REST DAY 2: Creches-sur-Saône

Totals so far

Distance:          685 miles

Climb:              18,886 feet  

Moving time:    52.5 hrs
The rain continued through the night, and we awoke to further downpours of epic proportions. As positive as ever, Richard remarked that this was perfect for our rest day as neither could imagine cycling through the resultant torrents flooding the gritty canal paths.

Paul and Jacqui spent much of the morning battling mud and helping free other wheelspinning campervanners bogged down in the mire (they knew those tracks would come in handy one day). Richard and Teresa abandoned their tent on stilts, taking refuge in the onsite café. By midday, the rain eased enough for the support crew to don their hiking shoes and, excited to be free of their driving duties, headed for the nearest supermarché to stock up on as many supplies as they could carry.

Richard and Paul cleaned mud, grit and general debris from their bikes, sat on the riverbank birdwatching and observed the pleasure cruisers and barges floating by. They were also tasked with keeping a close eye on the weather to ensure the laundry, strung across various apparatus, didn’t get a second rinse.

Dinner saw the foursome return to the café – burgers all round – serenaded by a local troubadour strangling requested rock songs: so we retired early in anticipation of the remaining four stages of over 100 miles each day.

FUN FACT: The river Saône is a tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île.
A reminder of why we're doing this
Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care provides FREE services and support to ensure patients and families living with an advanced or terminal illness can make the most of their lives…because every day is precious!

Each penny or cent pledged is donated to the hospice to help fund the very best in end-of-life care. See our JustGiving page.



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