Well, I've been home for a while now and I've been trying to organize my thoughts. This journal is mostly a transcription of the paper journal I keep on the road with some photos thrown in. I try not to alter it too much, but I suppose that changes will creep in as I have time to reflect on what happened. So, what if anything, did I learn?

July and August are probably not the best months to visit the Atlantic coast. With the school holidays comes the annual flight from the cities and the coast is a favorite destination. Unfortunately they are also the best time to tour as the weather is better than at other times of the year.

I knew that it rained a lot in Brittany, and I was prepared for it both mentally and equipment-wise. We French have a saying for it: "en Bretagne il ne pleut que sur les cons", which means in Brittany it only rains on the idiots (or only on the jerks, a---oles, expletive, take your pick). Rain still limits what you can do, though.

The velo routes are nicely free of traffic, but they are not paved in Brittany, at least not the ones I rode on. You will get dirty riding them. Also, I needed to replace the chain on the bike when I got home. Grit ages bike parts fast. In places the trails can be challenging to ride. Trail designers do not always consider steep grades a problem, but none of the hills are very long.

Over-indulging in seafood has consequences. I had an attack of gout when I got home. My doc asked me if I had been eating shellfish and drinking white wine. Doh!!

Foreigners don't say "bon jour". If you come to France, especially if you ride a bike, DO greet people with bon jour. Its only polite. Once I met an American who told me he didn't like to say it because he thought that if he did people would assume he spoke French. I told him not to worry. He would mangle the pronunciation anyway and nobody would take him for a francophone, but they would think more kindly of him for trying.

The jury is out on camping. I had one of the best night's sleep in the campground in Guémené-Penfao, despite the dogs and roosters, but the adolescents in St. Philibert du Grand Lieu were another story. I would like to camp more, but I think that I may try it off season, when the camp-grounds are generally quieter.

All in all, I had a great time. I'm already planning the next trip.