Day 21 - AG to Toulouse, 41 miles

After 3 amazing days in the mountains it was time to say goodbye and start moving towards the Med. The day started well with the short ride to Lourdes then a 2 hour train to Toulouse and a few hours spent in the city before heading down the idyllic and flat Canal Du Midi that will lead me 150 miles all the way to the Med. With a nice evening 30 mile ride along the canal to my accommodation for the night I hadn't planned on the devil returning!

The 150 miles I have to the coast are in a South-East direction and as you will see from the weather picture below the wind is not exactly helping. Nearly 50 mph into my face! As some of you know I have a little competitive edge so rather than shy away and get the train I've gone for it. Well without doubt the strongest and hardest wind I've ever riden in and I've got 3 days of this! It was like putting your head out of a car window on the motorway for a couple of hours and trying to ride with a parachute on your back. It was brutal and relentless and it definitely wasnt good for what hair I have left! I did however strangely enjoy the challenge. Whether I will still be saying the same after 2 more days who knows.

Oh I did have the bonus of bumping into the Euros Trophy in Toulouse which after talking to Phil the nice guy from UEFA it is doing a 30 city tour. Probably the closet any Englishman is going to get to it this summer!Read more