Mortagne-au-Perche – Alencon 33 Miles minus 10

At breakfast we had table mats featuring Du Tour De France. The Logis hotel chain were offering a competition, with the prize being an opportunity to attend ‘Du Tour’. Fortunatly we are not on the same route so we have missed that opportunity, but maybe we will consider this for next year, now my compatriot has time to train.

The good news is that to get back onto the cycleway we travel down the long hill we had slogged up yesterday. We then followed the disused railway for around 10 miles before diverting into Le Mele Sur Seathe. This town is a recommended visit in the guide book and we find a Tabac to have coffee. We set off again back on the cycleway with the sky looking darker, and we hear thunder rumbling in the distance. This was not part of the plan.

It started to spit and then it rained harder. There are no bus shelters today so we shelter under a large oak tree. When the drips were larger under the tree than outside we moved on. We did this a number of times, until we came off of the track onto a road. The sun was trying to break through and as my compatriot had been complaining that her bike did not feel right, I felt I should look willing and try to help. As her bike was covered in mud and grit I was reluctant to do more than check the wheels were attached. After ascertaining she did indeed still have two wheels I reassured her that she was safe to carry on.

Once on a small farm road I found a suitably large puddle to wash the bikes. My intention was to not only re-inspect my compatriots bike, and partly because we are staying in a city centre Ibis hotel tonight. From previous experience I am aware you may have to store the bikes inside the hotel. I did not want the shame of having to wheel in two mud encrusted bikes as well as a mud encrusted compatriot. After I had cleaned her bike my compatriot was much happier with her bikes mechanics (magic fingers!). This is just as well because it would appear all the bike shops we pass are closed due to being on holiday.

We arrive at the hotel just slightly damp and mud spattered, having dried out in the sunshine. The nice receptionist showed me a cupboard behind her desk for me to store the bikes. I gave them a wipe down while we were outside on the pavement, along with my compatriot and her panniers who also seemed to have attracted mud and grease (I know she is nearer the ground which might explain it). Once everything (and everyone) looked reasonably respectable we went inside.

After a quick shower we walk into the town centre which is mostly closed for holidays or because it is Monday. We find a shop to buy our fruit for tomorrows lunch, then we sit outside a cafe with a coffee until another shower moves us on. After consulting the route book for recomendations we visit the cathedral and a Lace museum, before walking back, checking out the restaurant for tonight’s meal.

I am not sure what has happened with the mileage but we had only travelled 23 miles not the 33 I had anticipated. I could claim it was planned, in view of the poor weather, or it could have been a typo, or possibly confusion between miles and kilometres, whatever the reason my compatriot is pleased.

After carefully choosing an Oriental restaurant to return to for the evening meal, we retraced our steps. We went up and down every road for 30 minutes or more and got totally confused. Eventually we resorted to using Google and found the restaurant – hurrah! However it was closed. My compatriot rejected the Kebab house I offered as an alternative, so we returned to the only other place we had seen open.

I have double checked and tomorrow the mileage is 32 miles with hills. The book says the route may be traffic free as a new section is due to be built by spring 2019 so who knows what tomorrow will bring. The good news is that the forecast says the weather should be better.