Then the voice of Kevin T Henley boomed across the water from 3 river bends back ... "This is the worst f.cking path I've ever f.cking cycled on" ! My moment was clearly lost !
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| Henley & the f .&^%g canal !! |
Both H and I had woken thinking that we'd somehow found our very own localised area of global warming until we both realised that we'd left our heater on full overnight !
With our stupidity forgotten the morning started with a degree of apprehension knowing that this was our first crack at a 100km day, not big in itself but worrying when you are dragging along the equivalent of a lounge room suite on your bike !.
Despite H's protestations the first 10kms on the canal paths unmade service weren't that bad, roughish yes, littered with acorns yes, ruts in part yes, uneven yes but still a very rideable surface as proved by our powerful 20 + km /hr average !.
The canal we were riding alongside was the Brest - Nantes canal, over 360 kms in length built originally with over 200+ locks in the early 19th Century by prison inmates. The canals early aims were to allow for the movement of military persons /equipment and trade / food and commissioned by one Napoleon Bonaparte or "my mate Bony" as H would say !
This was the sort of trail riding that was even safe for "Wrong Way Wolstencroft" and "Columbus Coxhill" who finally had a chance to appreciate the French countryside without worrying about navigating and traffic !
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| Beautiful scenery ! |
En route, Viv our minister for Womans affairs, Health and well being and "llloooovvve", called a meeting at a bridge overpass stating that she had an important announcement. We'd 2nd guessed her by betting on a marriage announcement or even an immaculate conception with Linton's non plussed look not giving way much to the punters !
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| No one told me !!! |
As it was Viv's announcement was to emplore us (as part of her ministerial duties) to spend the day getting back in touch with our "feminine" sides ! Most of us were a little non plussed but H reckoned he could pull out something in pink while Noel said he was on board having left his "man bits" back on the trail when he plowed into a pothole which not only made him an instant enuch (sorry Jenny) but also required him to stop to replace his slow leaking tube !
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| Rick the Photo bomber ! |
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| Spreading the love ! |
While the rest of us contemplated our ministers request we sailed into quiet Blain at the 45km mark. Here our only problems were which of the 3 boulangeries to eat from and whether or not we should venture into a cafe with the classy name of "Le Spitton" to have coffee !
Fired up and back on track the weather improved (as did our surface much to H's delight) as the lovely canal went on and on and on !
Finally at the 70 km mark we left our canal surrounds to journey the remainder of our distance (25 (kms to Nantes) with a compulsory milk shake stop (called by our minister of health) at the lovely water front town of Suce sur Erdre.
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| Milkshake time ! |
Our route in was not without its dramas as we soon found ourselves on a major road being blasted by passing motorists ! The message was loud and clear get on to the adjacent bike path !
Refreshed we made our way into the big city of Nantes. Having reinstated Rick as Navigator we rode though the bike friendly outskirts of the city to our central based accommodation.
Finally we reached the Grand Hotel just after 4p.m. right on the 100 km mark and staggered inside pretty exhausted by a hard but good days work
With a few things to see in this lovely city the plan made over dinner was to shorten tomorrow's ride to allow a little sleep in, the ability to refresh our feminine sides and the opportunity to visit the city's main attractions.
As for our minsters request for the day - Harro passed by taking photos of flowers, Henley by replicating the pain of child birth riding the canal and Rick by giving Noel an extra cuddle and Noel by ... well you know the story !
Tomorrow is another day !
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