Day 19 - 1,000 mile cycling pilgrimage across France 🇫🇷 + Spain 🇪🇸

Almost three weeks on the road. My 1000 mile pilgrimage consists of two countries and I just crossed the border of France and Spain this afternoon. I’m now sitting surrounded by mountains in the north-west of Spain on probably what is one of the nicest campsites I’ve been to so far.

I started the day by going for a swim in the ocean. I got freaked out as I had my goggles on and saw a school of fish consisting of about 50. Each one of them was about the size of my US 10 foot. I headed through the middle of them.

Luckily I was towards the end of my swim but started to think of films I’ve seen with piranhas.

After my swim I ate grapes for breakfast and practiced my French with a fruit seller. Then I cycled along the coast to a place called Saint Jean de luz. I located the market and went straight there as I believe the market is the centre of life. I bought myself some Iberico ham and asked the seller what he recommend I company the ham with in my sandwich, he told me a certain cheese which I then went and bought from another shop.

I prepared and ate the sandwich at the side of the market and then went across the road and ordered an espresso and ate a Basque gateau cake which I brought from the same bakery as my baguette.

I then continued my cycle along the Europe cycle route one. There are a lot more hills including today. But it felt pretty cool going through the tunnels underneath the mountains on the route which Had lights and other times did not have lights. In the instances where they did not have lights I had to use my own head torch because I could not see my hand in front of my face it was pretty scary.

Then I got to a village and asked a local who actually approached me first asking where I had cycled from where there was a campsite which he directed me to. And now I am sitting with a full belly of steak and Chili peppers. The steak I bought from the same place that I bought that Iberico ham from.

It was cool as I was visited by two small donkeys earlier and they come to say hello. As I am writing this it seems wind is coming in and making the trees dance around me. Maybe we have some rain coming. All in all a great day.

I spoke to big Dee again back in England he’s my childhood friend who is quite similar to the rapper called Snoop Dogg that’s why I call him big D. And I also spoke with my beloved sister who is the most special woman on Earth.