My trusty steed, in the bike racks for Sunday check-in and safety check (Blue Trek 3rd from right)
The Gym at St. Quentin with riders getting checked in
Inside during check-in.
All kinds of special bikes participate. I would see this guy several times during the ride. He had a neat cover over his cockpit that he used during the rain.
More strange velos
Check-in on Tuesday morning in the Gym
The check-in outside the gym before they moved us out to the starting line.
The line preparing to go through the electronic controle
Waiting to move to the starting area
Looking forward toward the starting line
I took this picture on the first morning while I was on the move
The first stop at Mortagne with the first of many French Coffees
Later the first morning the riders really thinned out. At one point I was not sure if I was on the route, then I saw this sign
Many of these types of progress signs were along the route
The festive control at Villaines
The restaurant at the Fourgeres controle
After a great meal before the first night of riding
The first morning in the Loudeac cafeteria. I think lots of riders didn't want to pay the 4 euros to sleep on a stinky cot and crashed on the floor and tables
Your intrepid rider on one hour of sleep before breakfast in Loudeac
The beer tent at the Carhaix controle. They had draft beer and wine at all the controles.
On the way out of Loudeac, riders that started Monday night were already on their way back toward Paris
The controle at Carhaix
The radio tower at Rock Trevezel, the highest point in the region. The climb to the top was the longest on the route
Looking north from Rock Trevezel
The bridge at Brest. You still have 5 k of riding to get to the control.
The Controle at Brest, the half-way point
The road up toward Rock Trevezel on the way back from Brest toward Paris
The second morning in the Loudeac controle. Ambulances were a common sight, two riders were getting loaded in as I set out in the rain Thursday morning
Outside the Fourgeres controle
Inside the Fourgeres controle in the bar area. Lots of riders sleeping in all kinds of postions
Typical coffee/cake stop set up along the way.
This Mom and her two sons were enjoying serving the riders as they went through. She would not accept payment, only the promise of sending a post card. She had slips of paper with her address that she was handing out
Another water/coffee stop. Notice the rider in the grass on her space blanket sleeping. My neck started to go about 4 hours after this picture
The third morning in the Villaines cafeteria. I was able to get about 90 minutes of sleep. A couple driving a support vechile took this picture
My neck support harness. Just as I completed it, a Frenchman came up and asked if he could take a picture. He said he had suffered the same problem on a previous ride and wanted a record.
I agreed, and he was happy totake a few shots with my camera
My modified handlebars and descending position on the top tube
I could barely get the helmet rig back on at the Dreux control. It never felt right the rest of the way in.
My new friends David Lewis and Anne Learmonth at the finish line after David and I traded jerseys.
