I do not have my journal with me right now so I won't be able to name the location of where all these photos in this post were taken. But, we hope to post a map of our trip soon so you will get a better idea of where we went through that way anyways.
The picture above was taken in the Loire wine region. The vines there are only about a meter tall and the rows planted just a few feet apart. Very different from most Okanagan vineyards.
A nice town where we had lunch in a park.
That evening we stayed at a horse stable, whose owners James met a few years ago. Unfortunately I did not get a picture of them but we were welcomed warmly and had a very relaxing evening, French style, with great food and wine.
The main house.
Beautiful sunset.
On March 10th, we had lunch next to Chateau de Sully-sur-Loire. It was the first castle I had ever seen with a water filled moat all the way around it. Such a beauty.
The weather rapidly turned that evening and we found shelter in a barn where James had slept on previous trips. The farmer let us stay there over night again which was great. However, we did not anticipate the severity of the rat infestation. We slept okay and the rats never came near us but there must have been something of interest to them up on the loft because there was squeaking and squealing all night, loose items were being bumped around and boards banged against each other as the rats ran over them. Crazy! But that was still better than being out in the torrential rain. All we can hope for is a quieter night tomorrow.
Next day we passed through Toucy. As we sat there having a little snack, an older man approached us and told us to stop by his house on our way out of town if we wanted a shower. He was very interested in our trip and gave us our address. Turns out his house was right on the way so we decided to pay him a visit. The shower was great and he ended up preparing a delicious lunch for us. He is alone most of the time so he said it is a delight for him to have some visitors.
On March 12th we made a quick stop in historic Noyers. I know nothing about the town other than that it had amazing character and every corner was as photogenic as I could only dream of so I will let the pictures do the talking.
Nice scene from where we took a snack break one day.
On March 12-13th we passed through a gently rolling landscape with magestic beech and oak forests and vast grain fields. The land was very sparsely populated and traffic was almost non existent. The weather was chilly but good for riding most of the time.
Yup, this is a bread dispenser on the side of the road in a little town we passed through. Most towns have at least one bakery but this town must be too small to support a bakery so they got a bread vending machine instead. Croissants on special today!!!!
Near Vesoul we visited James' friends Jean-Noel and Marie-Helene on their farm. Below are pics of their house and the newly landscaped garden with a pont. Really nice.
In the evening, I joined Jean-Noel in the milking parlour and he turned me into a very happy, soon very smelly, milking assistant. It was soooo great! I cannot deny my love for agriculture, smell and all!
THANK YOU JEAN-NOEL AND MARIE-HELENE FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY. WE HAD A GREAT REST AT YOUR PLACE AND HOPE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO COME VISIT US SOMEDAY. TAKE CARE!
From Vesoul we continued on to Altkirch in the Alsace. Below, James' silouette on a frosty morning.
James' friend Charlie who is a Scouts leader let us stay in the Scouts Camp office overnight. It was a really cold, frosty night again so we were grateful for the somewhat heated facilities with bathrooms and basic kitchen. Charlie is currently doing his apprenticeship in a Bakery-Patisserie so we got invited for a coffee and a Pain-du-Chocolat in the morning.
THANK YOU CHARLIE. IT WAS GREAT TO MEET YOU/SEE YOU AGAIN! GOOD LUCK WITH THE SCOUTS.
Below, impressions from the Alsace. Gorgeous architecture!!!
Z'Basel am Rhiii......(In Basle by the Rhine river)
Hello Switzerland!!!!! We crossed the border in Basel on March 16th. The weather was cold and the strong head wind which majorly slowed us down forced us to limit our sightseeing in town to a mere passing through. This was very unfortunate because the glimpses we caught of this city were gorgeously promising. Everything was so clean and beautiful.
The last night we slept in a barn of an ostrich farmer (no ostriches in the barn...no rats either!). We had actually planned to stay with a friend of mine that night but the head wind made our progress so exhausting that we had to call it a day 30km away from her house. O well, the barn was okay too.
AND NEXT DAY WE ARRIVED AT MY GRANDMA'S!!!!! BY BIKE FROM CANADA TO MY GRANDMA'S.....SOOOO COOOOOL!
Bikes parked in front of her house. Let me tell you that was an almost scary feeling to take this picture because I could hardly believe this was actually real.
Turns out it was real after all because a few moments later we were invited inside, bikes and all and a wonderful Birchermuesli dinner was waiting for us!
and shortly after more relatives started pouring in the door. Sooo good to see them all again. (Sorry Herbert and Daniel, there were no good pics of you from that day)
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