Woke up to a wonderful Saturday morning after a week of dreary skies and intermittent rain. I'm pretty sure fall has fell. The morning temperatures are in the mid 50s (F) and leaves are beginning to fall everywhere. Perhaps that's what spurred Betsy on today.
I did some chores and was sitting at the kitchen table working (yes, that draws a vacuum, doesn't it?) when I thought I heard a faint voice, "Jerry...Jerry." I went back to my work, thinking it was some kids outside, and I just thought I heard my name. Then it happened again, "Jerry....Jerry. It's beautiful this morning." I thought for a minute, "Wait a minute...that sounds like Betsy. Nah, couldn't be."
Then, the voice again, this time more insistent, "I've been couped up in this house all week. JERRY! GET UP! YOU NEVER TAKE ME ANYWHERE!" (What?) GET OFF YOUR DYING BUTT AND ON YOUR DYING FEET AND GET OVER HERE. I WANT TO RIDE!
What could I do? After her performance over the last month how could I deny her anything? In the interest of domestic tranquility I had to go. I was glad I did.
Just outside of Nantes is a bunch of vintners dealing primarily with Muscadet, a white wine for which the region is famous. I knew of this because of one of the several books Marie-Line provided when I first got here. There was a "Le Pays du vignoble nantis" tour suggested in the book. (Nantes Wine Country.) I thought, "What the hell, it's time to check on the grape crop anyway, and, while I'm out I can stop by Il de Or and make a tee time for tomorrow." So, I go get Betsy out of the garage in Saint Luce sur Loire, and off we go.
First, we ride up the Loire River to La Varenne. The Il de Or golf course is on an island in the Loire looked down upon by the Chateau Clermont and Les Folies Siffait. You've seen the pictures posted earlier. A few minutes there and I have a tee time for Sunday.
I turn southwest out of La Varenne to La Chapelle-Basse-Mer. Passing through I see this great old cemetery and had to take a couple of shots. It was kinda hard to miss that statue in the front.
Reminiscent of New Orleans. Man, these Catholic folks know how to do cemeteries.
A monument to war veterans.
A little later I stop in a shopping center looking for a battery-powered amplifier for my iPod and decide to have a light lunch. This great old Cadillac was on display.
Passing through this little town I noticed these flower boxes placed on the light poles. This is the kind of thing you see over here all the time. I think if much of this was done in the U.S. there'd be all sorts of people talking about the waste of money.
The grape crop is coming along, though it appears to me they could really use some more rain. These guys work like huge suction pumps. They suck water out of the ground like a tree in order to make their grapes. Because of this, a single glass of wine can contain up to 300 different chemical compounds. That's why they differ so much...it depends on the ground.
I'm amazed a the difference one can see in the various vineyards. Some are extremely well tended, others seem to be left alone to do what they want.
But, it was a great ride. As a further reward for her service, Betsy got a very complete bath after we returned from this ride. She earned it.
