The Old and the Restless

I'm experimenting with another blog to use while traveling because it seems to be easier with the iPad. Check it out at http://stilloldandrestless.wordpress.com In the meantime Here are some photos from last weekend. Cyclon is the annual weekend of riding that the Toronto Bicycle Network has every year on the August long weekend. This year we stayed at Trent University in Peterborough. The area is VERY hilly. On the first day two people had to return after the first hill. Many people ran out of water. Paul was navigating and delivering water in the sag wagon that day. The temperature of 30 degrees with the humidity made it a tiring ride. The above photo is from the second day. I led the ride but Paul had the difficult job of sweeping the ride. A stop at the lift locks, the largest hydraulic locks in the world... made of non-reinforced concrete. The end of the day.

At the end of our trip, we took a train from Epernay to Paris and then the TGV (Fast) train to Neuchatel. Zucco welcomed Paul and expected a walk. Brandon and his friend, Sophie, were making a book bag for library class. When it's hot, you need a drink. On one day, the temperature reached 31 degrees. Hervé and Alicia are in the pool... a good thing to do when you don't have air conditioning. Brandon's swim club had a competition  Between races. Brandon was first in the three races in his age group. We were expecting him to get a medal, (and so was he) but unbeknownst to everyone, the club had decided not to award a medal to those in Brandon's category of "pre-competition". While waiting for the marks to be tallied, visitors could use the pool. Alicia did six lengths of the olympic- size pool on her back with Bryn following her all the way.  Bryn rides Billy, a paint, two to three times a week. On Saturday night there was a "Kermesse" at the ...

There were a lot of rolling hills today. Thankfully, when there was wind as we went up a hill, it was behind us. A French cemetery of people who died in World War I, had crosses and plaques to commemorate the fallen. We realized, looking at the names, that the plaques were for Muslim soldiers, probably from Algeria. Sometimes the plaques were backed by a cross because a Muslim was commemorated on one side and a Christian on the other side. Paul's summary of the third week of cycling up the Marne to Epernay: This was a new area of France for us - one that is historically and geographically interesting. The Marne is a main tributary of the Seine and was the site of great fighting in WW I between the French and German troops while the Commonwealth troops fought the Germans north of Paris along the Somme. The Marne valley is a broad valley with gently mounting sides perfect for growing the varieties of grape to make champagne. Of course, sleeping on a barge meant that every night w...

An easy start along the river for a few km. Then, inland up for a long hard climb. Most walked a good portion of the hill. After crossing a long plateau, we descended to the Marne again for our morning coffee stop before 11 am. Then, we entered champagne territory... and stopped for a champagne tasting at Charly. Many bought bottles and flutes (champagne glasses). Leaving Charly, we started anther long ascent. Paul's story is "I made it up the entire hill. Sandra needed to stop to rest (pretending to stop to take yet another picture of me climbing a hill slowly - but her excuse was transparently false!)." As we approached the high point of the hill, it started to rain. So,we sought shelter under a farm equipment shed to have lunch. The farmer came out to see what was happening, have a little chat and wish us "courage" (a prophetic remark)! Then, it was a pleasant ride to a village?.. from which there was a "short cut" to the American WW I war memorial...

Wednesday began with a long climb... (above photo - Roy walking, Paul riding) ... to a privately owned Chateau ruin... ... probably first begun in the XII century in the reign of Louis VII. In the XVI century it was given to Catherine de Medici by Henri II who had various architects (Delorme) embellish the architecture. Henri IV bought it for his mistress Gabrielle d 'Estrées. She envisioned herself becoming queen and had 3 children by the king but she died, rumored to be of poisoning, after a banquet in 1599. (In the controversial painting below which is in the Louvre, Gabrielle on the right is in the bath with her sister)) Henri IV then gave the chateau to his wife, Marie de Medici after the birth of Louis XIII in 1601. Therefore it is called the Chateau of the three queens. The official name is Montceaux les Meaux. The castle is in ruins having been used as a quarry. The current owners bought the grounds with two "servants houses", the castle ruins and th...

Paul was told that he probably should not do this because of the big hill so he stayed on the boat; however, two days later, on Thursday, we all met with a much bigger challenge. Unfortunately Paul missed the sculpture garden on this day. All the sculptures were made from the blocks of a bridge that was blown up in WWI. Nina, our guide, gave us the challenge of finding the statue with the bicycle but only one person, Monica, found it. I had taken photos of the statue with the "gear shift" but did not go around to see the bike. Then, it was the hill. I made it 1/3 of the way up. Most walked but 2 men made it. The visit to the house of Louis Braille was very interesting.  Born in 1809, he was blinded in one eye at the age of 5 while using one of his father's sharp, hooked tools which slipped as he was playing with it. He then got an infection which caused him to lose both eyes. Because he was very intelligent, he attended the local school, but he stayed in the same...

Our first 42 km ride out of Paris was cleverly routed to avoid hills. After crossing under the Peripherique, we visited Chateau de Vincennes the oldest remaining fortified royal residence in France. Then we cycled to the Marne for a picnic lunch followed by a viewing of the Nestlé chocolate factory. From there, we followed the Marne - passing our barge... ... just before arriving at Lagny sur Marne. An easy enjoyable day!