Trip Statistics

One final note on a fantastic trip:

I have been trying to come up with a summary for my trip while looking back at all my experiences; my trip was highlighted by the kindness of people I met along the way.  It was the one constant theme that whenever I needed help or directions, some very kind soul stepped forward to help me along.  I will never forget the kindness I received on this trip; it was exactly the reason for being on a trip like this. 

Now for some statistics about my trip (with permission from my daughter T):

Number of countries cycled through:  6, Greece, Italy, Holland, Belgium, France, and Spain. 
Number of cities visited:  65
Number of hotels:  51
Number of glasses of wine:  Over 150
Number of flat tires:   3
Number of tires replaced:       1
Total distance bicycled:  3,250 Kilometers (2,000 miles)
Number of ferries taken:  7
Number of trains taken:          20
Days cycled through rain:       Too many to count!

Behrooz

July 28 - Biarritz, SW France

Breakfast French Style

Central West Coast France

In La Rochelle with Sylvain

Dinner - whole fish and salade

With Sylvain's kids in Soulac

Wine country north of Bordeaux

Riding in Dordogne

Wine testing stop

Dinner, roasted duck 

Bicycle path through SW

Biarritz in late afternoon

Riding through the forrest path

Greetings From Biarritz in SW France:

We have been riding on the SW coast of France for the past week after leaving Dordogne area in continuous rain fall.  But yesterday finnally the sun came out and it looks like its here to stay for a few days.  I also completed riding 3000 Km yesterday and Jennifer hit her first 1000 Km. 

The trip has been great.  We meet my friend Slyvain and rode with him for two days in the area from La Rochelle to Soulac north of Bordeaux.  We then met up with Sylavin's family for two days.  We headed south through the Medoc wine country into Dordogne and then headed back to the coast again just south of Bordeaux and headed south to Biarritz, about one days ride from Spanish border which is our next stop tomorrow. 

The area we have been riding has been forrested with bicycle paths through the forrest and small beach towns full of vacationers in camp grounds, shacked up under cover from two weeks of rain fall.  We rode in pouring down rain for several days and everything got completely wet! 

I will post a few photos above to indicate the variety of landscape, the great food and wine of this area.  Next is Spain's north coast and then Madrid. 

Miss everyone one and looking forward to seeing you in Seattle. 

Behrooz

July - Chinon du Loire

With Dynakids on Arch de Triomph - After riding through a jungle of cars!

Velib, the rental bicycles in Paris.

One victory round around Champs Elysees.

Paris from Eifel Tower.

Tiles from Shush (Suse), about 100 miles from my birthplace - 4th Century BCE.

Saint Chapelle Cathedrale

Putting togther Jen's Velo.

Cafe Life!

One special Sunflower among many!

Chateau Chaumont.

Chevre Salade

Chateau Chinonceau

Greetings from Chinon in the Loire Valley:

I picked up Jennifer at the airport and we spend three days in Paris, before heading SW.  We have now completed riding the Loire Valley and are getting ready to head south towards Dordgone and Spain.  Paris was wonderful and we have now seen Chateaus in Blois, Chaumont, Amboise, Chinonceaux, Azay le Rideau, and Chinon. 

The photos should provide some idea of the excitment of the trip.  It has been great, the weather has been very cooperative (sunny but not too hot, with occasional rain showers to cool things down), and the food just great! 

Miss you all, Behrooz

June 29 - Paris

What I was waiting for! A bit of Texas on France NW coast. 

Sunday riders in France countryside. 

Amiens Cathédrale interior.

Amiens Cathédrale interior.

Amiens Cathédrale - side view

Amiens Cathédrale Interior.

 Sacre Cœur; Paris

 Panthéon, Paris

 River Seine, Paris

 St. Michelle Fontaine, Paris

Greetings from Paris

I have arrived in Paris after riding some 2,000 Km in the last 6 weeks which would be the end of the first half of my trip.  I have covered Greece, Italy (from Bari to Bologna), Holland (from the very top to West Coast, to the south), Belgium (going from east to west), and now France from top of west coast to Paris).

I will be here for another three days and then heading south to Loire, finally having a partner to ride with which is very welcomed after 6 weeks by myself.

Arriving in Paris from the windy and rainy coast has been great, I was finally in a T-shirt and shorts for the first time in two weeks!  Paris is just very special to me and having the time to just hang around and even draw a few times has been great.  I went through Le Touquet (a very French beach community and Amiens with its fantastic cathedrale).  I have added photos of both.

Miss everyone and hope you are all doing well.  Send me an email when you can, Behrooz

June 24 - Le Touquet Paris Palage

Hero of my last day in Belgium

Lunch anyone!

Bicycle Tunnel under Canal

Entrance into Brugge, Belgium

For the special Father's Day from Dynakids!

Centreville, Brugge

WWII Battlement in Normandy

View on top of Normandy Hill

Lunch in Boulogne

At the beach in La Touquet

Greetings From Le Touquet on the Normandy Coast:

I finished riding in Belgium two days ago in a hell of a wind and rain, but I had a gereat time.  The hero of the day on my last day was the 65 year old gentlemen pictured with his bicycle as he was departing.  This extremly kind gentlemen was on his way probably to market in the opposite direction I was going when I stopped him to ask for directions.  After some thought he said he would take me to make sure I would find the correct trail that run through a forrest to Brugge where I was heading.  Thinking he meant just a couple of Km out of his way by the edge of the town I thanked him and started following.  We had a great conversation about his love of bicycling.  He rode for 22 Km out of his way to make sure I got to the right trail.  He is another hero of many in Belgium. 

I arrived at the NW corner of France two days ago and rode into Calais for the night in the strongest wind I have ever had to deal with.  At times I could not get the bicycle to go in a straight line and I was not moving even though I was paddling as hard as I could.  From Calais until here I have been following the coast.  South of Calais, I think Normandy starts and with it the battle ground hills of Normandy.  The day yesterday was full of climbs up to wide vistas and back down to cute little villages.  I saw couple of WWII musiums on the way, and a WWI British Cemetry.

I am now taking one day off to rest.  I have been riding about 85 km a day for the past few days - that's a lot for the load (the bicycle and all stuff is at 100 pounds) and the wind!  I will have one more day riding on the coast and then head in land into Paris. 

Miss you all, Behrooz

June 19 - Antwerpen

My family in Holland at dinner

Leaving my cousin´s house in the first & last sunshine of the day!

Riding in the country

Directions, tea, & hostel reservations - from the best family in Belgium!

Beautiful Antwerpen

Antwerpen City Hall

Dinner is served - Salade Mista

Pizza & Wine!

Greetings From Antwrepen Belguim:

After spending three very relaxing and family filled days with my cousin and her family in Bosschenhoofd, Holland, I have started southbound again for Paris.  We had a great family dinner at my cousin´s house, Mandy, her husband Cees, and the kids Yasmin & Daniel.  They were wonderful hosts and really took care of me.  I also got to see my brother and his wife at dinner and at a concert he had in a town north. 

It has been windy and raining everyday in buckets!  But even with the rain and the wind today was just wonderful for the hospitality of the Dutch and the few people I met in Belgium.   One bicyclist took me for about 10 km to make sure I was on the right track.  Later when I was lost again and was trying to find the correct route I stopped in front of a house with a very nice man working in the yard to ask for directions.  He ended up inviting me in, his wife made me tea while he showed me on the map how to go, called the Youth Hostel in Antwrepen and made reservations for me, and had called again later to make sure I had made it!  You can´t find better people.  After I left them, I passed a man with his young son on the back of his bicycle taking him into Antwerpen for a B.D. party.  He showed me the way to the front door of the hostel probably a total of 15 km!  I can`t say enough about the hospitality of the people here.  :)  Their photos are in this posting. 

Antwerpen is just very beautiful with great old buildings.  I wish you were all here.

Love, Behrooz