June 16, 2018
Pine barrens and back
Returning to Bordeaux
What do you do when the ride is boring? Chris Pountney on his epic around-the-world ride made up games to keep his mind occupied, like spot the squirrel, or spot the horse, or spot the x. Some people sing to themselves. I have been trying to remember all the departments of France and their numbers. The numbers are in alphabetic order, which helps a little, "Gironde 33, Hérault 34, Indre 35, oh no, wait, Ille et Villaine 35, Indre 36.....". Currently, I am riding through the department des Landes (40), and the best translation I can make of "Landes" is "pine barrens". The roads are few, straight, and flat. Pine plantations in various stages of growth line the road. There is a clear-cut every so often. Every three minutes another kilometer goes by. I stop once to get water in a little town by a sawmill, and once more for lunch in another little town by another sawmill. Lunch is essentially macaroni and cheese and not thrilling. There is an "écomusée " in this second town but they want 14€ to enter and see an old sawmill, so I pass. I ride to Moncenx and wait for the next train to Bordeaux. There is a town festival on, so for the hour and a half that I wait I am not bored, but rather entertained but the goofiness on display. It's clear that the local lumberjacks know how to make their own fun. Because the World Cup is on right now, somebody starts chanting "allez les bleus" and the city band, all in strange costumes, break into La Marseillaise which everyone dutifully sings at full throat. I doubt the team heard them in Moscow, but it's the thought that counts, isn't it?
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The train arrived in Bordeaux about five o'clock and I took a hotel room just across from the railway station. After making myself presentable, I wandered off in the direction of the Centreville and looked at the sailing ships moored in the Gironde to celebrate the wine festival which was in its last evening. Tall ships and tipsy crowds aren't really a good mix, but the ships were interesting and their crews of cadets and students added to the festival atmosphere.
Another unexciting supper in an Italian restaurant this time, and once again I fell asleep to the television.
Today's ride: 66 km (41 miles)
Total: 756 km (469 miles)
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