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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394

    My French Adventure

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    I am going to start a new thread to write about my trip to Provence. It's now about 5:40 PM, we are going out to get a quick dinner, before the limo comes at 8 PM. Our flight doesn't leave until 11, so I actually might get some sleep. We originally booked on economy plus, and this morning we had an offer to upgrade to business class for a very cheap price, and we did it, so I'll have a flat bed seat. Not that I slept last time I had this, but that flight left a lot earlier.
    I've packed for these types of trips so many times, it's routine. I packed my bike clothes last night and my regular stuff this morning. Then I took a very short ride (<10 miles), since I've been resting, and went and got a gel manicure, something I only do before a vacation. Picked DH up at the body shop, so he can have some work done on his car while we are gone, and then we brought my bike to the LBS, since we discovered the embedded GPS sensor on my Silque was rubbing against stuff. They put on a smaller one; duh, small bike, should have a small sensor.
    Excited about seeing Paris for the first part of the trip. We are going out on Friday night with one of DH's colleagues and her husband and son. She has been to our house and we took her on a tour of historic sights in town (on a freezing January day), so it will be interesting to see her in her home environment.
    Au revoir (the extent of my 4 years of high school French).
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Montreal, QC
    Posts
    764
    Bon voyage et amusez-vous bien.
    Helene
    Riding a 2014 Specialized Amira LS4 Expert - aka The Zebra!
    2015 Specialized Crux e5 - aka Bora Bora bike

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    Merci!
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    pacific NW
    Posts
    1,038
    Sounds like a wonderful adventure is in store for you. I look forward to reading about it.

    Rodriguez Adventure
    Bacchetta Bellandare
    HPV Gekko fx
    Custom Rodriguez Tandem
    2009 Specialized Tricross
    2012 Trek Mamba

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    Bon voyage!!
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    We have arrived in Paris. Actually slept some on the plane.
    Good sign is the flight attendants all tried to speak to me in French, so I guess I don't look like a "dumb American."
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Montreal, QC
    Posts
    764
    You're too funny. haha

    Keep us posted!
    Helene
    Riding a 2014 Specialized Amira LS4 Expert - aka The Zebra!
    2015 Specialized Crux e5 - aka Bora Bora bike

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    pacific NW
    Posts
    1,038
    That's really saying something!

    Rodriguez Adventure
    Bacchetta Bellandare
    HPV Gekko fx
    Custom Rodriguez Tandem
    2009 Specialized Tricross
    2012 Trek Mamba

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    So, yesterday, we walked all through the Tulieres Gardens, saw the Arc du Triomphe, and looked in lots of shops. Went out to a great restaurant. Managed to have copious amounts of wine at both lunch and dinner, as well as walk 5 miles.
    Today we went to a small museum of Impressionist art and then walked along the Seine to the Eiffel Tower. On the way back, stopped and had a drink. Another 4 miles of walking. After a short rest, had lunch at almost 4 PM and walked a bit more. Going out with friends later.
    Will definitely have to cut down on the wine once the cycling starts.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    10,889
    Such a wonderful beginning to your trip!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394

    E

    Our dinner last night was really fun. I felt bad for their 10 yr. old son, who came. He speaks no English, but he was well behaved. Today we did not eat the hotel breakfast and went to a cafe instead. Had a cheese omelette and half of a raisin pastry; it is now 4 PM and I am still full! Took the train to Versailles, but when we got there, the line to the palace was about a 2 hr wait. We just couldn't do that, so we had coffee, went to a farmer's market, where DH had a hand made belt made, and then to the Versailles Gardens. It was beautiful and we sat for at least an hour. Both of us have sore legs from walking and don't want to think about cycling tomorrow!
    Going to rest and have a light snack/early dinner, as we have an early train tomorrow.
    Last edited by Crankin; 06-20-2015 at 06:19 AM.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    S. Dak.
    Posts
    488
    I'm enjoying reading about your France escapades. Handmade belt sounds like a useful remembrance. Waiting in line isn't always worth it with so much to see on a limited time frame.
    I hope your cycling time is challenging and super fun.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    So, the train trip to A if on was flawless and we noted several other riders on the train. After eating in the station, we spied the van and our guides. There were actually 2 trips leaving, the other one being the luxury version of our trip. Anyway, one of our guides was our guide on our trip with Trek 10 years ago! The other one is French and new to the company.
    12 people in our group are together. They are from Tulsa; they seem ok, but I don't like it when this dynamic is set up. There's a father and son from the Boston area, a couple from Chicago, and a guy whose done this trip 3 times...
    Today's ride was 15 miles with 1k of climbing. It was hot and hard with the gearing I have. But, I did it. Tomorrow we are doing the hard option, as I don't think we are doing Mt Ventoux on Tuesday. Most people say they are, and they don't ride half as much as me. But, they "train" more, maybe. Dinner was good, the hotel is nice, but the shower sucks and a few other things don't work. But I am here for the riding.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Tucson, AZ
    Posts
    1,973
    Thanks for posting. Having just gotten back from our England/Ireland trip, I posted notes and pictures every day on FB- didn't think of sharing it here. I hope your trip will be amazing and I'll check in to read your posts.
    2016 Specialized Ruby Comp disc - Ruby Expert ti 155
    2010 Surly Long Haul Trucker - Jett 143

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    AZ, I generally only post a few pics on FB. This is a little more secure, and besides, you guys appreciate it more
    Today was hard. We have only been back for about a half hour, because we got lost in the end. Not terribly lost, but we ended up in a big city in rush hour and had to double back. Then we couldn't find our hotel.
    So the ride started off with a 3 mile climb, about 4-6%. There was a swoosh downhill, and DH has decided to stay behind me, as I am so slow descending. This one was ok, and led us lunch. I forgot to add that I had no sleep last night, and I had to take Pepto Bismol this morning. I felt seriously bad. Ate some salad Nicoise at lunch, drank copious amounts of Skratch Lab drink, and 2 Shot Blocks. After lunch there was seriously hard climbing in relentless sun. Beautiful scenery up to a. castle, and scary downhills. We missed the entrance to the castle and ended up doing a loop with a 14% grade. Found the castle, we were so late the group was leaving, so we took some pics and left.only 11k back and then we got lost! We rode about 38 miles, but it felt like 60.
    Tomorrow is the MT Ventoux option. We are not doing it. Even DH said we would need our bikes withe the 34-34. The Domane I am riding has one less gear than my Silque, and I sure am noticing it. We have a fairly hard 41 mile ride, though.
    Going to get myself clean.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

 

 

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