August 29: I was last in Le Puy en Velay in 2015, on my first major trip to Europe in many years. At the time I wrote that it felt like a pilgrimage of sorts. I had set out in search of experiences that would expand my horizons and, hopefully, to discover a few things about myself. I was sufficiently happy with the outcome of the trip that I came back again last year.
Frequent reader(s) will know that the first few days of this trip were quite challenging: a crash and a misplaced passport to name two highlights. It seemed that every day brought some fresh disaster that I needed to sort through while travelling alone. For the last few days I’ve been travelling with my cousin James and best bud Chris. It’s been wonderful having them along, not only for the company and entertainment, but for the personal support and energy they bring.
On his arrival in France last week, Chris tried to prove that I hadn’t cornered the market on disasters when he filled the gas tank on his rental bike with diesel fuel. It was a valiant effort to make me feel better about my mistakes that succeeded beyond his expectations. And James has gone to heroic lengths to ensure that we wake up every morning with a slight hangover. Something for which I will be eternally grateful.
We have travelled mostly in the southwest part of France, having decided not to head for the Pyrenees due to the length of the trip and impending poor weather. We have enjoyed the bikes, the roads and long chats over dinner. I believe we share the realization that we are very fortunate to be able to travel as we do, and where we do. We are healthy and wealthy enough to be able to indulge a passion for motorcycling into our seventh (soon to eighth) decade.
And this is where I have started to wonder when these pilgrimages should end. Although I am very proud of being able to make these trips in my 68th year, I realize that they can be stressful for those around me – especially those who help fix my problems from afar. As well, I have begun to feel that my mental acuity has diminished slightly, and that I am less certain of my ability to ride a bike at a high level of expertise. This is certainly a product of aging, and I know that many people would ask why I continue to ride, never mind ride alone in Europe.
To be honest, I am not sure that I have a good answer. I have had moments on this trip (and the last) where I would have preferred to be home with a coffee and a good book. There are certainly times when I feel that I have “been there and done that” and proven that I can do this sort of trip alone. My ego expands with that thought, but perhaps the time has come to consider more carefully whether further pilgrimages are really necessary at all.