Jour quatre – La piece de resistance
Well after yesterday’s debacle surely jour quatre would be better….wouldn’t it?
Yesterday was really, really hard for all three of us and with Dan’s bike now metaphorically if not actually limping we are all focused on how we get through the next few days to the half way point and the rest day.
We know today is going to big as well so it takes all our effort to get up and get peddling. Once again it takes a little time to navigate out of town. There is a quick stock up of supplies (we are learning) courtesy of Monsieur E Leclerc (other brands are available) and then it’s quite late by the time we leave Saumur.
Two things are immediately evident, firstly the wind is behind us and secondly the sun is shining both a very happy trois hommes make!
There is lots of scenery to be seen…
….and it’s all very French.…
….and we stop for breakfast proper after about 15 miles ….
…..a bowl of hot beans and some bread….all very blazing saddles.
With the wind behind us (insert joke here….really, do I need to say more?) we can push on pretty quickly and we start to think that even though we left late we could possibly arrive in time for a more relaxing end to the day…i.e. In daylight!
Once again, and unsurprisingly I guess, the roads are long and straight and hilly with just a church spire in the distance to aim for …
We whizz through Throuet and stop for lunch somewhere, I mean honesty I haven’t a clue where!
We have tried a couple of bike shops to see if we can sort Dan a rear brake out but its always an un-ambiguous “Non monsieur!”. He is still able to make good progress albeit a little more circumspect than before (yes I did say “dan” and “circumspect” in the same sentence).
I need to confess publicly that some of the sat nav problems are not solely down to Garmin….some might, MIGHT, be down to me. Below, for example is the face of a man who after turning himself inside out all day has arrived at the destination he was told was the final for the day only to be told “there is a bit of margin for error with these things” and “it’s something to do with the curvature of the earth” that we still have 10 miles to go …
…..let me assure you that after a long day in the saddle another 10 miles feels like a lot!
We decide that since we are now going to be late again we should pick up food now rather than risk there being none available later so we pay a visit to Intermarche (again other brands are available!). This one appears to be in Lilliput ….
….eventually after another long, long day of 98 miles we arrive at our campsite in Vivonne with all the essential supplies …
After carrying half a hundred weight in food for 10 miles it is a tiny bit galling to find another supermarket within 200 metre of the campsite but then you just never can never too careful!
We decide that rather than venture out hot pasta with bread and salad is the way to go….
It’s the best meal we have had so far!
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