Saintes to Bordeaux.

I was up with the sun today to have the chance to visit the abbey in Saintes and still make it out on the road a 'Bon heure'.

There was a beautiful low lying mist that encircled the abbey. When the bells tolled at 8.00 am the doors were opened and I had the whole place to myself. Beautiful. The bells were awesome.

The sunflowers were stunning and my day was idyllic with the sun beating down over the vineyards of Cognac and Haute Medoc. Part ofy route took me down soil tracks between the vines. Well it looked ok on the Garmin :-) I made good progress and realised that yesterday I was hampered by the headwind. Yes that old excuse.

I have Valerie to thank for showing me how to avoid sun stroke by wearing a cap under my helmet. Apart from looking like Super Mario it worked a treat. Thank you!

Quick ferry ride to the other side of the river/inlet at Gironde was a perfect stop over. Funny that there were three cyclists all single travellers and not one of us broke silence !!! It's not because we were being rude but I fear more like the spell of the 'way'.

So my biggest day tomorrow. Bordeaux to Dax. 105 miles. Right better get some sleep as I need to be up and out before Bordeaux comes to like.

Staying in a Bel Air hotel tonight. Have you ever had a shower in a train toilet cubicle? It the only comparison I can find! Sheets are lovely and cool though.

Piste again!!

What I like about travelling 'toute seul' is that you decide when to stop and when to go. If you take a wrong turn you quickly learn it was not wrong. I made two detours today and at Colombiers I discovered what I can only assume is a shrine / ley line marker. In the middle of nowhere I find this garden and two water fonts. At the top of the hill an alter. Amazing

Then whils travelling through Montredont I was baffled by the one way system. Not to be daunted I took the plunge down a side street and when I arrived at the end which was just on my route! Well I guess it's Sign no 3.

Sign no 2 was a small scallop shell right by my bike tyre when I bent down for water bottles there it lay. No other shells in sight! Always a smile to be had on these journeys.

On the Way!

This one is for Anna who shares my delight at spotting odd things on the side of the road! So far I have encountered three gloves one sock but this has to beat them all! I have no idea how he got here or where he was going (do pilgrims have a destination) but he was indeed on his way! I have enclosed a surround picture so you can see I'm not joking.

And not to disappoint my KVG tour peeps

I didn't end up on a motorway again did I. That would have been very silly wouldnt it???? Well ok so it was a bit if a major dual carriage way heading to the motorway so it dosn't count does it? :-).

Poitiers to Saintes

Well all I can say is I'd forgotten how heavy a bike with panniers can be.

However what a great day. My route was a bit mixed as I was attracted to those Roman roads that sap the soul as you peddle away along a straight line with little to see but the back of the odd juggernaut and caravan after caravan. But it has to be said that when I followed my other more off piste routes it was fantastic.

But what about the signs??? Well I suspect this part of my pilgrimage represents of time of being in the wilderness.

When I set out I had little idea as to what to expect this time round. I was conscious that just like any good movie this was going to be my plot point moment. You know that part in the film when the cast has been set the protagonist found and the story is under way. Then you get that moment when there is a still point. A moment of no action, the pendulum has swung far and is at its maximum. Well here I am. Left wondering. (and a bit of wandering too!!) I was also left without my map which mysteriously disappeared!!

There is however a sense of searching for not an outward sign but an inward one. So the night before I set out I am reading an astrology book and discover that to make the best of my planets I should endeavour to travel , write about travelling and indeed undertake feats of courage and strength!!!! Sound familiar?? I had a good giggle at that.

However I was also blessed with an external sign When on my off piste route I came across a perfect symbol of this Chemin. Which is what I shall leave you with.

More musings from France tomorrow

Sun glorious sun

Sat in a wifi spot just outside Chatellerault. The sun is VERY switched on here so I have a feeling that my trip is going to require very early starts to get many miles under the belt before the sun reaches its 30 degrees. Hmmm funny how I've packed the water proofs and deliberated over shoe covers. Spot the rider who trains in England. Four days to go.....

The plan!!

Phew.... 2.15 am just finished my route and hotel bookings. I'm setting off a week today for part three of the trip. Day 1 Poitiers to Saintes. 95 miles
Day 2 Saintes to Bordeaux 95 miles
Day 3 Bordeaux to Dax 98 miles
Day 4 Dax to St Jean de Pied 70 miles
Train back to Poitiers.
Well it's a cunning plan as Baldrick would agree.

Right then train to book and off to sleep.