Cold + Wind + Climbs = Tough Day

5:03 / 57 miles / 4,646 ft. Another early climb, the Col de l’Épine (7 miles of avg, 6.4%), cold temperatures, and rain on the descent started our day with a challenge. On the way down the pass we were so cold we stopped at a church for refuge from the chilling wind and light rain. The sun popped out occasionally to warm or chilled bones, and we enjoyed shorter climbs as they helped warm us up. We found a nice bakery and got a cappuccino, sweet treat, and baguette for later. We actually ate half the baguette in the bakery as we were warm and the bread was warm and yummy too. Lisa went to the grocery to pick up a few various cheeses for our Warmshower house that evening. Tough headwinds and crosswinds made the next 30 miles quite rough, but we got a bit of reprieve on a bicycle trail that was sheltered by trees near the end of our day. The houses have changed from Alpine style to large farm houses, and the crops from grapes and fruit trees to mainly corn. The cool air, scenery, corn, and farms, give it a feel of Iowa and the smell of the oncoming fall. We had a nice evening with our Warmshower hosts. Marie-Pierre and Yves they provided us a nice private bedroom with a bathroom, a hot dinner of chicken shish kebabs, rice, and a tomato,onion, and squash sauce. After dinner, we sampled various cheeses, had some digestive tea and chocolate. Lisa and I were both exhausted and fell asleep right when we hit the bed. Another amazing Warmshowers family!Läs mer