Loeuilly - Forge-les-Eaux - To France the Long Way

July 29, 2009

Loeuilly - Forge-les-Eaux

The day starts with a climb and we remain more or less the whole day on a plateau. The route which we hurriedly planned yesterday is good - small roads, villages, but the inevitable wind couldn't be avoided without changing direction. Looking back I realize that would have been our solution. Why not make a longer loop in a southeast direction and then head south in the Rhone Valley, for example, where the winds would have been from the north and the temperatures much higher. But we have cycled that before and I reject the thought. Janos proposes cycling back to Munich, thus completing a great circle, and then taking the train to visit my sister. But no, my mind is not receptive to his suggestions, either. Strange to get into a frame of mind where you can only see what won't work and not what will. I'm not saying our ride today wasn't good, but we are weary of the wind more than anything else.

After a Spartan breakfast of tea at the camping site, we enjoy coffee and croissants in Conty.

This part of France, along with the countryside in the Czech Republic, treats us to some of the finest scenery on our trip.

I know I've said this before, but there's no place in Europe with such a dense network of quiet country roads as France.

Our camping in Forge-les-Eaux is a quiet, friendly place. The evening is mild and our spaghetti with pesto sauce makes for a simple but very satisfying camping meal. It's a good thing that the rain and wind wait until we are finished and in our tent.

Today's ride: 61 km (38 miles)
Total: 2,304 km (1,431 miles)

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Charmaine RuppoltYes, wind can be very tiring! One thing I look at when I'm planning to bike a long way is the prevalent wind directions. It helps to know that in advance!
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