The day started out a bit cloudy with a possibility of rain, and I was hoping the Team Anderson good weather mojo would overpower any lingering rain clouds that I may have brought down from Burgundy. We convened for breakfast at eight, enjoying the eggs Rachael had boiled from the stash she had bought from their apartment - a nice protein supplement fo the ham, cheese, yogurt and bread provided by Marc.
Scott had planned a loop ride through Autoire, a place he and Rachael had stayed at during their 2008 tour in France. We settled on an eleven o’clock departure time, and set out from Gramat heading east along a section of the TdF time trial route. It was pleasant riding along the causses and after about five miles, we turned north through Mayrinhac-Lentour and soon were facing the high limestone cliffs of the Cirque d’Autoire. We had timed our departure to near perfection as the cirque was bathed in sun by the time we arrived. We dropped down toward Autoire where we enjoyed an ice cream and a stroll through one of the "Most Beautiful Villages of France."
Street cheering for the Tour de France individual time trial riders
After leaving Autoire, there was a nice five mile stretch along the valley to Saint Cêré, followed by a nine mile climb back up to the causse. Though there was some apprehension about the climb, it was actually more fun than painful. The first section rose gently through the woods, while final section was perhaps a bit steeper, winding through open pastures with splendid views of the surrounding countryside. The descent was as pleasant as the climb – gently unfolding with wide curves, necessitating minimal braking until the final drop into Aynac.
We were almost back to Gramat when I came to a large open field nestled within a wide curve in the road. A flock of free-ranging sheep grazed in the pasture and I stopped to take a few pictures, wanting to capture the sheep as well as Rachael as she rounded the curve ahead. Suddenly, there was a pounding roar that sounded like hooves approaching from my rear, then a blur of black and white sped past and made a sharp turn toward the sheep. It was a dog, a Border Collie type. Without a sound from either dog or sheep, the latter began to huddle and move as one. The dog raced from one flank of the herd to the other, driving the sheep away from the road and toward a man in the distance. At one point, his mission seemingly accomplished, the dog sat, alert with ears forward, ready for the next silent command. It was an extraordinary display of sheep herding – fast and with an economy of motion, the dog commanded the sheep, and they obeyed. All I could do was stare in amazement and snap a few photos. Scott, similarly awestruck, may have also managed to capture a few photos, or perhaps some video. Regardless, the sights and sounds of the scene is etched in both our memories.
Innocently grazing sheep strung out along the field as Rachael rounds the curve on the far right
