Penguins Bike

July 3, 2026 - biked 35 km (22 mi), train'd 97 km (60 mi) - biked 667 km (414 mi) total

After another night of being knocked in the head by my tent from the wind, we packed up, showered, charged our phones while eating two croissants and one chocolate one for around 4€.

To keep on our "schedule" we did another train skip morning. We immediately rushed off to the train station to make our 10:08am train from Narbonne to Montpellier. We arrived at our platform sans elevator at 9:59am. We know how to rush, but hate it.

After just a one hour train to escape the wind, we rode straight to a brunch spot to eat again. I ordered a salmon with pancakes, salad and lime cream cheese. David had spicy chicken burger with the best potato wedges I have ever eaten in recent memory.

Montpellier was nice. Lots more bikes, bike parking, people riding around. Riding in the city with all our bags is tough. We can’t just lock up our bikes without having to lug them around with us. Sometimes we take turns watching the bikes while the other uses the toilette or goes grocery shopping. Being in a bigger city keeps us more vigilant even though I felt safe.

Today was hot so we sat down for a red berry smoothie. This is where I witnessed a horror scene of pigeon rats devouring the leftovers of a previous patron. It started out with just one pecking at the bread and then another and another until more than ten pigeons gorging themselves. They knocked knives and forks off the table as they hacked into bread, salad, mushroom and whatever else was there. I had to look away. I lost my appetite for the rest of my smoothie and developed a disgust/fear of Montpellier pigeons. And possibly pigeons everywhere. Little devil bird rats.

Our last thing we did was check out this photograph exhibit where they showcased early photographs. Photography was invented in France and they had some actual daguerreotypes from the mid 1800s. One was even one of the first photos ever taken!

After the city, we had a short 22 km of biking and a grocery store run so we headed south east out of the city to make it to our campsite with ease.

July 2, 2026 - biked 13 km (8.3 mi) - biked 632 km (392 mi) total

Because the wind was so brutal yesterday, we took a surprise rest day. We'd previously asked Claude where we should spend a rest day in France, and it unexpectedly suggested Narbonne. So here we are living up its dreams. It is nice to explore a town that isn’t as well known.

We also loved our two star campsite. It was nice to stay again. We got to order chocolate croissants and baguettes in the evening to be ready in the morning.

France, similar to Spain, has 5 star campgrounds equipped with pool, water slides, restaurants, supermarkets, mini golf courses, tennis courts, cosy bungalows with everything you would find in a hotel, bike rentals, beach access, etc., all of which is too much for two bikers and a penguin.

We saw the most beautiful cathedral I’ve ever seen. We also saw these old Roman ruins underground. It served as a warehouse/market for grains. We had a great time walking around. It was nice to be tourists somewhere less touristy, but that still wanted people to visit.

Rob, our friend in Portland, told us to catch a Spain game. Even though I tried to make it happen, the schedules never lined up while we were in Spain. But this evening, we did see Spain play against Austria in a bar full of French people with only one other person watching the game. I missed all three goals scored and had the half the screen blocked by a group of guys slowly getting drunk. I guess he meant to watch Spain play in Spain.