August 16, 2018
Rainy day interlude
I was out of bed by nine o'clock and on the road in less than an hour. But before I had gone far I came upon a laundromat so I spent the next hour washing clothes and chatting with the other customers. That done I set off for Guingamp. The rain that was forcast began to fall, ever so lightly, in the form of very heavy mist. Out came the rain cape and I resumed my role as rolling tent. Coming into Pommerit-Jaudy, I tried for a back road and this time I found it. The angelus was sounding as I got to the far side of the village, and spotting a crêperie down the street, I went in for lunch. Galette again. I mean really, don't the Bretons eat sandwiches?
Emerging from lunch, I noticed that the main road was largely free of traffic and that the rain had stopped for a moment. So I decided to use the highway as a direct route to Guingamp and save myself some kilometers. Of course I had to re-don the cape a while later, but it was mostly smooth sailing on the tarmac until I got to Guingamp. At the railway station there was a small flock of half-drowned cyclists waiting for the train and I joined them. In the train we were so numerous as to block the aisle, at least until we got to St. Brieuc, where I got off. I found a hotel across the street from the station and booked myself in. I stayed in my room editing the journal and waited for the rain to stop.
The rain stopped before suppertime, and the sun came out. I went looking for food and walked down to the port, a declivity of eighty meters. I was somewhat saddened by the state of the city. There are a lot of abandoned store fronts and for sale signs. There has been some urban renewal, but on the whole St. Brieuc looks like a city in decline. Reaching the port, I was confirmed in this opinion. The upper reaches of the harbor were full of uncared for boats of all descriptions except "clean".
Of course, it's not all bad in St. Brieuc. The lower harbor is full of well kept yachts, and there is a trendy bar and restaurant on the quay. I searched in vain for the sailor's bar. Probably lost its custom when the upper harbor went down. Being dinner time, I went into the quay side restaurant and ordered a steak, which came with courgettes in mild red pepper sauce, and fries.
On the walk back to the hotel I took the steepest road up the hill. I'm very glad not to have done it on my bike, it is a killer at over 15 per cent. On the way back I passed some buildings from St. Brieuc's glory years.
Today's ride: 34 km (21 miles)
Total: 781 km (485 miles)
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