April 28, 2025 to April 29, 2025
A Duo of Day Rides
April 29 - Loop Ride to Moulins-en-Tonnerrois
Bright blue skies and sunshine had me up and raring to go. I'd plotted out a short loop ride to the nearby town of Moulins-en-Tonnerrois, a 14 miler with a few bumps but only one climb of note. It seemed like a good initial test of pain tolerance and overall fitness. First up, however, was a trip to the small grocery 8 à Huit to pick up a baguette and yogurt for breakfast. There was a bit of futzing about after breakfast and I didn’t start out on the ride until almost eleven.
It was exhilirating to be back on the bike and cruising along the Serein River. However, I left the river after a mile and tackled a ¾ mile climb topping out at 13.5%. My legs ached, my rib pulled, and I was sucking air when I reached the top. A good start and an indication of where I need to get stronger - everywhere!!
Once up off the river, I found myself cycling on small roads through an open landscape carpeted with rapeseed and barley - yellows and greens under a brilliant blue sky. It was bliss. Though I passed by a small winery near Forêt Bréault, there were no vines to be seen, only a wagon with bales of hay.
Arriving in Moulins-en-Tonnerrois, I went looking for the Moulin, only to find the map directed me to the Marie, or Town Hall. Nowadays, the old mills have been replaced by large wind turbines that populate this area of Burgundy. A made a short stop at Église Saint Agnan and the adjoining cemetery before looping back south toward Noyers.
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The route continued to be everything I’d hope for when I decided on spending a week cycling around Noyers. The small car-free roads wound through open countryside with enough minor ups and downs to ease me into shape. This was not the Burgundy of fine wines replete with hillside vineyards but rather an agricultural region of crops, not grapes - a landscape that suited a former Iowa girl like me just fine.
Somewhere on the road between Censy and Jouancy I met up with Elisabeth and Alain, a couple from Dijon who were out for an extended hike around the countryside. We enjoyed a very pleasant conversation during which they indulged me in practicing my French - so of course meeting up with them was one of the highlights of my day. I passed through Jouancy shortly after leaving my new friends from Dijon. I wandered around town a bit, drawn by the glazed tile roof of the Jouancy castle. However, the castle is now a private residence and access to the castle grounds was blocked by a large gate. As there was not much else to see in the small town, I continued on.
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It was downhill from Jouancy to Noyers, a gentle drop through fields and woods before a steep switchbak into Cours. From there I retraced the route along D86 that Alex and I had walked yesterday - the donkeys were still there but this time I didn’t stop to say hello. However, I couldn’t pass by the old lavoir of Noyers draped in wisteria.
I made it back to the house in time for some cleaning up and fire building before dinner. It had been a wonderful day - no lingering aches or pains and one that left me hankering for more miles and more hills.
April 27 Loop ride to Argenteuil-sur-Armançon
Based on the resounding success of yesterday's ride, I plotted a more ambitious route with double the mileage and elevation. The route ran along the Serrein River for a relaxing three miles to Annay-sur Surrein. A short up and down and preceded a somewhat longer but not strenuous climb up through Fresnes and Sambourg, both charming little pass-throughs.
It was another glorious day of blue sky and fields of yellow and green. Shortly after Sambourg, the I dropped down past Vireaux to the Armançon River and enjoyed some lazy miles cycling along the river, breezing through Pacy-sur-Armançon before taking a short break in Argenteuil-sur-Armançon.
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Argenteuil-sur-Armançon was about the half-way point in my route, at a distance equal to yesterday’s total mileage. By the time I’d left town and climbed up away from the Amançon River, I began to rethink my ambitious route planning. A glance at RWGPS indicated that I could loop off a couple of mile with a detour through Pasilly, an option that turned out wonderfully. Buoyed by the brilliant landscape, I made good time to Pasilly and then relished the long downhill to Moulins-en-Tonnerrois. After a short incline, I dropped down to Noyers on the same hill that vexed me at the start of yesterday's - a delayed benefit but well worth it.
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I was pretty well spent by the time I arrived at the house, opting for a short nap before fire making. Alex prepared a fine dinner of veal paupiettes and roasted veg and afterwards, I taught him how to play cribbage. It’d been years since I’d played but Scott had mentioned it in one of his posts so I brought along a board and a deck of cards. After refreshing myself on the rules of play, I managed to answer most of Alex’s in-depth questions, and barely beat him. An all-round successful day.
Today's ride: 42 miles (68 km)
Total: 48 miles (77 km)
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