Sunday 31st May   ????

This is the blogmaster, Mdme. Sageomme

Due to stupidity, my phone has run out of money and I can only get more cash on it tomorrow morning.   So, I have no idea where our Pilgrim is.   His phone may also have run out of juice and he has no charger ...... I may retrieve a message tomorrow when I have sorted my phone or I may not!      What a pair of techno incompetents! 

Nick Cornwall is hoping to meet up with the Pilgrim at Bourgos on Thursday.  If there  is no more phone contact until then, we shall have to be patient and await further info.

 

Saturday 30th May Monreal

Now at Monreal, just short of Pamplona. Frustrating day. Very Hot. Vultures circling......

Friday 29th May Sanguesa

Now in Sanguesa. Hot day - 50 miles. Wonderful 11C church, weird desserted Village.
Going well.


Nick's now down to one bibble on his phone so posts may soon cease! His phone charger went along with the reading glasses, camera etc. in the Toulouse heist. There are few phone shops apparently but I'm sure he'll just get a new one when he can.

Nick Cornwall is planning to join him in Bourgos on 4th June (if he can get to Stansted at 5.00 am - with bike, get bike onto Ryan Air, get train from Bilbao to Bourgos - but Nick is keen as mustard and sure he can do it!) Nick will take out replacement charger and new reading glasses ........

Thursday continued:

Well, it was a breeze swooping down into Spain. 35mph for the first 8 miles. Lunch in Jaca. Leisurely look round then on 12 miles to Sta Cilia. Fab alburgue with tumble dryer so big clothes wash.

Thursday 28th May 2.00 pm

I DID IT !!! Climbed up very big mountain very slowly - 4 hours climb. Now sitting in Spain with a cafe cortado looking DOWN on the snow.
Downhill all the way now.

Wednesday 27 May Borce

Just made it to Borce 6.45 pm and a bed in the gite - I think I would have cried if full. Some very large mountains looming and I have to cycle over them romorrow. Shower, food then bed ....

Tuesday 26th May Pau/Lescar

An epic day. 78 miles and 400 miles in total so far. Hills galore. Headwinds and showers but still managed to fit in a few Bastides and a 10 euro lunch. Now in a 35 euro flophouse in Pau/Lescar - pretty tired. Should be back on track if I have a good day tomorrow.

Monday 25th further posting!

I am sitting in the surprising hot evening sun sipping a pastis in front of Auch cathedral. 62 miles this morning but by the time I had lunched and bought a camera it was 4pm. So early start tomorrow to try to make up those lost miles. Bed in Presbytary, but no glasses yet - getting by quite well squinting!

Monday 25th May Auch!!

Oh Auch! Salade paysan, brochette de coeurs du canard et ses frites, glass of rose 11 euros. Bliss !

Sunday 24th May Still Toulouse!

Things improving - done police statement, got a map, pilgrim passport this evening. Probably staying Toulouse tonight and leave very early tomorrow for Auch.

Spoke to Nick tonight. He is sanguine about his bike bag and losses which included reading glasses, camera and ipod. Luckily he has managed to get a map for the next leg and didn't loose his Spanish maps as they were in his panier. He now has his Pilgrim Passport which he gets stamped as he continues along the Pilgrim Way. It also entitles him to discounts on food and Pilgrim Hostels! He is sleeping in his 40 bed dorm in Catholic Pilgrim Hostel in Toulouse with only 3 walkers for company tonight. He will get up v. early tomorrow and plan to get to Auch tomorrow. Hopefully he'll be able to buy a new pair of reading glasses at some point. A new camera would be nice but he couldn't find a single camera shop in Toulouse!

Saturday 23 May Toulouse

Now sitting on my little iron bed, alone in a catholic dorm for 40, under the protection of Christe Roi. A rest day in Toulouse sight-seeing, eating in the splendid market and shopping for the things I have 'misplaced' along the way. Also caught a fine exhibition of aboriginal art at the Abbatoirs (The Art Museum).

Tomorrow back on the road to Auch. Deo volente as we say.

I then spoke to Nick on the phone (he's been gone a week) and bugger it - while he was speaking to me, someone nicked his bike bag. He has passport, phone and wallet, but his bike bag contained all his maps, journal (with all he had researched for the route) and camera. So, pretty disasterous. Tomorrow is Sunday which means it may be difficult to buy maps. We fear he will waste at least half a day sorting this if he even can. So, will keep you posted. Such a shame as he has done 240 miles so far and was thoroughly enjoying his trip.

Friday 22nd May Toulouse

A day of canals. La Rigole and then the whopper, La Canal du Midi. Quiet at first through deserted farmland, a kingfisher and bounding deer for company. Nearer Tolulouse much busier with picnicing families and roller bladers. Bike fixed - 3 broken spokes.
Spartan bed in youth hostal, meal booked.
Toulouse wonderful, a pleasure to stroll and bike. Wish I could bring back some of the goodies!

Thursday 21st May Revel

Hard to explain how a french beer after a day in the saddle can taste so exquisite. I am sitting in the square at Revel, so good progress. Great morning's riding down out of the mountains to Castres, where my day fell apart - it was closed for a fete religieuse. Cycled on, no beds in Soreze, but bagged last bunk in serious pilgrim hostel in Ravel. Beautiful peaches and tomatoes with flavour for lunch. Toulouse demain.

Wed. 20th May Salvetat sur-Agout

Today reptiles: as I sat admiring the view and slicing my Fourme D’ambert for my picnic, I realised that there was a lizard on my shoulder sharing my enjoyment. It was a fitting reward for my epic 5 mile uphill ride along forestry trails, sweating and cursing all the way. But the views my dear ... Also nearly rode over a very large snake coiled at the side of the road. Gite full so staying with Myriam & Valentin at La Pergola, a charmante bar avec chambers. Steak Frites I think. Up in mountain air, so fresh and sunny first thing, getting hotter thru the day. 19 degrees now and breezy.

You will be glad to know that at 18.49 Nick texted me that I have a bed. I have a beer. All's well.

A real Pilgrim’s progress of a day; chain broke on a remote mountain road, helped by French cyclist, 2 mile walk, 25 k ride to CLOSED bike shop. 4 k ride to Intersport. New chain which I finally cut and fitted. Nearly through a 5 mile uphill to St. Gervais s M. Beer first then find a bed. Lovin it!!

Monday 18th May

A day of hills - 3 of them, average length 3 miles, as steep as Ditchling Beacon. But the views were stupendous, plus roses, honeysuyckle and gorse everywhere. Even the vines are fresh green. This gite has a pool - very tempting! More (bigger) hills tomorrow.

On the road

Nick's text Sunday 17th May evening: Sitting at cafe table beside monatery at St. Gulhem bidet of wine to hand. Monpellier is delightful. Only 30 miles on bike today so feeling fine. Bigger test tomorrow. Scorchio this pm and more to come.
So, so far so good!!

Day One - leaving home

Nick set off this morning at 8.45 am after a hearty breakfast and a fond and tearful farewell from his three women. (He has the photos to prove it on his camera) I have had one message saying that he was on the bus and approaching Dover at 2.30... Hopefully, the next post will be from Bike Boy - on the road somewhere in southern France. Cheers Mdme. Sagehomme

Ready to roll

One week to go, bike fixed including new brake pads and extra water bottle.
Still to buy bike shoes and bits and pieces.
What book to take? it's got to be light (weight), not too intellectually challenging after a hard day's ride, capable of being read in small chunks.
I think I am as fit as I am going to be this time round so I will probably take it easy this last week, just concentrate on the last minute bits and bobs.
Buen camino!