big deal after all.
6/25-26: Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
6/27: Volstroff, France
lake, hot, lost bike computer
6/28: Metz
tire pop
6/29: Jaulny
mpa of samwise
6/30: Mandres-Quatres-aux-Tours
7/1: Villey-le-Sec
river, velocycle
7/2-3: Charmes
7/4: Vittel
7/5: Bourbonne-les-Bains
7/6-7: Langres
pool
7/8: Selongey
7/9: Pontaille-Sur-Soane
7/10: St. Jean de Losne
7/11: Verdun-sur-Doubs
7/12-13: Gigny-sur-Soane: (by emma)
We got quite a late start to the day: hit the road around 4:30 pm. Our excuse for sticking aorund during the day was to complete the imparitive laundry-doing process. Luckily we entertained opurselves by using the obligatory campsite ping pong table(Emma 3 games, Diego 2), and swimming in the town pool next door. Diego brought his guitar, and when the lifeguard came over not to tell us to put it away, rather to prop it on his bare knees and serenade us (and the rest of the pool patrons) with a mediocre (though he got points for enthusiasm and pronunciation) of the Beetles song Michelle, My Belle. Gotta love pudgy, over-tanned, speedo-rocking, concerts.
As we were about to set off, the owners of the campsite told us (in an inappropriately gleeful tone) that ity was supposed to thunder, rain and hail in the evening and overnioght. We pedalled off anyways, and I felt like such a slacker leaving as three other sets of bike touring groups arrived.
Indeed, about 20 minutes after we started the thunder started rolling, and the rain quickly turned into hail. Thus far my helmet has been most useful protecting me from the hail rather than the road. We decide to take smaller roads rather than continue on the more directe route (a highway) that was seriously hazardous due to a small shoulder, tons of puddles and the spray from passing cars.
After about 10 km, Diego discovered the source of a strange flapping noise on my bike that we hadnt been able to figure out. Somehow part of my tire had ripped and every time the wheel roatated the hanging piece of tire slapped against the road. Luckily the tube was not damaged, so we kept going.
It was definitely the most rediculous of all the tempermental weather we have encountered on the trip. We were been hailed on at the same time we could fell the warmth of the sun, there was something that looked like a tornado cloud on one side of the road and a huge rainbow on the other. Throughout the ride we encountered lightening and thunder.
We finally arrived at the campground around 830pm. We set up under some trees, ate dinner, showered, and went to bed with the most rediculous ligthening flashing all over the sky. And of course, we woke up to the heaviest rainfall we have experienced on this trip, and maybe even some of the heaviest rain of experienced in my life. Ate breakfast in the bathroom to avoid the rain.
7/14: (about to leave Gigny Sur Soane). Although the rain was not conducive to biking, it gave us a good excuse to make use of this campgrounds impressive facilities. After a very wet and rather miserable morning, we reserved the jacuzzi and sauna for an hour and then wiled away our time playing pool and foos ball. Although Diego is definitely still the reigning bar games champ, I have definietly improved.
Today we woke up to a little patch of blue sky (!!!). We have to delay our start until the dryer finishes; the inside of our tent remained remarkably dry, but a lot of clothes were rain causalties. We plan to bike to Creches Sur Soane today (about 32 miles), and get to Leon either Saturday or Sunday.
Overall Gigny was a great success, which is good because it was the most expensive campsite so far (26 euro a night as compared to the average abour 15 euro/night).
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