Finally, after some weeks of toilsome waiting my bicycle was ready. With the help of a locksmith I fit the carrier to the bike, this was necessary because of the Bob trailer, the one wheel bicycle trailer I’m pulling my luggage with. The spare tools collected, my stuff moved back home and stored on the flooring and I was ready to go.Unfortunately I must have also put the three African maps in one of the boxes, because when I wanted to leave I couldn’t find them. This means we had no peaceful last hour together. Everyone was seeking them, the whole family searched but the maps didn’t appear – too bad, I already made lots of notes on it, hints I’ve gotten from other African travellers and places I wanted to visit.
It was hard to say good bye to my godchild and the family – but then I started. I started to a trip I was looking forward to for six years. But at the moment I left I had yet some doubts. Will it go well? Do I really want to do this? Do I know what I am doing?

I had a climbing appointment in the south of France and was a bit in a hurry. Because I already know the fastest way via Geneva and Lyon I made long distances days and took the way through the Alps via Martigny. With 130 to 200 kilometres per day it didn’t took me long to reach Marseillan Plague.
After the shower- and toilet cubicle was painted we (Roger and I) spent some days with climbing in “La Calpe”. Few people, agreeable temperatures, and beautiful weather – it was grate! Back at Helga and Gert’s place (the parents of one of Roger’s colleges) we mowed the lawn, sanded and painted the door-frames and I watched “10 to 10” – I guess the last time for a long time….

Instead of going straight to the south in Africa’s direction I went 160 kilometres to the north. In the Cevennen I hat another appointment. I wanted to visit Toni, a Swiss how bought a dilapidated tiny little village which he is rebuilding for twelve years now. I was curious to see what has changed in the last five years since my last work-stay there. Because he had – by chance – a job for an El. Engineer I stayed for constructing a water-pump-electricity supply coupled with a water level control by feelers.

I got lots of tips about the Pyrenees beauty so I decided to take again the way through the mountains and to take the way to Andorra. Whether my visas will be still valid when I will be in Mauritanian or when I would like to enter Mali? Who knows with al these side-trips…


Racing cyclists

Fortunately in France too is not every cyclist on a racing bicycle a racing cyclist! On the contrary to Italy you do not meet huge groups of chatting cyclists here. No, here you are alone on your way. I always try to guess the other cyclist’s behaviour. Do they start talking to me or do they try to shake me off?
If it is me who comes from behind it is very rarely that a talk comes about. Mostly they go ahead as fast as they can… What I like most is when they try to go ahead during a descent. They pedal against the wind to get more speed while I have to slow down from time to time. It is because Bob, my trailer and I pull for once in the same directions.
If it is a more relaxed cyclist who arrives from behind we often start chatting or I get some encouraging words.
One evening after half an hour talk I by the way mentioned that I was looking for an opportunity to do my laundry. He leaved very close but did not invite me however he showed me the way to my most beautiful campsite until now. Close to a little lake it was my laundry place as well.


Flops, bad luck and mishaps…

I cannot write a lot about this subject – fortunately!
It was difficult to attach the carrier to the bicycle because of the Bob-Trailer and the disc brakes. We did not want to change too much so we decided just to tighten the screws as fast as possible. During a descent I suddenly realised that the brakes were rubbing. So I stopped to look what had happened. To my astonishment it was the brakes which were loose. That cannot be – I thought three days after my departure!!!
The reason was the bumpy French roads… The carrier’s screws became loose and the carrier was nearly slid down on the trailer… I would say I was lucky to fix the brakes before the carrier was fallen down!!!


Greetings Adrian