Bouncing Back

Firstly, thanks to Partridge for the title and this gem. Sonia: "Alan, I love you"....Alan: "Thanks a lot".

This stage took me from Metz down the East of France to Belfort, taking stops at Nancy and Epinal. Taking care of the knee I put in a gentle 60k on the first day of the stage, and felt good. Nancy was beautifyl, bathed in sunshine, and the main square 'Place Stanislas' really is spectacular. Stayed at the youth hostel there whichis actually in a Chateau, which was lovely, and had a room to myself. Only thing was it was Easter Sunday, and no food to be had anywhere, so I had to hobble 30 minutes to find a 'Golden Arch', and the scant consolation a Maxi McChicken meal provides a hungry cyclist. To put it more bluntly, I was tired, pissed off and hungry.

Epinal wasn't strictly on the most efficient route, though I figured I should visit seeing as it's the twintown of my hometown, Loughborough. Pretty unspectacular, thus bearing an uncanny ressemblance to its English counterpart. It did however have a central square called Place des Vosge, and as my Parisian friends know, I'm never one to turn down an espresso at such a place...

Today's cycle ride was pretty serious stuff. Taking it easy on my knee for a couple of days had left me with it all to do today, and I put in 85k on the hilliest roads yet.In fact I was travelling through the Parc des Vosges, that runs down the East of France, and I did my first 'serious' climbing. I should have known the omens were bad when my first uphill was on a street called 'Rue d'enfer', loosely translating to 'Hell street'!

Here in the confessional, I must get off my chest that I bottled it on the Ballon d'Alsace. Standing at over 1200m it's bigger than any mountain in England (I think and can't be bothered to ckeck), and having climbed to 550m resigned myself to hitching a ride. A young chap named Vincent was only happy to oblige, and found my plight hilarious especially when he discovered my overall plans, and I was unable to remove the front wheel of my bike for transport! I showed up even more what an amateur I am by then saying, "And I haven't even punctured yet". He ignored the obvious response of "Well obviously, if you haven't had to take a wheel off"...instead giving a small gallic shrug and knowing smile.

Anyway, I must go. I have a pizza being delivered, a game of football to watch and a train ticket to Switzerland for tomorrow. Cashback.