French Divide - Bon Courage

[donaldbmcintosh]

Hello....

So this is my last blog for a while... from the French Divide this year. I tried and failed last year so had some unfinished business.

https://www.donaldmcintosh.net/bike/frenchdivide2018

The blog is almost as long as the French Divide itself... so congratulations in advance to anyone who actually makes it to the end!

Enjoy.

Cheers,
Donald

[fatbikephil]

Well done and a great read!

[ssnowman]

I really enjoyed reading that. Thanks for posting and well done on the achievement!

[donaldbmcintosh]

Thank you folks - appreciate the comments.

@htrider enjoyed you blogs too. Now I know what BAM stands for! And read back to some older ones... interesting blog about reverting to rigid. Something I seriously considered for the FD....

[sean_iow]

I really enjoyed that and chapeau for completing it - and the write up I'd not considered the French Divide as for some reason in my head I'd assumed it would be mainly roads and gravel tracks but it sounds like it's much more 'off road' than that? I'm certainly tempted now. Did you see many single-speeders? I know you mentioned one.

[donaldbmcintosh]

Yes, it is mostly gravel (and a bit of road) for first 3/4 days. Then there is plenty of 'offroad' from there until out of the Massif Central. And then again in the Basque country going through forests etc.

There was one single-speeder... the legendary Ben Hudson. As far as I know, he was the first person to complete it on a single speed. The power to ride it on just a single, in the time that he managed, is incredible: http://trackleaders.com/frenchdivide18i ... Ben_Hudson

[whitestone]

Nice one Donald. I got in to Le Quesnoy when you were still in town, from the tracker it looked like you were in the campsite but I think you were getting food before moving on. Given the noise from the fete, I think I should have done that as well.

The heat on the second, and especially the third, day got to me and I scratched on the morning of day five.

Bob

[donaldbmcintosh]

Bob! I remember. You are in the before picture:

https://www.donaldmcintosh.net/image/42 ... 86-web.jpg

Not at all surprised that heat was a problem for you too. It was crazy hot and not suitable for biking. Particularly not suitable for the crazy forests around Verdun with the sun beating down, not much water and no breeze.