When the going gets tough, the tough haul ass! I'm now in Montelimar Nord which is three hundred or so kilometers from San Rafael where I started. The only way I see to save on rooms is to make more distance between them so there are fewer nights staying in them. The best I could find today is €49,40 and it's pretty cheesy. There are three bunk beds in a room the size you would find for kids at Camp Wichipookee! I will do a Google search for low-price hotels to see if I have any luck that way.
The way to cover the mileage is to do what I said I wouldn't but you all were clear you don't want any wimps on this adventure. So, I took the adventure to the Autobahn (French version). While the speed limit is 130 kph and that sounds impressive, it's only about 75 mph or so. Of course, many exceed it but they do it in a very mannerly way. This is not American combat driving. No-one drives slowly in the fast lane to prove a point and I didn't see any kind of road rage anywhere.
What I did see / hear was a Ferrari when the driver put his foot hard into it and all those beautiful cylinders were getting all magical while those exhausts were singing the most beautiful automotive symphony possible. 'Twas a thing of beauty!
Another thing of beauty is that America didn't listen to Lady Byrd Johnson about keeping the Interstates beautiful but France did and there are no billboards anywhere. I know it's a heartbreaker but you won't see two hundred signs for Stone Mountain as you drive to Georgia! If you have driven from Little Rock to Texas any time recently, you know the blazing eyesore that has been made by the side of the Interstate there. Perhaps that happens somewhere in France but I didn't see any advertising anywhere.
Nevertheless, the Autobahn is just as sterile in France as it is in America. It even has McDonald's!
I did see some unusual stuff, tho. There were multiple wind turbines doing their little jobs ... right in front of two cooling towers for a nuclear reactor. Interesting energy policy there!
There was an eleventh century fortress on top of a mountain but there was no way to stop and look at it without a big deal in getting off the Autobahn. Much or all of it is a tollway so exits are relatively infrequent. I also saw a church on top of a mountain and this probably serve the same defensive purpose as Bussana Vecchia although this one appeared to be in pretty good shape.
I saw huge fields of lavender and it was all under cultivation. Perhaps it is being farmed for perfume.
So there weren't any good photo ops as there would have been if I were on a smaller road. However, the Autobahn offers the huge advantage of being very easy to navigate and I didn't get lost at all today while making very good time coming up from San Rafael.
Since I don't have any actual Adventure pictures, I will give you one of a whole different kind:
Sandal Feet!
Here apart from the glorious scooter tan, we also have the story of damages of the last few days. The big toe is bloody from the step into the bathroom a few nights ago. There is a step into the bathroom here and I imagine you can guess what happened. So that started bleeding again (laughs).
I laugh because I'm a barely-walking demolition derby! The other cuts and scratches are all from when Haximoto went down.
And we have a story from that!
When I crashed I couldn't get my right foot out of the way in time and Haximoto landed on it. At first no-one was there and I could not do anything to get her off me to get my foot out so I was savoring a quite exquisite level of pain plus the gorgeous frustration of not being able to do anything about it.
Some people came to my aid quite quickly and one guy took the lead. Even though we did not speak the same language, it was clear he did not want me to move. We could communicate that much but I had trouble conveying that I promise I won't get up if you guys could get Haximoto off my foot!
Eventually we worked it out and after a bit I did work my way to my feet. I had to know if it was broken and he had tried to check it but couldn't tell too much. I don't know who he was and people who do that stuff never leave their names but thank you wherever you are! Merci beaucoup!
The day was painful but I needed to show you all and show myself that I wouldn't be stopped. It's not at all over yet but it did feel like I was kind of walking it out a little bit with my ankle.
Enough aches and pains stuff. Time to try to get some sleep! This was a long hot run today. Toward the end I was stopping every twenty to thirty kilometers to soak my head and I would put the helmet back on with my hair still dripping! Cheap air conditioning but it works!
The Map is updated with the progress from today. As you will see, I have turned north and I'm pushing up the center of France. My objective is Lyon, Dijon, Reims, and then make for Calais. I have no intention of going to Paris.
The way to cover the mileage is to do what I said I wouldn't but you all were clear you don't want any wimps on this adventure. So, I took the adventure to the Autobahn (French version). While the speed limit is 130 kph and that sounds impressive, it's only about 75 mph or so. Of course, many exceed it but they do it in a very mannerly way. This is not American combat driving. No-one drives slowly in the fast lane to prove a point and I didn't see any kind of road rage anywhere.
What I did see / hear was a Ferrari when the driver put his foot hard into it and all those beautiful cylinders were getting all magical while those exhausts were singing the most beautiful automotive symphony possible. 'Twas a thing of beauty!
Another thing of beauty is that America didn't listen to Lady Byrd Johnson about keeping the Interstates beautiful but France did and there are no billboards anywhere. I know it's a heartbreaker but you won't see two hundred signs for Stone Mountain as you drive to Georgia! If you have driven from Little Rock to Texas any time recently, you know the blazing eyesore that has been made by the side of the Interstate there. Perhaps that happens somewhere in France but I didn't see any advertising anywhere.
Nevertheless, the Autobahn is just as sterile in France as it is in America. It even has McDonald's!
I did see some unusual stuff, tho. There were multiple wind turbines doing their little jobs ... right in front of two cooling towers for a nuclear reactor. Interesting energy policy there!
There was an eleventh century fortress on top of a mountain but there was no way to stop and look at it without a big deal in getting off the Autobahn. Much or all of it is a tollway so exits are relatively infrequent. I also saw a church on top of a mountain and this probably serve the same defensive purpose as Bussana Vecchia although this one appeared to be in pretty good shape.
I saw huge fields of lavender and it was all under cultivation. Perhaps it is being farmed for perfume.
So there weren't any good photo ops as there would have been if I were on a smaller road. However, the Autobahn offers the huge advantage of being very easy to navigate and I didn't get lost at all today while making very good time coming up from San Rafael.
Since I don't have any actual Adventure pictures, I will give you one of a whole different kind:
Sandal Feet!
Here apart from the glorious scooter tan, we also have the story of damages of the last few days. The big toe is bloody from the step into the bathroom a few nights ago. There is a step into the bathroom here and I imagine you can guess what happened. So that started bleeding again (laughs).
I laugh because I'm a barely-walking demolition derby! The other cuts and scratches are all from when Haximoto went down.
And we have a story from that!
When I crashed I couldn't get my right foot out of the way in time and Haximoto landed on it. At first no-one was there and I could not do anything to get her off me to get my foot out so I was savoring a quite exquisite level of pain plus the gorgeous frustration of not being able to do anything about it.
Some people came to my aid quite quickly and one guy took the lead. Even though we did not speak the same language, it was clear he did not want me to move. We could communicate that much but I had trouble conveying that I promise I won't get up if you guys could get Haximoto off my foot!
Eventually we worked it out and after a bit I did work my way to my feet. I had to know if it was broken and he had tried to check it but couldn't tell too much. I don't know who he was and people who do that stuff never leave their names but thank you wherever you are! Merci beaucoup!
The day was painful but I needed to show you all and show myself that I wouldn't be stopped. It's not at all over yet but it did feel like I was kind of walking it out a little bit with my ankle.
Enough aches and pains stuff. Time to try to get some sleep! This was a long hot run today. Toward the end I was stopping every twenty to thirty kilometers to soak my head and I would put the helmet back on with my hair still dripping! Cheap air conditioning but it works!
The Map is updated with the progress from today. As you will see, I have turned north and I'm pushing up the center of France. My objective is Lyon, Dijon, Reims, and then make for Calais. I have no intention of going to Paris.
3 comments:
You might be able to make Calais by tues. But not lose the adventure just to get there faster
I am thinking this might a cool way to visit europe next summer backroading day by day. Unbelieveably. I am jealous of your adventure
Your point is very well taken but money is a big problem and it's difficult to find a compromise between moving quickly and doing it inexpensively. I can go one more day but then I'm broke so it's a bit of a challenge!
I'm glad you're having fun with the story!
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