Day 28: Monday, 6 June 1983

Start: Hotel, Cannes, France

End: Campground, Sainte Maxime, France

A refreshing two-day pause in Cannes at a nice hotel came to about US$130 for two nights, four meals, and a supply of beer. I probably didn't spend that much all the way up and across Italy. No problem. I just handed over my American Express card. I don't intend to throw away my money, but it's nice to be able to spend it when I feel like it.

The hotel gave me a good supply of croissants, strawberry tarts, and orange juice for the road, so I departed around 10:30 and rolled along beaches and through resort towns. Weather a little warm, but no rain and no problem with wind. It's a lovely, prosperous coast. At one point, on a peninsula of rust-colored rock walls, cliffs, outcroppings, peaks, and pine forests I was reminded of parts of the coast of Maine.

But this is a bit more expensive. I stopped for a beer in a seaside cafe and about fell over when they tried to charge me the equivalent of US$2 for one brew. I complained, thinking they were trying to cheat me, but they showed me the menu and assured me that was the real price. Well, that would cut into anyone's drinking! 

Later I rested by a marker for the Anvil-Dragoon landings in 1944, then found a campground around 4:30 and called it a day.

Conditions 

Distance: 70 km 

Weather: Hot with light breezes 

Road: Good 

Traffic: Busy 

Terrain: Mostly flat, a little rolling 

Mechanical: All is well 

Physical: Feeling rested