Archive for March 2013
a stone church
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On March 13, I strayed from my planned path to take a 3 km side trip to see the Chapelle de Sainte-Macrine. I have seen very few churches on my virtual bike trip, since Street View follows only the main roads – churches tend to be on side streets.
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The first part of my trip was along the Rue des Ouches (meaning garden or orchard). True to the name, many of the properties had neat gardens…
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The church was of stone, cross-shaped, with buttresses and a large rose window. The buttresses project from the sides of the church and serve to reinforce its walls. Saint Macrine was a fourth century Saint who lived in the woods near Niort, France for seven years to escape persecution…
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Best View: the rose window in the church…
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I have realised that by following a single route, I have missed many features of the countryside. In Phase 4 of my virtual bike trip, I am going to plan some side trips to see some interesting features of the French countryside.
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Don’t you think that side trips can be the best part of a journey?
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Copyright Jane Tims 2013
flowers and fences
The beginning of Phase 4 ! My exercise scheme of virtual biking is paying off. After going 385 minutes (67.8 km) on my stationary bike in Phases 1, 2 and 3, I have lost weight, I feel stronger and I have more walking stamina. I am looking forward to my progress in Phase 4. I am also going to try to make my trip more interesting for you, my reader.
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Interesting views along the route on my first day of Phase 4 included a young hardwood plantation…
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and a fence made of woven grasses…
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Best view: a pot of blue flowers perched on a fence in Magné…
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Copyright Jane Tims 2013
visiting Town Hall – biking log book Day #12
I can’t belive it – I have completed the third phase of my virtual bike trip through central France. In this phase, I biked (virtually) 36 km in 12 days from Exireuil to Magné just west of Niort.
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On March 10, I continued my virtual biking through the pretty town of Bessines and into the river town of Sevreau.
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It was pleasant to be back in the rural areas – I appreciated the flat land – biking where there are a lot of hills is not fun!!!
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The town hall (mairie) in Bessines had red shutters and a big town bulletin board…
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I think the bulletin board must tell people to be on the look-out for a crazy Canadian lady pretending to bike through the French countryside…
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The final stretch of the trip was in a shaded road called the Rue des Trois Ponts…
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Log Book: March 10, 2013
Area travelled: ‘outskirts of Magné’ to ‘town of Sevreau’
Distance: 30 minutes 3.0 km
Best view: house with blue shutters along the Place de la Mairie
Notes: took a shortcut to Sevreau along the stream!
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Total distance in Phase 1 (Jan 30 to Feb 11): 14.0 km (145 minutes of stationary biking)
Total distance in Phase 2 (Feb 12 to Feb 18): 17.8 km (180 minutes of stationary biking)
Total distance in Phase 3 (Feb 21 to March 10): 36.0 km (360 minutes of stationary biking)
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Total Distance: 67.8 km (685 minutes or 11 hours and 25 minutes of stationary biking)
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This ends Phase 3 of my virtual biking adventure. I plan to continue this virtual bike trip in Phase 4, a 10 day trip from Magné to Ferrières.
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Eventually, I want to reach the west coast of France and see an island called Îsle de Ré.
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I hope you will continue to follow me as I travel virtually through central France. I want to make my posts more interesting, so I would like to know what you would like to see in a posting of my Log Book.
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Copyright Jane Tims 2013
negotiating traffic circles – biking log book Day #11
Since February 21, I have been in the third phase of my virtual bike trip through central France. For Phase 3 of my trip, I am biking in 12 days from Exireuil to Magné just west of Niort.
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On March 8, I continued my virtual biking through the city of Niort to a town on the outskirts called Montamisé. Only 1 more day to go before Phase 3 of my virtual biking adventure is over.
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I will always remember this as the ‘day of the traffic circle’.
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I didn’t get lost because I took some shortcuts … directly across the island in the middle of each traffic circle!
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one of a few traffic circles I negotiated – notice my red ‘path’ goes directly through the middle of the circle…I love shortcuts!!!! (image from Street View)
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The traffic was intimidating and I especially worried about the big trucks who couldn’t see me at all (because I wasn’t there)…
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Log Book: March 9, 2013
Area travelled: ‘in the city of Niort’ to ‘town of Montamisé’
Distance: 30 minutes 3.0 km
Best view: white house on la Rue de la Rochelle
Notes: in real life, I vow to be more considerate to cyclists!
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Distance Travelled Feb 21 to Mar 9: 33.0 km (330 minutes of stationary biking)
Total Distance Travelled Jan 30 to Mar 9 : 64.8 km (655 minutes of stationary biking)
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Do you prefer driving through a traffic circle or a regular intersection?
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Copyright Jane Tims 2013
the mystery of the uniformed man – biking log book Day #10
Welcome to my report for Day #10 of the third phase of my virtual bike trip through central France. For Phase 3 of my trip, I am biking in 12 days from Exireuil to Magné just west of Niort.
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On March 6, I continued my virtual biking through the city of Niort.
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Niort is a city of older buildings, most 2 or 3 stories in height. There was lots of traffic but I remembered the sage driving advice … ‘go with the flow’…
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There were some interesting architectural surprises…
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And beautiful flower gardens…
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I encountered a mystery as I biked through the streets. Along the Avenue de Limoges, I saw a man in a uniform and his scooter…
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But in the next Street View frame, he had disappeared…
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I think he must have stepped out to talk to the odd-looking ‘Street View camera car’ and then scooted off before the camera commenced its photography!!
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Log Book: March 6, 2013
Area travelled: ‘in the city of Niort’
Distance: 30 minutes 3.0 km
Notes: I saw an apartment for sale on la Rue de la Rochelle and thought hmmmmm………
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Distance Travelled Feb 21 to Mar 6: 30.0 km (300 minutes of stationary biking)
Total Distance Travelled Jan 30 to Mar 6 : 61.8 km (625 minutes of stationary biking)
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Best view: a lady buying coffee at a shop in Niort
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Do you think I should have bought that apartment on la Rue de la Rochelle ???
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Copyright Jane Tims 2013
a dragon on a wall – biking log book Day #9
I am continuing with the third phase of my virtual bike trip through central France. For Phase 3 of my trip, I am biking in 12 days from Exireuil to Magné just west of Niort.
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Log Book: March 5, 2013
Area travelled: from ‘outskirts of Niort’ to ‘edge of Niort’
Distance: 30 minutes 3.0 km
Notes: only three more days to go on my virtual trip to Magné!
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Distance Travelled Feb 21 to Mar 5: 27.0 km (270 minutes of stationary biking)
Total Distance Travelled Jan 30 to Mar 5 : 58.8 km (595 minutes of stationary biking)
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On March 5, I finally made it off the train track and entered the city of Niort. It is a neat city with lots of one-way streets, enclosed yards and lots of greenery.
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As in many cities, there were lots of interesting sights to see. I grabbed a bottle of Perrier to drink as a Perrier truck passed by…
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I saw a school yard where the children seem to have hung up their artwork to dry on a line between two trees…
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I was able to visit yet another Pâtisserie… yummmmm!
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I also saw what looked like remarkable graffiti on one fence, a rendition of a dragon…
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wall dragon
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he peers from under
a fall of vines
growls at the passing cars
ignore him
fueled with their own
bellyfuls
of fossil fire
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Best View: a charming enclosed yard in Niort
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Do you think the homeowners had the dragon painted on the wall, or was it ‘noncommissioned’?
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Copyright Jane Tims 2013
a name for a novel – biking log book Day #8
Biking, biking, biking!!! I am still working on Phase 3 of my virtual bike trip through central France. For Phase 3 of my trip, I am biking in 12 days from Exireuil to Magné just west of Niort.
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On March 4, for the second biking day in a row, my bike trip was along a railroad track!
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I had lots of time to think, so I thought about the title of the novel I have been working on. For those of you who do not know about my novel, it is about a woman who sets out to save an abandoned church.
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On Day #6 of my virtual bike trip, in Chavagné on the Route de la Mothe, I saw an old church…
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At first, I thought the roof had been removed from this church, leaving it open to the elements. On closer look, there is a low-pitch roof in place (note the rafters and clay tiles)…
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However, the image reminded me of another abandoned church I had read about in my research for my book:
‘The Old Church of St. Nidan, in Llanidan, North Wales, is a ruin. All that is left of this medieval church are the four stone walls of the western wing and its central arcade. The nineteenth century clergyman Harry Longueville Jones wrote that the church had succumbed to a ‘melancholy fate’. In 1850, church historian Sir Stephen Glynne wrote that most of the church is ‘open to the skies.’ (partly quoted from Wikipedia, ‘Old Church of St Nidan, Llanidan’, January, 2013).
I think I will use the phrase ‘Open to the Skies’ as the title for my novel. It refers to the fate of an abandoned church, but also to the ability of people to open themselves up to possibilities. I think it is perfect for my book.
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Log Book: March 4, 2013
Area travelled: from ‘field south of Trévins-le-Bas’ to ‘outskirts of Niort’
Distance: 30 minutes 3.0 km
Best view: no best views today; biking on the railroad is not inspiring
Notes: after this, I will be careful to plot my bike trip on roads rather than rails!!!!
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Distance Travelled Feb 21 to Mar 4: 24.0 km (240 minutes of stationary biking)
Total Distance Travelled Jan 30 to Mar 4 : 55.8 km (565 minutes of stationary biking)
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What do you think of the title ‘Open to the Skies’ for my book?
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Copyright Jane Tims 2013