March 13, 2022
The battle for Hastingues
Day 23 - Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Hastingues
Today started out brilliantly! Great weather, sunny, a slight chill on the breeze, and lovely cycling - lots of cycle paths, some hills but nothing too steep, and of course, beautiful coastal scenery.
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The towns we passed through were obviously popular tourist destinations. Fairly busy even in this early spring season, with lots of big hotels, fancy restaurants, and beachside pastimes. And clearly lots of money around. Some of the private residences were like something from Beverly Hills!
Of course, they are popular for a reason! The landscape was really special. The rough sea and hint of lingering winter made the blue sky, perfect beaches, and dramatic rocks and cliffs all the more beautiful.
Somewhat sadly, we then turned inland. We hadn't had much time to appreciate our good times by the sea! We followed a river along extensive cycle paths, through Bayonne and then smaller towns.
This is where our planning went somewhat awry. We turned into the town of Urt, which had two campsites. Because of reasons we don't have a French SIM, so we cycle to one, it's closed, we cycle to the other, it's closed. We go to the town's only hotel, it's closed. We go to the only open establishment in town, a pizza restaurant (it's Sunday) to use their wi-fi, which they happily let us do. Unfortunately, no passing customer or anyone invites the intrepid English couple to stay in their cabin or even camp in their garden. It is getting late.
We are in something of a hotel dead-zone, but we find one. But it is now dark and the hotel is 18km away.
Luckily, the ride was fine and we arrived before we expected to. It was just pretty stressful and annoying and annoyed-at-self and avoidable and all that. Hopefully the lesson is learned...
Today's ride: 77 km (48 miles)
Total: 799 km (496 miles)
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