September 28, 2019
Saint-Front-de-Pradoux
Sometimes touring is just getting from one place to another, a means of transportation rather than an exploration of a place or culture. Today was such a day. And, in my single-mindedness, I was not mindful of my surroundings and had a few very minor mishaps.
I had a nice visit after breakfast with my delightful host Carol and so got off to a late start on this grey morning. My route toward Saint-Emilion put me on somewhat higher-traffic roads than usual, but as it was Saturday the roads weren’t really busy and there were few large trucks. I retraced yesterday's route into Brantôme for the first six miles, and then stayed on the south side of the Dronne. A smooth nearly flat road, I was making good progress when I glimpsed through the trees that the sun was out and casting nice reflections on the river. I thought it would make a nice photo, but I kept humming along until I spied an old waterwheel. Tossing Vivien George onto the bushes, I knelt on the stretch of greenery beside the road and tried to get a couple of decent shots from between the brambles. Not wanting to linger on this shoulderless road, I jumped back on the bike and was away. I would say it was within microseconds that I felt stinging on my lower right leg, the one that is still a bit numb from shingles. This was followed by what seemed like liquid oozing down my leg. Stopping to take a look, I surmised I had knelt in a patch of nettles and pedaled on. The stinging persisted, and I finally stopped at a churchyard in Tocane-Saint-Apre where I applied some cortisone cream to the significant welt-like rash that had developed on my shin. I will spare you the photos.
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I left the Dronne at Saint-Méard-de-Drône and headed south towards the L’Isle River, this time on quieter roads. My goal was to reach the Lawrence of Arabia cycle path along the L’Isle River. According to Freewheeling France, at the age of 19, Lawrence of Arabia cycled in Dordogne following the path of Richard the Lionheart. I planned to pick up the route somewhere west of Périgueux and ride to near the end, from whence I would head to Saint-Emilion. The land between the Dronne and L’Isle rivers is a bit hilly, and in planning my route I opted for less hills and, consequently, less Lawrence of Arabia. The only notable hill of the day started almost immediately after turning south at Saint-Méard-de-Drône. The sky was still mostly cloudy, but ample sunshine and shadows made for some interesting landscapes – and an excuse to stop for photos on the way up. Near the top, the road entered a wooded section then leveled off for about five miles before dropping down to the L’Isle. I stopped along the top at a churchyard in Segonzac for some lunch – I had a new supply of hard cheese. Rested and sated, I headed off and was soon zipping down the long descent to the river. Near the bottom, I reached for my water bottle – and it was missing! I had left it at the top of the hill in Segonzac. It was a bottle not to be retrieved, at least by me.
When I reached the L’Isle, I decided to stay on the D3 roadway rather than take the Lawrence of Arabia cycle path. Though it was busier than I liked, D3 was a straight shot to my night’s lodging - another Château. I was still in a Point A to Point B mode, and thought that Lawrence could wait another day. I arrived at the Château about half-past three and after cleaning up was treated to a tour. Built in 1889 by a rich fabric merchant from Bordeaux, the Château has had only four owners. It is in remarkably good shape, having been refurbished and turned into a guest house by owner number three. The original tapestries, purchased from India and China, still hang on the walls and most are in excellent shape. I ended the day with a nice dinner and interesting conversation with two couples also staying at the Chateau, Although intended as only a layover on my route to Saint-Emilion, the Château was a stop full of good cheer and camaraderie.
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Today's ride: 38 miles (61 km)
Total: 621 miles (999 km)
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5 years ago