dst. (km) Today 167.7 Trip total ?? Odometer 1622.7
My cold is growing, I’ve been sneezing all day, and my nose is running constantly.
Stinking hot again inland, later in the afternoon it cooled as I got the sea breeze, but there were then 30km of head-winds across “Les Marais” which I think translates as “the swamp.” A flat, smelly, and very uninspiring ride!
It took me almost an hour and a half to get out of Nantes, I kept having to avoid motorways and zig-zag about, never seeming to make any headway. Managed to get lost in a couple of smaller towns as well.
In Luçon I was stopped reading a map when a French girl and her daughter came up and chatted (in English). She had ridden across Canada about 9 years ago, and would like to travel more, but with her young daughter now she just makes do with talking to riders that she meets.
Crossing Les Marais there are some strangely disturbing bits of road-kill on the desolate roads and lane-ways. They look like beavers, or enormous rats. I’ve no idea what they are, but I don’t think I’d want to fall into the drainage ditches off the road. If anyone knows what they are, please tell me!
In La Rochelle I met a guy – Michael – from Mt Evelyn, just out of Melbourne! Neither of us had booked into the hostel and we were surprised at how full it is, apparently we’re lucky to get a bed at all! We spent the evening exploring the town, but it cooled down pretty quickly once the sun had set.
Where?
Nantes, Luçon, La Rochelle
