The heat is on!: Albi to Albi via Cordes sur Ciel

August 5, 2015

I knew it was going to be hot. But this is the take-your-breath-away heat that turns every motion into an example of how it feels to row on a slave galley. Yes, I'm a northerner, and my poor old body is just not up to this kind of weather. To avoid as much as possible of the heat, I got up just before dawn, and was on the road by 8:00. But so was everyone else at the Semaine Federale, or so it seemed. Several times we were locked into bicycle traffic jams of epic proportions, and I do mean epic. What were they thinking when they routed us through a village that had a Wednesday market? Of course not all is bad, and I did cross paths with this delightful gentleman:

Michael Fleurance frome Nantes. We had corresponded by email before the SemFed, having friends in common.

Michel and I soon parted ways, as he was wisely taking the short route so as to return before the temperature really soared. I, on the other hand, continued on to Cordes sur Ciel, a town who's name translates roughly as ropes in the sky.

Yes, that it up there. In the sky, indeed. And there was another traffic jam getting into the old city!

So it was back to Albi, and laundry. I put the clothes in the machine, turned it on, and woke up when the machine started buzzing. Another supper with friends, and early to bed praying for cooler weather!

Today's ride: 104 km (65 miles)
Total: 880 km (546 miles)

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