Day 24: Thursday, 2 June 1983

Start: Campground, Pietre Ligure, Italy

End: Campground, Menton, France

It was raining when I woke up, so I decided to spend some time in the June Bug studying French and see if it would clear. By 9:00 it had slacked off, so I hit the road. Sun came out. No wind. I stopped at 11:00 for another meal and spread out my gear on a patch of grass to dry for awhile.

Pushed west to Menton and decided to call it quits. Found a campground. Spent some time trading tips and information with a Canadian bicycling couple who were heading into Italy.

So this is France. So long to pasticcerias, alimentaris, ristorantes, trattorias, vino, fromaggio, salame, pasta, antipasto, primo, secondo, and birra. (Although my spelling is probably all wrong.) My first meal on this side of the border isn't nearly so good, but probably just because I picked the wrong place.

On the other hand, some changes were immediately evident when crossing from Italy, although it might be rude to say it to anyone. The streets and buildings and towns and all the surroundings are brighter and cleaner and more prosperous looking in France. The women, I can't help but noticing, are slimmer and more attractive and more fashionably dressed. And -- oh, yeah -- for the first time since Corfu the beaches are topless. [2010 Note: Please forgive my youthful self for noticing and then writing it down.]

Of course, I'm just as grimy, ragged, smelly, and hungry as ever.

Conditions 

Distance: 95 km 

Weather: Rain in the morning, then warm and sunny 

Road: Good 

Traffic: Busy 

Terrain: Flat 

Mechanical: All is well 

Physical: Strong