Europe Sept/Oct 2006

Attended the Science & Technology Indicators Conference, Leuven, 2006, hired a tandem from DeTours with Marg to tour the Loire Valley, then joined friends on a Nivernais Canal Boat for a couple of days before visiting friends in Lyon and Chambery, biking a bit of the Tour de France route along the way. Then got the Eurostar to Britain to visit Loughborough and Wolverhampton universities, and the National Library of Wales; exploring Britain's national cycle network along the way.

Trying the local brew at the STI conference	Marg investigating Leonardo's tank, Amboise	Giles plotting our Châteaux tour	Isobel and Marg in the Cher garden	Approaching Chenonceau from the towpath
Catching up with Captain Haddock at Marlinspike Hall (alias Château de Cheverny)	Marg and Al at Château de Troussay	Balloon over Amboise	Marg and Al airborne	Marg admires the garden with a local, Château de Jallanges
The Loire at Brehémont: on the Loire à Vélo route	Lunch with Villandry vegetables	5-way intersection in the Chinon Forest: Marg models the très chic garbage bag as wet weather gear.	The kiwi canal boat crew in all black uniform	John locking the boat
Burgundy cow	Lyon riverfront	Catching up with Don after 25 years	The climb to Alpe d'Huez	Top of Col du Galibier
National Cycle Route marker between Loughborough and Derby	Pennine Cycleway north of Buxton (most of the route is much better surfaced than this!)	Near Widdop Moor	Brecon Beacons	Thomas the Tank engine at Bitton on the Bristol-Bath cycle track