Ordinary, lazy stupid. Let's do this!

Looking fresh. Right before the start. Probably the last picture you get to see from me up here ;)

Day 1: Bidart to Hossegor. 61 kilometer (don’t ask me why I thought it’s only 40km to Hossegor).

What’s new: Everything.

Useful tool of the day: GPS “Garmin 800”. Not sure how it works,, but I already depend on it.

Heros of the day: The Elleringtons for having me. Regi hosts me even though she is sick. Her soup built me up! 
Soundtrack (listen to this while you read my post): Josh Garrels – Beyond the blue.

Today, 11am.

Uta: “Cynthia, I am so ashamed. How unprepared can someone possibly be? I am so stupid.”

Cynthia: “No, you are inspiring.”

Uta: “Maybe. An inspiration of stupidity.”

Maybe stupid is a strong word, but I really can’t believe how unprepared I started this. I know, the blog does look pretty professinal (thank you Laura + Sarah), but I am not. I don’t know what I am doing. I have never changed a tire in my whole life. I have never cycled more than 20 kilometer a day ever before.

I am not sure what kind of Uta you want to get to know in this blog.

- If you want to think of me as a semi-professional who you can learn from - then go and read section A at the end of this page (black, italic). I'd love to be the well-prepared girl and I'd love to be a perfect example of discipline and prepreation. Come on, read it, admire me!

- If you are ready for the truth, though, you should read section B below (gray, bold). Because this is what’s going on.

I am very embarassed about most of the stuff on this, such as th lie and the thesis. Ashamed to the point that I am not sure yet if I will really upload this. But I think that’s the only way this blog makes sense. I am a very ordinary person sitting on a bike. And I am pretty stupid and lazy sometimes ;)

Doing it anyway is what counts.

So come watch a lazy, ordinary and stupid girl (no worries, I like myself inspite of that stuff) cross France on a bike.

Cynthia: “It is not about knowing your equipment perfectly. It’s about your strength, your head, your heart.”

Oh, yeah, abuot today - it was wonderful! I saw old farms and old men in old pants working on the fields and talking to their cows. I am happy. And I never fell off my bike.

Section A - Pro Uta (everyone, please read only this)

-         I have a great bike and great equipment. I invested in high quality and I did a lot of research on the internet and lots of bike shop tours in Köln in the last months.

-         I know that I am very strong, physically. My body surprises me with its strength and I rely on that for this trip.  

-         I know some French.

-         I did a big hiking trip before (2011, 400km in 16 days) and I have some experience from that.

Section B - Loser Uta (this is what’s happening)

-         I turned my Bachelor thesis in today. Well, my friend Lisa had to turn it in for me, I only sent the pdf to the copy shop. The day you go on a 1300 km bike trip might not be the best day to turn your thesis in. You only do that if you didn't manage to do it before. I obviously didn't manage.  

-         I didn’t really work out the past three weeks. It was super hot in Bidart, and I am lazy, and also, I love croissants and napping.

-         I took the GPS out of its box for the first time today, two hours before I left. Lovely Elli installed the Mirco-SD-card which I orderd last week. I still can’t believe I got away with this. Not very responsible.

-         I stopped at a bike store to ask them to check my bike. Just because. They were really nice and did it for free. When they asked where I had come frome, I said: “San Sebastian”. I am not proud of this lie. I just was too ashamed to admit that I had just started and have only been biking for 1.5 kilometers so far.

-         I took my helmet off when I took a break. 10 km later, going down a hill, I felt a breeze around my head and realized: I am not wearing my helmet anymore. I stop in shock. Where did I lose it?? When I turn around, I see it just chilling out on the bike rack.

-         I hung out between three roundabouts in Bayonne for about an hour. I just couldn’t figure them out and the GPS wasn’t quick enough and I just didn’t realize one street was closed... anyway. France loves roundabouts, I not so much anymore. 
-    I pushed my bike up 3 hills today, breathing like an elephant giving birth.