Day 17 - 1,000 mile cycling pilgrimage across France 🇫🇷 + Spain 🇪🇸

I’ve added the word pilgrimage to the title above. My thought process is that this is becoming or actually has been from the start a pilgrimage of time alone by myself covering two countries by the power of my own legs.

Each day I have a similar routine, I wake up pack my tent away and head south on my bicycle. Throughout the day I stop occasionally to either eat or drink coffee. Even though this is an unstructured journey my daily mile target is 50.

I end the day with the opposite of what I do in the morning, I set up my tent and sleeping system. Again in a campsite. The campsites are approximately 6 to €10 and give me the opportunity to have a shower and wash my pots and pans after cooking.

It feels good to hit 50 miles again after a few days off and a half distance day yesterday. I’m addicted to trying all sorts of new French pastries. Since the Appalachian Trail I’ve easily gained 15lb. But SpeedGoat told me the same thing happened with him and eventually he lost the weight When he began running again.

In fact after Karel Sabbe set a new fastest known time on the Pacific crest Trail his crew and brother-in-law Joren said the same thing about Karel, he gained weight and then lost it again.

Tonight I was offered a beer by my camping neighbour Gregory who is here surfing. It seems there is a big surfing community in these campsites I’m encountering along the coast.

I noticed lately a lot of people are asking me my age when I tell them I’ve just run 2000 miles across America and I guess it’s because they’re not used to someone in their mid 40s doing such adventures. Like for example Gregory I’m probably the same age as his dad And most people these days in there 40’s don’t do the stuff I do.

Anyway my friend Dominic and the dog Jelly have made it to Spain. I’m really pleased about that and I drink a cup of wine in their honour. Dominic told me he climbed 1600m in 30km. He said Spain is a lot cheaper with the campsites being only €7.

Good night, live your life now don’t wait till tomorrow.