October 19, 2003
Sunday Oct 19: Montpellier to Beziers (via Mediterranean coast)
When I looked out early this morning the clouds were really heavy so that even at 7:30 when I was having my breakfast at a nearby patisserie, it was pitch black out. And once on the road and out of the city, even at 8 am it was still kind of dark - my days are shrinking, my days are shrinking.
There were a few times that a light mist was blowing in from the Mediterranean, but for the first two hours, I seemed to be keeping ahead of the rain. The wind coming across the water (an African wind??) was crashing the waves onto the beach, so I was listening to the surf for most of the morning.
Once I got to the Sète area, and was admiring the waves pounding on the cliffs (and trying to get a good photo of the waves) the rain started a little more heavily. Before long it was a fairly steady drizzle so the roads were wet, and so was I quite wet - like soaked to the core. But, as long as I kept moving I was warm enough.
I kind of took my time just the same to take a ride through the little towns and their ancient centres. Very nice even in the rain, and sometimes I think because of the rain.
I was kind of dragging for the last few km into the city, so was relieved when I got to the Allées Paul Riquet, a long boulevard with two long lines of tall trees (maple? plane?) on both sides of the centre, with old buildings all the way down and ending at the park Plateau des Poètes. I found me a nice little hotel just off of the boulevard on rue Solferino, and am now making my way up to the Roman church and basically just exploring the old centre.
According to the lady at the hotel, the weather is not supposed to be too good for the next bit, and she also said it is not too good in Spain at the moment, either. Oh well, I am certainly due for some wet days. At least it was 15 C and the wind was mostly at my back today.
Tomorrow toward Carcassonne.
PS I guess this is the half-way point in time, isn't it. As is usually the case when travelling, I cannot believe I have been travelling that long!
Today's ride: 75 km (47 miles)
Total: 2,931 km (1,820 miles)
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