Ok so apologies in advance (again!) but I am utterly exhausted….here is some stuff from the day that happened and when I get a chance I will come back and “shuzz” it up a bit.

Getting to spend just a couple of extra hours recuperating makes a huge huge difference. We have easily our best evening of the trip so far sitting on the banks of the Moselle eating, drinking, laughing and relaxing….more evenings like this please! (Turns out not so much!)

It is another slow start to the day as we make the long hard climb out of the valley but we are then rewarded with some spectacular views when we finally reach top. The pace does then pick up a little but it is still pretty tough going and even though it is still early in the day it is already getting very hot.

We cross the non existent border into Germany for the first time today and then a bit later we cross out again. ….honestly France is literally never ending and everywhere.

Typically when we come across a “Route Barree” sign we assume it doesn’t mean us and 99% of the time it doesn’t. Today we bowl past the sign, pedal another two miles past what is clearly a set of roadworks only to find that the road is genuinely impassable with work on the bridge. We try to sneak through past the fencing but the digger guy does lots of shouting in French which leads us to conclude we should probably and very reluctantly, turn around. Ultimately for the sake of 50 metres (we could actually see the other side!) we add about 7 miles and 40 minutes to our day. That may not sound like much but it also signals the point in the day where I completely lose any of my remaining mojo. I had pinned so much hope on this being an easier day (relatively speaking) and dreamt of a proper sit down meal in a restaurant but now we are faced with another 90 + mile day and yet another late finish.

The last 20 miles of today are the worst I have ever, ever had …both my head (pesky roadworks) and my body are letting me down badly. We do eventually make it safe and sound, we even end the day with a summit of the Col du Saverne at 410m and then a fantastic descent into town, we do find a supermarket and we do find the campsite but I am essentially broken and I am completely done in.

Our stats for the day are 98 miles and 5500 feet of climbing. That takes us to 499 miles in five days. Marc is doing his best to cheer me up but what I really need is food and rest and lots of both….tomorrow will be better?