Sunday 7th September 2014 - First item on agenda today is shower. Found a wee green dude on my pannier covers this morning, must be into yellow, left him there to chill out while I scrubbed.
Quick internet use at reception where the WiFi only was, then pedalled off at 11am.
3km later stopped at a boulangerie and had my first croissant. Yummy yummy in my tummy.
Back on the road and the plan was to head inland, as the closest bridge at Honfleur was a motorway, so planned to aim for Lisieux, then cross bridge north of Pont-Audemer.
So it was pedal village to village. Each having a nice downhill into it, then a straight up climb out of it. Again and again and again. I was lovely countryside though. Hardly any traffic, great scenery and all.
It was hot. I know I've said the last few days were hot, but inland it was oven hot. You know when you open the oven door and you get that hot whaft of air in your face - that was what day 9 was all about.
Best village I went through was Beuvron-en-Auge. Out of nowhere, turned a corner and was in the middle of an amazing wee village, with lots of flowers, stripy house and people having lunch outside at various restaurants and cafes. It was only one street and the hum of French chatter echoing around was nice.
If I was clean and appropriately dressed, it would've been nice to stop and pretend to be a civilised person for an hour or two!
But I was sweaty, in cycle clothes and had heat rash down both arms and hands, so I went on.
Lots more big stripy houses, farmhouses and barns. Lots of fields with horses and foals. Then passed a horse reproduction unit....
So anyway the rest of the day was the same....hiiilllllsssss. They'd be fine on a cool day at home on a light well oiled road bike. But hauling the bags, the full suspension mountain bike (even when both are locked out, still have some give), a wobbly back wheel, which is like trying to control a wild snake and no water (argh, again), it was slow going.
High point of the day though was when my cleavage saved a butterfly. There aren't any hedgerows and the fields come up to the roads. There are lots of cabbage white butterflies everywhere. They are a bit kamikaze and tend to fly out in front of me just as I pass.
On a straight fast downhill part, one did just that, smashed its face into my glasses and knocked itself out. I thought it might have gone down my open cycle top. Quick look as lots of traffic but didn't see it. Felt like a murderer. A few km later, felt a flutter in my chest, thought I could possibly be having a heart attack - or heat stroke. Pulled over, and the butterfly had resurrected itself, crawled up and out if my top and flew off to freedom (or to be hit and killed by a car). Awww....I'm not a butterfly murderer after all. Feel good.
Through Lisieux. Cobblestones, urgh. Cobblestone steep climb outta town, double urgh.
Stopped at Cormeilles for food, as had nothing since croissant and pain au chocolate in the morning. Saw. A. Sign. For. PIZZA!! Waaaahay.
Walked in and man says non. They start at 6pm. It was 5pm. Well don't flipping put your sign out and open your shop mister until 6pm then, sigh.
Had another croissant from the boulangarie next door and a can of coke.
That got me to Pont-Audemer. Campsite was beside a nature reserve and lake with lots of ducks and geese and birds. It was lovely. Ordered bread again for the morning when checking in.
Another night of tuna and pasta and into bed to let nature lull me to sleep.
I keep forgetting to mention that with all the sun I get during the day (even with wearing factor 15) my arms are like my own natural electric blanket. Nothing like a bit of radiation whilst camping to keep me toasty warm all night.
Day 9 - 07.09.14
Ouistreham to Pont-Audemer
11am to 7pm
5hrs 40min cycling
92.6km
2713calories
1071 metres asc
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