Le Barp to Moustey – 35km
25C
Terrain: flat roads, undulating roads and SAND!!!

Back on the road solo today. Mum kindly dropped me off and there I was again, off on my own. It’s pretty difficult to say bye and I found the first bit of today emotionally quite challenging.

I now tell myself that I’m over half way and I just need to focus on getting as far as I can. The next major stage is reaching the Pyrenees and then Spain, so head down and one foot in front of the other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a beautiful start to the day, the beauty continued but to be honest after a while I found it difficult to appreciate. I ended up following the route I had which is meant to be for bikes and things got a little hairy.

I ended up in the forest desperately trying to push Bob through sand. He just sinks and it’s almost impossible to move him. At one point, I needed to get up a sandy hill and I actually had to bend my knees and drag him up tugging on his front wheel!

So after struggling away for a while, I realised we were going to have to go down a ravine. Not possible. Need to find a way out.

So back along I went and at one point just couldn’t find an exit. Hot and bothered, I had to tell myself not to panic and sure enough, there’s always a solution.

In the end, I left bob and took my heavy bags (so it would be easier to push Bob). I was trying to find a way out of the forest to reach a nearby road which I eventually did. I then went back to rescue Bob and we were off again. Phew.

From that point, it wasn’t too difficult but I’d wasted about one and half hours and a lot of energy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really feel like I’m in the south of France now. The landscape has changed and I’m seeing lots of Pin Parasol (the trees in the above picture) which brings back lovely memories of family holidays in the south of France.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After reaching Moustey, I found the little hotel I am staying in. A pretty entertaining place. They have a gorgeous dog that they picked up from the RSPCA equivalent a month ago, a cat and a parrot who talks! Taking on different people’s voices. Brilliant!

Tomorrow’s a bit shorter I think and hopefully, not so eventful!