Snap Crackle and Popped!

Snap, crackle and popped!

Sunday….was, er, ‘interesting’! I’m sitting writing this on a bench outside a church in the back Arse of nowhere in a town which could easily double up as a grave yard! I had forgotten just how absolute the shut downs are in France! On the one hand it’s nice as it’s so different from the 24/7 openness of most places but….when you want a coffee and a Coca Cola it’s shite!! Fortunately I had packed sandwiches, snacks and fruit so sitting in the church square was very pleasant – quiet, but very pleasant!
After a battle with Maps to get me out of Rennes (note to self…..avoid Rennes!) I found myself utterly lost in an apartment car park when this little shite of a dog (when I say dog, I mean ‘rat’ so favoured by the French) chased me, much to the owners amusement! In the end I sprayed it with coke but in so doing lost my balance and whilst remaining upright my panniers weren’t so lucky, snapping off the rack. Snap being the only word as the clasps that hold the pannier to the frame sheered right off. Whoops! I’d only done 10k and my day looked over. I sat for a while pondering what to do.

Remembering I had my faithful cable ties and a spare strap I made a temporary repair. Bingo…we were mobile again. Periodically Maps took me off down lanes and tracks ….not ideal with panniers precariously strapped to the bike! But somehow they stayed together with minor adjustments every now and then. Some of the tracks were pleasant enough whereas others were simply outrageous….having to push the bike up crazy embankments and over ditches, and in one situation being confronted, having descended down a gravel track, with a small lake! I had to push the bike up the track and when I found terra ferma it only redirected back down to the same bloody track! One day I’d like to meet the little shite who devised the ‘cycle’ routes in Maps. If you had an ordinary road bike it would simply disintegrate! There should be warning on this part of the App….something like ‘only use this option if you’re completely bonkers and are happy to wreck your bike and wear your cleats out, as you’ll spend more time pushing than pedalling. No refunds offered because if you’re mad enough to use the app you’re not safe with money!’
Today was also about the head wind too….so many times I just ‘popped’ – it was just unrelenting as it swept across the open fields.

I eventually arrived in Sabre sur Sarthe around 5 – 8 +hrs at 15kph average! This was a day that kept on giving…..the ‘open all year’ campsite was very much not open, and the hotels were booked out because of some horse racing carnival in town! Oh the joys, the joys. I sat and contemplated my fate for an hour or so, so buggered from the ride I was unable to contemplate moving an inch further. I pitched up outside a motel which was shut until 6:30 but it’s wifi was free so I hot spotted off it to track down a bed ….no easy feat! But in the end alls well that ends well. Went to bed buggered!!

Monday; hop, skip and a jump!
Rest day with a short 25k spin to my first experience of Warm Showers, an app which connects you with fellow cycle tourists who can host you for a night – hot shower, food and bed! My hosts lived in close to Sable so after finding something to repair the pannier I set off and after an hour arrived to this sleepy village. I enquired as to the whereabouts of the hosts address in this heaving metropolis with the one person I could find, who had no idea! In France it’s a patience game….so I rested and waited and soon a woman arrived who, whilst not knowing the couple or the address, went out of her way to find it then asked me to follow her in her car until we arrived at Daniel and Huguette’s gorgeous French cottage. Both retired educators, they greeted me with such warmth, friendship and…food!! Lots of food. They have travelled far and wide on their bikes, all the while stopping to paint/draw, or simply soak in the atmosphere of where they were. Incredible. And when I came to sort out my bike I found a few more issues which required tools….Huguette was on the phone sorting it out, got me to a shop where the problem was solved and drove me back. Today I experienced the real France, with their quiet generosity and kindness, willing to open their doors to complete strangers who share a common love of cycling.
What it also taught me was that cycle touring is not about the destination but the journey. On Tuesday I had planned to cover the 150 to the next host but made a decision ….nope, slow down, stop flogging yourself. Stop after 80, then get to the host on Wednesday fresh! An important lesson for me as I’ve found I’ve been focussed too much on ‘how far’ not ‘what did you see’, something which is long standing trait of mine, thinking others will be more impressed with the huge distance! Thank you Huguette and Daniel!