Turn On, Tune in and Pedal On

Another day on the road. I drink a large coffee, pack the trailer and panniers pedal on to the next big adventure. Each new experience is challenging my preconceptions and leaving me with an excitement and anticipation for the next one.

The most difficult thing so far is the challenge of working in a team and sharing responsibilities as a group, taking into account three sets of ideas. However it is ultimately a very rewarding experience.

What is completely unexpected is the amount of hospitality we have received. Through asking people where to camp or to fill water bottles, we have been invited in for coffee, even food and a place to sleep or camp. For me this is the most interesting aspect of the trip so far, and offers a glimpse into the philosophy and lifestyle of different people.

The weather has been dreadful with the best in England. We have asked people about the climate along the way and the general response is that it is unusual for the time of year. It has been incredibly changeable from warm and sunny to rainstorms. A few days ago we stopped in village to buy some vegetables from a local farmer and much of his produce was unavailable due to being ruined by the rain. We have seen many farmers harvesting there crops early due to the heatwave in April. As we are asking people about climate change and experience the weather first hand, it is interesting to see if it is a freak occurence or a possible trend.

Our next destination is the WWF near Geneva where we will be stopping for a couple of days and then heading into the Alpes to Les Gets for some off-road riding. I am looking forward to the possibility of seeing the Tour de France en route in the Alpes, although I won't be trying to keep up. From then on we will be making a decision about the route, whether to head East or continue south into Spain.