Pedaling for Pastries

"Just keep pedaling, just keep pedaling..."  Touring alone means lots of internal dialogue.  Sometimes it's deep, even insightful and sometimes it's, well, like static on the radio.  The last few days I've been waffling back and forth between a goal driven, "Must get to Strasbourg! Must get to Strasbourg!" (said with a slight German accent), and a more laid back "Pedal slower! Soak it up, man! Ah, France!"  I think it's the latter voice that prevails when I take a detour into a village that I suspect will have a great Patisserie (bakery).

There's something about pedaling a bike (especially when I'm not pedaling it very hard) that makes me feel more youthful.  Maybe it's just the childish simplicity off it: make the pedals go around and you'll get to new places!  Well, the local pastry shops are some of my favorite "new places".

Yesterday, the weather was warmer so coffee didn't sound quite as good.  I stopped at a cute bakery in a little village and walked inside.  The folks that worked there were all smiles.  I ordered everything that looked appetizing.  The lady behind the counter would describe what something was (in French), I wouldn't understand but would order it anyway.  I went outside and sat on the curb and dove in.  The first pastry "Pate Lorrain" (named after the region I was pedaling through)  was still warm and had some sort of meat inside!  Perfect, it was lunchtime, anyway!  The second was a quiche made with chicken...divine.  Then I had my coffee flavored eclaire.  Still a bit peckish but wanting to save my Religieuse for latter in the day, I walked back in.  I ordered some huge whipped cream thing with strawberries and told the lady not to box it up...I was going to eat it right away.  She laughed and made sure to hand me a napkin.  I went back out to my spot on the curb.  Well, the child within definitely came out as I sunk my face into that one!  There's even a picture to prove it!