Double Dutch

He wandered over after I had just arrived at the campsite, admitting afterward that it was to give me advice on how to pitch the tent - "not under a tree as it will take longer to dry." Not that it was going to rain. I am Admittedly I looked like an amateur as I was taking my time over my first pitch of the ride.

He may have wished that he'd kept his thoughts to himself as I then talked his socks off for the next 2 hours - his and his wife's. I think I was making up for two weeks of solitude.

They were Dutch, he was body builder but had given it up in later life and his wife a teacher. I shared all my thoughts and stories over one of his beers. My stories generally last two hours but now they know them all.

He's going to do the Santiago del Compostello route on his bike next year when he retires, but by himself so he can pitch his tent however he wants. And his wife seemed keen for him to go off and do it.

The photo shows looking back down on the campsite after climbing half way out of the Moselle valley next morning to ride over the top to Verdun and the river Meuse.