Hot in the Loire

I’d been amazed the evening before watching all the differing groups of people who were cycling and camping along the Loire, the grass strip in front of me had filled up during the evening, and just as quickly emptied the following morning as they all packed up and moved on – amazing, small family groups – some even with 2and 3 young children, babes in arms, marvellous, what great adventure, although what its like for their parents pulling them along I don’t know !

I’d got my bread and Pain au Chocolat from the baker, who came round in his van just after 8, tooting his horn ! and had a pleasant breakfast in the early morning sunshine..

I decided I should have a ride along the Loire, and so got my gear on, filled up with fluids, and off I set  with the sun on my back, and zooming along the banks of the Loire on the road…really enjoyable as the road just gently went up and down, although there was quite a fierce wind, which I hoped would push me home again ( it didn’t !)

I rode about an hour and a half to Bouchemaine http://www.ville-bouchemaine.fr/, skirting Angers as I did so, a busy spot, where I had a nice altercation with an impatient motorist ( must have been an woman !)

Bouchemaine is at the confluence of the Loire with the Maine, further away than I’d expected, and now into a hotter part of the day, so I rested under a tree, and watched the world go by…or not, as a Heron sat on a nearby fishing boat and the river chugged slowly along

then it was time to turn around, and return, back into the midday sun, and the wind now in my face.. hotter than I’d expected,I rode along, losing my way around Angers, and so travelling some distance out of my way,before I returned to the correct road, and continued along the Loire, drinking what little water I had left, and resting/cooling  in the shade a couple of times, until eventually I spotted the bridge over the rover at Gennes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gennes,_Maine-et-Loirewhere I was stopping, at last redemption…over 3 1/2 hours riding, and around 70 kms !

I was able to drink over a litre of fridge cold water, and relax in the afternoon sun, reading a paper supplied by my neighbours – a nice couple from Liverpool !

As the late afternoon arrived, I watched the groups of cyclists again arrive, setting up their tents, and relax, I wonder how far they have to travel, or how much they do each day ?

I treated myself to a Gallette and Crepes for my dinner, from a stall set up on the campsite, washed down with some nice cold fizzy wine, luxury and peace…and looked out over the Loire, and lights on the other bank..

Bonne Nuit !