Survived a 50-kilometre bike ride
This is a report on my health, my fitness, my sanity and my bedtime.
It’s 9:15 pm (21:15 for those who observe the 24-hour clock) and I’m going to bed. I’m absolutely knackered, My arm hurts, my knee hurts, but I did it. Five more days to go.
There was more uphill today than I had expected and, I confess, I walked some of it. I would have had a much better performance had I not been knocked down by the proverbial freight train five days ago. But I am mending.
Besides months ago, we booked and paid for this cycling adventure in Brittany in northwestern France. So we’re doing it. That said, the 50 kilometres (or was it 55) took us 7 1/2 hours, with stops for lunch, water, resting my arm, taking photos (not too many) and consulting the instructions (egads, we couldn’t afford to get lost unless it was a shortcut). Fortunately, at least half of the last 14 kilometres was mostly downhill.
You’ll have to wait for photos of this part of our travels. By mistake, I left all the equipment for downloading photos in Paris. Argh!
Not sure how much internet I have over the next five or six days. We’re camping and not every campground offers wifi. Don’t worry. I’ll be back online for a couple of days and then four more days of camping (but no bikes).
And now it’s 21:30 and I’m really going to bed. Tomorrow’s ride is only 25 kilometres. I’ll store up for the day after that which is 48.
P.S. Should have internet tomorrow morning, but after that I might not be able to answer comments for a while.
P.P.S. I mentioned my sanity. It’s there—only just—but I can still smile. Just got a gold star from fellow campers. They are French but couldn’t figure out how to get into the internet they’d paid for. But I could. Everyone’s happy.
Szzzzzzzzzzzz!
Where to next? 
You completed the first part of the bike hike and you pleased the French. You should count that as enormously successful.
Now please keep healing.
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I do, I do!. Knocked off another 25 kilometres today. Dreading the 48 tomorrow.
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Cheat a bit – bike 47.
Seriously, travel safely.
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If necessary, I will walk a lot. 🙂 I didn’t walk at all today.
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Congratulations Peggy! I’m very impressed. As always, I’ll look forward to the photos whenever they come. Take care and enjoy the ralatively easier day tomorrow.
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Today was easier, but tomorrow is another 48 kilometres. Argh! Photos later.
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LeggyP.
You are either a trooper or crazy. After having been mowed down like you were I would have ridden on the back of a bicycle built for two and not pedaled. You go girl!
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Crazy, I’l go with crazy.
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Bravo! 😁
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Thanks!
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Well done! what an achievement. It’s raining badly in England so I’m not able to get out on my road bike and feeling a little jealous of your trip in France. The pain is so worth it but I know you know that already. Best of luck with the rest of your time there and sending you warm healing hugs to your knees.
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Thanks. If it was raining here, I’d be on the bus, or train, or car, or plane. But still pedalling until the end of the week.
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Sounds like an extreme way of recovering from your collision with the freight train. But hopefully the injured parts will be benefitting from the increased blood flow brought on by the cycling. You will need a holiday to recover from your holiday.
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Not so much extreme as extremely foolish, but Im getting there, I think. 🙂
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Nice. Take care of yourself and enjoy the bike rides!
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Enjoy? Survive is more like it. 🙂
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I meant that you should focus on good things to forget or ignore the bad things. So I still wish you to enjoy 🙂 it is better than survive
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Good advice, Ilze. Thanks.
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You, and Poor John are actually Super Man and Wonder Woman in disguise!
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He might be Superman but I’m more like a bad episode of ‘I love Lucy’.
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Glad to hear you are on the mend. Kudos to you and John for being so fit for a bike ride! Motorcycles is more my style lol but I still get to smell the countryside.
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Can’t say I started in good condition but I think I’m improving.
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Well done! Can’t wait to see the photos. xxx
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I’m keen to see them too on something bigger than the camera.
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Bless your soul to do this.If I could do this I would give you a metal.
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And I’d accept it! 🙂
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That is awesome, I’d be pleased with double that time.
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I have 48 kilometres to do tomorrow. Hoping I can better my time by a few seconds! 🙂
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Struth, you’re a goer.
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And a nut case.
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Keep on truckin’ Peggy.
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Aw geez, Frank. I wish I had a truck about now.
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20 kms without having been hit by the proverbial greight train would have had me going, ‘ouch!’, especially up hill. And, helping those youngsters with technology, I’d be smiling from ear to ear for a month after an achievement like that. The 50 km ride, with that to top off the day – you must be so chuffed, and rightly so. An inspiration.
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Yes, I was pretty pleased to be explaining technology to young ones. Now to make it through the ext few days.
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You’re my hero! What a great ride! So, ummm, how are the sit bones? That particular pain tends to do me in, lol. 😁
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The sit bones are doing fine. The arm and knee are throbbing.
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You are doing very well, Peggy. Hope you both wore helmets or isn’t that obligatory in France? Look forward to the photos.
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We asked for helmets and got them. They aren’t obligatory in France, but I wouldn’t ride anywhere without one.
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Ah Peggy you’re a champion. If you don’t normally ride it’s brave or maybe something else, to do a cycling gig without much preparation, i won’t even use the T word. Louise
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Champion or nuts: probably the latter. 🙂
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How on earth were you able to manage that?! I’m panting just thinking about it lol.
Well done on achieving the impossible #thumbsup
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Thanks, still don’t know how I did it.
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Sounds wonderful (despite the aches and pains).
And well done you (for helping the French campers on the internet.
I’m looking forward to the photos.
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Thanks, photos in a few days I hope.
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Yay
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Thanks.
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My pleasure
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You are a braver woman than me! Especially after your knock a few days back. Well done!
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Maybe not braver, just goofier
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Kudos!! Share the photos.
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Photos soon I hope.
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Very well done
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Thanks.
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I couldn’t even contemplate 50k on a bike, Peggy. You have my admiration.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks Pete.. Only 25 today and then 48 tomorrow. Ugh!
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I’m glad to see you survived the bike ride. And your sanity Mine is coming back to me in dribs and drabs. But I’m still the same. http://wp.me/p8PuzR-4 Guess who!
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Of course, I can guess. Good luck recapturing the sanity.
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This sounds like heaven (just not the freight train part). Glad you are healing. Oh, to escape the internet! That means nature, living for the moment, smiling at the future.
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Escaping the internet up to a point. 🙂
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It’s not the Internet, per se. It can be nice. There seems to be an inverse relationship between the Internet and nature. The weaker the Internet signal, the more beautiful the place! lol
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Good point. Enjoying the weak signal 🙂
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Congrats, Peggy! I try to stay fit, but they would have found me DOA somewhere around the 12-K marker!!!
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That’s where they may find me tomorrow on the 48-K ride.
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Yes Peggy, keep going – you are doing great. And keep smiling! 🙂
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I’ll do my best, Terry. You are an inspiration the way you keep going and smiling.
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I would bow down to you if my sciatica wasn’t hurting! Bravo!
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I’d bow back if I could. Thanks for making me smile.
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LOL!
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Bravo, LP & PJ!
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Thanks Dave. Trying to hang in there.
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You truly are amazing & I say good for you – You are living life as it should be lived. Full of adventure and challenging oneself
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Thanks Bergy. I think challenge is the operative word here.
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Oh ouch. Too bad there isn’t a rickshaw type contraption on the tour. You could ride in style.
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If only? What a brilliant idea.
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All my congratulations dear Peggy
What experience!
Nice week
Kisses
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Thanks Anita. It’s very tiring, but I am determined to get it done.
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This is amazing. I will ride vicariously through you.
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Could you give me a couple of pushes too, please! 🙂
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The thing about cycling, Peggy, is that it gets easier as you go along, assuming your knees, neck and butt behave. I learned that on my 15,000 K trip. Otherwise I’d be dead. (grin) –Curt
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Thanks Curt. My neck and butt are fine, but the knee, shoulder and arm that were hurt when I was knocked over last week are very unhappy.
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Ouch. Sorry about the accident, Peggy. It says good things about your character and toughness that you are still out cycling. –Curt
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Very thankful to have finished the circuit today, but very short compared to your impressive adventure.
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I googled “How many miles is 50-kilometres” because I hadn’t a clue. 31 miles is quite impressive! I don’t think I could get past my driveway…lol
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Thanks Cheryl. Your comment made me laugh. My driveway is a cushy ride downhill to get out, but a killer to come home.
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Look after yourself. Given this was posted three days ago I’m hoping you’re all safe, happy and well … and sane.
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Better but not well, and still pedalling. Ugh.
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Hello Peggy,
I have not been to your blog in a while, and was really shocked to read that you got hit/bowled over by a person… like a freight train and hurt somewhat… terrible! But glad to read that you are on the mend.
And now on an extensive 55 kilometer bike ride and camping again. What stamina you have and from
sleeping in fancy/deluxe places to now a comfortable tent.
Yes, a helmet when biking is important. Because I had a ‘Bike Freight Train Wreck’ of my making. Last fall I took out my dusty 10 speed Fuji bike and got on it in the parks pathway. Was able to ride for 2 minutes and then a slight hill and turn on the pathway, I could not push threw to move the bike forward. So the bike and myself fell toward the right side and with my right foot GETTING STUCK in the pedal and strap (over the shoe). And I went down like a ton of bricks, backwards. Landed on my right arm/back, all cut up and knees cut as well… as I laid stunned on the ground for a minute. Aside, and my doctor asked, “Did you wear a helmet?” NO I said, I only wanted to see if I could ride again…. Ha, ha only 60 years of riding experience, but my balance is now off.
Enjoy the rest of your vacation..
Sy S.
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Oh Sy, I had no idea about your bike disaster. Hope you’ve mended completely. I’m still pedalling. Our bike ride will last about 200 kilometres in all and I only have 44 to go. Sadly it’s mostly uphill. Ugh. As for helmets They are compulsory in Australia and I’d wear one anyway. Off to hop on my bike now. Cheerio.
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It’s only natural that you were able to explain computer connections to young French people since wifi was invented by Government scientists in Canberra! (http://www.sbs.com.au/news/explainer/wifi-australian-invention-helping-world-connect)
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Thanks Murray. Not many people know that scientists at CSIRO in Australia invented wifi. Aren’t we lucky they did.
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I bow to your magnificence, Peggy, because I know there’s no way in Hades I could survive such a trek. Glad to hear the recovery’s progressing as well as it can with such a physical challenge upon you. Godspeed to you and Poor John both!
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Thanks Jean. Now that it’s over, I’m feeling pretty proud of myself. Hope to keep up the cycling when I get home. There’s a 25-kilometre circuit that’s near us.
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I’m not sure whether you’ll be really fit after all this cycling, or fit to drop. It’s a big thing to take on after that accident, but I’m glad you’re spirits are still high. Nothing can keep a fighter like you down, Peggy. Well done!
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Thanks Millie. Having a scan tomorrow to see how just how much damage I’ve done to my shoulder.
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Chuckle chuckle!!
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Yep, funny and painful at the same time. 🙂
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Great read! Although it can be fun, running and biking can hurt quite a bit.
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Thanks! Arm still hurts a lot, so I’ve been going easy on the bike riding.
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