With a uniformly wet day forecast, I haven’t even bothered mapping out a possible biking route. We plan on just playing tourists today, visiting the abbey and exploring the small town, and staying dry. This morning though the situation’s improved and it looks like with luck we could get a three to four hour window starting later in the morning. I hurriedly sketch out a short loop and Rachael loads that and the walking route she’s already drawn for herself on the Garmins, just in case.
10:30 comes, conditions still look reasonable, so we both set out. Rachael’s off to the south of here generally following the Dronne. She concentrates mostly on getting her ten miles in while the gettin’s good, but does return with a few photos she slowed down for.
I’ve drawn out a simple route for myself, a 30 mile loop north up the west side of the Dronne and returning down the east side. Nothing strenuous, just a chance to see some of the countryside here and hopefully get back dry.
And I do get back dry, right at two! That’s only after drying out by biking into a 15 mph headwind at the end. Before that I’d say that a good third or more of the distance was covered in a light mist, or worse. Nothing to ever cause me to consider turning back, but it did force me to seek shelter two or three times when it picked up a bit. Not bad, and I was really glad to have gotten out. It would have driven me nuts to sit out the day and then watch the weather turn favorable.
Crossing the Dronne on the Pont Coudé (the Elbow Bridge), built in the 16th century to provide the monks access to the abbey and gardens.
For a minute it showered hard enough that I sought shelter beneath the overhang of the nearest outbuilding. I had company. It looks like they’d been here awhile.
1 year ago