Lapalisse, France
This has been one crazy week and it's wearing me out. Maybe I'm too old to be touring alone. It's terribly stressful at times. But, as always, the kindness of strangers pulls me through.
Now let's see if I can remember all that's happened. You know about the tire then the broken frame.
Sunday came and I wasn't ready with food shopping so I scraped the bottom of the pannier. The next day around midday I got to a village and parked in front of a small grocery store. I needed to write my bike shop because Blaze is running like a crab. Her boom is tilted. When I looked up, it was CLOSED! For 2.5 hours! I felt at the breaking point and just wanted to cry. This life is not as easy as it sounds. There's so many unknowns every day. I cycled through town and found a patisserie and got a bread and a flan. Then I looked and my solar panel was missing! Oh no! It must have dropped off when I left the grocery store. I'm lost without it. LOST! POWERLESS! I race back looking along the pavement. It's not there. Oh no! This can't be happening. Check everywhere! ...there it is, tucked away...ahhhh. You should try living with me!! This brain is frightening and so forgetful these days. That doesn't help.
So on I go. Down the sweetest back country roads. Learning more about letting go. I don't itch that bad. I have a second warmer bag to use. I have enough food for the night. PB & J is always there. I'm okay. And I'm in France! And it's a beautiful day. Getting near camping time. Time to find some water. I look for people outside. Or listen. Look. There's a couple. Of course, they're staring at me:). J'ai besoin de l'eau. My standard phrase. It's a farm family. Mom, dad, and daughter. Yes. Of course. Then I ask if perhaps they have a place I could camp. And I end up in the garden:). Wonderful people. Got to watch mom milk 35 head of cows. I'll never take dairy for granted again. It took 1.5 hours to put them in their stantion ( 8 at a time), scrub teats, apply milking machine, treat teats after, and release them...then sterilize equipment while next 8 ladies load. Quite an operation and it's done twice a day, EVERY day. Whew!
They had gardens and chickens, turkeys, geese, a pig and "les enfants" (calves). All ages. They're separated from mom right away. A couple were a week old. It's a business...but Edith knew the name of every cow! Invited in for dinner too, so that solved my food problem. Amazing family. Such fun! And I'm so grateful. See you on Facebook, Monica!
Last night it was getting quite late and I wasn't finding a spot. I heard a woman trying to quiet her dog do I turned around and went back. I'd seen a grassy spot a couple of houses away and was hoping she'd know if I could use it. She and her husband offered they're yard. Yea! And in the morning coffee and conversation....and red peach jam and apples for the road. Thank you Chantelle and Christian.
Tonight a campground, wifi, power, and a shower. Living it up!! Both families offered a room indoors but I do prefer my tent!
Oh and another challenge is finding my way. I like Google Maps to give me a route. Much easier. But it doesn't know that I want paved roads so it gives me this
Or this
Or worse yet, this
I ended up carrying her across the deep water and squishy sand. Then 3 trips to get all my gear across! And those back roads are so much slower, but sure beat 20 kms on a road with no shoulder and big trucks going both ways like I did today. Glad to be here. Now I'm going to enjoy it. Shower!!
Livin' the life,
BagLady
Facebook: Kathryn Mossbrook Zimmerman
No comments:
Post a Comment