Day 8 Tours to Blois 70 kms

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Moderate head wind

An early start again (7 AM), fruit and juice for breakfast bought the night before. The proprietor was concerned that we were going with out having breakfast, so he made us each a coffee and brought them out for us to have while we were organizing our bikes on the footpath – very nice man!

I thought I might have been in trouble with the riding today, stared fair, but improved as the day went on. Stopped in Amboise for coffee and a very delicious quiche, god knows how much cream was in it.

Sent a text to John L, we spent a couple of very enjoyable nights with Jhn and his wife Jen in Amboise a few years ago.

The route took us literally through vineyards today, sealed bike path for several kilometers wandering through the vines. It made a nice change as we were riding up higher (a bit breezy though) than normal and away from the river, we had quite a view looking down the river valley into the distance. We had a bit of trouble with our navigation on one section, missed the bike path sign and rode on down some rough unmade farm roads. It is never really a problem if you stray from the route a bit, the river was over on our left 3 or 4 kilometers away, just keep riding up river and an eventually connect up with the bike trail again. We cut the trail down a bit lower than the vines along an off shoot of the river, tall trees sheltered the path and we rode for several kms out of the wind on unmade bike path.

K & D looked after me again today, pulled the pace and let me tuck in behind them out of the wind – it was much appreciated. All up it was a satisfying and enjoyable ride, although D did go on a bit about the head wind!

Arrived in Blois at 12:30. Unfortunately the hotel didn't have a record of our booking, they only had two rooms left. The boys cheerfully offered me the single room which I gratefully accepted, there was a bit of banter the next day about snoring  - and thank god for single rooms at all of our other overnight stops!

We had a couple of cold beers,  confit of duck Sheppards pie for lunch (an odd combination, but worked very well), washed down with yet another delectable Loire rose'.

A long afternoon rest for me, followed by an average dinner at a restaurant recommended by our hotel, it turned out that it was owned by the hotel! I probably had one beer to many thanks to D.