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The 'simple question' that can change your mind about global warming

(CNN)Fox News anchor Chris Wallace earlier this week asked one of the most important questions put to the Trump administration during its first 100 days in office.

"Simple question, what if you're wrong?" he asked on Sunday.

Wallace directed this short-but-mind-blowingly-critical question at Scott Pruitt, the head of the US Environmental Protection Agency. The context was climate change. The implication: What if you're wrong and carbon dioxide pollution -- from burning fossil fuels -- really is the main driver of global warming? That's what a near-consensus of climate scientists say, after all.

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John D. Sutter is a columnist for CNN Opinion who focuses on climate change and social justice.

Homps to Bezier 60k's 30/06

We stayed overnight at a "chamber d'Hote" right on the canal run by a charming English couple. Gemma won our hearts by doing a load of washing for us when we arrived. And Matt made our day the next morning by offering to buy our bikes. He was looking to buy bike's for his customers to use, Des mentioned that we need to sell ours and the job was done. Matt will drive down to Bezier on Saturday to pick them up. WIN WIN!!!!

Canal tunnel

We were under way by 7:30 in high spirits as we no longer had to worry about selling the bikes. I forgot to mention that, Matt drove to the next village at 6:30 to get us fresh bread for breakfast so that we could get away early. Nice man!

Very rough track to start the day with. At the first opportunity we flicked on to a quiet road and sailed along in relative comfort on bitumen. The quiet road turned into a very busy road and after about 20k's we went back to the uncomfortable canal track.
At one stage on the road we were bombing along at nearly 30 kilometres per hour with the help of a tidy tailwind.

We arrived in Bezier in good time, had to have lunch in the bike gear as rooms weren't ready. First glitch in the accommodation arrangements, they didn't have a room for Ken. A quick phone call, (by our hotel) and a room at another hotel a couple of blocks away was secured for Ken.

Only another 50 kilometres to go to finish our ride in Sete tomorrow. 10 days on the bikes, 800 kilometres, tired legs, sore bums and a hell of a lot of fun. A quick swim in the Mediterranean and we will be done. Well maybe after lunch, a short train ride back to Bezier and catch up with the girls.

Bram to Homps 67 k's 29/06

Homps late afternoon

Homps early morning

Bram was a very forgettable little town,  it did however allow us to bring our budget back under control.  Accommodation, lunch, dinner and drinks for 3 was substantially cheaper than dinner and drinks in Toulouse the night before.

The ride to Homps was uneventful, very rough track most of the way with occasional relief through towns and villages. The Canal du Midi not so pretty as a very large number of the beautiful plane trees have had to be removed because of a disease.

The weather is starting to warm up, about, 30 degree when we arrived in Homps.
Homps a very pretty little port town with many cruising boat's coming and going.
We managed to murder a few beers and a rose over lunch.

Toulouse to Bram 81 k's 28/06

Anywhere but the bike!! The legs, the head, the bum didn't want to have anything to do with the bike. It took me the first 15 kilometres to get with the program and start to feel comfortable, bloody hard work. And by the end of the days ride I was riding strongly and enjoying the bike.

A great (grr) ride out of Toulouse, we stepped out of our hotel, crossed the road and we were on the bike path along the Canal du Midi.

Bikes having coffee

Castelnaudry

The first 30 or so kilometres was on the bike paths that we had grown accustomed to - smooth asphalt or well graded gravel. We knew it was going to happen, but still a shock. Very rough ungraded gravel tracks that narrow down to only 20 cm wide in places will be our "piste cyclable" for the next 200 kilometres. Much slower going and much concentration required.

Agen to Toulouse 115 k's 26/06

What a day in the saddle, 115 kilometres, the longest ride that we have done. We were very happy to see our hotel in Toulouse and very pleased with our efforts.

We started riding at 7 and clocked in to our Hotel at 2:30. Great riding along the Garrone canal, probably the prettiest we have seen. Beautiful Sunshine, not hot and the best part of all, not much wind.







The Giant "Roam" bikes that all bought are doing a great job and the new seat covers we picked up in Agen have helped ease the bum pain.
Early in the days ride we passed a half a dozen people walking the Camino trail. They were walking away from Spain, so they had covered some distance.
We had a very intense conversation with a English farmer over a few kilometres of riding. He was riding and camping on his own and hadn't had a chance to vent his spleen over the Brexit result to anyone until we came along.
When shopping for lunch in a small village I saw a woman cycle past wearing a Busselton bike shirt. We caught up with them on the outskirts of Toulouse, they were cycling in France, UK and Croatia.

Saint Macaire to Agen 98k's 24/06

The strong sisters prepared us a basket breakfast so that we could hit the road early. Today was the first day of canal riding, we joined the Garrone canal where it meets the river. Great paved surface and we almost had the track to ourselves we had 40 k's under our belt by 9am.




98.51 kilometres, but whose counting. A steady ride with the odd stop to stretch and give the saddle sore bums a rest. Couldn't get into our apartment, so straight to lunch in our bike gear - it was a little telling that they seated us away from the other diners.

A rest day tomorrow, then our longest ride of the trip (120 k's).

Bordeaux to be Saint Macaire 50k's 23/06

Every once in a while you have an experience that you were not expecting. Today was such a day.

We left early to beat the heat and we decided to take a short cut today,  which meant riding on busy roads.

For a couple of hours we got to enjoy the courtesy that French drivers generally show cyclists. Australian drivers have so much that they could learn from their French counterparts. More on this subject later.

The ride was uneventful, apart from the van driver who went out of his way to give us space on the road, by being on the wrong side of the median strip.

What was special about today was the hotel that Ken chose. From the moment that we arrived we just knew that this was a bit special.
A beautiful old building that has been tastefully renovated by two charming and strong sisters (their words). The rooms are spacious and comfortable and the hotel has a very large spa that was put to good use.
We had plans for dinner at a restaurant in Sauterne, but the taxi cost was prohibitive.

How lucky were we! One of the strong sisters is a chef. Their restaurant had a interesting and intriguingly non tourist menu. The three of us had different dishes and we we all equally impressed.

Hotel Les Feuilles d'Acanthe,  Saint Macaire

If you in the area, Saint Macaire would be a great place to stay to explore the sweet wine appellations of Bordeaux.

100 k's to cover tomorrow no chance of a shortcut , should have left the table a bit earlier.

Lacanau Ocean to Bordeaux - 7k's 21/6

A beautiful day for riding, it's a shame that the legs don't feel the same way.
We have what looks like an easy ride into Bordeaux on a rail trail surrounded by pine forests for most of the way.

We were all happy to arrive in Bordeaux, the legs need a break. Unfortunately no coffee stop this morning, we searched a couple of small towns for a cafe to no avail.

We were able to check in when we arrived at our hotel at 12:30. A very welcome shower and we were ready to refuel. Beers and burgers did the job beautifully.

Tomorrow is a rest day, a chance for the legs and bums to recover a bit before we push on.

Royan to Lacanau Ocean - 84 k's

Early start this morning, we had to catch the 7:50 ferry across the mouth of the Gironde river, about 7k's. The weather looked threatening, but eventually cleared up to be a fine sunny day. Unfortunately the wind didn't play the game today, we rode into a 30 kilometre an hour head wind for the bulk of the ride. As Des said "the hardest day on a bike, ever."

We rode behind the dunes today, of the beach and on paved bike only lanes through the maritime pine forests. The beaches are fabulous, golden sand that stretchs for many  kilometres.

Most of our riding so far has been on dedicated bike paths that are generally well maintained.

A tough day on the bikes, as Des said " the hardest day on  bike ever'. Everyone knackered, not much energy for site seeing. Beer looks like the only the only option.