Announcements

**smudger397** · #1 5 Oct 2015

(Sorry didn't take any pics today so here's one for those who haven't seen me with my new streamlined haircut!!)

5th OCTOBER 2015 - DAY 2 - ANGERS TO MONT-DE-MARSAN (335 MILES APPROX)
After a blissful nights sleep and waking up full of the joys of Spr---autumn, I drew back the curtains and there it was ---- raining AGAIN, HEAVILY. I'm surprised Angers hasn't sunk without trace! Oh well there was nothing I could do about it other than clobber up again in all my wet weather gear and face the elements once more. Thankfully most of my gear had dried out from yesterdays deluge, apart from my gloves and they were still as soggy as two freshly squeezed tea-bags!
No hotel booked this time I was just heading south to see how far I could get. So off I paddled!! Somewhere close to Poitiers I stopped for fuel and had to use a completely automated pump with an automated voice barking instructions at you in French! I enlisted the help of a kind car driver next to me, but even he couldn't get it to work. After trying to get it to work for about twenty minutes aforecourt attendant appeared from nowhere announcing that that pump had run out of petrol and I had to try another one. Finally after about 30 minutes I was able to screw my petrol cap back on and get the hell out of there, still in the pouring rain! Bravely I rode on eventually stopping for a late lunch at a typically french restaurant, Mcdonalds!! And then we were off once more, in the pouring rain! But wait what was that I could see in the distance, was it brighter skies? Yes it was and gradually, bit by bit the rain eased and by the time I reached Bordeaux the roads were nice and dry.
I nearly ran out of fuel on the run south of Bordeaux because at my previous fill up I had forgotten to reset the petrol tap from reserve back to the on position. And of course with the tap in the reserve position the bike would have gaily kept going until completely empty. Sat Nav to the rescue! Within a couple of K's I was at another automated filling station which eventually accepted the third credit card I had tried to use. So full up once more I rode the last few miles to Mont De Marsan in beautiful warm sunshine and upon arrival i simply used my magic Sat Nav to find me a hotel somewhere near the town centre. For what it was 'The Pyrenees' was quite expensive (59Euros) for a pretty basic room, but at 7.30 in the evening after a long days ride, I didn't fancy scooting round town to other hotels to find out if I could get a better deal. So I took it!
Dumped my gear changed and walked out into an evening warmed by the balmy gentle air wafting up from the Iberian peninsula. This, my friends, is more like it! When you've been drenched to the skin two days on the trot, you appreciate the good weather so much more!!