October 17, 2019
Castres Loop Ride
This was to be my last day of the cycle tour – I am returning to Paris tomorrow where I’ll spend 2+ weeks before heading back to Iowa. This past week has been a bit disjointed by the unexpected trip to Toulouse, the focus on getting to Albi, and the knowledge that the tour was ending. Yesterday’s change of pace was fantastic, a renewed sense of enjoying the journey regardless of the destination. I wanted that feeling to extend through this last day, and spent a lot of time thinking about where I wanted to bike. A route west of Castres would take me through the rolling open farmlands that I love. However, Castres sits near the south-western edge of the Massif Central and an easterly route would challenge me a bit more. Wanting both comfort and challenge, I decided on a route that first took me north through more open landscapes and then east onto the granite plateau of woodlands and rivers.
The day started out sunny and a bit brisk with afternoon clouds in the forecast. Climbing away from Castres through rolling farmlands, I headed north toward the small village of Peuch Aubiol before turning northeast toward Saint-Jean-de-Vals, located at the top of a small vale at the eastern edge of Parc Naturel Régional du Haut Languedoc. The landscape was open, rolling farmland in the mixed autumnal hues of greens, browns, and yellows.
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Leaving Saint-Jean-de-Vals, I began a long but not too difficult climb through a mostly wooded landscape and onto the granite plateau. By the time I reached Montredon-Labessonnié, the cloud cover had increased and the day had become damp and chilly. As was I. Even donning my rain jacket could not keep out the chill and I was wishing I had brought another layer of clothing.
As I chowed down my lunch, I contemplated route options for the afternoon, i.e. whether I should take an alternate, shorter way back to Castres. My planned route had another three miles of gradual climb to the east followed by a fairly steep drop to the Agout River, which then took me back to Castres. However, I could backtrack about a mile for an alternate route to the river along a smaller road, a route I coined the zoo route as it passed by an actual Zoo. It was a tough choice. On the one hand, I wanted to complete the original route, on principle as well as the fact that it would be both longer and more interesting. On the other hand, the shorter route was an acknowledgement that I was cold, a bit tired, and that it would get be back to Castres in time to relax a bit before dinner and get ready for my early morning train. Importantly, I felt that the shorter route was not copping out on the challenge of climbing as I’d done the most difficult sections of the route, and actually enjoyed them. I opted for the zoo route, which was about nine miles shorter than my planned ride. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I was on the cusp area known as Le Sidobre and my planned route would have taken me past Lacrouzette and through a land of wondrous and legendary rock formations. Oh well, perhaps next time.
Although I can’t speculate on what I missed on the longer route, the zoo route was a blast, snaking four miles through the woods down to the Agout River on a small traffic-free road – really, not one car. I am not a brave descender, but I kept telling myself to relax and relish the thrill, all the while heeding/ignoring the warning signs of loose gravel.
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I followed the river to Roquecourbe, and then took the smaller D4 road to Burlats where I joined my original route back to Castres. This section was also a delight, and the sounds of the river gurgling as it flowed over rocks and around boulders enticed me off the bike for a short trek down to the water. I even managed to take Vivien George to the water’s edge. We cruised into Castres and made our way to the river for some final photos of a wonderfully successful tour.
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I will have another post or two on my mishaps in getting back to Paris as well as some final thoughts regarding this tour. In the meantime, we thank everyone who joined us along the way and we especially appreciated your comments and suggestions. Susan, Vivien George, and Vincent.
Today's ride: 31 miles (50 km)
Total: 1,120 miles (1,802 km)
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