 |
| Loire and Atlantic - Saint Nazaire, France |
The morning of the 23rd I repacked my belongings in my saddlebags, cleaned Nathan’s apartment, hauled my bike down the stairs and cycled to the train station (just over a mile away).
 |
| Studio Apartment / Bicycle Garage - Paris, France |
Riding through the streets of Paris isn’t bad, the city planners have included bike lanes on all major roads. There are a large number of people cycling in the city. Nothing, of course, compared to Amsterdam.
 |
| Waiting for the Train - Paris, France |
 |
| Ticket to Ride (Bicycle Background) |
Although I arrived over an hour early for my train, I encountered a problem at the gate just under twenty minutes before departure. The woman offering help notified me that I needed to pay extra for my bicycle. I should have known this, but when I purchased the ticket in advance, the rail europe website only indicated that the train took bikes, not that I had to pay for a supplemental ticket.
I rushed to the help desks and waited for just over ten minutes until my number was called. The kind lady at the counter saw that I was to depart in eight minutes, quickly took an extra ten euros, reprinted my ticket and sent me on my way.
The train had over twenty cars on it which, of course, I had to roll by to reach the very first coach. I boarded and placed my bike next to an older French woman’s and breathed a sigh of relief. The train departed, on time, three minutes later. There are stresses associated with time, institutional systems and new experiences. I am sorry to admit that this is not the only time I have found myself entering a long distance European train in a sweat.
In Saint Nazaire, over the next day and a half, I rested. Christophe, my Airbnb host, was quite accommodating in that he offered a space in his garage for my bike and allowed me to run a load of laundry. I hung it on a courtyard rack, letting it dry until nightfall.
 |
| Nap Situation - Saint Nazaire, France |
My hammock came out of the saddlebag for the first time this trip. I snoozed and read. It’s extremely difficult to exit a hammock once you’re in. On a warm day, I’d equate it to a one thousand piece puzzle. Currently, I’m nearing the end of Frank Herbert’s "Heretics of Dune". The man is a genius.
 |
| Relaxing on the Boardwalk - Saint Nazaire, France |
 |
| Atlantic Ocean Overlook - Saint Nazaire, France |
Later, I spent time reflecting on the meeting of waters, the Loire River and the Atlantic. It was over spring vacation that I decided to begin my summer bicycle tour in Saint Nazaire by placing my finger on a map. I lingered in two places. Can I find all places?
Cafe Indian Rock was an interesting experience in the evening. There, I found out that the French adore Bob Marley, a "beautiful king". I swear that I took a photograph, but nothing exists on my phone. Also, my sunglasses have disappeared. They were polarized.
