I'm about to leave Le Mans behind after 3 weeks that flew by like the wind. This city marks a turning point in my trip. When I arrive here early July I was exactly 2 months on the road after 5500ish km, on a trip that is bound to last 4 months. Anything after it belongs to the second part of this journey. I totally luck out on the weather as the rain that was bound to fall today occurred last night so now it all looks much better than it could be. I "au revoir" my smiley hosts and their cat, and I hit the road on much better conditions than I expected:
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Almost halfway between Paris and Le Mans I make a first fuel stop at this service station near Brou:
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I fill with enough gas to make it to Belgium where fuel is more reasonably priced and then I park appropriately for a very short break as it's too early for a normal one:
I ride on with cloudy weather but as long as its dry its fine:
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I told you about French fuel prices before so here's a chance to have a look at them at a next service station:
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/243qB3h7BrB6abHED4w7fTDCe8Luf8L6LsYdDrsvsewWJAbTK1cq52f7xh8ZYCDEAEyKA.jpg)
Weather get more indecisive about whether it's gonna rain or not but still dry:
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/242NcUbzd4dhx2DcZhEDiLc8gste5G93o8CTQdKokDbGRcMkQzmaZCoNeV2R9XkQUuLDF.jpg)
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I make it near Paris,
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/23zRyL2GS5N3CcuApnsa9G6dsJV9QUp1GNonweGPCVfaSr6XZhqWp12cjJbLh7KW6CKFB.jpg)
where even on the highway the traffic gets noticeably heavier:
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/243fpFKUZLXHd4TYN7MShARSKTWnoLVB9nZa2ZvouCDhpayzFuwfLhBqQ4xyTBjY7uUgs.jpg)
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I squeeze me my bike and my luggage between those countless trucks and after I leave Paris behind I make one stop at this station NE of Paris:
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/244xyyzpXe1z72SoUALiZkBgs6ZSZS7gFLSNy4gG8zEN1Pzgsi6mqTHwU2K5pS4V4dpvu.jpg)
This time I also have a bite on some cereal bars I carry while I watch the stylish shed for the electric car charging spots:
As I get back on the road the first drops of rain land on my windscreen:
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/23zkhuBkhK9oMcVXfvdc114kdzACZxPHhyP5xmCTB28GcBfPg723aNKgZRqfLeeomNkDT.jpg)
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Almost an hour later I make one more stop but this time to do the thing a king does without escort, at this station near Remy:
Pretty convenient for such a job as you can see with all these trees around but it's so pathetic to see how people trash such places:
Time to hit the road again:
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/23ycymcXkPk7cwnb4mnfzm5F5rG2broDTyQiYpRc4vhQbGT3hXpH71SnJaw3cSnM1FGxv.jpg)
Dark cloud gathering ahead:
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/242Y5potAyK3Hn2L2JnZ9AzXuYKgobrsb8ctqfVYkn55Pc1wsxqVdX8C4owhFVxyPLyAr.jpg)
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No surprise it rains again soon:
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/241tV7EB1UyeQHE7mokTmVtqTsVj4vmwKuWJmpp2bngRWXMiMiYjLPKUrNMa3xoqhuRn4.jpg)
It stops for a little while,
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/243BeUJxe1DPLRS3RkiAchiknbx3caD5ZAFStCDS9EvKM2183vUzu4eMhjRLU8MSri8pg.jpg)
but as soon as I enter Belgium it goes on again,
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/244eCTALQC14B3biBqHJwC6wpsegqxYDPs4ixsXTy8Yjp4u9cRzWKcZjVTDafUfy1ER4W.jpg)
and even harder:
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/241tSkKxMUPnvBY8H6j8Y1WM12WBR3eDUcXtBzsXyFHQEaCXJPcvZJUS1se4KWQbYj4cB.jpg)
I skipped recording the real heavy rain later as there wasn't much to see anyway. I fill up my tank with the cheaper Belgian fuel (as in Netherlands it's even more expensive than France) which give me the chance for one more short but dry break:
Pity I can't approach these horses for a better picture:
After 6ish hours on the road I finally enter the Netherlands:
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/243q945brNFbkd7EeQY99gvYJ7oAfoX7LEs5VmfdsPguzT6JtcTvo1GAw3A6yktYsxtgA.jpg)
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As soon as my tires step over Dutch tarmac the weather becomes instantly much better:
![](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/orestistrips/243LvdeSXwfDF9BCNcwyFULwHbnpGqKFNphVY5jM2j75RLDFqbfJRSwCpWp3jp26GnKg4.jpg)
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As if the weather's welcoming isn't enough, my next hosts bring it to another level with this local recipe:
And a nice casual beer:
Lovely, people, I took care of their house last year when they were away for holidays and we became good friends ever since. This year I am for the same reason so stay tuned for more Dutch stories.
Here's a video of the ride as usual with my music in 4K:
See you on the next one!
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