BEYONDexistence

Today I write from Sean’s phone using McDonnalds’ WiFi. We spent last night in a hotel after our hardest day to date, and today, as per Sean’s executive decision and the snow, we’ve stayed put. When we left Paris Tuesday morning we rode through the Arc de Triumph: The craziest roundabout in the world. Our morning was slow as we again gathered supplies along the way, fixed my bike, and stopped to admire the Palace of Versailles. By late afternoon we reached a tiny town 8 km outside of Rambouillet, and with nowhere to camp ‘officially’ tucked ourselves back into the woods for our first night in the tent and both of our very first times ‘wild camping.’ I took a walk down the road to the little grocery store and Sean cooked pasta. I thought people driving by might wonder why I was walking down a road in the middle of nowhere with a bag of groceries, and smiled to myself.

Packing up camp wednesday morning the weather seemed okay but as we reached Rambouillet it was beginning to rain and we were freezing. We FINALLY found maps in town and sat down for some coffee (and to try to gain back some feeling in my feet). When we got back on the road, we pedalled what I thought surely had to be the hardest 20 km possible. It rained the whole way, I couldn’t feel my feet even a little bit, but worst of all was riding with the wind at our faces. We hardly moved going DOWNHILL. After an only 30 km day we were spent. We found a patch of trees in a farm field and set up camp just before it started to pour.

The shelter of the tent and the ability to mostly dry ourselves was so relieving. Tomorrow the wind will surely die down and we’ll be speeding on our way.

We were cold before we even walked our bikes back to the road, and the wind had actually picked up. Straight back into the wind we pedalled, but Chartres was only 20 km away! Once we get there we can take a break and warm up. I got us lost. For the hundredth time and after 20 km we reached a town called Maintenon where we saw the sign for Chartres: “18km.” We were out of water and I nearly couldn’t walk from how cold my feet were so we went into a supermarket, sat on the floor, and ate chocolate. We were able to charge the gps just enough to head us in the right direction and after the hardest ride of my life, made it to Chartres. I’m pretty sure you could have walked faster than I was going. We rode circles around town for a bit stopping in front of the beautiful cathedral before finding the hotel we spent our night in.

When we had a moment to sit down out of the cold, I began to reflect on the past days. They had definitely pushed me to my limits, but in a way that I really appreciate. Not only did Sean and I realize what we are capable of, but as the wind pushed against us, and all we could see was hill after hill, there was not a trouble on our minds except, ‘just a little bit further. One pedal then the next. Our days filled with simple, pure struggles were followed with the luxuries of a warm bed, shower, and best of all, somewhere to dry our wet everything :). I am ever appreciative of situations that remind me of how lucky I am: To have what I have – in the form of struggles and luxuries.