August 2, 2017
St Arnoult: A very difficult day
We had decided that on this trip would be very sensible and take things extremely easily. Naturally that isn't what happened.
We set of about 7.30 in high spirits to attack the Paris Streets and find our way to Montparnasse. We were feeling pretty proud of ourselves as we mingled with early morning traffic and didn't once get lost and not long after 8 we were outside Gare Montparnasse. Now the first decision we had felt that we might catch a train to Chartres, in I went it all looked easy but the next train wasn't until 9. Out I came and we decided to see if we could find the onward route relatively easily. Perhaps we would go n to St Arnoult after all it was only 45 km away ( that is if you don't get lost) Foolishly I booked a room
Off we went on the dedicated bike path towards Massy. It is great with playing areas and patches of park. It wasn't fast though as it had endless steep ups and downs and we were ever having to go through barriers to cross roads.
Then we were spat off on a road with no idea where to go. Good luck there was a coffee stop and as we drank our coffee and ate our pain a chocolate we were amused by delightful little children on an outing from a daycare centre. I set a google route on my phone. It served us well for awhile then we were hopelessly lost going I think in circles up impossibly steep hills. Many be it wasn't goggles fault but mine as I have difficulty with left and right. Eventually we were in the middle of a housing estate with seemingly no means of escape. A lovely man came out of his house and thought the only way to help us was for him to get on his bike and leads out of this maze onto an onward path
This worked for while then we had to get out more maps but then a local man said follow me. And so we did on a rail trail as far as Lamour. After he turned off we got on the 988 and followed it into St Arnoult. We were both complete shot and in our low range most of the time, any hint of a hill a killer. On the edge of town we ran into our hotel and staggered in.
Ken says it is quite the most difficult ride we have ever had which is not surprising considering what has gone before
Tomorrow will be better
Today's ride: 60 km (37 miles)
Total: 62 km (39 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 2 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |