Month: February 2006

As you have no doubt noticed, Serge is spending less time on the road for almost the same number of kilometers.  So, his kilometer per hour average has increased slightly these days.

He feels well, he wants to stop before night fall and he is using the “Cyrano” method, i.e. run 1’15”, walk 45″.  That way, strange as it may seem, he goes faster.

This morning the temperature is -13°C, with thick fog which has reduced visibility to 20 meters.  Serge looks like Santa Claus, with his white beard and red jacket.  The ends of his fingers are frozen in spite of his winter sports gloves.

At km 15 we crossed the border between Macedonia and Greece (113 km run in Macedonia).  There was no check at customs, just a formal police control.  Exceptionally, Fulvio got permission to film the two border posts.  Entering Greece, because of the fear of aviary flu, we had to disinfect our feet and the tires of the vehicles.

Once through the border the sun came out to announce a beautiful day.  The scenery is magnificent: the trees are covered with snow which has frozen and it reminds us of France at the end of December.

The air has warmed up a bit and Serge is advancing on relatively flat terrain at an altitude of 600 meters.  At km 60, Serge was attacked by a pack of dogs and the Ultrasound beeper he wears did nothing to ward them off.  On the day’s tracking by the Garmin software the increase in Serge’s heart beat makes the moment visible.  “I though I was going to be eaten because I was surrounded and they bared very sharp fangs at me.  I stopped a car to give me some help.”

We have put our watches ahead one hour.  From now on when it’s 7H00 in France it will be 8H00 for us.