I made a good start, doing ok to Aire sur Lys where I had hoped to stop for breakfast. But it was hot and crowded so I didn't. I ate a cereal bar and carried on instead. The country side was lovely, if a bit hilly so riding was a pleasure.
Then, it started to get really hot. And really hilly. (Or at least it felt like it did). I had planned to stop in Fauquemberges for lunch but, as nothing was open I went to the ever reliable supermarket. Whilst there I got chatting to some English roadies -all done up in yellow and polka dots. They all had a good old try and established that they could hardly lift my bike. Their domestique turned up and agreed. Bet it's hard getting it up those hills. Yup.
They rolled off. I found a shady spot in the car park. I stuffed food down my throat. (I realise the need to eat but, it was too hot to have an appetite.) I drank as much as I could, loaded up water bottles, reapplied the factor 50 and headed off again.
This time the hills were a real killer. I have no perspective on this but, it felt like climbing mountains. I used the little known 'shade technique'. Basically you pause every time there is some shade. At one point I realised how much too hot I was and really did lie down under a big tree.
It was at about then that I had a little word with myself. Did a few calculations and planned a rest day. I honestly think I'll make myself ill if I don't get out of the sun for a bit.
Anyway, common sense having prevailed, I pressed on. Not much choice anyway.
Running on cereal bars, jelly beans and oasis, I made it to St Michel sous Bois. In my over heated fugue I had managed to work out that the road from here would probably be running through a valley so the climbs should ease. It was better than that. It was down hill. All the way.
The breeze cooled me. The miles slipped away. Montreuil, tonight's stop came sooner than I could possibly have hoped.
I've stuck to my plan. A rest day tomorrow then onto the coast and Dieppe.
Gallery
The road to nowhere (it felt like that at least)
Cows came across to comment on my 'shade technique'.
I cycled up the hill thinking- 'whatever that is, it looks like a giant cello'. Which it was.
Tree stop.
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