North Atlantic

Time to go home.  Out of vacation, and a football game to go to.

Plane had trouble leaving Paris.  We pulled away fcrfom the gate on time, then stopped.  Sat for 5 minutes and were informed that we were more then 2000 pounds overweight.  So we pulled in again.  Pilot was on the sat phone with home base.  Someone missplaced a decimel, or something like that.  We offloaded some cargo, then learned that since we had moved at a weight greater then ramp weight. So mechanics were called out for a 'quick but through ' inspection.  Left about 50 minutes late.

Location : Address not available
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Strike

The strike's affect on the main Paris train station, St Lazare.  A lot of people waiting for a train that will not be leaving.  Also noted a strong police force standing around.  Lots more mopeds and motorcycles on the road, but traffic seems as hectic as it was yesterday.

Location : 26 Rue d'Amsterdam, 75009 Paris,
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Paris

Paris a non stop,crowded town.  The traffic circle around the Arc de Triomphe was amazing.  Cars, bikes, mopeds, trucks, motorcycles all went with apparant carelessness, yet I saw no accidents. 

There is also a great scam that a certian group try to pull off, they find a gold ring that someone dropped near you.  They offer it to you for luck, in exchange for some money.  I got to where I could see it coming, watch them drop it and just laugh at them when they looked at me.

Transportation strike seems to have affected the transport to the airport.  The stop there had a lot of angry people waiting on a nonexistant bus.  Yesterday there were two busses waiting for people.  City busses are running, are not full, and no crowds at the stops.  So, slow the tourists, not the locals.

Location : 26 Rue d'Amsterdam, 75009 Paris,
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Strike

 BBC News - France faces new wave of strikes 

I will report more as i see it.

Location : 26 Rue d'Amsterdam, 75009 Paris,
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Final totals

12 Sept, Pouilly sur Loire, 58.9 miles, 2218 feet

13, Sully sur Loire, 61.6mi, 686ft

14, Beaugency, 50.4mi, 361ft

15, Tours, 66.1mi, 614ft rain

16, Gennes, 60.6mi, 581ft

17, Champtoceaux, 62mi, 1296ft

18, StNazaire, 64.4mi, 1339ft

19, Bayeaux, 5mi

20, Omaha, 35.6mi, 1007ft

21, Gold Juno, 48.9mi,1034ft

22, Bayeaux, 5mi

Trip total

1101.8 miles, 37,435ft

In 25 days, I have set a new personnal best.  My previous best was 1072miles in 31 days. This was an 18 year old record.  This time i did it pulling a 50 pound trailer up 7 miles.

Location : 26 Rue d'Amsterdam, 75009 Paris,
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Train

And on to Paris.  Rode to Bayeaux train station and packed the Friday.  Easier to get around the trains, and Paris for a day.  Heard a rumor that there is a transportation stike tomorrow.  Glad i am on the train now.

Paris StLazare train station is a zoo.  The area outside is as well.  Went to 6 hotels that were full.  The 7th one had a room for one night, i needed 2, but i'll worry about that tomorrow.  Rather warm dragging the bike and gear behind me for an hour.

Location : 26 Rue d'Amsterdam, 75009 Paris,
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Omaha

American cemetary

Location : 1 Place de Budapest, 75009 Paris,
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Omaha

American cemetary

Location : 26 Rue d'Amsterdam, 75009 Paris,
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Omaha

Looking down from American cemetary

Location : 26 Rue d'Amsterdam, 75009 Paris,
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Atlantic

Where the Loire meets the Atlantic.

Location : Rue de l'Amiral Courbet, 44600 St-Nazaire,
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Atlantic

Made it to the Atlantic at StNazaire.

Location : Rue de l'Amiral Courbet, 44600 St-Nazaire,
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Sub pen

Land side of the sub pens, StNazaire.  Town was 85% destroyed during the war, but the concrete untouched.  Last city in France to be liberated.

Location : Rue de l'Amiral Courbet, 44600 St-Nazaire,
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Sub pen

Inside one of the bays at StNazaire.

Location : Rue de l'Amiral Courbet, 44600 St-Nazaire,
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Sub pen

Top of the sub pens at StNazaire. 16 ft thick.

Location : 21 Rue du Parc à l'Eau, 44600 St-Nazaire,
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Road signs

I have always heard that the French are rude.  This is not true.  Except for the guysthat do the road markings.  Most turns in a road are not marked.  In one place, i had come from D13, and wanted to continue on the road at a 6 way intersection.  Two of the roads were also marked D13, for a total of three roads from the intersection with the same name.  I have tried to follow the trail of the Loire, for bikes.  Sometimes the way is marked welll, other times it is marked a mile after the turn.  Hope you guessed correctly.  Even following the main roads is a challange, as markings are not until you have to successfully navigate several turns on different roads,  many narrow to allow only a single car at a time.  On a bike trying to avoid the pave.

Location : 2 Rue Hippolyte Maindron, 49270 Champtoceaux,
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Above laLoire

Around St-Florent-le-Vieil.  Lower part of the Loire valley is pulsh.  Very green, both wild and cultivated.

Location : 2 Rue Hippolyte Maindron, 49270 Champtoceaux,
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Zero

Prime meridian.

Location : 2 Rue Hippolyte Maindron, 49270 Champtoceaux,
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Tours

The Loire at Tours.  Started cloudy, ended sunny.  No rain.

Location : 2 Rue Hippolyte Maindron, 49270 Champtoceaux,
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French humor

About half a mile.  The French think this is great fun. It is called Pave, for those of you that did not already know this. Bike and rider did fine, trailer was bouncing all over.

Location : 2 Rue Hippolyte Maindron, 49270 Champtoceaux,
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Rain

Wednesday was an all day rain.  Put your head down and ride there was nothing to look at except the puddles.  Never heavy,  sometimes a light misty fog.  Stopped when I got to Tours and found hotel.

Location : 2 Rue Hippolyte Maindron, 49270 Champtoceaux,
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