Day 10: Verdun to Metz: Next time, take the train!

July 31, 2015

Dodie woke me up with the news that the "ants" were carrying off the goodies from our two bakeries. Usually we use the trail of people walking with their baguettes to track back and find the bakery, but this was different, since we were already at ground zero.

So I threw on my clothes and headed on down. I chose the left hand bakery, since that had been recommended by the hotel lady. I was under instructions to get something for breakfast, and some sandwiches for later. Once inside, though, I was dazzled by all the colourful stuff, and came out with choices that were not really appropriate for breakfast, and not good for carrying on the bikes. That is, refrigerated eclairs, and open face apricot pastries. (Yes, I did actually get some sandwiches too).

Remembering from last year that it was possible, I asked the hotel staff to bring us coffee and hot chocolate. Just as before, the hot chocolate was made by heating some real milk, and then in this case supplying us with a half cup of real chocolate, ground up. So we had to add the chocolate and stir. No Swiss Miss powder!

When we were ready to leave, Dodie had to go in to the bakery to buy some proper stuff. One of the things she got was a wonderful multigrain bread, covered in seeds. It was very much like the seeded buns (brotchen) that we like so well in Germany.

At the left side bakery, great seeded multigrain breads

Dodie had to step in to buy the right stuff

We quite quickly found our way (errm, Dodie did) to the road to Metz. This is conveniently called the Route de Metz. It is D903. We passed through the local equivalent of a big box store area. As part of this there was a McDonalds. Since we had drunk our coffee and hot chocolate in cups in the hotel, we had none in our thermos's. So Dodie had the idea of seeing about getting some at McDonalds. I got sent in, indicating I still had the trust of the team even afte bakery expedition.

I handed my Thermos to the girl at McDonald and asked if she could fill it and how much would it cost. She held the Thermos up and inspected its underside, looking for an indication of the capacity. A colleague joined her, and they looked like they were examining an artifact from outer space or Belgium or somewhere. Their team then sprang into action, and filled the thing. They said it had take a double dose, so €2. Now the topic turned to the hot chocolate. Amazingly, they heated real milk, and then added real chocolate. Apparently not even McDonalds protocols can get the French to screw up a hot chocolate!

I came out pretty happy about the whole thing, and Dodie really liked her hot chocolate. That was pretty much the only joy for the next 11 hours of biking time.

You have to climb out of the Meuse Valley head to Metz, and we knew that. So we pushed up the long 10-12% hill with acceptance. We remembered it well from last year. What we did not remember was that the hills continued. They continued for 15 km out of Verdun! Obviously this was not 10% stuff, but it was still significant. Making things a lot harder was the traffic. It was quite heavy, with lots of big trucks. with no shoulders on the road, this was nerve wracking.

In cases where we could see that we would be pushing up a long stretch, we switched over to "wrong" side. This way, we could see exactly what was coming at us, and our bodies were actually off the road, only the bikes being out there, at most risk.

A glance at one of our maps revealed the wide forested ridge that we were climbing, and showed the broad plain that eventually we swooped down to. Just at the base of this swoop was a farm stand type shop, with fruits and cheeses. We chose apricots and nectarines, and sat at a picnic table to eat lunch. It was already time for lunch, though we had made only 15 km!

Big Box Land near Verdun, with McDonalds

McDonalds experts figure out how to make 350 ml of coffee

Looking down from the ridge above Verdun

Some (small) parts of the Route de Metz were peaceful and nice

The nectarines in particular were super. One of my regrets in leaving home in summer is missing the superb nectarines that come from our Okanagan Valley. But these here, though very little, packed the most nectarine flavour possible.

Arriving at the base of the ridge did not end the grueling bit of the day. Rather, it continued grueling all the way. There were long hills to contend with, and some deep gullies. We had a head wind too, but this was the least of our worries. Top of the list was staying alive out there. Through the day we hgad demonstrated to us every possible way the you can drive poorly when faced by a bicycle in the road. First off, actually slowing down is not on the menu at all. Fewer than one in a hundred drivers actually slowed down. Rather, we saw speeding by too close, and the favourite - pulling out to give us clearance, bt risking a head on crash, then veering back in at the last second.One of the stunts that bugged us a lot, was when an oncoming car pulled out to pass, and then came screaming at us in our lane. In this case we treated the oncoming driver to various gestures - mostly, but not all, ones that meant pull back in.

When we finally left 903 and turned toward the Moselle on the D11, we entered about a 5 km narrow curving downhill stretch. This is where the drivers really tried to kill each other, by passing us unsafely. At the bottom is the village of Ars sur Meuse, with very narrow lanes. The drivers then outdid themselves in trying to crash.

As with last year, we just about kissed the dirt when we crossed the Moselle and got onto the bike path. The ordeal was not over, though. First the path deteriorated into a gravel road. Then it cross a bridge and had no signage on the other side, or ever again before Metz. We had to guess where to go and that we had to recross the Moselle at a certain point.

Dodie was really exhausted and I was frazzled as we entered Metz. It was about 9 p.m.! At such an hour we wanted a hotel, though we saw the signs for the Metz municipal camping. I remembered that our hotel last year was in front of the cathedral I insisted that we head there. The cathedral tower was clearly visible, so no problem. Who would guess that Metz maintains a full size decoy cathedral tower! It's a ruin of some sort. so we had to leave the decoy and find the real thing. For exhausted people, not so easy but we did it. I really hoped that there was truly just one more cathedral, because Dodie did not have enough gas in her tank for any more running around.

Fortunately we pulled up in front of the real cathedral, and there was our hotel. They had a room, but it was €85. I cried loudly enough that this got reduced to €71.50. It was number 309. Who would think that three floor could be so high! I ferried several loads up the winding staircases, leaving Dodie below. Then we moved over to the Italian restaurant just down the street. Dodie claimed to be too tired to eat, but I insisted. I did not think she would get up the stairs without some fuel. I ordered the pizza, which I knew from last year was super. It did not disappoint - clearly brick oven cooked and with great cheese and topping.

Dodie then made it up the stairs, fairly well. I know going down will be very hard on the knees but now we have eight hours of rest ahead. There is nothing like 12 hours dodging traffic get yu ready for bed.

This small german graveyard from WWI contained more than 2500 crosses. Each records the name and rank of the soldier. I just looked at the first one. It said in German "replacement reservist" - someone called up to be killed at the last moment

Mailing postcards to the kids from a teeny town along the way

We have arrived at the Moselle (region)!

This route was used by the allies to go east in 1944, but also by the Germans to go west in 1870, when Alsace Lorraine was annexed. All along there are German monuments like this one documenting battles and men lost of 1870.

Totally frazzling traffic on D903. Next time, take the train!

The veloroute at last. It does not mean that from here on hings will be easy or well signed. Not until Trier, we know.

The "decoy" tower of Metz, cost us a lot of wasted time while looking for the cathedral.

We had to build up strength in an Italian restaurant before tackling these stairs.

Our restaurant in front of the (real) cathedral.

Top quality brick oven pizza. No need to pedal to Italy now!

Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 501 km (311 miles)

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