July 13, 2016
Bart to Mulhouse.
We prepare for the emotional wrench leaving La Belle France, meet a 90 year old cyclist and are lulled to sleep by Bastille Day fireworks.
July 13 Wednesday 61kms
Bart to Mulhouse.
We prepare for the emotional wrench leaving La Belle France, meet a 90 year old cyclist and are lulled to sleep by Bastille Day fireworks.
The breakfast option is a good choice, and the best we’ve had. A range of cheeses and whole meal bread, pain au chocolate , coffee and fruit juice. Fortified against the showery conditions, we take the path to Montbeliard. Again, we enter a city through gardens with trees, flowers, fountains and sculptures. An antidote to apartment living.
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We are checking the map, when approached by elderly chap, who gave us details of upcoming trail deviation. He then produce a folder with newspaper clipping of two cyclists aged 78 and 90. Which one do we think he is? We misread his unlined face – he is the elder- the one on the reclining bike, after he had surgery “a Coeur”. His logbook has his kms for 91st year at 240. Such encounters are the heartening moments of travel.
Decide to find the Peugeot museum at Sochaux, and spend a couple of hours out of the wet. Early models of car are fascinating for their single cylinder motors and the fact that they are right hand drive. Later developments of interest are an electric car and a WW2 model with an ugly gas cylinder destroying the car’s svelte lines. Peugeot made other great stuff too- coffee grinders, sewing machines and velos – a couple with driveshafts instead of a chain.
We are on a deviation when the skies darken and thunder crashes, and the heaviest rain sets in. Sheltering under a motorway bridge just adds to the chill. Praising Ground Effect jackets, and Ortlieb panniers, we remained dry on top. Pedalling keeps us warm, and gets us off the road as we have no lights, so proceed carefully onwards. As the rain eases we find shelter with other cyclists- two German girls have done 80kms already. We give them our Doubs Valley information booklet. Later we stop at a cafe and have a snack and coffee in the sun and shake off the wet.
Eventually, with the sun and wind at our backs and we fly along. There are about twenty locks close together approaching Mulhouse. Each one drops about three metres, so we also enjoy a great downhill run.
Camping de Ille is close to the velo route. We find a spot, put up our tent and bike to get provisions with every other last minute shopper pre Bastille day. Weather threatening again, so opt for snack bar dinner. We are under cover for the rain, and barely wake for the midnight fireworks.
Today's ride: 61 km (38 miles)
Total: 1,610 km (1,000 miles)
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