Sunday, 29 July
Left my home and my love in Saignon and drove several hours to my first stop just south of Le Puy (known for lentils) in the mountainous Auvergne, in a little commune on the Loire called Coubon. I’m starting very close to the source of the Loire and will follow the river until it flows into the Atlantic Ocean past Nantes.
My first night is a camping rehearsal. I’ll practice setting up my tent and my camp stove, and I’ll see how the sleeping arrangement works with my companion, Beau, a 3-year-old greyhound. If you’re going to take a camping trip with a greyhound you’re better off in France, where everyone loves dogs, and you must be willing to get hours of exercise. I am, and I will.