We’ve been cycling near, next to, on top of, in, through, over, and completely drenched by … the waters of France! Today was the rainiest day we’ve had yet, and we are still rerouting around the flooded paths. At least it means that every time we come across cyclists heading the other way – we now stop and share notes about where the route is blocked, so we are starting to meet some of the other cyclists.
We started our wet day cycling past the hotel/restaurant where we stayed in 2005, having a moment to say hello to the owners.
At lunch we came across a bar lined with loaded bikes and joined a couple of New Zealand cyclists who are doing the entire Euro Velo 6, all the way to the Black Sea. We had met one of them back before Nantes while fixing a flat tire. So, like the US TransAmerica, this trans-Europe route begins to form a community of cyclists sharing the road and passing information along.
The high point of our day was a return to the Combier Distillery in Saumur. We had found it in 2005 and loved many of their concoctions. Today we had another tour, tasting, and buying just a little to take with us.
They are the original maker of Triple Sec.
But the best news we got is that they now distribute in the US, so we are looking forward to no longer having to wait until the next time we bicycle through Saumur for another taste.
So, yes we are wet … very wet. But this is still the beautiful Loire valley. Where else can you finish the day in a little restaurant overlooking a Chateau?
And we are very grateful that we are not on a budget, and though we have our camping gear with us – tonight we will go back to our cozy chambre, albeit lined with drying clothes. Tomorrow is promising to be only scattered showers.