Day 5 - Epernon to Beaugency (111km, 290m)

Wednesday, May 21st, 2014

Route Map and Garmin Ride Statistics

All night it looked as thought yesterday's rain might have passed. However, at 8:30am, after berakfast and in time for the daily briefing, it started to drizzle.

We all started with our rain jackets on, and in 10km we passed through a town with a section of castle wall almost as high as the nearby church spire. I couldn't believe it was still standing, and the next strong wind might bring it down. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a vantage point where I could capture both in the same frame.

The rain continued, and this is Trevor coming into one of the many small villages we passed through during the morning. It was a very flat day's ride, and everywhere there were fields with one of 20 or 30 different crops growing as far as the horizon. Each crop and farm was attached to a village of 10 or so houses, probably as it had been for 100's of years. In any case, we were getting wet.

The first food option wasn't until Orgeres en Beauce at 58km, and all we could find open was a patisserie, but it sold baguettes with ham and cheese, and drinks. There were only four of us, but we managed to create a queue of locals outside as we very slowly decided what we wanted to eat.

  
Because there was nothing open except the patisserie, we headed for a nearby bus shelter to eat our "lunch" (it wasn't yet midday). That's Irish David, Bike Adventures Geoff, and Trevor trying to keep warm. By the time we finished eating we all wanted to get riding again to warm up.

Another 30km or so later, and at the only other place to find food for the day, we arrived at Ouzouer where there were more options than on the entire rest of the ride. We decided on a bar/cafe just near the right turn out of town and had a hot coffee inside a warm bar. At this point, Geoff (in the middle, from BA) was instructed to wait for all other riders to pass through before leaving. Trevor and I volunteered to accompany Irish David through to the end (long story, but essentially David always gets lost, so BA decided he needs to be accompanied each day).

From Orgeres to Beaugency it basically stopped raining, so by the time we arrived at he hotel just before 2:00pm we thought we had dried out.

I might look dry, but I was soaking, and my bike needed a good clean. Luckily, and for the first time on this trip, we had a hotel with a bike cleaning "station", so everyone as able to clean the "muck" off their bikes.

Beaugency is a lovely place, situated on the Loire river between Orleans and Blois. This is the cobbled street next to the hotel which leads to the river.

After showering, drying and changing clothes we headed for a walk through the town. First to the Loire river about 1 km down the road.

Then back to the 500 year old (originally 1,000 year old) cathedral and the nearby castle tower. While the cathedral was very nice inside, the castle was much more impressive outside.

We had decided to eat at a pizza restaurant near the river (recommended by BA), but it was closed for the night. So, after a few beers (!) we headed for another pizza restaurant near the hotel.

And a cat in a window reminded me of Couscous.

Dinner was chaotic, as usual, but enjoyable anyway. I just hope my clothes dry overnight and that it's not raining tomorrow.