An enjoyable trip to France, without a successful Etape though

Yes, I went to France. Of six days there, five went as planned. The Etape day did not go as planned. At about kilometer 55 or mile 33, I went down to the asphalt in a two-person fall. Sounds familiar. Indeed it was. Damage to my bicycle included a broken spoke in the rear wheel, a slightly bent front brake, and a twisted front brake lever.

By the time my bike was repaired - the Mavic mechanic cut the spoke out, trued the wheel and straightened the front brake well enough - I had been passed by the event's sweeper car, and got tagged for the bus when I pedaled up the road a couple of hundred meters to their blockade.

They were a beautiful 33 miles for sure.

I just looked on the Etape's web page and read that about 7500 riders started, and about 5400 finished. The first over the line finished in right at six hours, the last official finisher in about 11 hours. Congratulations to 21 year old Blaise SONNERY who finished in six hours, zero minutes and 33 seconds.

I think I have learned much on the trip - about the Etape - and some about myself, the Word of God, God and my relationship with Him.

I won't now write about the trip and the events of the Etape itself. Below is a list of incidents or topics I could and may still write about, not in any particular order.


cycling in France - photos, enjoying bicycling, Rivendell
accident-prone or adept at falling
affection on things above
Celestins, hotel architecture
night-time in Lyon
stormwater
cost of bottled tea
Lyon's maisons
bicycle shop in Lyon
Mondays on Alpe d'Huez
the Canadian couple cyclists
the Irish Catherine and Willie
what I lost - was this planned
patisserie in Gap and directions to Internet cafe
the crowd on the airplane, before and after Haagen Daas
in retirement perhaps



More photos