Sutra 7 – July, 9th – 12th(214Km) MONTMEDY – VERDUN – PONT-A-MOUSSON – NANCY – BAYON: The ‘’flying

… What time was it? My god… I had fallen into a coma… and had waken up in a sweet inferno of warmth, slightly boiling me inside my tent. A fast last night’s flashback brought back scenes and excerpts of me finding the camping open … and two shadows approaching (a sweet old dutch couple) saying to me to just set my tent and talk to the reception the day after for my late arrival… then trying to set my tent under the constant rain … and my indescribable happiness when after all the mess I’d been through I had discovered that the citadel camping had warm showers with no coins needed treated me like a real princess … all that had led me to my sleeping bag and to a sweet sleeping coma from which I had waken up quite a tiny bity late …

THE ''FLYING DUTCHMAN''

Unzipped my tent and took a step out to a finally dry ground … started making brunch and packing preparations, still no reception staff in sight! It was getting already 12:30 when I noticed a cyclist coming and setting his tent next to my spot… Soon after noticing himself that there is no one to get information about his stay he approached me asking If I speak Dutch or English. Told him that I was also ignorant about the situation, and that I was already late to make my way to spend more time waiting for the reception to open late that afternoon… as it always happens with fellow cyclists we started chatting! He was impressed to find out about my destination, and I was very impressed about his ambitious plan(being not so young) he was determined to cycle all the way from Netherlands to Santiago de Compostela (El Camino) till the end of August when his daughter would give birth to his grandchild and had to be back home! That day he would take some rest to make some bike maintenance as well and continue later. We sat down, exchanged map information and tips, and also got the chance to see how he would fix this special mechanism he used on his bike, Quite cool!

Soon it was time for me to go, saying our goodbye as our ways parted cycling down to Montmedy’s centre at the local green/bio grocery store, Wished him best of luck for his trip and for becoming a grandpa soon!

LAZY WHEELS TURNING …

Took some pics and gave the Citadel a last glance as she was embraced with a sunny veil this time, being grateful I had been given a free stay also within her walls, started making my way up the hills and towards Vigneul heading to Louppy.

Well the first part of the day was a bit demanding climbing up a bit, but had a really rewarding view from where I stopped to catch my breath for a moment. From Juvigny and on the road would get quite flat and easy up to Louppy… where I had to start climbing again this time even more… till Haraumont reaching 350 meters.

At this point the beautiful downhill started where me and Jack could be all lazy next to Meuse river landing down to Vilosnes, where I decided to take a small turn towards Sivry-Sur–Meuse sitting on a café to rest till the late evening. It turned out that would be my last stop for the day ( haha ) as next to it was a nice quite camping so I decided to embrace my laziness to the max and give my self a proper rest, eating a huge salad and enjoying a cup of coffee with whipped cream … yummy!

The camping was quite cool, nice showers no coins … and it had a fluffy cat running around like crazy without purpose just being curious to see me setting up my tent being around my stuff. The night was freezing and I slept listening to Meuse river running down next to my tent … I called it a (lazy) day.

THE BLARE LAKE PROJECT

Next day … woke up early, packed, gave the cat a last petting and felt ready to cover some km’s! I was feeling confident

knowing that most of my route that day would be kinda easy … well not being aware of other factors that can be time consuming too! Soon I reached Verdun … and kept on going strong. Starting cycling from one village to the next making it to St. Mihiel all whistling joyful covering nice distance even enjoying the burning sun! Soon the difficult part was about to start and test my patience cause approaching Cote de Meuse was a really big mission but after reaching the 400 meters up we could already see lake Madine in the distance.

Me and Jack had a crazy ride down, like being kids in a fun fair eating candies and going nuts! Montsec’s beautiful monument became clearer and clearer as we were approaching the village up on the next hill where a nice surprise waited for me.

Natural water source … perfect! Just on time to refill my water-bag making some friends too! Two old German speaking guys being very curious about my journey and respectful of my effort, directly wanted to help me out with directions, one of the guy’s wife offered me coffee, and then they even pushed Jack up the hill too to give me a helping hand! All their kindness was captured in this nice picture ...

Continuing from this point on, my map had two options, and not paying too much attention to the alternative route I got misdirected cycling downhill and 4km away from Montsec towards the second option that wasn’t my initial plan. Well as my grandma says ‘’If you don’t have a mind … you better have strong legs to walk’’. Having to cycle all the 4km back uphill this time, I really felt the essence of wisdom in this old saying! Haha … but good thing despite the precious time I’d lost, I was still on the right track and back to my planned route that would take me through a half tour of the lake to it’s other side continuing my way from there. It’s so easy to mix those little off-roads there though...

leading through big forest areas even pointing the same direction and taking twists and turns to a water dead-end. Everything just seemed the same and the signs ‘’Tur De Lac’’ that I had to follow well hidden! Except my time I was kinda losing my patience too … but still wouldn’t give up to find my way out. When I finally did I could relax and enjoy a ride through the forest path leading me to the other side finding an exit through a camping that is located there. I decided to continue cycling and not stay there to make up for the time lost that day.

WE WILL CYCLE IN FIELDS OF GOLD...

From that point on it was very easy, and I was actually cycling while the sunset’s colours covered the fields around me, making everything seem out of gold. I was on the right way … and with Ane Brun playing on my ipod I was ready to continue till the nightfall and try to make it as far as possible before finding a camping spot somewhere.

But that somewhere else, would be far away after Euvezin and a lot of hills ahead as my map indicated, I was getting weak and tired feeling very hungry too. I had to find somewhere to camp immediately after exiting Euvezin before going up one more hill…

THE FARM-GUARD SHIFT

So I needed an emergency landing! On my right hand was a really steep narrow mountain road leading to some farms up there. I decided to take my chances and push Jack up. I would be away from the road and kinda out of sight, placing my tent on the only camping spot available: In front of a farm’s entrance surrounded by electric fences and the ground being tilted like on a 60 degree down level … pfffffffff I was so tired, I had no powers left to look for anything else at that point! I just wanted to cook a fast spaghetti and sleep the night away! As I was devouring my food I looked up into the clear sky … stars were so bright promising a good weather. That night was really windy, the farm’s entrance ground so rocky… I was surprised with the good job I did setting up the tent, although I had a very stressful and uncomfortable sleep. Worst case scenarios were running through my head that I might get caught by the angry farm-owner in the early morning screaming some not so charming French words to me … or get electrocuted by the fence’s wires in case I woke up during the night to pee … hmmmm no extra tea or water for me that night! Moreover it was so hard to stay put laying down on such tilted ground, I was constantly sliding down, fighting within my sleeping bag to get my self back straight. Finally giving up I managed to get a couple of hours of sleep.

The next morning I woke up in the down left corner of my tent all curled up like a snake, feeling that I had been kicked by a horse … Oh well! I had pulled through. Now the only issue I had to deal with was loading everything back on Jack without any place to lean him on. A task that took me a good 40 minutes work. When I was finally going down that little road and looking behind me, I felt a stupid sense of achievement! I had guarded the farm well that night. Haha...

WANNA SEE MY YACHT… ?

Bad sleep the previous night didn’t give me enough rest and my body was seriously complaining. But I was getting my batteries charged as midday was coming up and I was approaching Pont-a-Mousson. Cycling through beautiful weather, I felt the tables turning and the day was smiling back at me. Wow Pont-a-Mousson is such a beautiful old city located next to the Meuse river with it’s medieval Abbaye

des Premonties looking majestic as someone crosses the bridge to the other side of the river! Some festivities and music events were going on at the moment I arrived at the town’s central square so I decided to sit in one of the café’s around treating my self with coffee and food. Looking at my map I still had no clue of where I wanted to cycle or stay that evening. I didn’t really want to cycle further, so I just gave in to studying and writing till late letting time show what I would be up to later on.

Late that evening, I decided to get back on Jack … and cycle a bit around. I would exit the town and maybe find a quiet spot again to wild-camp. But as I was passing outside a fancy bar/restaurant Yacht club … I saw a lot of RV’s also parked, but no sight of tents or any sign that this was a proper camping whatsoever. I thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask so I went in asking a friendly couple sitting outside their RV

that pointed me to the restaurant’s reception… soon like a ‘’wildling’’ I was passing through the restaurant's crowded tables and fancy-dressed people enjoying their wine and food, landing in front of the bar’s reception like a UFO. Well … they looked at me like I was one anyway haha! I explained that I was on my bike with my own

tent and willing to pay for a spot to camp within the property. The staff was so friendly and helpful, and with no second thoughts they told me I could make a round towards the back of the Yacht club area behind the yachts and parked RV’s where I could find a big isolated field with gardens and nice grass, saying to me: ‘’please feel free to put your tent there, no cost included’’ omg … that was just awesome. I could refill my water bag too and since the spot I found was so secluded and isolated I could shower before going to sleep. The weather was warm, clear skies and this night a highlight to remember … my tent had never looked better settled also!

YOU ELECTRIFY ME BABY!!!!

Next day I woke up early and well rested … with a mission! Cycling 65km passing through Nancy and reach Bayon around 17:30 … I had an important reason to do so and stay on schedule!

I felt so much ahead of time that morning … not only because I woke up early but I also realised I had to set my clock an hour back … hadn’t done that yet! On my way out I said goodbye to the dutch couple that helped me the evening before and they offered

me a cup of coffee too. I decided to take the fast road to Nancy, that the option to cycle along side with the cars was available and made my way there pretty fast. Cool city, impressive, historical with it’s beautiful golden decorations

fountains and statues.

Not wanting to spend most of my time there though I rushed to the tourist office that looked like a historical little library and got myself a map and some information.

Soon I made my way out of the city following a cycling path down the river for a lot of kilometres till I was 20 km away from Bayon and I would have to mingle again on a very quiet car

road (D112) that was going through the village. Well the last 18 km were really difficult I can tell you … the combination of hills and my anticipation to make it there on time made it also harder! I was tired … but also on fire! Finally I was cycling down the mountain

road on D112 leading me to Bayon’s centre … right on time I arrived at the Passe de temps camping’s reception booking my spot in looking at my phone for messages. Meanwhile I started chatting with a lady that had just arrived there and was helping me out to communicate with the lovely French speaking reception people. Some laughing included and jokes, it turned out that this Belgian lady from Gent had an electrifying story to tell!

She was travelling on her (very rare, from the few in the whole Europe) 100% electric motorbike,from Belgium (Gent) to Turkey (Istanbul), promoting this eco friendly option and holding a blog about her journey.

I had just met the Electrogirl (check out her awesome blog!). But our conversation at that moment got interrupted by my phone’s ‘’you got message’’ sound. The important guest I was expecting had arrived … :-)

(to be continued...)