The “canal” starts out by crossing a 40km long inland lake. We stayed on the south side next to the Mediterranean, taking a bike path along a narrow set of sand dunes, and where our first night’s campsite was. It was a very popular path that unfortunately ends too soon, dumping you out onto busy highways with no shoulders. But we worked our way into central Adge where we rejoined the route just before it connected with the actual canal.
Our first discovery was a 3 way lock. At this point boats could choose multiple directions at a T intersection. And it was only the first of many unusual combinations – including a 7 lock ramp that has become overrun by tourists! Unfortunately, many photos – which we take using our regular camera, will have to wait to be added later, when we return home and have a computer to do the transfer. While on the road, we have only an iPhone, and can only post the photos we take using it.
Our excitement in finally starting to ride on the actual canal – was quickly dashed by the quality of the path. Our guide book had warned us it was narrow and unpaved in places, but we didn’t know that after rain it was completely impassible by our bike, and we had to walk often.
Marin mountain bikers would love this trail. 100s of kilometers of single track dirt that is so narrow you usually have to stop every few minutes to let those going in the other direction get by.
Fortunately, it has mostly dried up by the afternoons, and we’ve been able to find a few alternative nearby roads. Every once in a while we get a wider gravel path and even pavement – which we understand will become more frequent the further west we get. Those sections are fabulous, as the canal is lined with majestic sycamores – and the red poppies are in full bloom right now.
Even parts of the single track are lined with tall flowers, and while it can be difficult to find and keep on the narrow path – it’s like floating through meadows.
But photos can’t show the whole story. We have noticed that most cyclists are traveling west to east, and now know why. One thing a cyclist never wants to see up ahead, is the back side of fast rotating wind turbines! We battled 30km headwinds all day, and the weather report says we have 2-3 more days just like it coming up. It’s making for a tougher than expected first week. But we seem to be holding up very well, especially considering that the late Switzerland spring kept us from getting into the shape we wanted to be by the start of the ride.