While Lindsey and Calico head to the U.S.A., I plan to do a bike tour along the EV3 route from Bordeaux to Paris and then at Paris to turn and head to Mont St. Michael on the Veloscenic cycle route.

The route is estimated to be around 1,300km and ~6,700m of climbing (last year’s bike tour was 999km and 11,000m). I’ve got 31 days total (including breaks), and I still need to map things out a bit (last year was 18 riding days with an average of 56km each riding day).

I am currently training; I’d like to be in as good shape as I was for the Italy trip. I didn’t get as much notice, so we shall see how it all comes together. I am nervous as this will be in August, so I hope to avoid terrible heat waves (cue global warming’s deep, maniacal laughter).

We went camping near El Barco, Spain, this last weekend and it was beautiful!

It was a pretty rainy weekend but with plenty of sunshine as well. We had a very fun Friday night in town at a wonderful little bar before heading back to our tent (Lindsey was in the house on the riverside property we rented). Calico played soccer with some local kids in the square while Lindsey and I had a few glasses of wine. We tried to go hiking on Saturday but got hit with some heavy rain and thunder and had to jog down the mountain quickly :).

Calico and I slept in the tent both nights despite a little rain. And we managed to make cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and smores. Next time I need to bring a better metal grill top as it made the hamburgers pretty difficult with the one they had.

Good times :)!