We slept well, although we are missing air conditioning. Ironically this is so far our hottest European bike trip. (Maybe we aren’t quite close enough to fall yet.) We woke up early so we made a quick trip to the bakery nearby to get fresh bread. (The bread we bought at the end of the day was getting stale – they don’t put it in plastic bags here – everyone just gets fresh bread every day.)

For breakfast we had eggs, bread (a lot of bread), granola, yogurt, and a lot of juice. We are 4-5 liters in on the stuff we bought last night.

We took an Uber (Bolt) to church. Missionaries provided translation for me and Natalie enjoyed listening in French. The ward was so diverse and welcoming. I think we could benefit by adopting their mindset.

After church we headed downtown. We walked through Old Lyon, with narrow roads and densely packed restaurants and shops. It was interesting to people watch. I know how different they are from me. They find joy and relaxation in sitting together and talking. I tend to be too hurried. I think I would’ve been frustrated waiting for the food service, but it seems that here waiting for the food service is considered to be a positive part of the experience.

We walked through two beautiful cathedrals. It is always inspiring to think of the faith and devotion required to build such magnificent buildings. I felt peace.

The second cathedral we toured was on the top of the hill, which overlooked all of Lyon. The view was amazing.

We took public transportation home, a combination of subway and bus route. We have generally enjoyed using public transportation on our trips.

Once home, we made dinner. Last night we had purchased pasta and pasta sauce. That, along with some green beans and cucumber, made for a healthy, filling meal.

I continue to think about the experience of packing for these trips. Last year we carried with us a tent, sleeping pads, and sleeping bags. It probably represented a quarter or more of our luggage (not counting our Bike). We only used these items once. There were a few clothing articles we didn’t use at all. Early in our trip last year we almost lost our brake pads, which are about the size of two quarters. Has we lost them it would’ve stopped our progress for days. So we carried things we didn’t need and we failed to bring along a few things that would’ve been useful to have. I wonder how many times in life I do the same but with things of greater importance. How often do I carry with me unnecessary burdens and how often do I miss small things that would make a material difference in my existence? By the end of a bike trip it is easy to sort out what I should’ve carried and what I shouldn’t have. I wonder if at the end of my life I will make the same observation.