All up and banging on the door for the breakfast bar to open, so keen to get out on the bikes for Rylans last day with us, all nicely fed and watered, hit the road just after 07:30, out of the town then on to an old railway line that had been to turned into a cycle lane. Excellent smooth tarmac hardly anyone around perfect start to the day, stayed on the track for the first 25miles or so, great riding.

Finally left the track as it seemed to go right through an industrial complex at Clérac, managed to circumnavigate the works then end back on the route, just in time to stop for a coffee and soft drink just outside Clérac, then back on the bikes riding through the forest, on a nice quite road. With the birds circling high above and a strong smell of refuse we seemed to stubble across a massive rubbish dump, was good to get away from that as soon as possible.

It was a relief to swap the refuse site to the neatly tended grape vines, the little grapes just beginning to form, bot early for scrumping them at the moment, which was a bit of a shame, we would have only made ourselves ill. Pulled a little bar in Val de Virvée, for a couple of cold drinks, still quite cloudy but the sun is trying to break through, sat outside and had a nice little break, before we set off again.

Knowing that we will soon hit the outside of Bordeaux, will get a lot busier then, so enjoy the quiet roads while we can. Crossed over the Dordogne at Saint Vincent de Paul, across the Eiffel bridge, built by Gustave Eiffel between 1879 and 1883, destroyed during the Second World War, it was rebuilt between 1946 and 1947 by his grandson, Jacques Eiffel. After that nice little history lesson the roads got busy, had to concentrate, not one of my best traits, but needs must. As we weaved in and out of the busy traffic keeping tight together as much as we could, all in all not that bad, certainly rode through worst cities.

In typical fashion the sun starts to burst through just as we are nearing the end of the ride, need to get Rylan back in one piece, which we duly did, found the hostel, all booked in, nice shower freshen up, and take it easy for the rest of the day.

Ryaln has booked his train ticket from Bordeaux to Calais tomorrow morning at 07:00, so an early start for us all, least the traffic should not be to bad at the time, hopefully he can get to the station and we can head out of the city. Great eight days cycling Rylan it has been a pleasure, maybe again next year!