Day 17 - 1,000 mile cycling pilgrimage across France ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท + Spain ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ

Iโ€™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 โ‚ฌ10 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. Iโ€™m addicted to trying all sorts of new French pastries. Since the Appalachian Trail Iโ€™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 Iโ€™m encountering along the coast.

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

Anyway my friend Dominic and the dog Jelly have made it to Spain. Iโ€™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 โ‚ฌ7.

Good night, live your life now donโ€™t wait till tomorrow.