Canal and Bike Path
So, it’s been 3 days of travelling since my last post, 3 rather interesting, if not really enjoyable at times. I left a very comfortable stay in Namur knowing rain, heavy rain was on the way. I hoped to get in about 3 hours before the rain came. No, not to be. For most of this day I was getting a free wash and rinse as was my bike. However the Ardennes are superb, even in this kind of weather. Eventually I made it to a hotel in a small village off the beat track, where everything was closed, well there actually wasn’t anything there apart from the hotel so at least I was able to dry out to a large degree and start listening to the the wind that replaced the rain that night.
At least it wasn’t raining Saturday morning, just strong 30-40kph head winds for another exciting day following the Meuse though the Ardennes. I was determined to cycle the whole way and technically I did – that is to Charleville-Mézières at the entrance to the Ardennes National Park. At that point I thought, bugger it, and took the train for the last 40 kms to Reims.
That brings me to today, a trip through Champagne country full of vineyards and small villages where everything is named Champagne this or Champagne that. There was even a hot air ballon floating by. There is, of course the Tourist Champagne Trail, beautifully sign posted in Gold lettering. On the Champagne Trail, there’s lovely plaques with names like “Taittinger” et al, but away from the Trail, nada, no pretty signs. On a bike it’s actually quite boring country side not helped by the headwinds.
Tonight I’ve managed to find, probably the lowest of the low in campgrounds – it’s cheap, but if there’d been anything else with 20 kms I’d have gone there.
Who knows what tomorrow will bring……