August 18, 2017
Chateuneuf sur Loire: Rain rain and more rain
Ken feels that we have been doing only pathetic short distances and that we really should go a bit further so last night I booked at Chateauneuf sur Loire and that looked slightly more respectable. Unfortunately I hadn't looked at the weather forecast before I did. It was for rain all day
When we left it was really only dribbling gently that would be no problem. It didn't stay like this for long and soon it was bucketing down. Our rain coats have obviously seen better days and before long we were soaked to the skin. It really wasn't particularly cold. Our response was to go faster and faster along the smooth track - we cut out the 30km to Orleans in record time for us and pushed up the hill to the Cathedral looking for a cafe that didn't feel it needed to be 10am to open. And there it was, it was beautiful, spacious and open. We parked our bikes and dripped in, water was everywhere around us but it was glorious to be in shelter. We found warm jerseys and put them under our soaking coats, at least they would mop up some of the water. Then for a glorious coffee creme and a pain au raisin , seldom had one tasted so good. I don't know what the other more refined people in the cafe were thinking but we were providing entertainment
Back out again the weather seemed to have improved marginally which was a good thing as finding your way out of Orleans is not particularly easy. Obviously today was not a day for our usual picnic so with any luck we would strike a restaurant with a plat de jour and set our sights on Jageau. It was shortly before midday when we arrived there and found a likely looking little restaurant There was only one other couple there, in we went and ordered the plat de jour. It was a bouillabaisse and superb full of fish, shrimps and beautifully spiced. The spices had penetrated right into the potatoes and a glass of Cidre went well with it. The little restaurant filled up completely and customer were soon being turned away, we felt very lucky
It was only about 10km from there to Chateauneuf. Our hotel is very good with a big room now spread with things drying everywhere. We are next to the post office so have mailed a lot of useless things home. There has been some problem getting accommodation for tomorrow night but after a number of phone calls have managed to get a room in a place in Gien - there is obviously something on there. They say the room is very small and has no wifi but it does have a bed!
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Today's ride: 63 km (39 miles)
Total: 713 km (443 miles)
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