Adventure and unlimited calories

Leaving New Caledonia for Sydney didn't leave me indifferent; I was pretty sad to be honest, but I still liked the job so I took the plunge. To keep my mind busy I went looking for future projects. I've been cycling for a long time, but never really in a sporty way. I got a small taste in Caledonia with a few outings on my hybrid bike, nothing extraordinary as bikes go but I really like the idea.

Which bike to buy? I start digging and realize I don't actually know much about it. What follows is hours of YouTube videos learning the different types of bikes, materials, derailleurs, brakes, tyres and so on. One type of bike interests me in particular: the gravel bike. It's versatile enough to be fast and go pretty much anywhere. It'll be perfect for my commute (16km a day) and also for setting off on an adventure.

Originally I was thinking of getting an electric one but to minimize my environmental impact I drop the idea. Battery production is polluting and you have to recharge it. And besides, if I head off on an adventure I won't have any recharging worries, I'll just need a few lemon tarts.

I get used to riding the bike, I love it; now when do we head off on an adventure? Again, hours watching YouTube and reading articles to learn more. Bikepacking bags will be the best thing for my bike (and for the style too). I also buy the minimum amount of camping gear to go in those bags, small and light so I don't struggle too much on the bike. By mid-January I'm ready.

Unfortunately the fires in Australia and COVID-19 will stop me from roaming the trails with my kit.

Back in France at the end of June with no job and time on my hands, it was now or never to launch into a big bikepacking adventure. Being a surf lover, hugging the west coast from Vannes to Biarritz will be perfect for taking beach breaks.

1000km takes preparation. I'm still missing a bit of gear, so I go pro with clipless shoes, cycling shorts and a GPS. The longest daily distance I'd done was 70km, completely wrecked and chafed all over. With the new gear I gradually push the limit up. 50, 70 and 100km… all fine, I can set off.

Loading test. Do I take my camera? It's still 3kg extra on my back and I don't really have anywhere to store it safely in my tent. If I don't take it I'll definitely regret missing those gorgeous shots, so it'll be on my back. Do I take my iPad? I'm torn but yes, it'll let me back up my photos and videos, read books and watch videos in the evening under the tent.

Friday 24 July, D-day, the start of the adventure.

Note: You can see all my stages down to the metre here: https://www.komoot.fr/collection/1006382/-2020-07-vannes-biarritz

Pénestin, 87.24km

Everything is still new, I try packing my stuff in different ways to take up the least space possible. Final weigh-in: the bike is 26kg fully loaded and the backpack 8. 10:30am, off we go!

I gradually get used to pedalling with all the gear; the weather isn't great but it isn't raining. Having never done long distance, I don't know how my body will react or how much food I'll need. I get to Muzillac and spot a bakery, that'll be my lunch stop with my first lemon meringue tart!

Arrived at the campsite at 4:30pm; it was hard towards the end with all the load, lucky I didn't do 100km. I work out my campsite arrival plan. First I set up the tent and all the camping gear. Then I wash myself and do the laundry for my shorts and tee-shirt. I finish with the stretches (because the muscles are pretty stiff).

There was a spa, it would have been nice for my legs but by the time I'd done my whole routine it was almost 6pm and it was about to close, shame.

Hunger is coming on fast, time to eat like an ogre. By 9pm I start zonking out in my tent; it didn't take me long to fall asleep.

Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, 84.51km

First night (10 hours) in the tent and first test of all the gear. Pretty happy with my choices, no problems but a few adjustments to make for the coming nights.

After breakfast it's time to pack everything up again; the procedure is still in its infancy, it takes time and energy but I manage to fit it all into the bags. Here too there'll be a few adjustments to make.

Lunch break in Guérande and a second lemon meringue tart with a bit of raspberry, not bad!

With all the stuff to lug around it's hard going all the same. On a bikepacking group they advised me not to put anything on my back, but then I'd have no room left for my big camera. I'm seeing my parents and my godmother for dinner at a restaurant, so I'll take the chance to offload a few things on them. Put as few kilos as possible on my back and spread them onto the bike. I'm going to remove the only pair of trousers, the spare sports tee-shirt, the spare fleece, the pyjamas and the iPad (ouch, I'll have to talk to people). It's becoming the bare minimum of the bare minimum.

It's pretty cool seeing all these landscapes go by and that sense of freedom on the bike.

My parents were waiting for me on the other side of the Saint Nazaire bridge, just a few kilometres before the campsite. This one had special spots for bikes, so cool! Same routine again with all the gear, I'm getting the hang of the job.

Machecoul, 68.38km

Not too many kilometres to do today; tiredness is starting to show and a bit of reluctance to get up along with it.

It rained during the evening and the night, so my bike clothes are still soaked. I'll wait until the last minute to put them on.

No breakfast available at the campsite, I'll eat at the bakery a bit further on after packing everything up. Bad idea: reluctance + an empty stomach before starting the day will leave me in a bad way until early afternoon.

11am, off we go; the wet clothes don't bother me that much in the end, they dry fast and it isn't too cold.

The weather is set fair, the coast up to Pornic is magnificent but I don't have the energy to stop and photograph it. Quite a bit of knee pain and muscle fatigue.

Lunch break at the port of Pornic (very pretty), no lemon meringue tart available in the bakery (an outrage). I set off again full of energy and with no more pain despite the lack of tart.

The route is still nice but ends with 5km on a country road; a bit stressful, all these cars brushing past you at 90km/h. I've got a tailwind, so I can crank it to make it last as little time as possible.

Arrived at my godmother's, no tent to put up, welcomed like a king with a feast. Good evening.

Olonne sur Mer, 107.80km

2km after setting off, country road closed, fuck. I look at the alternative routes but since it's more or less marshland it adds 15km to the tally. As if it wasn't enough that I didn't leave early and my route is 101km; never mind, I'll chance it via the closed road. Long straight, nobody on the road, perfect. I make out trucks on both sides of the road about 2km away, alright. I get there, one truck had left, nothing special, I get through easily, cool! A bend and another long straight with more trucks on the road in the distance. I move on a bit and a road cyclist comes the other way and tells me it's blocked, fuck! I hesitate, turn back? Chance it? It was only 500m away so I chance it. The road's been scraped, there are the big machines to redo the asphalt in the distance, this is looking bad. The road seems to be wet, fine. I reach the roadworks, I check with the lads whether I can get through, they're nice and tell me it works on the grass. But they tell me the wet stuff I rode through was glue, ah! I get past the works on the grass (lucky I can go anywhere with my bike) and stop to check the damage the glue did. Sure enough there are loads of white and black marks on the frame and the bags, fuck! I hurry to remove a big chunk of it with my bike rag before it dries. That'll do; I've already lost 30 minutes, there's road to cover!

I carry on, strong headwind, not very nice weather, mediocre scenery.

Arrived below Noirmoutier, it clears up; the whole cycle path through the forest and the coast up to my campsite is magnificent, I recommend it!

Bakery break with a lemon meringue tart, finally, I was going through withdrawal!

5:14pm, 102km in the legs, proud of myself, finally the well-deserved rest, jacuzzi and massage! Being the cautious type I'd called during the day to check there was space. I get to reception: yes hello, I called earlier and you told me there was space. Surprised and not remembering the conversation, she tells me that actually the campsite is full, ah! I go back to the website and show her… well, it turns out there are several "Bois Soleil" campsites and I'd booked the wrong one, you absolute klutz. Right, I don't fancy getting back on the bike, I call the nearby campsites, all full. I widen the search and there's one 5km away with spots, phew! So I backtrack and can set up my tent to sleep at least 12 hours.

Right, this campsite has the beach not too far away with the option to rent surfboards! I'm going to stay 2 nights but I'll set off again without my jacuzzi and my massage.

Day 2

After only 11 hours of sleep I can start my day. Once breakfast is wolfed down I wander along the beach and ask about surfboard rental; they only have foam boards but that'll do. I carry on my walk and will come back this afternoon to surf. The wind is blowing pretty hard and it's cool out; being fairly tired, getting in the water might make me ill. Even after lunch and a little nap I feel that going surfing isn't going to happen, I've still got 8 stages left to Biarritz. I play it safe and head back via the dunes to be less exposed to the wind, and it's very pretty too. I'll have other chances to get in the water.

In the evening I head back to the beach and eat at a little snack bar. The sunset comes, the light is magnificent. I take the chance to shoot a few photos but I head back before the sun meets the horizon because it was too cold.

Before lounging in the tent I take out my contact lenses to put on my glasses. Impossible to find them, I turn the whole tent over and still nothing. I must have left them at the washrooms but nothing there either. I go to the restaurant, which was about to close, and ask if they hadn't found some glasses. Saved! I'm relieved because I'd have been in real trouble (and just as well I didn't stay until sunset, otherwise I'd have found the door shut). First time this has happened to me in twenty-odd years, must be I was good and tired.

Aiguillon sur Mer, 75.27km

This rest day did me good, I set off a bit fresher and I feel like it's getting easier and easier on the bike. The cycle paths are as pretty as ever. It's crazy how many people there are! Most without luggage on the bike but still. Nice weather again and nothing but tailwind today, not bad! Unfortunately no lemon tart available today either; is a bakery even allowed to exist without a lemon meringue tart?

I realize I'm actually motoring pretty well on the bike, I overtake just about everyone. And not one person with luggage like me has passed me. Since the start the average is 20.45km/h, instant pride.

Châtelaillon-Plage, 79.16km

Here we go again, they're forecasting a heatwave for today, we'll see. The kilometres tick by and there's nothing interesting to sink my teeth into. It's flat, long straights through the fields, the sun is starting to beat down, in short, it's tedious. I get to Marans, my lunch-stop town. I go in search of a bakery, the first one closed and in the second nothing vegetarian to eat, great! I buy some fruit from the seller across the way and head back to the restaurant I'd spotted along the river. It was pretty bucolic and it'll be a galette. It'll also let me cool off a bit at midday.

The road still isn't very interesting and it's really hot, I stop every 30 minutes to put water on my head. I get to La Rochelle, a very pretty town centre but I don't linger, I'm eager to pitch my tent. A few kilometres later I get to the campsite. With a 32°C average and peaks of 40, this day really did me in, I'll spend 2 nights here. I follow my little tent-stop ritual: shower, laundry and stretches, it works pretty well.

I set off in search of dinner, it's still very hot. I find a restaurant with a well-loaded and varied vegetarian salad; I'm a bit fed up of eating pizzas or quiches all the time. The veggie options are few and far between and I often find myself eating the same thing.

I stay on the beach until sunset; it's magnificent and the first one I've seen since coming back to France, about time!

Day 2

Well rested, I go for a wander around the town centre; good timing, that day there was the market! I take the chance to buy food from the producers and settle on the beach for the afternoon. First swim since the start of the trip! There are no waves here but it's pleasant all the same.

Marennes, 79.44km

I get back on the road, the legs are doing really well.

Lunch break in Rochefort, I find a bakery (with a lemon meringue tart) and the owners see my jersey and my bike and start chatting with me. They tell me they do the same kind of trip, travelling light on their motorbike. I show them my route and they advise me to make a detour to Brouage (no paper though), a very nice fortified town apparently. I'll see if I'm on schedule and still have enough juice later.

I settle down to eat by the Charente, next to the ship the Hermione. Another person comes to chat with me and asks about my bike. He's old-school and has done cyclocross, road, etc. The gravel bike type didn't exist yet and he's curious about it, very nice.

I could have cut across via the Transporter bridge but I decide to follow the cycle path that takes the long way round. I don't have that many kilometres to do today and maybe I'll come across some nice spots. Well, it was long straights through the fields and nothing interesting but at least I was out in nature without cars brushing past me.

I'm ahead of schedule so I make a stop at Brouage. Well, it's very pretty! I leave my bike in a corner and walk around the ramparts on foot.

Arrived at the campsite, I set up my tent. The spot for the bikes is half on a dune under the trees, very nice. I still do my stretches but it doesn't really pull in my legs anymore.

I find a really good restaurant along the sea with dishes that are out of the ordinary, perfect!

Tomorrow I reach the Landes, I'm eagerly awaiting that moment, it'll be perfect!

Montalivet les bains, 76.77km

Today I cross to the other side of the Garonne; I couldn't surf at Olonne sur Mer, this time I'm going to take more days off to enjoy the waves and the surf. After all, that's also the point of my holiday.

I take the Royan–Le Verdon ferry, the kilometres flow easily, my legs are well broken in now.

At Soulac, I'd missed the cycle path so I wanted to rejoin it at the next entrance. From a distance I see a little kerb to ride up, no problem. The closer I get the more I realize there's actually a lot of sand between the road and the kerb… I arrive too fast, my front wheel didn't like it, it locks up in the sand and it's a flying leap over the bike. A family who saw the fall, apparently struck by the violence of the impact, asks if I'm okay. Quick check-up, I get back up, everything seems to work, so I tell them everything's fine. I examine my bike, the saddle was no longer in line, a few scratches, the wheels aren't buckled, nothing serious, all good. A slightly more thorough check-up of my injuries: I landed on my right shoulder and my head. I take off my tee-shirt; indeed the right shoulder is pretty grazed, a bit on the elbow and on the hand. I disinfect straight away with hand sanitizer, ouch, that stings. The helmet took a beating, lucky I had it!

20km before 2 days of rest, which won't hurt after this fall. I straighten the saddle and off we go again. I can still pedal but I'm still a bit dazed from landing on my head. As I ride, a click can be heard with every turn of the cranks; not paying attention at first, I realize the big chainring is bent and touching the derailleur, hence the clicking. It's not too bothersome for now, I brought my MacGyver tools, I should be able to fix it once I get to the campsite.

There's still space, they walk me to my spot. First thing, fix the chainring. I get out my pliers and try to bend it the other way. After several tries I manage to get it more or less straight, it's not perfect but I'll adjust it later.

Off we go to pitch the tent again, now it's a breeze, I know the procedure. Once everything's set up I lean into the tent to grab my toiletries, whoa, a little pain in the rib, nothing serious but one to watch.

The stomach is rumbling, I head off in search of a feast. I take the chance to wander a bit around the town and find a good restaurant.

Day 2

Right, this fall did knock my morale a bit. The pains won't disappear overnight. I play it soft for today, rest, beach and swimming but no surf.

After several tries I finalize the repair of my big chainring; it's not quite straight but it'll do. I'll do a few kilometres to the beach to test it and at worst I'll go to the bike shop.

I head to the town centre, the big chainring isn't making noise anymore, perfect! Being fed up of always eating the same thing at bakeries (except the lemon tart of course), I go looking for alternatives. In the supermarkets I find pre-cooked cereal/quinoa/whatever to heat up. It could be pretty balanced and provide a good amount of calories, but I don't have a microwave… I give it a go anyway. Well, even if it must be better hot it's edible, I think I'll adopt this strategy for the coming days and treat myself to a bakery now and then.

Full up, I head to the beach. In the waves I feel something blocking around my rib. I can't even bodysurf. Right, it doesn't hurt that much, but let's not push it too hard.

Night and tiredness arrive, and so does the paranoia. In the tent, with questions about the state of my rib, I let my imagination run wild. Is it serious? What if I have to see the doctor? Get X-rays? Stop my trip? I draw up a plan for a possible worst-case scenario the next day (if I have to go see the doctor, who to call, where to go step by step, etc.) and finally manage to calm down and fall asleep.

Day 3

The pains are still there but morale is back up and the tiredness has eased. To my great regret I abandon the idea of surfing in order to rest; I hope that in 3 days, when I'm at Vieux Boucau, my condition will have improved and I'll be able to get in the water.

In the evening I head out to photograph the sunset under the pines and on the dune, magnificent!

The worst-case plan went unused.

Andernos-les-Bains, 93.19km

Now that the bike and campsite routines are second nature, I'll be able to use the extra energy to do more photo and video, and why not a vlog with people met along the way?

Except when I breathe deeply I don't feel the rib, those two rest days did me good. The legs are getting easier and easier, I go along tiny winding paths through the forest, the sky is blue, there's the smell of pines that I love, it's for moments like these that it's worth slogging away for hours!

My campsite is right on the edge of the Arcachon basin, the day keeps being beautiful, I take the chance to shoot photos of the sunset.

Sainte-Eulalie-en-Born, 98.30km

The worst day.

Despite a good night I feel my rib the moment I wake up, it doesn't hurt that much but it's annoying. They're forecasting a heatwave today but I tell myself that if I hydrate well it should be fine.

I'm not on form because of the rib but I manage all the same. I go over the Dune du Pilat, up and down, the lunch break a bit later is welcome. Back on the cycle path, despite the shade of the pines you can feel the hot wind.

Arrived in Biscarrosse, my planned route takes me along the road, so I check the cycle-path one. It adds about ten kilometres, it climbs quite a bit but it looks really pretty. After hesitating for a few minutes, the idea of riding next to cars doesn't appeal much and my legs are still holding up, so I choose the cycle path through nature. I cross the forest, the route is magnificent as promised but I'm not unhappy to reach the lake for a break, it was hard in this heat.

No time for a swim, I've still got 30km left. The forest is over, we move into open plain with long straights. It's tedious, it's between 38 and 40°C, the wind is scorching, it's pure suffering. I stop regularly to hydrate, the water is boiling, I could brew a goodnight herbal tea in it no problem. 10km, I can't see the end of it. Exhausted, I get to the campsite, and now comes the question: is there any space left? Yes, thankfully, otherwise I'd have collapsed on the ground. Instant pride: even through the suffering I managed to do almost 100km at a 21.70km/h average, pretty good.

I settle in, I hydrate and a monumental hunger pang hits, I've never eaten a packet of pistachios so fast. I go to the restaurant for dinner, things are better.

The sunset over the lake is magnificent. No wind, the water like a mirror. Dilemma: do I go to bed or do I take photos? It's really too pretty, I can't miss this.

I'd planned to do 70km to Vieux Boucau the next day but after this day that won't be possible, I change my plan and decide to only do 36. So I'll do my trip in 13 stages instead of 12.

Finally the time to sleep arrives, my rib hurts a lot, the pain spreads across the whole left side of my chest, is the heart affected too? So utterly at zero on the batteries that I work myself into an XXL spiral. I got to the point of being afraid to fall asleep because I wasn't sure I'd wake up the next morning. I draw up a new worst-case plan and manage to calm down. I fall asleep after over an hour of dithering. Two hours later I wake up to go to the toilet #hydration. I've got a bit of strength back, I'm relieved, my time hasn't come yet.

Oddly I dreamed I was getting married, I don't know to whom, it was a nightmare of a hassle but the weather was lovely, the place was magnificent, on the rocky seaside with the bright blue water and I was smiling. So be it.

Day 2

Around 10am I feel that even 36km will be too much. I head to reception to find out if I can extend by a night but I find the door shut. A few minutes later the receptionist arrives and I can extend my stay, I'm relieved.

It's still hot, so all day I stay by the lake and do the starfish under the trees, motionless. Good thing my rib doesn't make itself felt when I'm not moving. A little swim to cool off is nice too. At mealtimes I down astronomical quantities of food, it feels good.

The sunset is less good than the day before, I did well to take photos yesterday.

Contis plage, 36.73km

Test day.

After the latest misadventures a short day will be welcome. Not too many kilometres and I'll be able to enjoy the ocean in the afternoon, still with a hope of surfing.

The legs are still doing well but the rib is getting worse and worse. The route is nice. For 5km I rode with a group of cyclists. I felt like I was in the Tour de France, it was cool.

Once settled I head off to explore the area and swim. A little bodysurf test to check the state of the rib, and well no, it hurts too much. So I play the prawn on the beach for the rest of the afternoon and definitively give up on the idea of surfing during my stay. I'm gutted.

The pains aren't easing so I look into the options for cutting the trip short, I'm not really enjoying it anymore. I'd love to give up but I need a bag to put my bike in for the train (which I don't have) and the nearest shops are in Biarritz, 100km away.

Of all the options, the least bad one is to finish my route. I psych myself up by telling myself it'll be a good test to find out whether I'm capable of enduring probably-broken bones if, on a future adventure, I'm really stuck in the middle of nowhere. Here at worst, if things really go badly, I can always call an ambulance to the rescue.

Another magnificent sunset, so of course I take photos.

Day 2

Here too I manage to extend my stay by a night to grant myself one last rest day before the two final stages to Biarritz. I rest as much as possible, making the fewest movements. I'm in my bubble, focused on my final goal. Here too I write off the chance of meeting people and sharing moments. All my energy goes into recovery and I can't afford to lose any (meeting people takes a lot of energy out of me).

Labenne, 71.97km

Tonight it was the storms rumbling; I also heard my rib crack, there's definitely something there. I've worked out the position in which it cracks, I'm going to avoid it so the little recovery I have is preserved. I feel my rib pretty strongly for 45 minutes to an hour and then it becomes bearable. The night passes, I still have pain and I hope it'll hold up for the day.

I set off, 70km to do without any certainty of making it but I'm focused on my goal. The legs are good, a 25km/h average over the first 30 kilometres. I know I shouldn't dawdle, to limit the impact on my rib, but I'm getting impatient and start doing daft things on the road. Getting nasty with people on the road when they don't follow the rules. So I take a break with a snack to calm myself down.

I get to Léon to refuel and restock on paracetamol in case the rib hurts too much. Once full, I take a little nap/meditation to recharge the batteries. Good idea.

It's no time to play tourist, nor to take photos or videos. I watch all these beaches go by that I won't be able to set foot on…

A second little nap/meditation under the pines, this time I really slept while feeling like I'd stayed conscious, so be it. The batteries got a good charge.

I stop on the way at Hossegor to buy dinner and breakfast. That way I minimize the energy spent and once I get to the campsite everything will be organized, I'll just have to pitch my tent, take a shower and eat.

23.7km/h average, I won my bet and even did better than I could have imagined. Just one stage left, 30km remaining. I plan to leave at 10am to get to the station in time, my train is at 1:56pm. It's no longer the time to play tourist (even though I'd have liked to), right now I just want to get home and do nothing more.

Biarritz, 33.68km

Tuesday 11 August, I give my last strength, I pack up all the gear and I leave at 10am sharp. I have 21km to the Decathlon to buy the bag, 10 more to get to the station. I still swing by the Grande Plage to breathe in the sea air and take a photo for posterity. I'm back among the road traffic and the stress of the city, I was better off under the pines really.

1pm, the station's in sight, I make a stop at the bakery for my lunch and buy a lemon meringue tart to celebrate my feat (any excuse will do). Spoiler: it wasn't very good. I tread the station tiles, I made it! A few tears of relief escape but it isn't all over yet; transporting my dismantled bike with a rib in a bad way won't be a walk in the park.

To minimize the carrying effort I get on the TGV with the bike assembled and plan to take it apart once inside. The conductor sees me and tells me it won't be possible to board with my bike because there's no space. I explain the situation, telling him I'll dismantle it once on board and that I have the bag in my pack. It's fine, I'm allowed on board. A few buckets of sweat later the bike is in its bag at the luggage spaces, all in order, officer.

I should rest but I can't close my eyes, I'm focused on my next objective: changing TGVs in Paris. What will be the solution using the least energy possible? My first idea is to reassemble the bike on the train about thirty minutes before arrival; it'll be easier to carry and the weight of the bags will stay on the bike. A bit after departure the conductor announces that we'll be 30 minutes late because of the extreme heat. Fuck, as if fate needed to pile it on, that leaves me less than 10 minutes to change trains. I abandon the idea of reassembling the bike, I'll have to be quick and I'll have loads of people in my way to put it back together. After a bit of thought I find the plan. I'm going to clip the bags onto my backpack to keep my hands free (but hello, rib agony) and I'll carry the bike in the bag… running towards the other TGV.

One last effort; I don't really fancy waiting another hour and a half at Montparnasse for the next train, I chance it. The terminus is approaching, I get ready well in advance so as to be among the first off. The bike is by the door, the bags are attached to the pack, and as I put it on my back I feel the rib is about to give out. I change position and ease it on slowly. Paris, here's Paris, I get off and rush towards platform 4, luckily it's right next door. I get through the gates as best I can, the pack is heavy, the bags are swinging in every direction but I make it to my carriage in time. I go inside the train, it's not my seat but I see a free bay at the entrance. There's no room in the luggage area, so I put my bike on one side of the bay and myself on the other. I'm exhausted and have filled a few more buckets of sweat. The train's already leaving.

The goal isn't far off now. I still can't sleep but I've got two yobs next to me putting on a show throughout the journey. Vannes, here's Vannes. I spot my parents and my godfather (who came for a little tour of Brittany), I can finally let go of the load. Both literally and figuratively, I no longer have to manage everything alone, at last!

Vannes, 0km

Wednesday 12 August, it was the heatwave, 30°C in the bedroom all night. Not great for resting. Lucky I don't have much pedalling left to do.

Now I'd quite like to know what's wrong with my rib. So I go see the doctor and he writes me a prescription for an X-ray. Impossible to get an appointment before the end of August, what? I widen the search of radiology practices and find a free slot on the Tuesday in Hennebont. It's a bit of a drive and still a week away but it's the best I can do.

In the meantime I rest. I'm really very tired and I can't sleep as much as I'd like. Because of the rib I can only lie on my back, otherwise it's too painful. After a while, from always being in the same position, I get fed up and have to get up.

Usually I'd be straight onto reassembling my bike, but that'll wait until Thursday afternoon, time to recover some strength. Same for making my little veggie meals and sorting my photos, I'll only find the motivation on Monday, 6 days after getting home. That same Monday I was finally able to sleep on my side, I feel my form coming back bit by bit.

Tuesday, the moment of truth. The radiologist's verdict: non-displaced fracture of the anterior arc of the 9th left rib. Happy to put words to this pain; I'd done 350km with a broken rib all the same.

1 month and ten-ish days later, one more fall and a cold, I'm finally over this trip. It was no small affair!

Takeaways

It's hard but it's worth it.

The first 6 stages let my body ramp up for long distances. I also tested my camping gear and found the arrangements that suit best. Because it was a first for pretty much everything, really. Unfortunately the fall wrecked the whole second half of my trip and all my expectations of surf and meeting people. But I'm still proud to have achieved my main objective under these conditions.

The other things I noticed:

• Very important for me to eat breakfast before doing anything and not have an energy slump
• Not easy to find the right amount for nutrition. On rest days I was still just as hungry, but not simple to find good veggie stuff without going for the thick layer of cheese. By the end I'd found a not-too-bad compromise with those veggie pouches, a bit of fruit and seeds.
• Camping is nice but with setting up and taking down the gear each day + washing your things, you lose 2 hours every time. It's as if you did 30km more. To factor into the route calculation
• I'm always the last of the cyclists to leave the campsite
• It's pretty exhausting changing your bearings every day, finding a place to eat (my worst enemy), new faces, calling the campsites (I don't like calling) and redefining the route based on availability, a different toilet bowl every time, etc.
• This sense of freedom pedalling right in the middle of nature with magnificent landscapes is wonderful
• Cycling is great

For next time

• Make a proper video of the trip, maybe do fewer kilometres to have the time and energy to film it all
• With other people, share out the chores inherent to the trip, share moments and enjoy the scenery

Things I didn't use

• The swimsuit for the pool. Every campsite had pools but in the end they don't really appeal to me anymore, I prefer the ocean
• The tripod. It could have been useful for taking photos and/or videos of me riding the bike, but I no longer had enough energy to set all that up

Photos

I'd been hesitant about taking my DSLR on my little trip, for reasons of weight (3kg extra on the back) and safety (nowhere really to store it safely). Well, I don't regret it; for one thing I still have the camera, and I'd have regretted not being able to take all these photos: https://lilomoino.fr/evenement/bikepacking-de-vannes-a-biarritz-ete-2020 (and others are on the way!)

Equipment

Throughout the whole trip I had no equipment problems whatsoever. Here's the list for those interested:

Bike: Cannondale Topstone Carbon Ultegra RX 2 — cannondale.com

First "pro" bike. I immediately felt the difference with the ones I'd used before. Very satisfied with my investment.

Pedals: SHIMANO XT PD-T8000 — bike.shimano.com

One clipless side, one flat side. Since I also use my bike in everyday life, I don't need to change the pedals or put on clipless shoes to go grab some bread

Cycling shorts: LEBRAM AGNEL — lebram.fr

Not much experience with other shorts but these let me do the 1000km without any problem

Shoes: SHIMANO SH-XC500SL

Same, not much experience with other shoes but these also let me walk a few kilometres while having some orange

Backpack: Ortlieb Atrack 35L — ortlieb.com

A bit heavy but perfect

GPS: Wahoo Elemnt Bolt — wahoofitness.com

Perfect compromise between weight, size, price and features. It lets me go anywhere I want without having the killer mega LCD screen

Route planning: komoot.fr

Website (for the planning) and mobile app (on the road to tweak routes if needed) with automatic syncing to the GPS

Seat pack: Ortlieb Seat Pack 16.5L — ortlieb.com

For all the clothes

Frame pack: Ortlieb Frame pack 4L — ortlieb.com

For all the bike tools and spare parts, a bit of food now and then

Handlebar pack: Ortlieb Handlebar Pack 15L — ortlieb.com + Ortlieb Accessory Pack — ortlieb.com

All the camping gear

Top tube bag: Restrap BOLT-ON TOP TUBE BAG — restrap.com

Perfect for the phone, the mask, the hand sanitizer and a few snacks

Tent: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Bikepack — bigagnes.com + Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Bikepack Footprint — bigagnes.com

Easy to set up once you know the procedure a bit, lots of space and storage. I didn't get the chance to test it in heavy rain, maybe water gets in if it lasts a long time. The footprint is very handy, it lets you put your shoes and other things outside the tent without them being on the ground. Plus it adds a layer if the ground is wet

Mattress: Sea To Summit Ultralight Insulated Regular — seatosummit.com

I didn't get the size up to save a bit of weight and space, my feet stick out a little but it didn't bother me. Despite the thinness of the mattress I slept well during these 18 days of travel. To reinflate each night but it's done very easily and quickly.

Pillow: Sea To Summit Aeros UL Deluxe — seatosummitusa.com

Nothing to complain about

Sleeping bag: Sea to Summit Spark 1 SpI Down Long — seatosummit.com

Here I got my size, very good, very compact but on the other hand I sweat quite a bit in it

Power bank: X-Moove Powergo Flash 15000 — x-moove.com

With its multiple ports, perfect for recharging the phone, the GPS, the lights and the camera simultaneously without having to recharge the battery every day (lucky I don't have to recharge the camera every day because it drains half of it)

Hugs