Par la Loire

Wow, was it difficult to get started this morning, I slept so so as I think this thing I have is not an overnight affair and I feel I’ll be carrying it with me for a while. None the less I did it, not only I managed to eject myself from the bed but I also rearranged the bags so that I could put the big bags back at the back hence solving my spare tyre not sitting properly problem.

As I was readjusting again the locks of the side bags I was thinking how many other times I’ll rearrange the cargo between here and Johannesburg? probably a few.

The first ten miles were hard, it was raining a bit and the only thing I could manage was taking a few pictures of the abundant livestock in the area. No wonder the French are so attached to CAP.

Eventually though the doubts started to mount in my head. Did I do the right thing by leaving despite the cold. It turns out that salvation was at hand. I stopped for a coffee and a croissant, it turns out I must have got the only bar without croissants in France, but the coffee was great and it really boosted my body and spirit.

Following that and the decision that I could not pedal alone I enrolled the trusty iPod and brought some Creedence into my day. While I was listening to the great Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle, I thought about the evening I spent with Jo and Martin. We watched a section of X-Factor and I realised at several times that I did not have a clue what songs the acts were covering. Why don’t they get some Creedence into the mix, perhaps though I am not not X-Factor target audience and the X-Factor target audience would not fair well with “Bad moon rising”.

In less than four songs I cycled past a shop and I though it was time to add some food to my pantry, which laid completely empty. As I am sick I bought two oranges [vitamin C] and two, nice looking, tinned fish portions. I also indulged into two saucisson noir and a baguette which got parked for most of the day on my front rack.

Lunch was not to far now and, as there is no shortage of picnic areas in France, I picked a nice spot to sink my teeth into the baguette, the saucisson and the orange.

Do you know what the best thing about a very sharp knife is? Well, it is that it cuts through things with no effort at all. So when you put together a lovely piece of cured meat, my super sharp knife and my over excitement, what you get is the first opportunity to use my extensive first aid kit.

Yes indeed, I now have a very big plaster and some medical tape around my thumb and a nice big cut to go with the increasingly long list of medical complains that this journey is delivering.

Still I’m not deterred, at least I know how to cross the road safely.

Just in case you’re wondering I have not completely lost my mind. As I was leaving the picnic site with my hart filled with calamity and I think I discovered why it is nowadays very rare to see a red squirrel. I thin they did not get the Green Cross Code at all.

After that it was almost completely descent to the river. The approach to Nantes is on a bicycle path right next to la Loire. I met quite a few people cycling, some dog walking and I even had a little rest to enjoy the Genoa cake like sweet I bought in the shop, yes I forgot to mention that one.

I am glad I did come away from Chateaubriant, I will stay in Nantes tonight and tomorrow night and then reassess the weather on Monday morning, in two or three days I should be in La Rochelle, the gateway to the Bordeaux region.