Day 69: Ste Luce

April 15, 2024

After 69 days on the road, today somehow came up as a rest day. This was not really by choice, but stemmed from the fact that the bike shop can only work on our Nexus hubs tomorrow. Even as I write this, I am having to admit that this might only be an excuse, since nothing stopped us from getting up this morning and taking off on a day's ride, preferably with Michel. Michel actually did have a ride in mind, but somehow we all were seduced by the flood of yummy meals coming from Jeannette and the kitchen, and Michel's fall back idea - a long nap for everyone.

Michel contributed to the lazy day for us by getting up and sneaking out to the bakery. He returned with a huge number of baguettes, including the thin ones called ficelles, plus pains aux chocolat, and of course a pile of croissants. I must have been already lulled into complacency, because I didn't capture the full spread, but only these few left over baguettes.

This large quiche was just one of the many things that emerged from the kitchen.

The unaccustomed surplus of time did also give me a chance to look closely at the Magura rim brake pads, especially Dodie's. Josephine at the bike shop had pointed out that the pads were riding too low, and consequently creating a ridge where the pad was not in contact with the rim. I had claimed that the mechanism refused to raise the pads any higher, but Josephine gave me the technique for getting that to happen. It really is a luxury to have time, plus light and warmth, to fool with a bike. I will also have Josephine tomorrow, to check if the brakes are set up well.

The result of a poorly installed brake pad. Magura is not easy to install well.

Jeannette continued to output all sorts of foodstuffs and treats through the day, with stuff for lunch (actually, chile, made by Michel, but with home made corn bread as well), and tea time (a giant cookie like tartelette called Broyes de Poitou - When not available homemade, Michel likes the pictured commercial version. Broyes means "crushed", which just means I think that the cookie like dough is pressed down.) You can't see Jeannette's giant version of this, because of lax photo work by me today! Supper seemed to fall hard upon tea time, and featured that home made quiche, plus chocolate fondant, a rich kind of chocolate cake, and ice cream. We need to get back on the road, while we still can fit our cycling clothes!

The commercial version that Michel goes for, if a Jeannette one is not available. Biscuits are kind of a big thing in France, and will be produced in a "biscuiterie". Last time, Michel's favourite was local company Biscuiterie St Michel, which is located in St Michel Chef Chef, about 50 km away. But now, the favoured producers, for their Broyes du Poitou, are in fact Bisquiterie Les Ptits Amoureux, in Ardin. Ardin is northeast of La Rochelle, about 150 km from here, so less local. And Poitou is 100 km from Ardin. Is any of this important? Well, almost every food product that crossed our table today proudly proclaimed its origin in France, and more than that, the exact town or region. So somebody here cares, and we rather like that. Note also on the box the note that the butter used is officially from Poitou, and that the flour is from France.

Tomorrow will feature for us another exciting visit to the bike shop on the machine island, and then a walking tour of Nantes while we wait for them to do their magic with the drive trains. Wednesday we will take off up the Loire, but with an honour escort of Michel and his friend Christian, who has the same trike!

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