Social Media Was Invented for Planning Bike Trips

August 30, 2022August 30, 2022 ~ Steve Wartenberg ~ Leave a comment

It’s 1990, and my first major French bike trip: Paris to Nice. In preparation, I leafed through a Let’s Go France book and bought a couple Michelin maps. It’s 2022, and my first French bike trip since 2019: the Haute Savoie portion of the Alps, from bases in Annecy and Cluses (I depart on September … Continue reading Social Media Was Invented for Planning Bike Trips

My Favorite Wild & Wacky French Statues

August 30, 2021September 1, 2021 ~ Steve Wartenberg ~ Leave a comment

Art is everywhere in France. In the museums, on and in the cathedrals and chateaux, along the side of the roads I cycle along. Some of this art is quite famous, while others are a little less known. For some reason, I'm drawn to the lesser known, wackier, more out there and interesting works of … Continue reading My Favorite Wild & Wacky French Statues

My Favorite French Rides (#5): The Normandy D-Day Loop With the U.S. Army Rangers Who Landed There

January 25, 2021January 25, 2021 ~ Steve Wartenberg ~ 3 Comments

Here's the map of this loop: #1 is the German cemetery, #2 is Pointe du Hoc, #3 equals the American Cemetery, #4 is the British port of Arromanches *** Colleville-s-Mer - “This is sacred ground,” said Sid Salomon. We were standing in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, in the midst of a sea of … Continue reading My Favorite French Rides (#5): The Normandy D-Day Loop With the U.S. Army Rangers Who Landed There

A Year, A Bike, A Country … This Is My Ultimate Cycling Fantasy Ride

January 5, 2021January 5, 2021 ~ Steve Wartenberg ~ 7 Comments

Imagine an entire year of biking in France. 366 days (it's a Leap Year)! I'll wait while you close your eyes and imagine the possibilities. Forget about money, don’t fret about your job, family obligations, healthcare, visas and all the other stuff that prevent us from living our cycling/travel dreams. Like COVID-19. Imagine it’s gone, … Continue reading A Year, A Bike, A Country … This Is My Ultimate Cycling Fantasy Ride

My Favorite Rides (#2): The Gorges de la Nesque, with Wild Boar & Sheep

November 22, 2020December 15, 2020 ~ Steve Wartenberg ~ 1 Comment

Why do those guys up there on the ridge have guns - really big guns? Should I be worried? Scared? I was in the midst of one of my all-time favorite rides – the Gorges de la Nesque in Provence – and, it was hunting season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rjGWQse-0o Wild boar hunting season. It seems wild boar … Continue reading My Favorite Rides (#2): The Gorges de la Nesque, with Wild Boar & Sheep