Up and down into the heat of the day

June 19, 2018

The last days of spring are here and we will finally be seeing some summertime weather. The forecast for today is for a high temperature in the 30 degree range, which I do not relish especially as I will be doing a fair amount of climbing. Given my recent history with dehydration I am going to try to get into shelter early today, and that means an early start. I eat as early as the hotel allows, and am gone by 8:30. My usual muzzy-headedness means that it takes me a while to find the right road out of Thiviers, but by careful study of Mr. Michelin's opus I eventually find the way. The climbs, which will be numerous today, begin immediately. Nothing too bad, but wearing just the same. Still, it's good to be out of the flat lands. After each climb there is a descent, which goes by too quickly, and at the top of each climb there is a vista but I don't linger too long as I know the heat is coming.

At ten o'clock I stop in the little village of Mialet for water. I have already drunk almost a liter, and I need a refill. I get a Perrier with some mint syrup in it at a cafe and get my bottles refilled. The locals wish me bonne route et bonne courage as I leave.

"Time passes, pass it well" in the old language of Languedoc.

More ups and downs follow, but I don't mind. It's just too beautiful to complain so why should I?

Chalus is the first large town I reach on this ride, but it's too early for lunch so despite seeing some inviting restaurants I press on up yet another hill. Grinding away at 8 kph, I am starting to feel the heat. At the top I am rewarded with the longest downhill yet all the way to les Cars. This village has no restaurant at all, but it does have a grocery so I get a sandwich and an apple and sit in the shade of a restored cloister to eat.

The cloister is guarded by the ruins of an old castle which broods over the town.

Its ten kilometers from Les Cars to Nexon, and the heat on the climb is worrying. In Nexon I stop in a bar for more Perrier and admire the fortified church at he top of a small hill.

Who did they watch for? Vikings? Protestants? Cathars? I never did find out.

From Nexon I could see Limoges. I knew that I would have to end today's ride soon, and Limoges seemed to me the best place to find shelter and food. Riding out of Nexon I spotted a sign for a railway station and out of curiosity I stopped. There was a train leaving for Limoges in ten minutes so I got my ticket and in hardly any time at all I was in the city. It took me a while to find a hotel and after wandering about the city I ended up back near the railway station with a view of the art nouveau structure.

The station is probably the most impressive building in Limoges.

I took a short nap in the air-conditioning and then went to look at the city. The large park was beautiful, but there were signs of maintenance being done everywhere in it. I tried to stay in the shade, but in the end the heat drove me back to my room.

A calisthenics class in the shade of a magnolia tree.

Supper at the hotel was a skewer of beef and duck with rissoles (potatoes fried and lightly seasoned). I watched a little of the World Cup on tv before falling asleep.

Today's ride: 60 km (37 miles)
Total: 888 km (551 miles)

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