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| The iconic lighthouse at Cap Ferret is one of the few I have ever seen with a red lens. The lighthouse uses a 250-watt lightbulb to shine a red beacon of light up to 22 nautical miles (40 km) away. I love this image with a little red fishing boat parked on the street. It is almost as if the lighthouse serves another purpose in this photo. |
Rats! The front tire of my bicycle is flat this morning. I guess this is why the bike shop owner gave me a small can of Fix-A-Flat. I thought I wasn't going to need it. đ I ride on tubeless tires on my road bike in Colorado. I find tubeless tires to be superior to riding on innertubes. This allows the tire to be more responsive. In addition, there are a few ounces of puncture seal inside the tires at all times. These types of punctures are immediately fixed.
I think the Fix-A-Flat will bail us out, but I need to ride the bike to activate the liquid and seal the puncture, I tell CĂ©line. "We can ride to the market this morning in the city center. It's a few kilometers away. We can see what they have for making a picnic lunch," she says. That sounds great. What do you think of riding to the south end of Cap Ferret for the picnic lunch, I say. She smiles and says, "Super!"
When I arrive at the market, I check the front tire and lock up the bikes. The tire feels inflated, and I don't see or hear any leaks. That might have worked, I tell CĂ©line. "Chouette. Let's go see what we can find inside," she says.
I am surprised by what I find inside. There are all sorts of goodies. For example, I purchased a piece of the Fleur d'Espelette at this cheese vendor, the small orange quarter round made in the Pyrenees Mountains. I continue flaneuring my way through the market, picking up a few other things that intrigue me before meeting up with CĂ©line. "I bought a bottle of champagne for tonight. We can celebrate your birthday," she says, smiling. You are amazing! Looking at the bottle, I reflect back. I cannot recall ever having had champagne to celebrate my birthday before. "Birthdays are a big deal here in France," she says as she tucks the bottle into her shopping bag.
When I arrive at the bike, the front tire is flat again. Well, this will derail our plans. Looks like we need to find a bike repair shop, I tell CĂ©line. "I remember passing one near a bakery. I can buy some bread while you work on fixing the tire," she says.
It takes me a while to find options for the repair. It is especially slow because I must push the bike everywhere I go. I cannot ride the bike with a flat tire. Plus, the panniers are full now, making pushing even harder. I laugh at the situation. This isn't what I had in mind for my birthday. Fortunately, I'm not in a hurry either. Pushing a bike is one of the most inefficient ways to travel.
At the second bike shop, the staff is unsure if they can fix it. I have no other options short of calling the rental shop in Audenge, and it would take easily over an hour for him to arrive. "It will take about an hour. We don't normally carry this size of tire or tube. I'll see what I can do. Do you want to go across the street to the restaurant and wait?" says the young man at the repair shop. I let him know I appreciate him looking at it. Then, I walk across the street and find a table in the shade. Eventually, CĂ©line joins me at the restaurant, and I fill her in while we sit on the patio enjoying a refreshing drink.
To my surprise, the repair shop found a spare inner tube of the right size and installed it. What do I owe you? I ask him. "I'm not sure. This is a bike part we don't normally sell. I have no repair code on the cash register. Whatever you want to pay," he says. Okay, how does 10 Euros sound? The young man smiles and nods. I thank him for his help and for bailing me out. Then, I jump on the bike and head down the road with CĂ©line.
The view of Dune de Pilat, across the Bay, is clear today. There's no better place for a picnic than enjoying this view.
CĂ©line pulls out a blanket, and we begin laying out the spread for lunch. Fresh tomatoes and melon, cheese, a baguette, and fish ceviche. I love ceviche, but this fish cevichĂ© is not even close to the same quality as Pedrito's in Madrid. CĂ©line looks at me and says, "The ceviche is not very good, is it?" I shake my head while grimacing. I say, No. It's not good at all. đ You know we've been lucky with everything we've tried. We will try some things occasionally that will be a miss. This was a miss, and I am okay with that. She agrees, and when we wrapped up lunch, she tossed the funky fish dish in the thrash. đ
I am ready for a swim and would love to see the southern tip of the peninsula. How do you feel? I ask CĂ©line. "Yeah, I'm ready to get back on the bikes. There's a beach on the south end where we can swim," she says.
Riding around the exclusive neighborhoods of Cap Ferret is interesting. The neighborhood's streets are not paved, and development is limited on this southeast part of the peninsula. Several of the houses are being restored. Actually, restored is not the right word. They are undergoing major renovations, with many of the homes being stripped down to the bare bones. The roads are closed to vehicles for non-residents, but cyclists and pedestrians can wander around freely.
At the peninsula's southern tip is a parking area for bicycles and cars. Looks like we need to walk a bit. There is no direct access to the beach here. How far do you think it is? I ask. "I'm not sure. It's too bad the beach looks nice here. We have time, so let's find out," CĂ©line says. I look at my phone and check the time. Yeah, we have time.
After about 15 minutes of walking west, I finally glimpse the public access to the beach. Are those World War II bunkers in the water?" I ask Celine as I point to the algae-covered concrete blocks. "Yes. There are many sites like this scattered all over the French coastline," she says.
"Is there anything else you want to do today?" asks CĂ©line. Nope. This is the perfect day! I am doing exactly what I wanted to do when I asked you to join me in Cap Ferret. I wanted a relaxing few days in Cap Ferret with great company, and here I am, I say with a smile. The ocean is refreshing. It is slightly overcast, so it isn't too hot. I wouldn't change a thing. I am, however, surprised by the undertow current at this beach. It is pretty strong, and if I let myself float, it would sweep me out towards the Dune de Pilat.
After cleaning up, CĂ©line offers to prepare dinner while I work on my post. Soon, she brings out a real smorgasbord using things we bought earlier in the day at the market. There's a plate of fresh fruit, bread, and another with seafood containing red tuna, ceviche, octopus, and tiny shrimp. To round out the meal, there's a bottle of champagne. "Happy Birthday, Martin," she says, raising her glass.
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