une interview bientôt en japonais
"j’ai pas le temps, j’ai un petit boulot à faire"
"quand je serai grand, je ferai le tour du monde en courant"
"oui Laure, je viens d’annocer mon nouveau projet – ne t’en déplaise"
préparation de la salade de pâtes, avec amour svp !
une fervente supportrice
fin d’étape sous la fournaise
D242 – 75.2Km
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16
N38 54.970 E139 50.207 (27 m – Sakata) – N39 28.995 E140 02.559 (27m – 10 km after Honjo)
75.2 km – 10H59′
It was a flat profile, at sea level in oppressive heat (the thermometer was stuck at +50° Celsius in the sun) with always the same objective: 75 kilometers. Serge didn’t give in. We have not become bored with the scenery and from here we have a view of an imposing mountain: The 2,236 meter Chokaisan volcano, which is no longer active.
Each day brings us more supporters, who stop at the roadside to shake Serge’s hand and pose for a photo. Two old women gave him two bottles of vitamin drink, another lady followed the coast looking for Serge. When she found him she jumped out of her car and threw her arms around his neck. Serge’s popularity increases every day, thanks to newspapers and television. Today we had the visit of a new team: Akita TV. All the media ask a question I wish they would keep to themselves: “What is your next project?” Serge wasn’t evasive, the response was gripping: “Around the world with not one single day of rest.”
In the meantime, tonight we are waiting to see the local TV news and perhaps get a glimpse of Serge. In place of the interview, which will no doubt be aired tomorrow, we learned that a bear visited three houses in the township of Akita. It’s not rare for these animals to enter homes by breaking windows and then help themselves to food in the refrigerator. Believe me, this is not a joke. Another report concerned five people who were injured when monkeys attacked them to steal their picnic. Tomorrow we will go through the village where that happened and Eliane isn’t sure she wants to handle the feedings. To finish, the weather forecast shows a typhoon passing the Island of Kyushu toward Korea and gives us a choice of weathers because there is a cloud over the sun and an umbrella over both. As for Serge, he is already in bed sleeping blissfully.