Redon, France

Well we finally dug into the coffiers and purchased a new computer! So if we can manage to hold on to this one we should be able to keep the blog updated on a more consistant basis. Just a note....because the computer is purchased in France it has a french key board and the spell check is all in french. So please bear with us and our poor typing skills and spelling!

July 9th St. Malo 35 miles
The ride from Lemont St Michel to St. Malo was again a pituresque ride along the coast line. We made this short day so we could spend time exploring St Malo. A walled city it was built in the 11th century and then added on to in both the 12th & 13th centuries. We walked the entire wall which is approx. " miles around. On the ocean side the beaches are beautiful white sand the consistancy of sugar. Lots of families were enjoying the beautiful sunshine and warm waters. The views from the wall were spectacular and the pictures don't begin to do it justice.

We set up camp next to a french family of four who were also cycle touring. Get this, Mom, Dad, Big sister who is 2 1/2 and baby brother who is just 3months old. We were very impressed!!! There trip was for 6 days cycling no more than 20 miles a day and all of it along river or canal paths. They were a lovely family!!

We will let the pictures of St Malo tell the rest of the story.

July 10th 67 miles Montreuil Sur Ille
A long day of riding along the Canal d'ille et rance. A nice change from cycling on the roads the canals have great crushed limestone paths. This particular canal was built by Napolean as a was to move goods through France during the revolution. The paths next to the canal were established because they harnessed horses to the bardges to pull them down the river. Pretty cool! So now they have all these beautiful canals with cycling paths along them so you can get almost anywhere on a canal. No Cars!!!!

We met an Austrailian couple who have been cycle touring throughout France for many years they are the ones that pointed out the canal for us. A lovely couple just babies really. She is 77 years old and her husband is 81!! They had been cycling through France since May 1st. They were headed toward Normandy.

July 11th Bourg-des Comptes 50 miles

Just a stop on our way to Redon. Sundays are a difficult day to ride. The French people truly value Sunday as a day of rest and to be spent with family. Which we think is great but makes cycle touring difficult when no stores,restaurants etc. are open. Sundays always seem to creep up on us and we are never prepared. But next Sunday we will be! Anyway we pulled into town tired and hungry, set up camp and made our way into a mostly deserted town. We went to the local Bar which was the only thing open. No food but they did have cold beer!!!! We did a little partaking of the local brew and then to our glee the pizza shop opened up at 8pm yum yum.

Back to the campground and snuggled into bed we listened to the rain lul us to sleep.

July 12th Redon 45miles

Pulled into Redon after a gruiling 45miles of head winds. Both of us tired and dirty we treated ourselves to a hotel!!! A hot shower that does not turn off after 30 seconds, a mattress that doesn't need to be inflated and electricity! Life is good!

We are going to down load a bunch of pictures. I doubt that we will get them all captioned but you can still enjoy them.

Love
Bob & Sherry