Along the way there is an interesting array of cyclists, some keen sprinters, others reluctantly dragged into an adventure they didn’t quite understand (probably agreed to over a wine or two or three).
Along the way there’s been plenty of people you end up chatting to because of the common interest in cycle touring.
About a week ago, I met Posy and Saul, a young (20 ish couple from Somerset UK on their very first tour. Neither had toured before and Posy had a brand new bike from Evans. I asked her how the bike was. “Fine – except the brakes squeaked”. So, as you do, I checked the brakes out and Evans had put them on the wrong way round and I don’t just mean the brake pads. So I fixed them and put everything right. – Key learning – DO NOT BUY a bike from Evans UK – if they can’t even assemble a bike decently. But the real thing of value I did was sort out their Data Roaming – for a 20 something females or male this is much more important!
Anyway, my time on the Loire is now over and I’m heading north toward Brest. Of all the cycle routes I’ve done, I’d have to say that the Loire, particularly between Orlean and Angers is one of the most pleasant.