Short Post
Today was a day relatively unmarked by spectacular events. We rode through the heat for more or less 30 miles in an arrow-straight line alongside a canal. Some on dirt, but a large amount on pavement. There were no chateaux to see, and we had to go in search of towns for our necessities. Lyle did document the 800-mile accomplishment-
Ruby is working through a bout of conjunctivitis , which isn’t that surprising considering the duration of this camping adventure. The pharmacist was quite complementary of Liv’s French, and they gave her drops.
I found a way to visit the doctor as well when the bike fell over as we arrived in the campground and one of the gears embedded itself in my calf. The doctor that helped clean the oil and dirt out of the set of punctures was quite nice. She has a pair of sons who are bike tourists as well, and having completed Europe and the US, they are now in Southeast Asia. She showed me the newspaper clippings on the office wall, and told me many things. Sadly I have very little idea what she was actually saying, as she only used English when she wanted to verify a particular important medical detail. Regardless, she was very nice and refused to accept any payment for her cleaning work.
Tomorrow we will be in Strasbourg by lunch, and will decide then if we will try to get further or just give up and look for an affordable room with A/C to survive the last (perhaps) day of the heatwave. I remember the city as being nice, although I can’t remember any particular details. We shall see!
Currently it is 10:30 at night, and the high volume karaoke at the campground shows no sign of abating. There are enough lights on around the campground that it is bright enough to read in the tent, so we are preparing for another one of “those” nights in a public campground.
-Dave
(This is Heidi typing in Kirk's account. )Oh man, that campground sounds like a winner! Phew, what a day--hope Ruby's eye is better in the morning and your calf heals nicely. That event sounds like it was very painful. So glad you found a nice doctor for that. Ouch. Hope Strasbourg is fun and you get some relief from the heat. How long till you get to Gesa's? Hang in there, Team Gifford. Big love from Corvallis, where we are enjoying a lazy day, including much time down at the river watching Tashi and Leo skip rocks. Clara made it safely to Boulder and is crafting with her East Coast pals. Miss y'all.
ReplyDeleteQuite the story! I've been reading about Strasbourg... several authors recommend it as a place to cool traveler jets... a bunch of two-star hotels in the historical district and a bunch of nice ethnic restaurants. Might be a place to banish the sleep-deprivation symptoms? The forecast looks better two days from now, too. Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteSorry about your shin, Dave. Good for you, Lyle, lifting that huge bike and rescuing your dad! And Liv, a compliment on your French. : ) Did you say 'oeil rose'? M. Lucas is beaming somewhere. I agree with Kirk---the heat, noise and light in those campgrounds indicates a hotel in Strasbourg. Hope your eye heals fast, Ruby!! xoxo
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