Found Adventure 111 km -

What a day - I came seeking adventure and certainly found some today.

Sometimes spontaneity can bring great rewards such was my choice of camp site today and my little oasis in the desert written as I’m tucking into home made croissants home made jam and coffee.

Will start at the end of the day. In camping familial Kelvin and Yvonne and my Dutch hosts that could not have been any more hospitable. Arriving around 7 pm absolutely spent this time I did not need to put on my sad face to be able to stay. As I arrived I was met by Yvonne as I slumped over the handle bars.

Of course you can stay we never turn any bikers away! I was told how to get to the field and drove to be met by her husband Kelvin from Wrexham in Wales. He asked if I wanted shade and would I like a drink and something to eat! Would I ever... but then I remembered I needed to get cash out and said I would see how many Euro I had. Scraping up my coins my funds totalled 17 Euro’s and I asked would that be enough. The host joked with me and said of course not not nearly enough !...(after my sense of humour failure today was not in the mood). Yvonne could see the look in my face and she said only joking of course.
Quickly got out of my sweat soaked riding gear which I hung up on my washing line, headed down to the farm past several caravans and several nice wooden cabins. The owner came out and said she was just cooking for another guest when she had finished would tuna salad and chips be ok. “...To be honest I would have eaten gruel. She asked her husband to get me a beer - I ran back to my tent to get a Aussie stubby holder - which I have a few as gifts. Their water was sweet and tasted like rain water.

A quaint farm with lots of tables and old farming memorabilia. A young French family played cards together as I drank my first beer at another table several boys were doing screen time. I asked my host oh yes she said we have two wi-fi hot spots “really I thought@ and for 6.5 Euro this is just too much.

Before dinner I ran back to get my camera as wanted to capture this experience.

Like lord of the manor I sat at the head of a huge wooden table my place was laid and water jar and glass provided. As my huge dinner was placed in front of me she said we can’t see you leave without breakfast so will coffee and croissants be ok for you? blimey... 17 Euro goes a long way.
As I checked out my video and images Yvonne approached me again and said “one for the road” it can’t get any better I may just stay a while.

The day started off well with a long catch up with Liz we FaceTimed
over the internet at the camp site.

I told her I was thinking of bailing heading to Switzerland to the Horizons’s Unlimited event and a few days off the bike, Liz approved. The south east of France where I was thinking of riding has had huge storms with campsites being washed away and several people missing. It’s also likely the trails would be in poor condition if there at all! and I wish to ride environmentally responsibly.

Afterwards chatted with the other GS rider camped next to me who is selling his bike and has bought a big boat to sail around the world. I have given him my card and said if you come to Australia look me up and I will buy you a beer.

In was away early for me around noon and stopped in local village for a coffee and filled up my drink bladder with nice chilled water which was ‘gratuite’.

Heading off the route went past the local airport on a white stony track - I stopped to take some pics as the white road made a good contrast with green fields and blue cloudy sky.

Lots of easy- ish tracks more fields than yesterday’s forested trails.

One new bitumen section laid to service the giant wind turbines, the tar rd was sticky and curved & weaved its way through the fields I got carried away really enjoyed this section almost like my own personal race track and missed my turn off so back tracked to the thin green line.

At one point the route went through through a village and there was a small Boulanger open so I stopped and bought a ‘baguette traditional’ and refreshing ice cold soft drink which I downed in one, it was a warm day. Headed off looking for a nice picnic spot to have my lunch. As I crossed a small river a shaded wooded area presented with a wooden picnic table, a trickling trout stream it was perfect, my dad would love this spot. My salad and sheeps cheese with capsicum went down well with my baguette.

I cooled off by wading in the trickling river and soaked my head and t shirt in the cool water.

Heading off again before that post lunch snooze came upon me - more small roads then one section seemed to just end only though the bushes and closed gate to the left. I could see a narrow gap with brambles and could see other bike tyre marks. Well if others have been this way surely must be ok?
Headed down slowly and my word this was tough - especially on a big bike - pedalling with my feet as outriggers. The numerous hardened wheel ruts grabbed at my front wheel and followed them like a tram rail - after a couple of hundred metres I dropped the bike in this single track section my wheel stopped and the bike simply laid over. It was really hot - I turned her off and walked awayin disgust at myself took a moment in the shade ate a banana and drank some water. This is chook chasing country not big adventure bike friendly.
Went back to the bike and could see fuel leaking out of breather hose into the dry grass ‘not good’ found a bolt and put it in the breather tube. Had to unpack and carry my gear a couple of hundred metres to the end of this tough section. To give my self the best chance in the slippery grass I also let more air out of the tyres. Like a Himalayan porter I carried all my gear to the end of the tough section in stages, then rode her out with no issues - unloaded. Unfortunately my low Go-Pro mountain was destroyed in the off.

Then less than a kilometre later a river crossing...”you have to be kidding me...” I shouted in dismay. In retrieving a stick from beside the river I fell over and rolled into some brambles and got stung by nettles.

I used best practice by walking the river first (getting my feet wet) with a stick as it was murky checking for depth. Unpacked yet again! and took all my electric gadgets off the bike apart from my go-pro. Psyched my self up by shouting at myself and banging my helmet with my fist “come on, come on Ewen, come on” as do have a history of river crossing fails! Made it and got it all on camera and was pumped. If I wanted Adventure I certainly found some today.

Rode out to the nearest bitumen rd and checked the GPS more of the same was coming in fact a long off rd section but I had more than enough for one day and was tired so googled closest camp site it was around 10 km away and run by a

Camping Familial: run by Kelvin and Yvonne they immediately offered me a cold beer and dinner. Lucked in again ...

campingfamilial.fr