Chat Zone for The Big Big Trip Journal!

[HobbesOnTour]

Ah, I was about to ask how close you were to Freiburg but you've answered that one. I could send one in the post...

Thanks, Andy.
Maybe next time! 
How are your wheel building skills?

 

[Andy in Germany]

Thanks, Andy.
Maybe next time! 
How are your wheel building skills?

What do you need? I've probably got a suitable one in the wheel breeding colony store. If you let me know what you need now I may even find it by the time you get here.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

What do you need? I've probably got a suitable one in the wheel breeding colony store. If you let me know what you need now I may even find it by the time you get here.

You're too good!
I'm grand, thanks, at least for the moment.
But any double walled, expedition standard rims (26 inch, 36 hole) that you come across I'll be happy to pay for.

 

[Andy in Germany]

You're too good!
I'm grand, thanks, at least for the moment.
But any double walled, expedition standard rims (26 inch, 36 hole) that you come across I'll be happy to pay for.

Front and rear?

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Front and rear?

With what I'm doing to my poor wheels at the moment yes please*

Rim brakes too - those disc brakes are too new fangled for me

In all seriousness I won't be making it up to Germany for a while (although I had a lovely chat this morning with a chap from Bingen that did make me feel a bit homesick. I ❤️ that stretch of the river!)

 

[HobbesOnTour]

September 14, 2022*
Three years on the road!!!

Taken before the heavens opened and (almost) biblical floods tried to wash me away. And no photo can depict the wind. Oh the wind!! Granny gear all the way!

I'm feeling a bit tired, Roccado too, and am actively looking for work to stay here for a while.

Jury's still out on whether this was the smartest or dumbest thing I've ever done but I'm leaning towards smartest

* Typically me I completely forgot the "anniversary" on the day

 

[Vantage]

Jury's still out on whether this was the smartest or dumbest thing I've ever done but I'm leaning towards smartest

Cycling every day exploring the world vs going to work every day in a job you might hate for some scmuck who neither values your efforts or pays well for those efforts?

Well, that's a tough one!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Cycling every day exploring the world vs going to work every day in a job you might hate for some scmuck who neither values your efforts or pays well for those efforts?

Oooh! Tough crowd on here!

Fear not, I know just how lucky I am!

The picture you paint isn't wrong, but it is just one scene.
After a crappy day at work (or an eventful day on tour!) you've got Pam at the end of the phone for a lift or just a hug. If I'm lucky I get a friendly doggy

I certainly don't regret what I've done (and don't see myself doing that in the future, either) but a bit like a snowglobe, everything has been shaken up and I'm waiting to see how it all settles down.

My fear is that the curiosity, the calmness, the lack of fear (ironically!) that this trip has given me will fade away.

We'll see what happens.......

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I'm not the greatest at recording my journey on a map (I miss @netman ) but I discovered that Google Photos has been tracking me!
This is what I've been doing for the last few months.

 

[netman]

I'm not the greatest at recording my journey on a map (I miss @netman ) but I discovered that Google Photos has been tracking me!
This is what I've been doing for the last few months.

View attachment 662635

I miss following your travels too! Try https://timeline.google.com/maps/timeline as well - that might have been tracking you also!
Looks an amazing journey - I often travel to the Girona area and love it there... did you go by Figueres by any chance? The Dali Theatre-Museum is an extraordinary place!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I miss following your travels too!

You're very kind!
I'm taking good notes so I hope to settle down some day and write them all up.

I often travel to the Girona area and love it there... did you go by Figueres by any chance? The Dali Theatre-Museum is an extraordinary place!

I got to Girona late in the evening but had a good wander around. Like so many places here it is just dripping with history. It's less a case of seeing it and more "feeling it" - or maybe I'm just becoming more "loco".

I'm not visiting many museums - some of them have very strange opening hours - because I'm trying to drill down into the place I'm in. Besides, I reckon I'm going to be here for a while so what's my rush?

I did find that Catalunya had an "edge", a busy-ness that is absent from everywhere else in Spain.
In a small hill village I was warned (for the first time since Central America) not to leave my (loaded) bike unattended.
The bigger places, while not hostile, felt less relaxed. There's also a clear poverty divide in Catalunya, far moreso evident than in other places. The wealthy are very wealthy and the poor are very poor.

 

[Shadow]

This is what I've been doing for the last few months.

Love the pink tracing. Looks like a spanish pulpo floating around between the med and biscay or perhaps lying on a slab at market!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Love the pink tracing. Looks like a spanish pulpo floating around between the med and biscay or perhaps lying on a slab at market!

It looks like someone really needs a trip to Spain! Or at least a good Spanish restaurant

I had Calamari only the other evening. A starter of mixed meats with cheese, the squid, rice pudding for dessert, a large bottle of cold water, a generous Copa de vino tinto and two coffees. All for €14,20!

 

[Shadow]

It looks like someone really needs a trip to Spain! Or at least a good Spanish restaurant

I would be happy with both. Either would suffice. Gladly.

 

[cwskas]

I'm not the greatest at recording my journey on a map (I miss @netman ) but I discovered that Google Photos has been tracking me!
This is what I've been doing for the last few months.

View attachment 662635

17,500 photos in 7 months ???!!! I am guessing the map covers the 7 months and the photo count is since you signed up on Google!