Day 3 Saumur 2 L’Isle- Jourdain

Having drunk 8 x 750ml bottles of water yesterday that meant lots of trips to the loo in the night. That when my legs and knees started chattering. “ please sir can we have a day off” in their best Oliver Twist voices. I didn’t have the heart to tell them what’s yet to come. I just replied, “we’ll just take it easy”

Setting off I was greeted with a majestic hot air ballon drifting over the misty Loire. Nice way to start your day I thought 

But it wasn’t too long before I had to head due south and said goodbye to the mighty Loire

Not far down the road was Fontevraud-L’Abbaye , a little off route. Having checked it out the village was pretty and you could see through the gate it could be good but the high walls meant I couldn’t see it well. 

A view back from the hill, as I got back on course, indicating a faint outline of hat was on offer ( hard to see in the pic ) 

One of the things about being in the country is that smell but today it was on another level! Intense barely a strong enough word. Shortly I found out why and it was starting to make my eyes water! 

Steaming piles of manure, it being processed in some sort of way! I didn’t hang around.

Another busy, straight French road.

I have my phone on SatNav giving me voice messaging about the next turn etc as back up for the cycle computer but the constant ‘keeping going straight’ was becoming slightly boring.

Next cake €1.50 a slice... seriously I had two 😁

And a rest for the legs and knees . I want to say to them “ shut up legs enough of the back chat”  but took the autistic/ ADHD approach of “ I can see your upset legs and knees and that makes me sad too. How can I help? Well I hear that you want to stop but unfortunately that’s not one of our choices. How about a little break” huffing and puffing they quiten down. 

When we set back off I tried to distract  them with 

“Look poppies”

Then artichokes! Never seen those growing before 

Then..

A pretty tree lined Avenue 

Then this 

And this

Wow they were impressed. I stopped again showing my empathy for my legs. 

I set off once again.

More lovely quite roads and a funny squeaky sound. I stopped to investigate, on the radio came “ we’re on the road to nowhere” true enough I hadn’t seen a car in a while. Luckily it was just a slight break disc alteration. Just then a car pulled over on the other side of the road a lone female got out , mid thirties, came over to check I was ok and if I need any help. I assured her I was ok and she smiled and I wished me ‘bon voyage’ but it restores your faith in humanity. Would never have happen in the UK!

It did then rain a little and my bowel was arguing that it will never make 15 more miles and pull over NOW ! Luckily I had wet wipes and I was by a wood so I was going to have to do as bears do! I checked, double checked. The Trike hidden from the road I was tucked well back. I assumed position.... at this point the SatNav pipes up in my ear ‘keep going straight’ ... I literally sh*t myself I really thought someone had snuck up behind me. I was soon off again chuckling to myself and finally arrived at L’Isle-Jourdain. 

Amazing.

Until tomorrow 👍🇬🇧🇫🇷