Barca 2 Stage 04

Châteauroux to Égletons

Breakfast

Would have been my Mum’s and Dad’s 69th wedding anniversary today, thinking of you today Mum, lots of love from us.
Dale, Keith, Linford and Rylan

It was a really heavy night again last night, doing 8% lager with lashing of pizza. We had so much pizza that we had it for the morning stop and lunch stop as well! All good. I just got in before it was time to get up!

It’s a big ride today 120 miles with 8000 feet of climbing – what can possibly go wrong?

We left just after 8am, not much of a breakfast – bit of coffee and croissant but plenty of a stuff in the van, including the pizzas from last night.

Not much climbing in the first section just a few gentle ones, so we made good time to the first stop. Once again a great spread from Eric. It was getting really hot, but some really dark clouds were brewing and sure enough we had the first shower on tour. It did make for some tricky decents though.

Marc Tonks had a heavy fall on a very slippery rail crossing, but he’s one tough lad and he just dusted himself down and got on with it.

The climbs were coming thick and fast now, nothing really steep, just long. The longest just over 6 miles. We also had a few mechanicals – Steve Richards with a stretched chain had a lesson in cycle repairs from Sharky. But I don’t think he took much notice! Then Stubby lost his chain on a massive descent. It only took 10 minutes to fit a new connector link – then back on the road.

Managed to get food in a truck stop, before getting back to the digs which are holiday let chalets. It’s a pretty nice place.

Very tough day on the bike, all the lads dug deep and put a hard shift in. Credit to everyone – well done.

Early night for me.