October 5, 2018 Chaumont to Romily-Sur-Seine

Today’s the route was 140 kms and 834 meters of climb.  This was one of the biggest days on the tour for mileage and climb was in the top three.  On the plus side of the ledger it was a net downhill of 250 meters and we had a tailwind in the morning when we had 80% of the climb. 

The route out of Chaumont was a really which I was very proud to have figured out.  The route was across a bridge over the rail way tracks, three turns, down a very steep back alley, a left turn and we were on the road which half kilometer later and we were out of town and on the highway towards Romily-sur-Seine. 

Juerg said we rode this highway (D619) when we did Orient Express but I certainly could not remember. It was in the spring and we were headed east.  This is the fall and we were headed west.  After a big climb we were on top of a huge plateau and the views of the surrounding fields were spectacular. Juerg decided to go exploring and left Ken and myself on our own. 

The tailwind and the downhill whipped us along and we were down at a town called Bar-Sur-Aube in practically no time.  This town was nothing but one way streets which were all the wrong way however I had plotted out a ring road route which took us around the maze in not time.  The town did look very picturesque but with 140 kms to cover we didn’t look back. 

After Bar-Sur-Aube Ken and I travelled down a bunch of tiny back roads which had almost zero traffic and while there were a few short hills it was primarily downhill.  At 65 km into the ride we came to a slightly larger town so we went off course and found a boulangerie where we purchased sandwiches for lunch. As it was only 10:45 we stowed them in the trunk bags and hurried on.  There was a huge abandon chateau in the town and we made some jokes that maybe it was haunted. 

As we entered the province of Champagne I finally got a view of the vineyards I have been looking for.  The south facing hills were covered in grape vines.   We stopped at an unfenced vineyard and had a close look and taste of the grapes.  A special treat!

At kilometer 90 we came to a beautiful lake resort which was totally shuttered for the season and the beach was abandon.  It looked like a great spot for lunch and we stopped to eat. We were there less than 15 minutes and Earnie rolled up.   He rode on and we finished our lunch and were off.

At 105 we turned off the roads onto a beautifully paved canal path.  The canal was not in use and was clogged with weeds and was overgrown with trees but the path was great.  As the path was slightly down hill and with the now very slight tailwind a person could coast along a 8 kms/hr without pedalling. 

When we arrived in Romily-Sur-Siene we rode to the Garmin end point to find that there was no hotel there.  The place is brand new and I had to guess at the address when I made up the route.  I had thought we had passed the turn to the hotel as there was a big supermarket and some car dealerships on the corner which I had seen on Google earth.  So Ken and I turned back and we rode straight to the place. 

While this was a big day mileage and climb wise it was a really perfect day of riding.  Bright warm sunny day with lots of varied and beautiful scenery, a tailwind in the morning when it counted and some great downhill riding.   Laissez le bon temps rouler!

Terry

October 4, 2018 Dijon to Chaumont

Checking out of our Airbnb was super easy as our host showed up a few minutes before the appointed time and we were off.   I had put together a little Garmin route for Earnie and I to follow over to the other apartment which was under 3 kms and we were over there in no time.  Ken, Sally and Juerg had their luggage down the multitude of steps and were waiting on the street when the van showed up.  Unbelievable there was even a parking spot so we loaded luggage and everyone was off. 

The four of us rode out of town together which is a really good idea and I am so glad that Earnie is at least riding with us to the edge of the city as it gets him past all of the lefts and rights of the downtown city maze.  I have carefully picked the out of the city route so that we are on streets with bike lanes and the least traffic.  Often these are not the most obvious route. 

After we cleared the city Ken, Juerg and I rode on ahead.  There was as usual a nasty head wind so the three of us set up a pace line which really helped.  Ken is such a big guy that following him into the wind is almost like being motor paced. We were traveling through a lot of wide open countryside with very few trees so the wind wasn’t blocked.  This is one thing I have been a little surprised over. I had thought we would be riding through nothing but vineyards but I haven’t seen one.  Miles and miles of corn fields.  Although today we saw a sunflower field which stretch for several kms.

At about the 44 km mark we turned on to a canal path which was absolutely gorgeous. Most of the canals have rows of huge trees lining both sides which are now showing their fall yellows and reds. The sun playing through the trees is so pretty.  We are really late in the season so we have the canal path to ourselves as well.

We stopped at the 66 km mark in a little village and went into a bar for a sandwich.  We had been there about 30 minutes and were just finishing when Earnie showed up.  He rode on as the big climb of the day started at 69 kms and he didn’t want to do the climb on a full stomach.  This wasn’t bad logic as there was bigger town 75 kms.  The route skirted Langres as I had not wanted to ride through a city built in the 15^th century which was a lot of one ways and a total maze. 

We caught Earnie at the top of the big hill. Earnie rode into Langres to find his lunch and Ken, Juerg and I rode along the perimeter of the city walls. One of the city gates had been built in 1420 and the walls added between 1500 and about 1840.    We stopped at a couple of places to marvel at the walls which had to be 40-50 feet high.  We talked about what it would be like to attack the city wall.  I said I didn’t think it would be too hard to climb the walls as there were quite a few nooks and crevices in the rock wall.  Ken and Juerg scoffed at this so a bet was struck and I started up the wall.  Juerg grabbed my camera off my bike a snapped my picture.  It was pretty scary near the top and luckily nobody was at the top pouring boiling oil down on me.     

The downhill from the Langres citadel was spectacular.  It was now kind of busy road but all the traffic is so polite it is really a pleasure.   Big trucks will grind down into the lowest gear until there is ample room to pass. 

At the 88 kms mark we turned off the main road onto a winding road through the forest.  It was nothing more than a single lane road without a center line but the pavement was so smooth.  It was just so pretty riding through the trees.  No wind, sun dappling through the trees, and the temperature has climbed up to around 25 C.   This road took us right to the edge of Chaumont and our hotel is on the south side so we only had a few kms to the hotel.

Le Royal where we are staying is a harming family run hotel.  I think we have the biggest room on the entire tour here.   I went down and had a beer in the bar with Juerg after the ride. It tasted so great.

We covered 114.5  kms and had a total climb of 849 meters.

What a wonderful ride today was. 

Terry hot biker

October 3, 2018 Rest day in Dijon

This morning I was still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes when I was broadsided with complaints about everything from the route, to the food, to the choose of accommodations.   About half way though the broadsides I got a phone call from the other apartment dwellers who had been planning the next few days agenda for us and wanted to tell me their ideas.  The route and the Garmin’s are all wrong and should have been better, sorry but mine seems to be working perfectly, in fact there has not been a day when the Garmin has not played it’s little you have arrived tune.  The choose of food has been terrible and the menus are all in French.  Sorry but that is what happens in a foreign country. They speak foreign languages. The accommodations have been terrible and we would have been better off in Ibis hotels.  Maybe so but I was given a budget and I lived within it and I have had to wait in line to use the washing machine which was one of the must have’s.  Ibis hotels do not have washing machines. 

The Airbnb apartment we have was cold and so I got hold of the host who promptly dropped off and electric heater.  At least one of the complaints solved. 

Sorry but I can’t do much about the busy roads and I made chooses and have tried to minimize the busy roads and yes there are some bike paths and sometimes we have to take a busy road.  I phoned the French department of highways and they just didn’t want to divert traffic for us. And yes sometimes the bike paths are confusing with this foreign language stuff again.  I just don’t get what is wrong with these foreigners.

Anyhow after a couple of hours I managed to get the tour back under control and would like to thank all of the folks for their input.  The best way to become the next tour director is to start complaining. A few vitamin I’s and my headache will be under control.

My brake pads seem to have disappeared. They were totally fine when I left Kelowna a few weeks ago.  They were brand new when I left for LEJOG and were now down to nothing. Finding a bike shop on line I got Agnes and the van to drive me over there.  New brake pads are now installed. I fear no decent now.

After a lunch of baguette, Agnes Betsy and I were off to downtown.  Betsy hit the art museum and Agnes and I choose to wander the downtown.  The old town Dijon is so pretty.  It is filled with buildings dating back to the 15^th century although most of it is from the 1800’s.   Agnes and I went into several shops, and I purchased this really beautiful tapestry of Vincent Van Gogh’s Iris for Agnes.  She has been really great driving the van and helping with the tour. We wondered into the cathedral which is a total wonder.   As I was taking pictures I was thinking of my friend from the northern mining town who loves to take pictures and how much he would love to take pictures in this place. This is a really pretty city. 

Tomorrow is 112 kms into Chaumont.    

Terry hot biker

October 2, 2018 Besancon to Dijon

Today the ride was only 89 kms with only 665  meters of climb.  It was also going to be only 4 C at 8:00 am which was our normal departure time.  So we decided to depart at 9:30 am.   This was great as the breakfast at the Ibis where were staying served breakfast until 9:30.  

I had checked the route out on Garmin Connect the night before so I knew the route and it was easy to depart and find our way out of town.  All four of us left together made our way out of town. 

When we came to a steep downhill there was right hand turn.  Juerg, Ken and I made the turn but Earnie kept going.  We waited for a while but Earnie never turned back.   The ride was down a series of secondary roads.  

I had thought that we would stop for coffee as getting into Dijon early was not really something I had wanted to do.   The Airbnb apartment would not be available until 5:45 as the host worked until then.  However by the time we found a place for coffee we were already at the designated lunch place.   Ken, Juerg and I stopped and were going into a Boulangerie when Agnes, Sally and Betsy rolled up in the van. Juerg decided he wanted to go into a local bar so Ken and I joined the ladies for lunch. 

After lunch Ken and I rolled off and never did see either Earnie or Juerg.   Once we got to town we found the place where we were staying with Earnie and Betsy for the layover day.  Agnes and the van was at the other place so Ken and I joined them.  Juerg pulled up and we went into their place.  It was a very nice fourth floor garret apartment right in the heart of old town Dijon. 

Our place was not going to be ready until 5:45 so we cooled our heels for a while before heading off.  We got to our place and the host was not there.  Finally we got a hold of her and it turns out that we had the wrong address.   When we finally got to the other apartment and checked in it was almost 7:00 pm.  The place is out of the center of town and with no restaurants close we had bread and cheese for supper.  Nobody wanted to  go out.

What should have been a dead easy day turned out to be a long day and everyone’s nerves were frayed.

Terry hot biker

October 1, 2018 Mulhouse to Besancon

Today the weather forecast was for rain and cold and the weathermen were right on both counts.  We started the day at 7 C and the clouds were a very dark gray with rain imminent. It was also a 136 km ride day with 586 meters of climb so it was a long day to top it all off.  I had said that we would get an earlier start so we were ready to roll at 8:15.  Juerg had decided to leave earlier as he thought that the weather was going to deteriorate during the day. He left a 7:30 which was right at sun rise however it looked pretty dark out when Juerg left. 

Ken, Earnie, and I all rolled out together and worked our way down to the canal bike path through the usual lefts and rights and down a bunch of cobble stone lanes.  Morning traffic was already pretty heavy and we were glad to be on the canal bike path. 

Once on the canal bike path it was pretty straight sailing along.  The only deviation was that once in a while the paved path would change sides, so you would have to cross the canal at one of the locks or bridges.  The canal was climbing for the first 30 kms and then it started a decent. At about the 20 km mark the rain started as a light drizzle so Ken and I stopped and pulled on the rain gear.  Good thing as we were just finished pulling it on when the rain started in earnest.  At the 35 kms mark we came to a place in the path which had a barrier across the path.  There was a detour around the barrier onto a part of the path which was shared with a road.  As I rode around the detour I got a flat. This is the first bike flat of the tour.  Don’t you just love fixing flats in the rain? 

When we got to the little village of Cerval it was 12:30 and we were 88 kms into the ride.  Both Ken and I were feeling hungry so we went off route in search of food.  Most of the shops were closed but we came to a little hotel which had a lot of trucks parked outside and a restaurant.  Inside it was packed with truck drivers and locals.  The waitress (and I assume owner) wasn’t happy to see two soaking wet cyclists who only spoke French.  She stuffed us into a corner table.  I was seated so I could see the chalk board menu and ordered the Poulet au Fillet, Ken motioned two.  Within moments two huge plates appeared heaped with hash browns, green beans and a huge homemade chicken cordon bleu.  It was a great surprise and it was delicious.

Totally stuffed we were out on the road again and down the roads.  At this point we had a couple of climbs ahead of us both in the 125 meter range. The first one wasn’t too bad and we were up and over it.  The second one was much longer and had several false summits.   This climb was taking us from one valley to the next one. During this whole time the rain had decided to just pelt down.  Sitting in the restaurant in wet clothes had chilled me to the bone and now in the cold rain I was really feeling the cold as it was still in the single digits temperature wise.  Even though we were at only 450 meters in altitude we were still in the clouds. 

After the decent into the next valley Ken called out that he could see some blue sky and sure enough there was a patch.  Ken and I caught up to Earnie who had passed us while we were eating.  So we rode along exchanging stories for a while before Ken and I headed off.  

Coming into Besancon was a third huge climb along a very busy road.  After the quiet of the canal bike paths it was nerve racking.

It was a hard day in the rain. However it was a very beautiful ride through some incredible countryside. We rode past some magnificent canal scenery, past some huge limestone cliffs, through quaint country villages and alongside some beautiful rivers.  

Terry