In case anyone hasn't heard, Jean and I are off for a little bicycle ride: Paris to Istanbul.
We leave Sunday June 30. Hang around a little in Paris (I hear that there are some nice Starbucks, as well as other coffee shops - as well as some museums and art galleries). Some of the time will be spent visiting Nicholas Peschanski - now an ER Doc in Rouen - we first met when we spent a season, 10 or 12 years ago, staffing a Himalayan Rescue Association clinic in Nepal. Pretty cool guy.
At the far end, we'll spend a few extra days exploring Istanbul (our hotel is about 2000 meters from Taksir square - the origin of the demonstrations and unrest). Istanbul has been a goal to visit for a long time - seems so exotic as a city that straddles 2 continents. I hear there are some pretty cool mosques and bazaars/markets, a lot of water (the Bosphorus), and just up the road from Gallipoli - site of the Anzac landings in World War I - my Aussie friends will understand the importance of this little tidbit.
In between we'll traverse, France, Germany, Austria, Slovakia (home of Peter Sagan - he of the bizarre celebrations at the finish line of bike races that he wins - lots of them, and most infamously for pinching a podium girl on the butt), Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Much of the way we follow the Danube river bikeway (2875 km - though we'll head south before getting to the end). I'm hoping we'll get a chance to explore a bit of the history - when you live in a city founded about 150 years ago, it becomes hard to wrap your head around history that goes back many, many centuries - I can't wait. It'll be ride, coffee shop, ride, museum, ride, read up on history, ride, sleep. Repeat.
For more details about the trip from the commercial sponsors: tourdafrique.com - our trip is the Orient Express.
Preparations included such crucial decisions as : which bike to take (electronic or mechanical shifters), what wheels and tires (street or cyclocross). Must be something else, but that's all I can think of.
One quirky little thing: apparently, some areas we are required to wear those bright yellow hi vis vests with the reflective strips. I did a little research and learned: Spain has legal prostitution, but also stringent safety rules requiring anyone working near a road to wear a hi vis vest - so the streetwalkers are required to wear them. Makes for a nice, and readily identifiable outfit. It would almost be worth a couple hundred Euros to see what other safety "equipment" is also in fluorescent yellow. I think it's a good thing we won't be visiting Spain - I could get in profound trouble.
We leave Sunday June 30. Hang around a little in Paris (I hear that there are some nice Starbucks, as well as other coffee shops - as well as some museums and art galleries). Some of the time will be spent visiting Nicholas Peschanski - now an ER Doc in Rouen - we first met when we spent a season, 10 or 12 years ago, staffing a Himalayan Rescue Association clinic in Nepal. Pretty cool guy.
At the far end, we'll spend a few extra days exploring Istanbul (our hotel is about 2000 meters from Taksir square - the origin of the demonstrations and unrest). Istanbul has been a goal to visit for a long time - seems so exotic as a city that straddles 2 continents. I hear there are some pretty cool mosques and bazaars/markets, a lot of water (the Bosphorus), and just up the road from Gallipoli - site of the Anzac landings in World War I - my Aussie friends will understand the importance of this little tidbit.
In between we'll traverse, France, Germany, Austria, Slovakia (home of Peter Sagan - he of the bizarre celebrations at the finish line of bike races that he wins - lots of them, and most infamously for pinching a podium girl on the butt), Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Much of the way we follow the Danube river bikeway (2875 km - though we'll head south before getting to the end). I'm hoping we'll get a chance to explore a bit of the history - when you live in a city founded about 150 years ago, it becomes hard to wrap your head around history that goes back many, many centuries - I can't wait. It'll be ride, coffee shop, ride, museum, ride, read up on history, ride, sleep. Repeat.
For more details about the trip from the commercial sponsors: tourdafrique.com - our trip is the Orient Express.
Preparations included such crucial decisions as : which bike to take (electronic or mechanical shifters), what wheels and tires (street or cyclocross). Must be something else, but that's all I can think of.
One quirky little thing: apparently, some areas we are required to wear those bright yellow hi vis vests with the reflective strips. I did a little research and learned: Spain has legal prostitution, but also stringent safety rules requiring anyone working near a road to wear a hi vis vest - so the streetwalkers are required to wear them. Makes for a nice, and readily identifiable outfit. It would almost be worth a couple hundred Euros to see what other safety "equipment" is also in fluorescent yellow. I think it's a good thing we won't be visiting Spain - I could get in profound trouble.
