Food of the Day: rousquilles fondantes
, they were shockingly rich, and a delicacy we were sorry not to have seen before in bakeries or stores. Nibbling eagerly, we were extra glad for the opportunity to sample "local flavor" from the Roussillon region.
Person of the Day: Alain and Georges 
: Alain and George. Their cordial welcome to the area and wonderfully open demeanor resulted in a loss of the time advantage we had given ourselves, but we could not have cared less. We were excited about both them and their bikes and they were more than helpful in talking about the former and showing and telling us about how the latter work. Our lucky encounter with these two dedicated cyclists was worth every hour we spent with them. We only wish that we could have had many, many more. 
and have been training together and competing as "handicapped" bicycle racers for nearly ten years. Neither of them has the ability to use his legs, but have they let this slow them down? Not one little bit. They have raced in competitions all over Europe, and also participated in special events in the U.S. and North Africa. They are dedicated athletes not at all concerned about (in fact, quite proud of) the special kind of bicycles they use. 
It was no surprise to us that they have also worked in various capacities with students and other organizations to increase and improve understanding about handicaps and the exciting opportunities open to everyone interested in athletics. Today, Alain is president of the Fédération Française Handisport's Narbonne branch and is in charge of overseeing the sports activities for handicapped people in the area.
Lightweight and custom-made (by a company called Top End), these machines were designed for speed! Two larger wheels on either side of the "seat" are what the rider uses to propel himself forward while a smaller wheel at the end of a single forward-stretching bar is used for steering. The handlebars, aerodynamically situated behind the front wheel and beneath the "bar" can be used for sharp turns or be locked into wide arc positions so that the bike turns even while the rider is devoting all his energy - both arms - to propel the whole contraption. Comfortably squeezed into a surprisingly small space that narrows at the top (thus freeing the rider's arms and shoulders for the power wheel-turning he needs), the rider, wearing special gloves that lock the thumb in an outstretched upright position and pull the rest of the fingers away, jams his thumb against a rubberized guard attached to the wheel, and pushes the wheel around, thus moving the bike forward. The harder and more he pushes, the stronger the thrust, the faster the bike goes. On a downhill, the rider just tucks into a slipstream position and steers. There are brakes, but only on the front wheel. So, of course, they always have to be very careful... especially when they get going really fast! Both Alain and Georges always wear helmets when they bike, and upgrade their frames and other parts about every two years (or as needed), or as the technology advances.
Place of the Day: Perpignan
Tech Fact of the Day: Padraic's summer job
Group Dispatch, June 11-12
But then, looking even higher into the sky, we had no choice but to ponder the skies and wonder how far we would get before the rain hit. While today's cloud layer was welcome relief from the blistering power of the sun, the threat of a downpour was a little unnerving.
As much as Ethan tried to respect this, Corinne was not so easily dissuaded. She rarely is...
as well as Alain's very surprised family. We imagine it's not every day that his wife Nadine and son Anthony find four Americans bikers standing in their driveway. But they got over the novelty and soon enough we were all wrapped up in the activities of a very productive afternoon. 
Over refreshments, including rousquilles fondantes (our Food of the Day ), Alain gave us a few tips on the best roads to Perpignan. 
He also invited a local newspaper correspondent to come learn about our project. And then Nadine offered to make us all lunch. WOW! It's not too often (very rare, in fact) that on a cycling day we have a luxuriously long, elaborate, sit-down lunch! What had we stumbled upon? And where do such nice people come from, anyhow?
(who tired them both out soon enough 
). Anthony is a true bundle of energy who is just beginning to come into his own as an excellent athlete. He had already just won his first real trophy celebrating his finish in a running/swimming biathlon! Meanwhile, Ethan presented the BikeAbout Web site to our hosts and new friends. As cycling enthusiasts who frequently go on tour to sports events for handicapped athletes, they were quite encouraging of our efforts. In turn, both Alain and Georges shared information about some of the organizations that organize sports activities for handicapped people. In fact, as it turned out, Alain is also the President of the Narbonne chapter of the Fédération Française Handisport. (For more information and pictures about Alain and Georges, and the activities of the organizations in which they are proud members, see the longer description at the People of the Day.)
That was when we first encountered the wind.
and were not encouraged.
and make the obligatory morning phone calls to make arrangements Spain, as we'd cross the border in the late afternoon. As Corinne watched the other BikeAbouters monopolize the phone booths 
, she thought that if only BikeAbout had bought stock in all the Mediterranean telecommunications companies, we'd have no budget worries at all and could have paid Padraic to stay and continue carrying his share of gear! Oh well.
, the last important French coastal city before the Pyrénées Mountains and the Spanish frontier. We cycled around just to take in some of the flavor and then paid a short visit to the Castle of the Kings of Majorca. 
were the homes of lions reared in captivity. We did not visit the interior of the building (or the moats!) - not enough time - but the exterior, including the imposing entrance 
and incredible VIEW 
were quite distracting.
However, you can bet we all held on tight and enjoyed the ride.
When we got to within sight of the wind-thrashed coastal waters, the water's surface was alive with waves and frosted with whitecaps. 
, but it doesn't amount to much anymore when compared to the capital brought in by eager and hungry tourists. Medieval Collioure, with its excellent natural port, was Roussillon's primary trading point, especially during the Crusades. Later, when the 15th-century Catalan navy was one of the greatest maritime forces in the Mediterranean, Collioure attracted quite a bit of attention. The Royal Castle - built over a dungeon from the time of the Kingdom of Majorca - which divides the town into two parts dates from this time as well and is an amazing backdrop for vacationers. 
Collioure is also famous for its wine, highly acclaimed in part because the yield is so small. We thought about this as we purchased food for lunch, but the thought of the many kilometers ahead drove us toward cold iced tea instead.
, the "tra montana" was a real challenge. A more than forceful wind, it actually carried us UP a few hills - yes, UP! But, as often as we were blown forward, we were also set back by sudden gusts when we came around turns or found ourselves in a surprise wind tunnel. But what an experience to be blown up a hill. We felt like we were cheating nature. That said, on the descents, sometimes we had to pedal HARD coming around a bend, again keeping alert for the sudden sideways gust that could send a person straight into oncoming traffic.
but we did the best we could despite Corinne's careening hair. 
Here's a great shot looking back at Collioure 
and another showing the wind-snarled water crashing against the breakwaters protecting Collioure's harbor. 
was a pretty big deal, geographically and BikeAbout-wise. Why? Well, because it's our last country (before Gibraltar, which isn't a country unto itself, but part of the United Kingdom)! After 22 other countries and territories, we had finally reached the last significant border crossing. We paused for a moment to size up what the Spanish coast had to offer. It looked beautiful, enticing, and daunting, but also doable, all 2,740 kilometers (1701 mi) of it. 
and in the form of real and imaginary soldiers on the road shoulder. 
We could only guess what was next.
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or Corinne 
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