Bezier,Ventoux,Nantes,Cherbourg and home
Hi again readers.
I write this after a few weeks of winter cycling in Portugal....highly recommended....then more weeks back at home riding with increasingly heavy panniers. On the most recent ride I carried panniers , tent and tools that weighed in at 40k. MUSCLES!!!😊
Those patient folk who have read my scratchings in the past know that I do love the pre-tour training where I eventually carry loads greater than the tour weight (expected to be 33kg) to allow the tour to be enjoyable from the start.
Those folk may also know that I am vulnerable to bouts of depression brought on by the simplest of things.....usually an unwanted surprise or .... disappointment in the behaviour, or words, of someone in my circle of pals or family.
The depression drags me down enough to stop me cycling and I stay indoors to wonder..... 'why?' One half of my brain tells me no harm is meant while the other, autistic- half tells me that the 'cause' shouldn't have occurred and my melt-down continues......until I forget the initial cause and recovery to 'normal-person commences.
In recent days I have been enduring such an episode. Luckily the empty beaches near by were available and a couple of long walks with a bag and litter picker helped me back to a 'normal-persons' mindset.
So, to those affected by my recent behaviour - now you know why I was quiet and/or grumpy. Sorry. Xxx
Spare a thought for Kathy my saint-like tour (and life) partner who allows me space while I am in melt down and provides kindness and support while I disappear in to my darkened cave for a few days. To Kathy, too, sorry....Xxx love 💘you .
Right.....to things more entertaining........The training is complete and we leave in 7 days to fly from Bristol to Beziers where a campsite on the Canal du Midi awaits. As we are flying , we have to buy Camping Gas when we arrive and the finding of such a vital item is a priority on day 1. I have found a Decathlon on the edge of town, but is seemingly only accessible via a very busy dual carriageway ( with no cycle path) or, my preferred option, country lanes and dirt tracks both of which , on Google Map, seem to be in poor condition.
I write this after a few weeks of winter cycling in Portugal....highly recommended....then more weeks back at home riding with increasingly heavy panniers. On the most recent ride I carried panniers , tent and tools that weighed in at 40k. MUSCLES!!!😊
Those patient folk who have read my scratchings in the past know that I do love the pre-tour training where I eventually carry loads greater than the tour weight (expected to be 33kg) to allow the tour to be enjoyable from the start.
Those folk may also know that I am vulnerable to bouts of depression brought on by the simplest of things.....usually an unwanted surprise or .... disappointment in the behaviour, or words, of someone in my circle of pals or family.
The depression drags me down enough to stop me cycling and I stay indoors to wonder..... 'why?' One half of my brain tells me no harm is meant while the other, autistic- half tells me that the 'cause' shouldn't have occurred and my melt-down continues......until I forget the initial cause and recovery to 'normal-person commences.
In recent days I have been enduring such an episode. Luckily the empty beaches near by were available and a couple of long walks with a bag and litter picker helped me back to a 'normal-persons' mindset.
So, to those affected by my recent behaviour - now you know why I was quiet and/or grumpy. Sorry. Xxx
Spare a thought for Kathy my saint-like tour (and life) partner who allows me space while I am in melt down and provides kindness and support while I disappear in to my darkened cave for a few days. To Kathy, too, sorry....Xxx love 💘you .
Right.....to things more entertaining........The training is complete and we leave in 7 days to fly from Bristol to Beziers where a campsite on the Canal du Midi awaits. As we are flying , we have to buy Camping Gas when we arrive and the finding of such a vital item is a priority on day 1. I have found a Decathlon on the edge of town, but is seemingly only accessible via a very busy dual carriageway ( with no cycle path) or, my preferred option, country lanes and dirt tracks both of which , on Google Map, seem to be in poor condition.
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