I know what you're thinking? What the hell is Karen doing now? First she's going west, then she's going east, I can't keep up with it all, I'm DONE with this stupid journal!

And I wouldn't blame you. But I could tell the route west was beginning to be more like California farm land and less chateau-y, and I want chateau-y.

Also, I met a Dutch couple in camp the other night and they said the landscape gets more uninteresting and less, well, chateau-y the more you move west; though they speak better than English than me and don't go around making up words like chateau-y.

Anyway, I'm moving east, which also has the advantage more frequent tailwinds. But really, I'm moving to the interior because it is more scenic and interesting and, well, more "French". In fact that's what I like about this trip, the flexibility.

I had also thought of seeing the start of the Tour de France in Brittany but in the end it's not a priority, only an amusement and I don't want to turn the whole trip upside down because of it. In the end I may still catch a stage somewhere along the route.

As for the trip, today I went to the "house" where Leonardo de Vinci spent his last years. I really liked it! Man could that guy think of stuff! They had the house, of course but also really highlighted his inventions and they are so amazing, he was so far ahead of his time. I liked it so much I bought a book about him in the bookshop, which is no small compliment for a touring cyclist because, you know, when we buy something we have to carry the damn thing around!

So Leo's house was my thing for the day. In order to keep an even distribution of riding and site seeing I am picking one "thing" to see a day. Of course it can very but that is the rule of thumb. But if you see every single tourist thing you can overload on stuff, like chateaus. But mostly, part of the fun of cycling is seeing the terrain and landscape...

Aside from that, I've met some really nice people, especially in the campgrounds. From the Dutch couple to Clair and Keith, the Brits who invited me over for a beer--thanks for the beer, Clair and Keith! As far as meeting cycle tourers this route reminds me of the Pacific Coast route, without all of the damn hills of course, but there are a lot of cyclists in the campgrounds.

That's all for now. My battery is running low, plus it's too late to look at pictures. I will post pictures for the past two days as a separate entry.

Until then...

Oh, I almost forgot... Thanks to everyone who has posted in the guestbook or sent an e-mail! I really appreciate it. If I don't respond right away it's not because I don't notice but rather a time issue. Often by the time I finish a post I'm really tired and need to hit the hay, even though I really don't sleep on hay, but rather a neo-air mattress from REI. ...but anyway, thanks!