50 years to the day I started work at Chatham dockyard as an apprentice blacksmith, where has all the time gone? Sandra will say “cycling around the b*** world” I think she may have a point!

All refreshed after our night in the log cabin, Rylan earned his keep again, cooking us a great pasta dish, with the bare essentials in both the ingredients and the cooking facilities, he is a good lad, well coached.

Up at the crack of dawn, mainly because it was hot in the cabin, just all took it easy lazy breakfast loads of coffee then on the bikes around 07:30, quite a long day ahead so it may be good we got an early start. Straight down a disused track to start, a good sign trains never go up hill, well not in my mind, soon turned off the track to climb over to the next valley, nothing big just getting the lungs going in the early morning. Heading for Confolens as it is a Sunday we may struggle with getting enough hydration or food, we will cross that bridge when it happens.

Stopped for a coffee and a soft drink at Cenon-sur-Vienne, plenty of cycle groups about all giving us a wave and a smile, 90% of them going the other direction though, maybe a reason for that. Off we go hugging the river Vienne, beautiful scenery along the river, seemed to be some sort of cycle sportive bit off road, we got some good looks when they thought we were taking part in it, no way when we saw the off road sections. Carried on Bingo found a lovely little place to have lunch, but in typical French fashion was sternly told the kitchen was full, liquid lunch it is then, just the one as did not want to spend any money in the miserable little place after that. Bit of a tough section afterwards up into the forest looking down onto the river, few little climbs, getting tough when you are hungry and thirsty, sped past all these empty / deserted villages, really not sure is going on with the old adage “there is always a pub next to the church” except in rural France!

Finally found a place that was open, in L’Isle-Jourdain well until 3, it was now 2:15, but the girl behind the bar managed to rustle up a great salad and rice for Rylan and I and a chicken curry for Bingo, washed down with a couple of beers, so all good in the end. Sitting down enjoying the ambiance, chatting about the ride, on 20 odd miles to go with two small climbs nothing can go wrong now.

As we push on the through the deserted villages climbing hill after hill, even I can work out that it’s far more than two climbs! finally went through a village that seemed to have a little bit of life in it and a wonderful viaduct, carried on climbing past a race track, seemed like a track day was in progress, as you could hear the bikes roaring down the home straight, all a bit leery until you realise that they are not on your road. Crossed the river one last time about 3 miles outside Confolens and with a bit of House magic a bar on the riverside, a well earned beer or two, after a tough days riding, suitably refreshed we rolled into the splendid Air B&B, to be met by the English owner, made us so welcome, really refreshing to get a lovely reception after a long day in the saddle. All washed and cleaned then followed her instructions down to the only open restaurant in town, good food, one of the only times you see Bingo order more than he can eat, that does not happen often. Fed and watered off to bed for a well earned rest, Good Night.