We were up at sunrise. High on the hill the orange street lights still glowed. The night has been warm and although we were tired and glad to be back in our tent our sleep was disturbed. As the light of the early morning sun crept across it lit the rows of grapevines that looked like neat green knitting. The other cyclists slowly emerged and the morning ritual of packing, tent drying and breakfasting began. One of the cyclists, a single lady who had seemed reluctant to speak to anyone yesterday spoke to John. She was American, living in Warminster, Wiltshire. She knew Andover where Angela was from and asked if we knew Whitchurch nearby. Small world. She'd flown out with her bicycle from Bristol to Geneva and was cycling to Toulouse to fly back to Bristol. All of us on journeys, all with different destinations.
The ride this morning had some uninteresting parts, passing lots of industry and power stations, though there were still some highlights. The path began to climb and at one point after slogging up a steep zig zagged incline we just had to dismount and walk. It was just too steep. Not for the lithe young things who flew by with minimal luggage. Obviously staying at a Airbnb's or chambre'dhotes with just some toiletries a change of clothes and a gstring onboard. It was once again hot, 27c, but we had a keen headwind which both annoyed us and cooled us. Dismissing the campsite recommended to us by the Dutch lady yesterday we pushed onto Tournon where luckily there was just one cycle camping space left.
The German couple from last night were already here. The town is lovely. We afforded ourselves time to walk out this evening.
A Viking river cruise boat was moored up, Angela keen to book on. Behind it a large barge advertising "bed & bike' at 149 euros per couple.
We have cycled around thirty-five miles today. The site here is nice and unlike last night there are no signs saying 'please do not steal the toilet paper, it is for the use of everybody'. Leave out four rolls of luxury soft toilet rolls when there's cyclists around is a mistake. The temptation is just too much! There were only two left this morning.
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