|
||
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
|
Thursday 29 September / Cool overcast day - excellent cycling weather (Remember the menu to the left has albums of photos)
Started off the day with a light breakfast and hot bath to get the muscles
warmed up, it was a bit
We cycled to Alvignac where we stopped for a pee. Now washrooms are
nonexistent in France (or the UK as I would later find out). They are
called toilets. If you ask where the washroom is, you get a strange don't
know what you are talking about look. Anyway, this town had a public
washroom near the center of the town. Every town has a center, many roads
always lead to the center. And the town center is usually a square or a
round with a fountain etc. I digress, the toilets, pretty funny, as we
walked over to them, the stalls for both men and women had full doors (as they
do in most places over here); but, the urinals were just lined up at the back of
the building. So if you were standing there doing your thing, behind you
was a common (grassy field) - no walls,
We left town, had a large descent - which means that eventually you have to pay for it - yup a very big climb. About 15 km into our ride we stopped in La Goufre de Padirac, home of some underground caves with fresh water rivers and stalagmites (from the ground up) and stalactites. Very impressive. We actual took a gondola type ride down one of the rivers. No camera allowed, I snuck a few non-flash photos but they didn't pan out. But being there, looking up 40 meters or so in one of the rooms to see the ceiling - awesome. After the caves we went across the street to a nice little park for our picnic. What John and Steve did for our picnics was to always provide us with breads and cheeses and meats etc that were native not only to France but to the area that we were cycling/eating in. Nice touch. Today there was more foie gras de goose this time I think - magnificent! There was also great sausage and coke light.
After lunch, I went it alone. Thought I'd pick a route and ride back
towards the Inn. Mapped out my route with John and Steve's help, advised
them where I'd be and
I came into Alvignac again but via a different route. I left town the same
way we came in the morning, recognized the roads and enjoyed the ride. At
the top of the last hill I thought I was
However, now the road started losing its look of familiarity. I knew
that eventually it would hit the highway, and I would go straight across it and
up the road to the inn. Well I hit the highway, but it was a T
intersection. So much for my "I never forget a place once I've been there"
or "I can draw an aerial view of anyplace I've been once". I was lost.
So I figured I was on the right road but came out onto it at the wrong spot.
So do I go left or right? My guess was left. A half a km up the road
I noticed a sign saying gas station in the town ahead. Hmm. I saw
that this morning
Got off the bike, no one was back yet, so I headed for a bath and a nap
Dinner this evening was in a very classy restaurant. Thanks again to John I got my salad my way. They don't seem to understand nor want to add the water, but hey, my recipe was slowly spreading throughout the Dordorgne. I had the beef - duck day off. Lisa and I order beef for 2. Really, it was beef for 6 or 8. And it was good. My appetizer was canard. ;-)
|
|
on the
cool side first thing in the morning. Asked Steve to add some air to the
tires and we blew the front tube. After a quick change (Steve is good) I
was ready to go. And today,
John
was going to join us for the ride while Steve took the van.
no
doors. Zip up and walk 20 paces backwards and you're on the field.
was off. Well, I chose for myself a steep windy climb. Pretty tough
after a belly full of foie gras of any kind. Nearing the top I came upon a
farm tracker riding up the hill - I passed him - I was impressed. But
after expending that kind of energy I noticed minutes later that if I didn't get
moving he was going to pass me back. That brought out the rarely seen
competitive spirit in me and I stood on the pedals and flew like the wind.
Atop the hill I was rewarded with a rollercoaster ride down and up through
beautiful country on the best paved road I cycled in France. Wow, what a
blast. I got my speedometer up to 62.5 km / hour which is fast in unknown
land on skinny tires.
going
to climb, I noticed a tour bus and the driver sitting there relaxing - big bus,
narrow road - the norm in France. I then turned right onto a small road
(which was the short cut we took in the morning). Still everything seemed
familiar. After a couple of kms I came upon a field of goats. One of
them was away from the pack and I noticed why, its head was caught in the fence.
Normally shy me would just keep going; but, it is an animal (yes not a dog) and
I am in
France, I should try and create my own adventure. So I turned around, went
up the long farm road to the house where I was met in the yard by 4 parking
dogs (luckily in a pen). They were barking up a storm. I figured
this would bring someone out, I'd try to explain the situation - I practice my
French on the way up the road. My French is a combination of English,
French, hand signals, grunts and even some Croatian. No one came out.
I got off the bike and rang the doorbell - no one answered. I thought we'd
talk, rescue the goat, and then sit down for a glass of wine - not to be.
Oh well. So off I went towards the Inn.
on the
way to Alvignac. So, a quick 180 turn was needed. Soon thereafter I
come to a small hill and at the top was this tour bus with the driver relaxing
(and this time smiling) in his seat. Ha, I did a full circle.
This time instead of taking the shortcut, I looked down the road, saw the round
about a mere km away where I would turn right and eventually come across the
road to the Inn on the left. Now that I think about it, I can't remember
if the goat was a goat or a sheep. Hmm.
figuring
everyone would be back soon. Nope. Steve in the van and his
occupants which he picked up a town or two after the picnic was a bit lost
himself. Ha.
