2009 Euro Tour -- Ride Day 23 — 19 July 2009 — 60120 Breteuil-sur-Noye to 02000 Laon

<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #000000; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Great ride, again with the wind at our backs and with fast moving clouds, any of which might dump on us.<span> </span>Very fortunately, none did.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #000000; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #000000; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We will long remember getting into and out of St Gobain on D7. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">After passing the sign that we had entered the city, we had a long steep climb to get into and out of the town. </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #000000; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <div class="MsoNormal"> <div class="MsoNormal"> <div class="MsoNormal"></div> </div> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">During the day, we passed from the Oise Department and passed through the Somme Department for a bit before returning into the Oise Department.  Later, we passed into the Aisne Department.  All these departments are within the Picardie Region.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #000000; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">Background:<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></div> </span></div>

My wife and I have been doing self-supported tours in Western Europe (a majority in France) since 1993.  This series of rides covers our 2009 4.5 month route through parts of France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and then back to France.  Our beginning and ending point is near Chadurie (south of Angouleme) where our friends have a farm with Gites and Chambres d'Hotes.

We rode our Dawes touring bicycles purchased in 1993 heavily loaded with 700Cx32 tires.  All of our riding was on paved roads, mostly with very little traffic.  Pretty much the only unpaved sections were some bicycle paths in Germany and Austria. Sadly, that wasn't so great as Helen fell a number of times on the unpaved paths.  Fortunately, though, no serious injury.

If any questions, feel free to email me at jeffkadet@netdiving.com

Jeff