More wind and spitting rain, thirty nine miles of slow going. The scenery was exceptional but after five hours of driving into the wind, I had to wrap it up. Arrived in Bailleul, tried to find shelter on the portico of the city hall, had lunch (du pain, fromage, pate and chocolate), and searched on Warmshowers.com for a place to crash for the night. Through the tourist information center, I found a nearby member. Charlottes and Alain.. Charlotte biked down from her house to greet me. No room at her place so she went to work locating other members who could put me up. She brought me home, gave me coffee and sustenance. Absolutely wonder people who opened their house to me and more!
Score, Charlotte found a Warmshowers contact who gave the go ahead. Alain rode with me through the countryside to Patrice and Caroline's house. They took me in like I was royalty: new fr room, hot ehower, did my laundry, gave me a sumptuous dinner with wine, fish, rice, fruit, cheese and local reserve beer. I love this organization; I take in countless cyclists knowing how wonderful it is to be taken in when exhausted and in need of shelter from the elements. Practiced my French all night and Patrice and Caroline will out of the house before I wake. Total trust as I do with cyclists who stay with me. Tomorrow, Patrice has lined up a friend in Dunkirk for me. How cool is that at? Three days of tough riding, nevertheless, I would not trade it for anything. Cycling in a foreign land, alone, is an adventure hard to match.
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