This is the next part of the trip. Paris and then to the Velodyssee. Writing a week or so later from Barcelona.
Made some good train connections to Bordeaux to Arachon on the coast. Arrived to Arachon after sunset, hoping I could find the Velodyssee and make it out of town and camp out. Arachon is built up, Lots of fancy homes. I could not find the campground from the signs. Meanwhile, there was a thunderstorm approaching. I was still in town with light fading and lightning approaching. I came upon a wooded area, certainly a park, so I found a place to put up my hammock and at that time the rain started. I am equipped for the rain so put up the tarp and shifted my paniers and gear under the tarp which was over the hammock. Temp was maybe 60 so not cold. I did get a little wet but not bad. [Here's Frida, the resident very cute little Dachshund, named after the famous artist/icon Frida Kahlo] Had some food even as the rain came down,,, tho not pouring. It was late so I was asleep before long, still raining and some thunder.
Next morning, I found the local bike way that did connect with the Velodyssee and began my ride. The sea side made me think of Santa Barbara. Developed by very nice and green. Lots of swank homes and sea side parks. Mostly flat but with some long modest up hill and long modest downhill. Eventually, I was out of town. Part of the bike way is along existing highway, but totally separate, part is along the sea or pine forest.
There were others doing the bike ride in both directions. Its actually pretty social. I met, biked with, compared notes with 5 or 6 different people and this is not yet the main bike season. The bike way passes near or through a number of ocean side towns, they are all vacation places. Some small, some expansive. Still early in the season. I can imagine places now with only a few people can be packed in 6 weeks, especially with covid not imposing so much.
I met one guy from Holland, people from France, Germany. I stopped when I saw one fellow,,, he was just taking off his rain jacket, a few showers. We talked for a while, then rode together to the next small place on the ocean. We split cuz i wanted to have breakfast with a view of the ocean, see below. I realized I had lost my first item of the trip. One of my cheap gloves. Darn! I dont like losing stuff and the gloves were good with semi cool temps. So a while later, I was slowing down at place with signs and saw a bike glove on the pavement. Somebody else had lost their glove. So I picked it up, an actual bike glove. It was also the right hand like the one glove I still had, That was ok, I could still use it. While I was standing by the bike way with new found glove a bike rider approached, saw me with the glove and handed me the other, he had found the mate to the glove I found. Thinking I lost the glove, he handed it to me. Now I had the pair and better than the cheap brown jersey gloves I had before. That was the only glove interaction of my trip, 30 minutes after I lost one of my gloves. Mysterious world,,,,
I camped out one night at a bike way campground. Only 6 or 7 vans also camping, I didnt see any other bike riders. Had a nice dinner, put up rain tarp and it was a good night for sleeping and did some light rain. Again, in the summer I bet there are hundreds of biked riders in the campground. See pics below.
Made some good train connections to Bordeaux to Arachon on the coast. Arrived to Arachon after sunset, hoping I could find the Velodyssee and make it out of town and camp out. Arachon is built up, Lots of fancy homes. I could not find the campground from the signs. Meanwhile, there was a thunderstorm approaching. I was still in town with light fading and lightning approaching. I came upon a wooded area, certainly a park, so I found a place to put up my hammock and at that time the rain started. I am equipped for the rain so put up the tarp and shifted my paniers and gear under the tarp which was over the hammock. Temp was maybe 60 so not cold. I did get a little wet but not bad. [Here's Frida, the resident very cute little Dachshund, named after the famous artist/icon Frida Kahlo] Had some food even as the rain came down,,, tho not pouring. It was late so I was asleep before long, still raining and some thunder.
Next morning, I found the local bike way that did connect with the Velodyssee and began my ride. The sea side made me think of Santa Barbara. Developed by very nice and green. Lots of swank homes and sea side parks. Mostly flat but with some long modest up hill and long modest downhill. Eventually, I was out of town. Part of the bike way is along existing highway, but totally separate, part is along the sea or pine forest.
There were others doing the bike ride in both directions. Its actually pretty social. I met, biked with, compared notes with 5 or 6 different people and this is not yet the main bike season. The bike way passes near or through a number of ocean side towns, they are all vacation places. Some small, some expansive. Still early in the season. I can imagine places now with only a few people can be packed in 6 weeks, especially with covid not imposing so much.
I met one guy from Holland, people from France, Germany. I stopped when I saw one fellow,,, he was just taking off his rain jacket, a few showers. We talked for a while, then rode together to the next small place on the ocean. We split cuz i wanted to have breakfast with a view of the ocean, see below. I realized I had lost my first item of the trip. One of my cheap gloves. Darn! I dont like losing stuff and the gloves were good with semi cool temps. So a while later, I was slowing down at place with signs and saw a bike glove on the pavement. Somebody else had lost their glove. So I picked it up, an actual bike glove. It was also the right hand like the one glove I still had, That was ok, I could still use it. While I was standing by the bike way with new found glove a bike rider approached, saw me with the glove and handed me the other, he had found the mate to the glove I found. Thinking I lost the glove, he handed it to me. Now I had the pair and better than the cheap brown jersey gloves I had before. That was the only glove interaction of my trip, 30 minutes after I lost one of my gloves. Mysterious world,,,,
I camped out one night at a bike way campground. Only 6 or 7 vans also camping, I didnt see any other bike riders. Had a nice dinner, put up rain tarp and it was a good night for sleeping and did some light rain. Again, in the summer I bet there are hundreds of biked riders in the campground. See pics below.
You will find more fotos of Barcelona at a future page soon.