PG:
It was a long time in the saddle and if there was any doubt about whether fully laden touring bikes can reach reasonable speeds our top speed of 67km/h should despatch those doubts right away.
PM:
An epic day by anyone's standards. The early mass, much larger than any of us anticipated. The savage climb out of Le Puy that is best taken with gusto. The windy open plain above. Then the fantastic sweeping decent into Saint-Privat-d'Allier and lunch. Worthy detour to the chapel at Rochegude and then the best climb of the trip, along the Tour des Anglais (ironically). The peleton spread out beside the stream as we weaved through pine forests emerging next to a reservoir and then onward and upward before the descent to Saugues.
BC: So in Sauges after finally getting rooms at the Inn we were a little disappointed that the Inn's restaurant was closed that evening, particularly after seeing the treats on offer. So off we go to a slightly more modest establishment nearby that could be best described as sitting in the 'hearty' category of food production. Here two of our party became acquainted for the first time with one of France's more challenging offerings; the andouillette. A particularly stinky sausage made with assorted bits of beast. Credit to them both, they put on a brave face and munched through the arteries, bones and gristle. Those stiff upper lips hardly wobbled (theirs, not the sausages'). They almost became vegetarian that night.
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