How about a bike rack near the entrance, where their ever vigilant security could keep an eye open for any grinders or bolt cutters. Had they had that, we would have been willing to leave the bags on the locked bikes, while just carrying in our passport and money bearing handlebar bags. But they really did not want bicycles anywhere near their site.

Thanks for letting me know. I just emailed the ABMC again, since your experience shows this appears to be a pattern or practice, rather than a one-off. They already claim all bags can be brought in. So a "please walk bikes" sign and policy would do it, which is what I'm asking them for. It'd be inconvenient to unload panniers, have them searched, and then re-loaded, but at least it would be possible. You can wheel a stroller in there; how is a bicycle really different?

A really good summary page. The Jouhannets are also something you may not find every day in Oakland. The chances of running into people like that are greater on a bike. One time with a broken front Bike Friday wheel and stranded in a small town in Louisiana, a lady walked in to where we were staying, carrying a replacement wheel. She had been reading our blog. That was four years ago, but we have not lost contact with that wonderful person. I hope the same will be true for you of the Jouhannets.

Steve

Hi Joe, I think we ran into exactly the same security girl at Pointe du Hoc. We had wheeled our bikes by those outdoor descriptive panels, and she came to tell us to park in the parking lot. When we explained that the bikes contained our whole lives and we could not leave them, she replied more or less desolée, which as you know is French for "tough". So we said, ok, we will just eat our baguettes on these benches here. No picnicking was the reply.

What we did was to wheel the bikes toward the point and ducked into a field - auxiliary parking lot? - and ate our stuff. Pee'd on their bushes, too. And left.

We would have made more of a fuss, but being Canadian we did not feel we had the same claim that obviously you did. Kudos for following up. At the time I felt the site must be a private enterprise, since I would not expect a government institution to be so rude to North American visitors at such a place, imbued with the mythos of a fight for liberty and rights. Wrong!

And I'm looking forward to doing a trip with two toddlers someday. Hoping for one in 2020 when they are two and four!

Thanks for sharing your trip here - I enjoyed every page and also your excellent photos! Looking forward to a journal with two toddlers some day.
Suzanne