Jour Vingt et neuf

July 10, 2011

Today I made my way towards Mont Saint Michel and in the process came across some cool little towns. But first off I said goodbye to the kids and "educators" at the Gite. I guess it's kind of sad, those kids not having parents, but I got the impression they were really well cared for and loved. There were two adults for 5 kids and it was a man/woman team which I think is good. The kids were really nice.

Anyway, as I was saying, I made my way through a town called Combourg which had a really cool castle. You could not go through it on your own, you had to have a tour guide. At first I didn't like the idea, especially since the guide was given in French and I was the only gringo there. But then I realized that the reason they do that is because of the priceless "artifacts" inside, from 18th and 19th century passports to a letter from the 1400's! They had all kinds of things like old vases and furniture and stuff like that. My favorite was an old silver tea set. I was very simple, not ornate like you might expect, and it was perfectly made. So, the reason you had to have a tour guide is because that stuff would likely be stolen or compromised in some way if no one was there to look out for things. And though the tour guide spoke in French she gave me stuff to read for each room in English.

After that I updated my journal, and, as you probably read in the entry "My Suffering" was dive bombed by bugs. Of course it took some time to find a toilet and inspect my jersey for bugs, and then there was all the hair "shaking" and brushing to do, all day long because of the psychological effects.

Not that it matters, but did I mention that in France "camping" is a noun? Not like in the U.S. where it is a verb. In the U.S. we go camping at a campground. In France you ask where is the camping? It grows on you after a while.

I must say, now that it's time to leave I'm starting to get the rhythm of things. It's the little things you learn, like not waiting until the wee hours, like after 3:00pm on a Sunday, to buy food at a grocery store or it will be closed....or that everything closes for lunch from noon to 2:00ish so don't plan on getting anything done at that time, even at the tourist office.

...Still, I'm in the grove now and I'm sorry to be leaving in 2-day. Sigh

But tomorrow should be fun. I'm doing a short ride to the campground right AT Mont San Michel and after that I'll just see what the day holds.

P.S. Thanks again to EVERYONE who posted in the guestbook! I have not had a chance to respond because there just are not enough hours in the day, but I will as soon as I can. I really appreciated the posts though!

Leaving the Gite in the morning. A boat was moving through the locks. That is Alexi in the foreground. I don't remember the little boy's name in the background.

Lawn art at one of the locks on the canal :-)

Combourg, with the castle in the background

I don't believe I have any sheep in my journal? Tom, do I have any sheep? I don't mind adding more animals, it's no problem, it was mutton.

Whoa, handy mans delight, I'd say, though it has potential!

I'm going to title this one "A Roll In The Hay"

I've been seeing these signs everywhere in France. They look like ballistic missiles to me, though they must mean something? ...I think they mean the road is narrowing. Still, at this point who cares. I'm leaving soon.

The people at the Gite gave me a couple of these. They are kind of a cross between Guu and applesauce. They weren't bad, though its hard not to like something with bugs bunny on it.

Today's ride: 63 km (39 miles)
Total: 1,602 km (995 miles)

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