September 23, 2024
To Montbéliard
My planned route today would take me southeast along the southern reaches of the Haute Vosges toward Belfort and then south to Montbéliard, a “place of interest” located near the Swiss border along the Allan River. I was a bit concerned with the bleak weather forecast – rain and/or winds predicted for today and the next few days. I set out from Luxeuil hoping for the best and with my rain gear where it would be readily accessible at the top of the panniers. In less than three miles, I found myself standing in a bench-less bus stop struggling to put on my rain booties.
It was a light to moderate but steady rain for most of the day, generally unpleasant but nothing so severe that I sought shelter. My camera fared worse, fogging up and becoming totally useless. With infrequent stops for photos, the first fifteen miles passed quickly as I traversed a rolling landscape on lightly trafficed departmental roads. Though I’d chosen the route for its potential views of the Vosges, any peaks I might have seen were largely obscured by storm clouds.
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Shortly after Malbouhans, I left the small departmental roads for the larger D619, a busy two-lane road with the illusion of a shoulder. Traffic was steady, with spray from large trucks further detracting from my minimal enjoyment of the day. I pulled into a bus shelter to check for alternate route options and saw that I was nearing the only RWGPS-designated climb of the day – a moderate two-miler topping out at about 7%. My concern was not with the climb, but with the prospect of climbing in traffic, something I am loathe to do. Especially in the rain. There was an alternate route that would add a few miles to my day so I chanced it, not knowing how busy or steep the roads might be. It turned out to be a great decision, a peaceful, stress-free ascent followed by a long, gradual descent. The remaining fifteen miles to Montbéliard were “head down, keep pedaling.”
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It had stopped raining by the time I arrived at my bike-friendly hotel, but I was pretty much a soggy mess. A hot shower and a little rest were quite restorative, and I went out to stroll the streets of Montbéliard before dinner. By then the sun had started to emerge from the rain clouds, basking the pastel buildings in a nice evening glow. I found a great little Italian restaurant where I dined on “Gnocchi a la Norma” – incredible soft and light puffs of gnocchi bathed in a red sauce with parmesan, aubergines and fresh basil. It was amazing how a little sunshine and a great meal could erase the minor miseries of the day.
Today's ride: 40 miles (64 km)
Total: 2,384 miles (3,837 km)
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