Day 6/Day Sex (kiwi accent) - Normandie Coast- 99 kms

We dedicate this day to James (see kiwi title) and because Claudia calls her wallet James Willet (which she has inevitabely forgotten in Nantes). We had a late start due to what we could call the Bjorn special: the flat. The Dieppe beach later seemed more appealling than biking and offered us a nice rinsing and our first dip in the sea. Almost exactly 69 years after 'le debarquement', Germans, French, Canadians and a kiwi (!) Seemed to have forgotten about the past. Today is also the day where we have all reduced enough our fat reserves over the butt bones that we have started feeling soarness. Nothing is stopping though, we are going after Belgium starting from tomorrow.

Day 5 - Coast Run - 121 kms

Today we cycled for Christine who is keenly following our blog from home in Rio to make sure Dave is being fed properly :) We started out early this morning with one goal in mind - the Normandy coast. We destroyed 70kms of rolling hills before lunch in punishing heat before targeting the coast in the afternoon. Rain threatened and the coast taunted us for several km until we finally broke through to a lovely spot next to a lighthouse on a cliff overlooking the ocean and we settled down to a high calorie cream and lardon pasta dinner.

Day 5 - Coast Run - 121 kms

Today we cycled for Christine who is keenly following our blog from home in Rio to make sure Dave is being fed properly :) [Missing part 02] [Missing part 03] [Missing part 04]

Day 4 - Normandie Alps Part 2 - 100 Km - South West from Pont Audemer

We dedicate today to our dear friend Ebru because we really had to make it to the top today and it was not only a test. A crazy amount of hills today gratified by the best downhills ever. We spent time following the same route as this year's tour de France, with beautiful new pavement. As a special present from mother nature today we have some sugar beets and mushrooms selected carefully by Vivien (if we don't post tomorrow you know why). Right now we are laying in green grass in a very scenic spot with a curvy river with icy, crystal clear, fast flowing water. Perfect for our muscles after such a tough day!

Day 3 - climbing over the "alps off the normandie" - 96 km - south of falaise on the orne

today we dedicate the trip to anna and vanessa , as they would be surely with us if they had some time. And anna just had birthday. Today we almost made as much distance vertically as horizontally. Claudia felt like an overload donkey. Rob set up a speed record of 67km/h. Vivien made us ride in circles. We found cheap wine in large bottles wich we can drink now on our private little beach after we scared away all the families by playing baseball with apples. Now off to some indonisian cigarettes (special curtesy of anta)

Day 1, 90km near Le Lion D'Anger

We are going to dedicate each day of cycling to a special person. They will provide us with the courage to keep pedalling, and hopefully we can inspire them to join us but embarking in their own adventure. Today we bike for Damaris, who we are sad to leave behind in Nantes. Love was to powerful for Damaris. We had a great day with the best weather in months, and our tents our erected next to a fishing pond in the Foret de Longuenee. Thanks to the Csontos family for a great Pinot Gris to accompany our blue cheese pasta.

The Departure

 

With the bikes packed and the racks ready to snap, we rolled out of la Peniche at 11am.  With out fate in Vivien's hands to get us out of France we said goodbye to shelter and comfort to spend a month on the roads and in the European wilderness.