Notes from the Megamachine

Just as the big media publications like the New Yorker, New Republic, and National Review have their vacation cruises for loyal fans, the staff here at megamachine.org decided to lead a trip where dedicated readers would have a chance to rub elbows with the great writing and editing team that makes Megamachine what it is.  Only problems are…Megamachine doesn’t have enough dedicated readers yet to fill a cruise ship (rowboat, maybe?), and we only have one writer/editor/publisher, i.e., your humble servant heatkernel, i.e. me.

Undaunted, I decided instead to lead a bike tour through the Loire Valley this summer.  Even though I could only get two loyal readers to sign up–ok, I admit, even they were personal friends–I believe that the tour contributed to the essential mission of the Megamachine organization. Enough so that the photo-essay describing the trip as the (ahem!) Great Thoughts which the participants of the Loire Valley Bike Tour ruminated on during the trip deserve a series of posts.  So without further ado, we begin with…

Paris: