Camino de Santiago de Compostela 2013 Canadian Pilgrims on Bikes: Trek Domane Conquers the Champs Elysees!

Success was had at the Bike Shop

Tour du Lac in Paris

Just before our ride around the Arc.

You may notice that the traffic before 7:00 a.m. is just a little less than normal!

Dan leading the Happy Life

The Giant bike store that saved the day!

A simple meal in Paris

Le Baiser by Rodin at the L'Orangerie

A really neat wallscape in Paris, walking back from the Eiffel Tower

How early do you have to get up to get this shot?

When you only have 48 hours in Paris you get up at 6 even after a good night out!

Out of sequence shot of Dan and Ian at terminal 3 CDG in Paris awaiting arrival of our friends from Calgary

On the banks of the Seine

John, Ian and Dan after riding the Champs Elysees

Dan, Nola, Klari and John at the Place de La Concorde

Saturday morning at the Musee D'Orsay

from the Musee D'Orsay

This morning the whole group started the day with a pre breakfast ride through the streets of Paris that make up the last stage of the Tour de France. We stepped out of the Citadines Saint Germain des Pres, turned left, then right onto the Pont Neuf, a few metres to the Rue de Rivoli, on to the Place Concorde and then the Champs Elysees!

   The traffic was light and the weather fantastic! It's really incredible the the pros can ride shoulder to shoulder at the speeds that they do as the cobbstone, brick, asphalt and cement make for a bumpy and dangerous surface. Fortunately for me the Trek Domane was made for these conditions and for those that we will ride next week on the Camino de Santiago. The compliance provided by the ISO Speed technology truly makes a difference and allowed me to stay in the saddle and to stay in control.

   Today was my first opportunity to try out my Aeolus 3 D3 Carbon Wheels and so far they are living up to expectations. They passed the test on the cobblestone and I'm sure they won't disappoint on Monday and Tuesday in the Pyrenees.

   I'm hoping to share some pics today but I've been defeated by technology for the last 24 hours.

   Yesterday was a long day as we didn't get much sleep on the plane and ever since have been trying to get the most out of our 2 days in Paris. We put the bikes together yesterday and right away noticed a disconnected shift cable so off to the bike shop we went. The team at the Giant bike shop on Blvd Henri IV started the repair before we finished describing the problem, sold us some CO2 cartidges and a Europe Garmin map set, all in minutes, and restored our faith in humanity!

   After the bike ride today we visited the Musee d'Orsay followed by a visit to L'Orangerie. Suffice it to say that we overdosed on Impressionist Art. We tried to go up the Eiffel Tower but the line ups were incredible.