Hi Keith - I’m really enjoying these journals! They’re inspiring me to explore areas of France that I’d never considered before. Hope I have enough years to to do all this exploring. Hope to see more journals from you in the future when life gets back to something more normal.

Not the same thing, then. Carpal tunnel syndrome is diagnosed by nerve testing, but the usual symptom is numbness of the thumb and first two fingers. Other nerve issues apparently cause other symptoms (which can include numbness).

Hi Jacquie,
Good for you that the surgery worked. I was at the surgeon’s yesterday (7-7-19) and he diagnosed maladie de Dupuytren, or palmar fibromyalgia (I’m not sure about the translation) which is benign, and can be treated by surgery but recurs after a few years. He thinks delaying is the best course of action. I’m learning to cope, but my thumb is numb. Except if I touch it just right, then it hurts. Damn.
Cheers,
Keith

Hi Jacquie,
You are probably right. And I felt the same about Brittany, with some exceptions. (See my tour last year).
Cheers,
Keith

It seems to be regional, this not being able to find food in France. I had problems this year in Brittany, but never before...

Hi Keith
If it's a carpal tunnel thing, I had that surgery on my left hand last fall. This year is the first time I've been able to ride without tingling and numbness in that hand since I can remember. Bonus: I haven't woken in the night with my arm on fire either!
Jacquie

Hi Greg,
Maybe church attendance would go up if they put in more comfortable pews, but probably not. This church is something of a mish-mash of styles, at least on the interior. The architecture is in the purest, unadorned Cistercian style, but the rest is very neo-baroque Catholic that one sees everywhere.
I think you might be disappointed in the Creuse. I had a hard time finding the high quality of restaurant there that one finds elsewhere in this country. Population loss is probably the cause as elsewhere in rural settings. I read in Jeff Lee’s journal about his ride through Nebraska through towns very familiar to me from when my parents lived there and it was much the same. Sic transit gloria mundi.
Cheers,
Keith

Hi Keith,

Growing up Catholic, I used to spend a fair share of time in uncomfortable pews, but those things look like the absolute WORST! There aren't even any kneelers. The Liturgy of the Eucharist must feel like some kind of t0rture. Perhaps the beauty of the interior might take one's mind off the pain.

Sorry to hear about the hands and the eyes, but I'm glad to see you are making the best possible use of the time between doctors appointments.

It took me awhile to recall why I was familiar with this river, but it just came back to me. While I was attempting to learn to play the piano as an adult decades ago, Cesar Franck’s Chant de la Creuse was one of my practice pieces. Another reason to check out the region.

Thanks for taking us along, Keith. We’ve never biked in quite this part of the country, but I’ll have to look at it. We plan on coming back to France next fall and are laying out some options for coming north through the center.

And best of luck with the procedures. Looking forward to Part II.

Scary encounter with the dog. I don’t remember ever having an incident like that in France either.

Hi Kathleen,
Thanks for the good wishes. For right now there’s only one surgery scheduled. I hope it stays that way, but the pain in my hands isn’t getting better. Sigh.
Cheers,
Keith

Nice to see you on the road again, Keith. Good luck with the surgeries.

Hi Scott,
Holy cow that was fast! I just posted minutes before you wrote. this will be a short tour. Ive got a doctor’s appointment to get to!
Thanks for following along.
Cheers,
Keith

Great to see you on the road again, Keith! Looking forward to seeing where you take us this time.