Category: Trip

In Lausanne, a deviation from the cycle path leads me into inextricable meanders with my long trailer. I pity, I tell myself that I would have done better to follow the road.
However, after an umpteenth detour, surprise! Under a bridge, I discovered Emmanuelle’s installation. It intrigues me … Is it Contemporary Art? I question her.

Emmanuelle finds that people live isolated, they cannot imagine how much they would gain from being in contact, sharing, helping each other, exchanging, in order to achieve their dreams. So, she decided to launch here, under this bridge, a solidarity sharing scholarship. Everyone is invited to write down their dream, the help they would need to make this dream come true, and everything they can give to others.

I start to write my contribution when Nanga arrives by bike also stops and discusses. Born of a Congolese father and Angolan mother, both of the same ethnic group, Nanga is acutely aware of the artificial boundaries drawn between men, of the links that have been lost …
Emmanuelle, bravo for your project which sparks meetings and exchanges!
 

– Are you doing the Sun Trip? this cyclist asks me.
– You know the Sun Trip ??? I asked him.
I will discover that she is the sister-in-law of Paul Baudry, a Suntripeur from Plouguerneau!

In Divonne-les-Bains, meeting with a family of English cyclists attracted by my bike: Tom, Joe, Anna, May, Katy, Esther, Sam …
Have nice holidays!

Just before the French border, in a café in Saint-Cergue, Siméon asks me about my solar bike. We are also talking about the other bikes on the Sun Trip. Automotive engineer, he is very interested in the concept of transmission known as “series hybrid” of the bikes of Edgar Tournon and Bernard Cauquil.

And a big thank you to Simeon for paying for my soda. He saved me while I was grappling with a restaurant manager, barking every word: I had no Swiss money and she refused my credit card!

On the way back home from # SunTrip2020 #SunTripFrance

Visits: 133

The landscapes of the 4th day of the Sun trip Tour 2019, on the route through Thiers: Photos + short videos:

Visits: 163

Find all the atmosphere of the 3rd day of the Sun trip Tour 2019 in the photo album of July 8: Photos + short videos:

Visits: 148

A concentrate of Sun Trip Tour seen by the Zeppelin agency.
A big thank you to Sammy, Bruno and Julien for this video that sublimates this collective adventure in beautiful landscapes of the Auvergne and the Alps!

Visits: 122

This Sun Trip Tour 2019 was slightly sportier than the 2017 edition, a little more kilometers and more altitude. But everyone had the freedom to choose the easiest or most difficult routes. And the suntripers who dreamed of winning the challenge of the best climber had to blow up their counters, especially for the elevations more than for the distances! For me, the routes were constrained by the different repairs to be done more by the sporting challenges. But I still managed to pass passes deemed difficult, such as the Col de Finestre and Col d'Agnel, with beautiful landscapes.

Date juillet	Départ	Arrivée	Durée	Distance	Dénivelé+	Trace GPS
3	Dijon	L'Arbresle	06:38	201 km	1410 m
6	Le-Puy-enVelay	Saint-Flour	05:47	102 km	1867 m
7	Saint-Flour	Cheylade	03:50	61 km	1137 m
8	Cheylade	Saint-Ours	05:56	116 km	1938 m
9	Saint-Ours	L'Arbresle	07:26	188 km	1699 m
10	L'Arbresle	Villars-les-Dombes	02:31	54 km	392 m
11	Villars-les-Dombes	Divonne-les-Bains	05:52	134 km	1666 m
12	Divonne-les-Bains	Chamonix	07:14	133 km	1809 m
13	Chamonix	Bourg-St-Maurice	06:45	126 km	3032 m
14	Bourg-St-Maurice	Lanslebourg	04:14	80 km	2280 m
16	Lanslebourg	Pinerolo	05:48	113 km	2658 m
17	Pinerolo	Molines-en-Queyras	07:58	124 km	2664 m
18	Molines-en-Queyras	Aspres-sur-Buëch	05:06	136 km	2311 m
19	Aspres-sur-Buëch	Crest	02:59	102 km	719 m
20	Crest	Valence	01:14	36 km	216 m
		TOTAL		1 781 km	26 170 m

Visits: 139

Sun Trip Tour 2019 – 7th day
We start from Divonne-les-Bains in procession, then we scatter each at our own pace. Some choose the main route with a simple route, others prefer the route drawn by Vécolo, on small roads with calmer traffic, but more tortuous. The sun is full, and our batteries remain 100% charged throughout the day.

At the end of the afternoon, telling a bike shop, I decided to have my rear derailleur adjusted. But bad luck gets involved: the young mechanic can not do it, too bad, I'm leaving. But I will discover a few miles later that the controller does not work anymore: I can not change gears. It's past 7pm, the store no longer answers the phone. I have the morale in the socks because we have to attack a long coast to Chamonix. Ralf and Jean cheer me up, they will accompany me to destination whatever happens. By hand, I install the chain on the largest pinion and we begin the climb. Halfway through, a village party allows us to regain strength. We arrive at the cottage around 21:20 where we will be greeted by the cheers of other sun-trapters!

Copyright Zeppelin

Visits: 125

SunTripTour2019 – July 11th, 6th day In the crossing of the Dombes until the Ain, I appreciated the adobe buildings (groomed earth in a banche) and in the walls, the use of the pebbles in a decorative way in association with the brick. This morning, veiled sun, the panels produce 50W, it is necessary to roll with precaution, not to push the assistance. The improvement of the mid-day does not continue the afternoon, too bad! The itinerary prepared by Vécolo, through fields and woods, is very pleasant. But after a few kilometers of chaotic dirt road along a river, we decide to find a more rolling track. The Komoot application takes us on small roads without traffic, it's a treat. And this is how we find Olivier and Norbert, Catherine and Jean-Michel, who also use this application. Arrival in Divonne-les-Bains: Ann, Peter and I arrive together, we are interviewed by a lady very interested in our bikes; she posts her video immediately on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzx3cZ9Hu0q/?igshid=bxqo5bharnzh Thanks to the city of Divonne-les-Bains for giving us this hearty meal! PS: surprise at 3am: automatic watering starts on the beach, it's panic in the camp. Norbert and Olivier are the most affected, their duvets sound soaked. Benoit takes a laugh. Bikes have nothing. I am relieved because in a half sleep, the crackling of jets made me think of a battery fire.

Visits: 119

Sun Trip Tour 2019 – July 10, Day 5 A day like the others: this morning, the attachment of my trailer broke (Dirke had noted this weak point while examining my bike), it is normal, the diameter of the bolt was too weak. I continued to Villefranche-sur-Saone by fixing the drawbar with 2 Rilsan (these necklaces are great!). Finally, I imagined a solution that will be more durable, I hope: at a garage I soldered the fastener directly on the wheel nut. Thanks to this welder who saved me! I make a break for various repairs and suddenly, I drive little: 25 km in the morning and 30 km in the evening. Cherry on the cake: I have new shoes, it's great because by dint of braking with the feet, the others had more sole! Life is beautiful …… until tomorrow! And tomorrow, what will be the challenge, the problem situation?

Visits: 118