To Ambialet

October 16, 2022

Today’s destination was the Tarn River, which I would join east of Albi and follow to the small village of Ambialat. The weather forecast was bright sunshine and a continuation of the unseasonably warm temperatures, with daytime highs in the mid-70s. I also noted that winds were in the forecast, around 10-12 mph from the east. The wind forecast gave me some pause, but no real concern as long as it didn't get too gusty.

My bigger concern was my camera. The focusing mechanism had been acting up since I’d left the Morvan, with the lens making creaking noises when trying to extend or retract. I thought the culprit might be moisture and/or dirt, so I’d been careful to clean/dry it as best I could each day. And it hobbled along, cranky in the morning but more cooperative as the day progressed. Nonetheless, things continued to worsen until this morning when it finally gave me a system error message and completely shut down. I’m left with my iPhone, whose camera capabilities I haven’t explored, other than to point and shoot.

It was already warming when I checked out of the hotel around ten, wearing only my light windbreaker over my cycling jersey – all my cold weather gear just idling and weighing down my panniers. I reckon it's like rain gear, a necessary item but one whose presence somehow reduces the chance that you will actually need it.

I made my way down from the Cité, taking great care over the cobbles - thankfully, few tourists were milling about this early in the morning. On reaching the bottom, I immediately headed back up along a narrow ridge that offered great views over the surrounding landscape. I'd been a bit hesitant about taking this route, Google street view had shown a narrow ledge with a steep, unguarded drop. But far from that, it was a lovely road and the best choice by far, as confirmed by traffic noise rising from the alternative route below.

Careful of the cobblestones. I figured it was safer to ride down that try to walk downhill on cobbles in my cleats

The small road along the ridge - not scary at all

There was even a guard wall in sections with steep drops

The low-lying countryside surrounding Cordes-Sur-Ciel

The ridge road took me up onto narrow plateau, with expansive views in all directions. It was a treeless landscape of plowed fields, mown pastures, and the occasional fall crop. It was a very exposed landscape, and progress was slow as I battled increasing winds over the next eight miles. I’ve ridden many, many miles in the winds of Iowa and the Midwest, and I estimated these to be at least 15-20 mph, with gusts up to 25-30 mph. Not Tarifa winds, but not fun.

As I made my way east, I passed near the coalfields of the Carmaux Basin, which have been mined since the Middle Ages. All mining ceased in 1997, but it’s legacy is remembered not only by the scars of open pit mining but also in a new Museum of Mining due to open in Cagnac-les-Mines in 2023. I descended rapidly to the outskirts of Albi, a city I'd visited in 2019. I elected to bypass Albi this time around, making my way through the city's northwest sprawl to Arthès. By the time I reached the Tarn River in Arthès, I was feeling pretty battered by the wind – it’s constant roar and the capricious way it threw me about and impeded with my forward motion had taken a toll. I wanted to find a nice sheltered lunch spot by the river, but when I passed the EDF hydroelectric damn I cried uncle and nestled in the corner of a sheltering wall. At least there was a view of the cascading river – nice if you overlook all the man-made infrastructure.

The brown hues of agriculture in the late fall

Winding my way across the open landscape

This screen shot of my route past the Carmaux coalfields shows both the large hole remaining from open pit mining, and evidence of navigation error

The Museum of Mines in Cagnac-les-Mines is scheduled to open in 2023

Lunch spot on the Tarn River - at the EDF hydroelectric station east of Albi

The sound of the cascading river provided a nice respite from the roar of the wind

My heart leapt when I spotted the ruins above Ambialet

View across the Tarn River from my hotel room

Dinner was at the Logis Hotel and Restaurant, the only choice for miles around. For the main I took a gamble on their house specialty – poule with olives. It was a bit heavy for my taste, but nourishing. The meal was sort of like today, not one I’d care to order again but there were moments to savor and it satisfied my needs.

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Today's ride: 34 miles (55 km)
Total: 3,254 miles (5,237 km)

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Rachael AndersonSorry you are having issues with your camera but you got some great photos!
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2 years ago

Keith KleinHi,
I stayed in that very same hotel on my trip to Albi for the semaine fédérale. Did they park your bike in the barn across the street, like they did mine?
Cheers,
Keith
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2 years ago