Hello Everybody

       Today is Sat. April 22, 2000. Yesterday was one of the best days ever. It brought together some of the best aspects of riding a bicycle. The daily route guide, DRG we call it, was 7 pages of instructions. It called for 175 kilometers but it turned out to be about 192. The rental car that was used to set the route  had an odometer that was off by about 10%. 

      We were riding through southern France inland from the Mediterranean Sea. It was a great day. The sun was shining, the wind to our backs and we rode through some of the most scenic areas I've ever seen. This is serious wine country. Wine is actually cheaper than water here. We paralleled the Midi Canal for most of the day. The canal was filled with boats occupied with families on vacation. They looked so relaxed. Their bikes were strapped on top of the boats and they could simply tie-up anywhere get on their bikes and take off.

      I had forgotten that the French were such great canal builders. From what I've heard there are many still being operated. The French built the Suez Canal and started the Panama Canal.

      Today is a rest day and we are in the French town of Carcassonne. (Car---cass---on) as it is pronounced, has a 2000 year history. Today I spent most of the day in the walled city. The main part was built in the 12th and 13th centuries. The French Government restored the castle and fortress walls in the 1800's. I bought a book, "Carcassonne History and Architecture", but I haven't read it yet.

      Tomorrow is the first day of a 4 day ride to Barcelona. From there we are transported to Gibraltar and from there we ride to Lisbon, Portugal. From there we fly to Wash. DC for a few days off. I look forward to seeing Roanoke again.

       The picture is a canal lock on the Midi Canal. Can you see the ducks swimming in the lock between the boats?

 

       Randal

 

Although this entry was written in April it wasn't sent until mid-May so I'm posting it here.  The phrase "one of the best days ever" pops up on a fairly regular basis.  Randal spent May 12th through the16th in Roanoke and some of you got to hear his stories first hand.  Several first and third grade classes at Montvale Elementary School got to hear about bull fighting in Spain and McDonalds world over.  They saw coins from lots of countries, a carved elephant from South Africa and tried on a sequined hat from Gibralta.  Randal's daughter Kim had arranged the school visit. On the 17th (far too soon!)  I took Randal back to Washington to rejoin Odyssey 2000 and saw how much a part of the group he is.  He was definitely ready for the road again and to continue on his journey to Ithaca.

Hi Ruthie                                                                      Wed. May 24, 2000

 

    I'm back in my room now at the hostel. Its really not bad, except for the color paint they have chosen for the hallways and rooms. This room I'm in is gray, like a ship, and the hallway outside of it is dark purple. Some hallways are orange. It looks like they may let some of the tenants do the maintenance work in exchange for board. Some part of me also thinks they let them pick out the colors too.     The bathroom is two rooms down the hallway and I have only had to wait for it once. My room is at the end of the hallway so there is no noise of people passing. I learned this evening as I was laying on the bed reading that the window beside the bed would raise, exposing me to the sounds and smells of New York City. My room looks down from the sixth floor to central park.

    I did alot of walking today though a bicycle would have served me better because I was in or near central park. I'm so afraid that it will get stolen. Even with a locking cable it's too attractive to a thief not to. So if I left it locked somewhere I couldn't enjoy myself for worrying about it. There were plenty of places to ride around central park, it made me wish I had it with me.

    The Jewish Museum I was telling you about is at: 1109 5th Ave. New York, NY 10128. PH. 212-423-3200.

 

Love Randal

Hi Ruthie                                           Sat. May 27, 2000   7:50 PM

 

    I'm sitting in my tent as the sun begins to go down. It still shines across the tents causing the shadows to be long on the grass. We're in a KOA campground near Verona New York and its one of the nicest I've seen. The grass the tents are on has just been cut and everything looks so neat and clean.

    I got in about 4:00 PM, set-up my tent, got a shower, had dinner, and did my laundry already. After doing my laundry I found out that the campground office has a telephone line that can be used to connect our laptops to.   I suspect though its the same line as the office uses so they may stop us before I can get connected. Also the two pay phones I have found are out of order, so, I may not get to call you as I said I would.

    Since leaving central park in New York City Thursday we have ridden 262 miles and entered into a completely different place. The style of living here is very laid back and slow, not much traffic on the road and lots of farmland and mountains.

 

Love

 

Randal

(May 29th is our anniversary.  Randal sent me flowers.  I sent him an e-mail anniversary card that plays music.  It's our first anniversary and our last one apart.   Love Ruth at home)

5/30/2000