Russian bags

Trixie bag. Finished.

Trixie bag main parts

Rugby ball wash bag.

2nd practise

1st practise.

The Beast

And again..

Blue bag

That's enough adventure for 1 week.

5 things ...

That worked:
1 the bike.
2 new s5 phone.
3 coffee press mug.
4 thin running liner jacket.
5 draggin jeans cargo pants. Warm light. Kevlar.

To not forget:
1 the cantor nun at mass leading us in taize chant.
2 spanish bends
3 the complete absorption of hours of continuous riding.
4 la Salle campsite, the angelus In the morning from the church across the river.
5 how much I need my friends and family.

Did not work:

1 to much kit. Less clothes.
2 tent. Great once up but a bit big and a bit too long to put up.
3 always going the extra 100 miles.
4 not bothering to read map and thinking I know the way. Also know as crappy foreign signposting.
5 insect repellent.  Sigh

Back at Ouisterham

Going to catch ferry in morning. 472 miles today. Up from Le Salle. Cold near Bordauex steadily warmer as day wore on. Nice fast roads, no Spanish bends sadly. Bit of a Bonny Tyler* round Nantes.  Stupid ring road. But made it out alive. On municipal campsite now popcorn for tea.

*Lost in France. Look it up on YouTube.

My Souvenier

All the santiago soverniers we tatty. So I did not buy one. Look what the payage machine spat out in my change. It's  a sign!

Magic Homing Bike

Took me back to Le Salle (the pizza campsite). Yesterday, day 4 120 miles to Santiago the Mass at the cathedral (the feast of corpus christi), lunch and chill out at hotel.

Today 555 miles. Weather improved all the way. Got wet and then dry. Did the whole spanish north coast. Through the pyrenees and up to striking distance of Bordauex. Shower. Pizza. Read for a bit then bed. On the road from 07.30 to 18.00.

I lost my beard in santiago.

Left at 7.30. Ride for 7 hours. 6 of which have been in something between fog and cloud lol. Hands and feet wet.  Meh.  Still great roads and odd breathtaking views. Gonna get out of Spain soon. Stopped for fuel. Coffee and donut.  happy days.

Photo from this morning

Coming up into the mist

Stanger in a Strange Land

Best riding ever.

Set off early.  Rode for 9 hours. North Spanish coast one long 80mph dual carriageway . With breathtaking  views from the pyrenees shrouded in mist to the goes spanned by viaducts. Tunnels and endless bends. Currently in hostal chiquin near serantes .  22 euros. Want to kept riding best to stop. My whole body and mind are gently  thrumming. Had chicken for tea (the word I could not understand was - garlic). Below is breakfast the only photo I took today. Stop to take a photo? I did not stop to eat  Awesome bike was impeccable.  Pulled all day, a beast. 450 miles. scenic route round Santander, twice. Went of the main road for 30 km for a change

Honest to God. Over the road from the campsite.

Day 2 Salle. South of Bordauex

Day 1. 110 miles and ferry.  Day 2 460miles on the payage.  A beautiful soft black smooth tarmac. Started cold and damp.  Got hot and humid.  Everytime I stoped took of one layer.  Last bit was waterproof socks at campsite. Traffic round Bordauex was terrible.  Lovely campsite . V quiet. Txted Trixie.  Got cash. Got pan o raisin for morning . Shower and over the road to pizza shack.

My first french coffee

11.20 between Renee and Nantes.  Weather low cloud. Not warm. French roads are pretty good. Drivers polite. Service station staff still grumpy.

Sword beach.

2 mind from b and b.

Route card

Obligatory wake shot

It may have been the acupuncture  wrist bands. It may have been the pills. It may have been the HUGE ship but I have not even felt sick. Big wow.

On my way