A bed five nights in a row. Some how I think that will be a rarity. Having spent a couple of days couch surfing at Simon and Marion's we are now at our friend's (Mike's) place on the French coast just west of St Tropez. It may have been better if we could have spread the luxury a little further but beggars can't be choosers and I am certainly not complaining about spending a few days here. We are staying in a stunning villa high up on the hill side overlooking the med. Superb location, unbelievable views and the weather to match. (As a friend just commented you wouldn't think anyone was lying if they said it used to be owned by Elton John). We should be well rested by the time we leave but may struggle to force ourselves out of the door and on our way.
Having spent our second night in a hotel in Tolosa, the following day was all up hill and brief. We managed only 20 or 30 kms before stopping for lunch and camping for the rest of the afternoon and night because of a big thunder storm. We found a great location off the road in a farmer's field which considering the terrain was relatively flat and near a stream. What we didn't know at the time was that the field also contained sheep and that the track to the side was regularly used by what we think were kids on mountain bikes. We spent the afternoon tucked up in our sleeping bags reading but always keeping half an ear on what was going on outside. Later in the afternoon a farmer came to move the sheep and we kept inside the tent with our fingers crossed he wouldn't bother us (there was absolutely no way he wouldn't see the tent) and as far as we could tell he didn't give us a second glance. Once it was dark we relaxed as we were well off the road and it was most unlikely we would be disturbed. We weren't though again I didn't sleep that well - the countryside just isn't that quiet or peaceful compared to the city - birds sang all night, the wind howled in the trees, the sheep baa'd and various other animals and insects did their nocturnal thing to make sure it was never quiet. Add to that my paranoia that any one of the number of people who must have seen the tent during the afternoon might return to rob us and as soon as I fell asleep I jolted awake again alarmed by some noise, holding my breath, wondering if we were being paid a visit. Of course we weren't and the night passed uneventfully. Of course once up and about the next morning I was delighted with our second night camping in the wild. That particular circular journey of the mind I think will become a regular part of the process of camping wild - something three weeks in we have told ourselves we must do more of.
Having spent our second night in a hotel in Tolosa, the following day was all up hill and brief. We managed only 20 or 30 kms before stopping for lunch and camping for the rest of the afternoon and night because of a big thunder storm. We found a great location off the road in a farmer's field which considering the terrain was relatively flat and near a stream. What we didn't know at the time was that the field also contained sheep and that the track to the side was regularly used by what we think were kids on mountain bikes. We spent the afternoon tucked up in our sleeping bags reading but always keeping half an ear on what was going on outside. Later in the afternoon a farmer came to move the sheep and we kept inside the tent with our fingers crossed he wouldn't bother us (there was absolutely no way he wouldn't see the tent) and as far as we could tell he didn't give us a second glance. Once it was dark we relaxed as we were well off the road and it was most unlikely we would be disturbed. We weren't though again I didn't sleep that well - the countryside just isn't that quiet or peaceful compared to the city - birds sang all night, the wind howled in the trees, the sheep baa'd and various other animals and insects did their nocturnal thing to make sure it was never quiet. Add to that my paranoia that any one of the number of people who must have seen the tent during the afternoon might return to rob us and as soon as I fell asleep I jolted awake again alarmed by some noise, holding my breath, wondering if we were being paid a visit. Of course we weren't and the night passed uneventfully. Of course once up and about the next morning I was delighted with our second night camping in the wild. That particular circular journey of the mind I think will become a regular part of the process of camping wild - something three weeks in we have told ourselves we must do more of.
Early to bed early to rise and following an afternoon off we again were able to put in a lot miles the following day. We are not obsessive and we never set out to travel as far as we can but we felt comfortable and well rested and as a result manged to cross the Pyrenees and into France. We had never thought this would possible this quickly and when crossed the pass after a 10km climb we felt great satisfaction at what we had already achieved. We paid to camp that night in St Etienne having travelled from Lietza. We were helped by a fantastic 20 km down hill section at the beginning of the day when were were always above 30 kmph and often in the 40's and occasionally hitting 50 or 60kmph.
Bike parked at the top of the pass into France.The climb up to the border was long and steep but it was also one of the prettiest roads we had travelled along so far and never too steep. We kept it slow and steady and took regular drinks breaks and before we knew it we had left Spain behind and were trundling down a very bumpy French road the other side unable to make the most of the hill for fear the panniers would get thrown off. It has become one of the few irritations for me - the state of local French roads is appalling, bumpy, full of pot holes and uneven. It seems to me workmen in France must be trained to finish work off so that the repair is at any level other than the same as the rest the road. I don't think I have once been over a piece of new tarmac that isn't lower or higher than the original road`surface. You may think I should just get over it but when you are on a fully loaded bike you feel like the princess and the pea and notice every little jolt an worry what damage it is doing to your wheels or your forks. Two days away from Italy and I am hoping their roads are better.
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