Plan 9 From Outer Space: Day 8 - Amboise to Chateaunuef-sur-Loire - Get It While It Lasts... A Big Loop Through Europe 2017

August 15, 2017

Plan 9 From Outer Space: Day 8 - Amboise to Chateaunuef-sur-Loire

Plans don't survive the first encounter with the enemy, but planning is essential ...

Yesterday's issues in Amboise knocked our finely crafted plan offside, but we still had enough time to fit in most of what we wanted to see along the way to Chavignol.

We have booked, and paid for, a Michelin (and The Guardian) recommended hotel, with a dinner reservation, in Chavignol for Wednesday night. We've also booked an IBIS in Nevers for Thursday and have arranged with Chris at Gates to send the tools we need there. All was looking good.

We made good time to our first planned stop, Chambord, to check out the cozy little Hunting Lodge that Francis the First (and probably only) built there in the early 1500's. The place is massive, I'm not sure if he was planning on hunting inside it. It was also Ascension day, a national holiday in France so the place was heaving with tourists. We envisioned a recap of 'da Vinci' and since we've seen many a Royal palace and Castle over the years, we decided to skip a tour and press on.

That's when we did a little recalc on our route and determined that we still had 200+ km to reach Chavignol tomorrow night and it was now 2 pm. Time to pedal, so we did.

It was excellent riding and conditions were great for making time. Most of the ride was along the river levee on paved path, and we had a good tailwind. Around 4:30 we pulled into Orleans and we wanted to pick up a few bananas and drinks to get us another 30 km or so down the Road.

A quick Google search showed two 'Express Stores' within a few 100 metres .... but this is Ascension day so they were closed. As we were straddling our bikes in the very nice pedestrian area of Orleans, with a few restaurants and bars open around us, but no where to grab a banana, the skies opened up on us.

We dove for cover under an umbrella outside a candy / biscuit shop only to discover that they also made crepes. After a couple of chocolate crepes, and a nice conversation with the young guy working there, who showed us where there was camping at Chateauneuf-sur-Loire 30 km down the road, the rain stopped and we were ready to roll on.

The rest of the ride was more of the same, except we lost our tail wind and it started raining on us about 10 km out of Chateauneuf. We found the campsite, set up, showered and then hit the only place open in town for dinner. It was a simple pizza place, and we were the only sit-in customers, but the food was decent, the owner friendly, the beer cold, and pretty cheap. All good for one day.

Day was actually 151 km. My Garmin was turned off for 13 km after Chamboard. Distance is from Kirsten's Strava.

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Song of the day :

Running Down a Dream by Tom Petty. ... it just seemed to fit "the sky turned dark, I put the pedal down to make some time..."

A "Starter House" on the way to Chambord

Approaching the Chambord Chateau - this thing is still a kilometer away!

From our lunch spot -This place was built by Francis the First in the mid 1500's as a 'hunting lodge'. We are still quite far from it and as we got closer we could make out the Disney level crowds - this was Aug 15th, a National Holiday - at a national hallmark - oh no!

This is what I think is a more useful application of public funds. Energy for all rather than a hunting lodge for one!

What is now our standard, and good, French lunch. A baguette from the closest Boulanger Patisserie

Today's ride: 151 km (94 miles)
Total: 564 km (350 miles)

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