4 June, 2015

It looks like we’re getting into a settled spell of weather at last.  The temperature yesterday was 37 °c.  Feels like today will be the same.  The only difference is that there is a strong wind blowing.

So, a status update on the saddle; yesterday I rode it without the gel pad for a couple of hours in the morning.  Mainly because the gel pad is slowly disintegrating.  I’m sure it is designed for a quick cycle round the park now and then and not several thousand kilometres.  Anyway, the saddle is a bit better, not the most comfortable that I have ever sat on but not the most uncomfortable either.  I intend to build up the time I ride ‘gel free’ each day.

Once we set off we find that is a headwind making it feel like we’re cycling uphill all the time.  We are actually cycling uphill all the time, not just because of the headwind, but because we’re alongside the canal and the locks are against us.  We are going to spend the whole day on the canal today so we settle in for a steady day of hard work.

We foolishly pass up the opportunity of stocking up the food supplies as we leave the campsite.  We are not completely out of supplies and so it will not be a disaster if we can’t buy anything.  The trouble is that once stocked up we have about an extra 5 kg or so to carry and on a hard day of cycling it makes a difference.  We’re going to be passing loads of villages along the way so we expect to be able to buy something nearer lunchtime when we will be able to eat it straight away rather than carry it.  We do pass loads of villages – we could have got our hair cut, bought a bunch of flowers or had a ‘feng shui’ consultation but not buy any food or drink.  I know, we should have learnt by now.  Fortunately, we are not reduced to the emergency raisin rations – very nearly, but not quite.

It is amazing what strange things you see along the route, already we have seen a camel, alpacas and llamas (all real), but today we see a zebra (not real, and we have no idea why it was there).

As the day goes on, although the headwind stays with us, the locks suddenly change and go in our favour, downhill, starting with a staircase of 13 locks in a row.  A welcome respite.

We are now in the Alsace region of France and the German influence can be seen in the architecture and place names.  We start to hear German being spoken.  We also notice that there are bars alongside the canal offering cold drinks and snacks – must be another German influence.  We make a quick pitstop, interestingly every single table is taken, and there are quite a few of them, so it is not lack of demand but rather rather lack of supply that is the problem.

As previously noted, the cost of the campsite is no predictor of quality, or if it is, the higher the price, the lower the quality.  This holds true tonight with another campsite with unkempt plots of rutted, hard ground.  It does have the redeeming feature of a bar and restaurant though.  After several circuits of the campsite looking for the least bumpy bit, we pitch the tent and head for the bar. Perhaps a few beers will help.