Paris to Troyes: And we're off
At the beginning of each event which the Tourd'Afrique Ltd. runs we have a rider briefing. This meeting serves to inform all the participants of what their lives will be like during their pedal powered journey across the continent. Usually this takes place in a large banquet room, with many faces staring intensely at the Tour Leader as he/she speaks, and the air tends to be somewhat formal. This Orient Express Tour I believe to be quite unique. Our group is a small one, and the warm feeling of familiarity and team spirit was entrenched before even leaving the city of Paris. The rider briefing was relaxed, as we simply sat down at some tables in the hotel restaurant, everyone already having been introduced at the hotel bar the night before. Many of our participants this year are experienced bike tour riders, and have a pretty good sense of how things will work. The best part of it all, is that everyone here is truly excited to venture out and explore... We're in for a great trip.
Our early morning rider to Chenoise, and the Ferme de la Mercy campsite was set under clear skies, pleasantly warm temperatures and not much wind (if it sounds too good to be true, well, it's still true) Most of the riders were in early, as the day is fairly flat, and enjoyed the extra time to set up their tents. Many people had clearly not camped extensively before, as they could be seen struggling with their tent poles, and tent flys. One persons' tent fly even appeared to devour it's owner, as it fully wrapped itself around them as they attempted to attach it to their tent... The Ferme de la Mercy campsite is based at a small farm; ducks, goats, ponys, donkeys, and very large cows awaited everyones' arrival with heightened anticipation, the geese were exeptionally excited to see some cyclists, and made a ton of noise appropriately. The days at this time of year are long, and after enjoying some French wine and an assortment of cheese, a filling dinner, and sitting down to socialize, most people ended up in bed before the sun came near the horizon.
Troyes has brought us to a city which is very quiet today, as it is a religious holiday, and most of the shops are closed. The French are very good at finding reasons to not work, and we could all learn a lesson from their passion for time off. Luckily the Tourism Information Office is just across the street, so tomorrow morning most people will be walking over to see what the town has to offer, which certainly includes beautiful old stone buildings, cathedrals, cafes, and perhaps a very cool bottle of champagne (For when in Champagne, well, I think it's a good idea to drink some champagne)
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Posted June 01, 2009 by Miles MacDonald
France | Tour Updates |
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