In the beginning there was a shell.....

It all started a year ago. Wandering through the french town of Chatellerault, I looked down to my feet to find a small brass plaque embedded in the cobbles. It was a simple shell. No words, nothing... Commenting to myself on the bizarre placement of such a feature I wandered off in search of 'une tasse de the'.   A few days later after visiting a church, a shrine for Jean D'arc enthusiasts, I was greeted by a long string of twinkling scallop shells draped across a notice board. Intrigued and forever on the hunt for the bizarre, I wandered over to find out what was with these shells.... and there it was.(Sign No. 1)

It turns out the scallop shell is a symbolic metaphor. The grooves in the shell, which come together at a single point, represent the various routes pilgrims traveled, eventually arriving at a single destination: the tomb of James, in Santiago de Compostela.  I had just been introduced to the Chemin St Jaques (Way of Saint James, el Camino de Santiago) a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where legend has it that the remains of the apostle, Saint James the Great, are buried.

The Chemin St Jaques has existed for over a thousand years. It was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during medieval times Apparently pilgrims would set off from their homes at the 'right' moment to make this self directed pilgrimage taking anywhere from  weeks to months to complete the way, depending on the starting point.

"WOW... imagine taking the time out of life to make such a pilgrimage" said the little voice in my head...  Oh yeah!! like I have three weeks to walk through France?  "No..." the voice answered, "you cant walk it, but you could cycle it....?!!"  Shaking my head I took stock of the facts... I didn't have a bike, I hadn't cycled for over thirty years and exercise was limited to walking my dog....  I laughed to myself, hushed the voice and continued with my holiday.

When I got back to Kent, I was home all of three days when I 'found' myself in Everndens bike shop in Paddock Wood...  and there it was,  a steed...  a beautiful, awesome, white and shiny road bike!! I looked at the price tag... Damn, that was SO not happening and I walked out.  But a few days later I was back...  I just had to have another look!  A young sales man came over to talk to me about the bikes and when I commented on my fear of such a  bike just sitting in the shed after a few 'outings', the young man told me of an all girls cycle club, the Kent Velo Girls (click KVG for more info!!) As soon as I was home I picked up the phone... "Hello Kent Velo Girls....? I'd like to buy a bike but I think I might need some help......."(Sign No. 2)