Today I said good-bye to the Tarn River and cycled up and over the Causse to reunite with the Lot River in Saint-Geniez-d'Olt. This was a reverse of the route Scott and Rachael did a few days ago on their way to Sainte-Enimie, and they gave the route through the Sauterre Causse rave reviews. It was a beautiful fall day, brilliant blue sky and temperatures had cooled a bit from the unseasonably warm days earlier in the week. I was excited about the day's journey and ready to get back on tour.
The first climb of the day started right out of the gate, a five mile ascent of Montée de Sauveterre which, according to signage at the bottom, averaged 5.8%, topping out at 11.6%. I crossed the bridge over the Tarn River for the final time and began climbing immediately. The steeper sections were early on, and after about a mile settled to a fairly steady grade that was gentle enough to stop and restart without difficulty. And I stopped frequently - for photos, for ooohs and for aaaahs. As I gained elevation, the Tarn River shrank to a small ribbon and headed southeast through the Gorge – it was a spectacular sight.
A photo from yesterday, reminding me of today's first challenge - Montée Sauveterre
Susan CarpenterTo Scott AndersonYou must be missing it - I think the zoom is even better than my newer, broken version of the camera! I'm so grateful to have had it this past week but I'm happy to send it back your way, just need an address in Menton or Nice. Or Portland or Tucson. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
Looks like there might be trouble brewing on the right. Roadside signage and rock-strewn shoulders are constant reminders of the threat of rock slides, but the damaged retaining wall looks a bit more ominous
After the initial five mile climb, the route wound atop the Causse de Sauveterre, following the marked Circuit du Causse de Sauveterre. The plateau was a mix of forests and verdant fields punctuated with yellows and red. It was a Saturday, and the hills were filled with the baying of hounds, calls of hunters, and the blast of shotguns. After slowly gaining elevation for a couple of miles, the route dropped down along the L’Urugne River toward La Canourgue where I spotted a grassy area with a henge and a nearby picnic table. Great spot for a quick rest and a snack.
Rested in body but not thinking clearly, I headed off in the wrong direction after lunch, but it was not long before RWGPS notified me of my error and I was back on track. I passed a large peloton of cyclists heading up to the Sauveterre Causse, and stopped in La Canourgue for a coffee and a look around town before my reunion with the Lot River, just beyond Banassac-Canilhac. It was a nice run through the valley to Saint-Laurent-d'Olt, where the second climb of the day began. This climb was much less fun – steeper and without the spectacular views to make me sing.
I crossed into another regional park, Parc Naturel Régional de l’Aubrac, and encountered a few day riders but the big excitement came when I happened upon a traffic jam of hunters near Pomayrols. The blazing orange nearly blinded me, and they pretty much ignored me, but I did find out that they were from a local hunting club and were after wild boar. No luck today. I bid them good-day and headed off, finally reaching the Lot after four miles down a twisting, steep, and narrow road.
Scott AndersonI don’t think so. Pomyrols is larger, with a large chateau in addition to its church. Maybe La Boulesque? Reply to this comment 2 years ago
It was a short ride to my hotel in Saint-Geniez-d'Olt, where I checked-in without checking out the town. It had been a pretty memorable day, capped by a return to what I now considered an old friend, the Lot River. She would be with me at least another day, and perhaps more.
