I made 80 miles today. It's not all that difficult when the signage and paths are good. I started the morning on D-roads which are pretty direct but have some traffic. The alternative is taking small winding roads which zig zag their way along the countryside. It's a very stressful way to go because you need to watch carefully. Every few minutes there can be a turn. Very little time to cogitate on the problems of the world if you're constantly interrupted.
Then there are the D-roads. Town center to town center with plenty if traffic and traffic circles. Traffic circles are a beautiful thing. They work because everybody understands a few simple rules. Anyone in the circle has right if way over anyone entering. This means that once I'm in, cars trying to enter must give way to me, and they do. Of course you keep both eyes open and make eye contact to be sure they see you, but 99 out of 100 times there is no problem.
Today I also found an established but unpublished path along the Saone which continued after Lyon when it intersected the Rhone.
A word about Lyon. Hands down, it is the most beautiful city I've ever passed through. I will need to come back here sometime. It's very definitely worth a second look. The Rhone is quite beautiful all the way to Saint Vallier where I am tonight. It does get a bit industrial in parts with a nuclear reactor, refinery, pulp, and steel mills, but the surrounding terrain is so beautiful it doesn't detract much. The hills are covered with vineyards.
I was finishing my aubergine, tomatoes and chevre and starting in on my salmon when a tall cyclist came in and sat at a table nearby. He was having some difficulty ordering and the occasional English word was uttered so after he ordered I invited him to sit at my table.
Ben is from London. He's committed to riding from London to San Tropez in one week. For those of you who are wondering... I will not be riding with Ben tomorrow. And, because this wasn't enough of a challenge, he decided to do this on a track bike. One gear, no freewheel.
He's got to do something like 200 km (120miles) a day to make it and although he's a little behind he could still do it. His right shin is swollen and painful but who am I to judge. He says he just wanted to do something important. I asked him if he treated people well. Answering in the affirmative, I told him I thought he'd already done something important.
Petit dejeuner is generally at 9:00. I asked for it earlier and 8:30 was the best they could arrange. He wanted it earlier so they prepared a tray for him to take to the room. He'll be gone before I am tomorrow, but I gave him my blog and e-mail address. We might connect again in San Tropez when I pass through.
Tomorrow night will probably again be in a small town.
I figured out what kept me from attaching photos yesterday. Something about the hotel's internet config blocked it. Thankfully a rare situation, but it had me up late trying to figure it out.
It's cold in the mornings.
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