Some things just give you a cold shiver

On our trek across Spain and France we have ridden past a hundred fields of sunflowers, every flower with its brown face looking down forlornly at the earth, every field except one. Today we rode past the only one where their bright yellow faces gazed up at the sunshine. We were the ones who were forlorn, introspective and saddened, but the sight of those flowers lifted our spirits.

Continue reading “Some things just give you a cold shiver”

Yesterday’s Ride

In an effort to get up to speed here are the photos from yesterday’s ride, a big thank you to Amy for recommending the route! 🤗

The view of the Dordogne from Domme
One of the many pretty streets in the village
Ernie and Jenny descending from the village down to the river
Ernie and Jenny at La Roque de Gageac
La Roque de Gageac
Castelnaud-la-Chapelle
Beynac-et-Cazenac
Our lunch stop at a ‘cave’ restaurant

The following photographs are of Sarlat:

Last night’s view from the hotel verandah

Blog Wars

Sitting at the outside cafe in the picturesque village of Le Roque-Gageac on the Dordogne, it makes me want to draw. Like some of the many beautiful places we’ve visited on this trip, they make my mind wander to do so many other things, yes to draw, but also to paint, or to walk the hills and mountains, canoe along the rivers, cycle the cols. I’m not entirely sure why I have this overwhelming feeling of so much I would love to do, and yet so little time in which to do it? Maybe just the love for life and all there is to enjoy? Maybe my age and yes, of course the loss so suddenly of Rachel. She would say “So what did you do after I died”? It’s not my driving, or should I say riding, force, but it’s there in the back of my mind, and that remains some of her influence of who I am.

Continue reading “Blog Wars”

Saturday

We all make mistakes and not for the first time on this trip I led the group a merry dance in search of our goal. 

Previously it may have been exiting a town or just me deciding to employ an artistic twist to a route, rather than following the instructions displayed on the satnav screen and accompanying commentary being fed into my helmet. But unlike Avila, today’s rather avant-garde approach didn’t involve a brush with the local constabulary, as I ignored the name of our hotel and just bumbled around the village in my hap hazard way. Maybe it was a combination of a number of things like the heat, feeling a little worn out by another long (but enjoyable) day in the saddle, or my frustration at crawling along at escargot pace behind locals who seem to be in no urgency to do anything? Whatever the excuse we did eventually find our hotel nestled away within the beautiful little village of Moureze.

As we all dismounted the bikes Jenny pretty much summed up all our feelings with “Can we stay here a week”?

Continue reading “Saturday”

Just Photos

Who says the camera never lies?! No we are NOT actually dancing! 😆
Four thousand holes (Porto – Salamanca)
Salamanca
Hotel pool with some athlete in the foreground 😆
Last night we had this lounge to ourselves
Today at Avila
Arriving at Segovia

Playing catch up

There is something comforting about travelling with people, it’s the easy option, the warmth felt by friendship, a mutual appreciation of the way we tour together, it’s just a nice feeling and one that most people would opt for. This is the problem, the presence of people conflict with the life I have to now create for myself, or at least think I have to. Because people will not always be there, so I have to be self sufficient. 

On a simpler note the blog is getting neglected because I’m enjoying my time with my travel buddies, but the trade off is getting in the way of conveying my thoughts back to you in Blighty.

Continue reading “Playing catch up”