{"id":5023,"date":"2023-05-31T19:56:22","date_gmt":"2023-05-31T17:56:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/?p=5023"},"modified":"2025-06-19T15:35:24","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T13:35:24","slug":"fietstocht-2023-chatellerault-antwerpen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/blogtype\/reisverslagen\/fietstocht-2023-chatellerault-antwerpen\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycle tour 2023: Chatellerault - Antwerp"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"5023\" class=\"elementor elementor-5023\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7aa791e6 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7aa791e6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5e21340 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5e21340\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Cycle tour 2023: Chatellerault - Antwerp<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6a9c88f4 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"6a9c88f4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-7f530f1 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/2023\/05\/31\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>31 May 2023<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-6863c75 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"about\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-terms\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/category\/land\/belgie\/\" class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Belgium<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/category\/reistype\/fietsen\/\" class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Cycling<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/category\/land\/frankrijk\/\" class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">France<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/category\/blogtype\/reisverslagen\/\" class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Travel reports<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-63136f5 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"63136f5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1160ec9 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"1160ec9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f8f6b4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1f8f6b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/15-mei-23-Vienne-vallei.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5026\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/15-mei-23-Vienne-vallei.webp 800w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/15-mei-23-Vienne-vallei-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/15-mei-23-Vienne-vallei-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4699426 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4699426\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bdd5f97 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"bdd5f97\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/156963010@N04\/albums\/72177720308257624\/\" id=\"Flickr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Photos Chatellerault - Antwerp<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-009254d elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"009254d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d372af elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7d372af\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\"><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); font-weight: bolder;\">May 14: Vivonne - Chatellerault\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform );\">(62.5 km -640D+)<br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform );\">It stopped raining around midnight, but the sun failed to break through the fog in the morning and it remained chilly and damp until noon.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">The route was fun: 5 km along a gravel path along the river\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Clain<\/span>, followed by quiet D roads climbing in and out of one valley after another. With a slight headwind on the flat between valleys.<br \/>I had to wait until 3pm to find a tavern open for a drink. There are no more bars in small rural villages. About 12 km I cycled through the '<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">For\u00eat Domaniale de Bignoux'<\/span>, a beautiful mixed forest with deciduous and pine trees.<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">The last 15 km along the river\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Vienne<\/span>\u00a0were flat, but also quite slow due to the constant headwind from the north, which will continue for several days. Breakdown.<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\"><span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">May 15: Ch\u00e2tellerault - Sainte-Cath\u00e9rine de Fierbois<\/span>\u00a0(55 km - 440 D+)<br \/>Today was another chilly, grey and foggy morning. We had to wait until noon before the sun came through.<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">After I left the city\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Chatellerault<\/span>\u00a0via the banks of the river\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Vienne<\/span>\u00a0had traversed, I cycled on via a beautiful road to the north of the Vienne valley. The scenery was beautiful, but always more or less the same: very vast and green undulating cornfields.<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">I passed several small villages. They all had a church, but no more taverns or grocery shops. There was nowhere to stop for a cup of coffee.<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">In the bigger city\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine<\/span>\u00a0I went to the supermarket. When I returned, my bike had tilted and the front brake was stuck against the rim. I couldn't fix it myself and there was no bike shop in town. Tomorrow I have to go to Tours city to get it fixed.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c47ec9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1c47ec9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/15-mei-21-Ste-Marie-de-Touraine.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5053\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/15-mei-21-Ste-Marie-de-Touraine.webp 600w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/15-mei-21-Ste-Marie-de-Touraine-225x300.webp 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Ste-Maure-de-Touraine: la Croix de la Libert\u00e9<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8870446 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"8870446\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-664836a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"664836a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\"><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); font-weight: bolder;\">May 16: Parc de Fierbois - Vouvray<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform );\">\u00a0(42.8 km - 280D+)<br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform );\">Today I left early to arrive at the Giant Veloland shop in\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); font-weight: bolder;\">Chambray-les-Tours<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform );\">\u00a0to be. I thought I could cycle the 26 km via the straight D-910 in 1.5 hours, but the Beaufort-4 headwind thwarted this plan. It took me almost two hours, but I was still in time to get my front brake fixed. It was the front wheel that had become a bit unbalanced.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\"><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform );\">By\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); font-weight: bolder;\">Tours<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform );\">\u00a0I cycled via the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); font-weight: bolder;\">Grammont Avenue<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform );\">, the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); font-weight: bolder;\">Place Jean Jaur\u00e8s<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform );\">, a chic shopping street straight to the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); font-weight: bolder;\">Loire Bridge<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform );\">\u00a0and the church\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); font-weight: bolder;\">Saint-Julien<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform );\">.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">After the busy\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">D-910<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0and the city centre was cycling along the Loire cycle route as far as\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\"><a style=\"color: #00285e;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.camping-vouvray.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Camping Bec de Cisse<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0a great relief.<\/span><\/p><div><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">May 17: - Vouvray - Bracieux<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0(70.5 km - 560D+)<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Marianne Claus-van Der Made<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">, one of my first followers, saw yesterday that we were in Tours and invited us to dinner on Wednesday evening at\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Bracieux<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">. From our campsite in Bec-de-Cisse\/Vouvray, it was 70+ km to her place. This would normally be fine, were it not for the strong headwind....<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">The morning route of\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Vouvray<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Amboise<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0went fairly smoothly, but in the afternoon, after a short lunch break in Amboise, the wind picked up to very uncomfortable speeds. For the first 15 km of the afternoon, I cycled above the Loire Valley through vast cornfields where the wind had free rein. My average speed was only 11 km\/hour....<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Just when I thought I had reached the house of\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Marianne<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0would not make it, I descended again into the beautifully wooded Loire Valley, where the wind was broken by the trees and was able to pick up my speed to 16-17 km\/h again. After just over 5h of pedalling, I arrived at Marianne's place around 18:30.<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">The visit was well worth it, we had a very enjoyable evening. Marianne's 17-year-old dog Samba got along very well with Els' 1-year-old and rambunctious Jack (Russell).<\/span><span style=\"background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform );\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eee5d3c elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"eee5d3c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/fietstocht-2023-diner-en-pianorecital-bij-marianne\/\" id=\"Flickr\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Dinner and piano recital at Marianne's house<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-33b4fac elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"33b4fac\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cf30ee9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cf30ee9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\"><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\">May 18: Bracieux - Beaugency<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\">\u00a0(36 km - 240D+)<br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\">Yesterday was a long and tiring drive from\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\">Vouvray<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\">\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\">Bracieux<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\">, so I took a morning rest and went swimming in the heated pool of\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\"><a style=\"color: #00285e;\" href=\"https:\/\/europe.huttopia.com\/site\/camping-les-chateaux\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Huttopia Le Ch\u00e2teaux campsite<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\">.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Last night, Els decided to return to Belgium via the Normandy and Opal coasts, so our paths separate today. I had initially planned this route too, but it was too big a diversion for me to be back in Belgium before the end of May.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Today's ride was through beautiful scenery: 7 km through the forest of\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Chambord<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">, followed by a light lunch near the impressive\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">castle of Chambord<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">, then a gentle descent into the Loire Valley, followed by some 20+ kilometres on the right bank of the Loire.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-979e1bf elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"979e1bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/16-mei-21-Chambord-Front.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5065\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/16-mei-21-Chambord-Front.webp 800w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/16-mei-21-Chambord-Front-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/16-mei-21-Chambord-Front-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Chambord castle<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f211ef7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"f211ef7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-232c390 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"232c390\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\"><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">I only had to cycle 36 km today, but some obstacles slowed down my ride:<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">First, the phone mount on my handlebars came loose and I had to secure it with a Colson strap. In Chambord, I had to wait quite a long time for my lunch. As I had just left Chambord, a screw of the fast-lock system of my right ORTLIEB Outdoor Equipment pannier came loose and the bottom of the pannier hit my wheel spokes. I had to remove all my camping gear from the pannier to retighten the screw. Near\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Muide-sur-Loire<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0there was a big flea market on the banks of the Loire. It caused considerable traffic and pedestrian congestion on the narrow D-road I was following. I had to walk to get through the crowds. On the Loire embankment near the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Avaray power plant<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0there were very dense clouds of mini-flies forcing me to mine my Scottish mosquito head net from my pannier. Another item I didn't carry for 6,000 kilometres in vain... I don't think the flies were the infamous 'midges' of the far north because they didn't bite.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">And then there was the eternal north wind force 3... The right bank of the Loire is rural and not wooded at all, so I was completely exposed to it all the time.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">19-20 May: Beaugency - Le Secouray<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0(48.5 km - 420D+)\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">- Chartres<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0(41.3 km - 270D+)<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Wind wind wind wind wind, I'm sooo tired of it! \ud83c\udf2c\ud83d\udca8\ud83d\ude15<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">The journey from Friday to\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Le Secouray<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0was fantastic: long and straight local roads through endless, gently rolling fields. Pure zen cycling, but I progressed only very slowly: my average speed was no more than 12.5\/hour. It was hard physical work against the wind. With no to mild headwind, I would have almost reached Chartres in the same time frame....<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Anyway, I arrived at farm campsite just before 4pm\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Le Secouray<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0and had a fun and relaxing afternoon in the sun. Until 8pm, I was all alone, but then\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Patrice<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">, a French cyclist. He cycles from the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Savoy<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0in the Alps to\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Normandy<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">. From\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Cherbourg<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0he will cross over to Ireland for a long tour of that country.<\/span><\/p><div><span style=\"background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">Yesterday, Patrice almost had a stupid and unpleasant accident. He was cycling along the Loire and wanted to take a photo of an old lock. Accidentally he put his bike against a loose fence, which toppled over and caused the bike to tip over towards the canal! Patrice was just fast enough to grab his bike by the rear wheel and pull it out of the water. Thanks to his quick reaction, his luggage, apart from a roll of toilet paper, did not get wet. <\/span><\/div><div><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Saturday, the wind picked up even by 1 point to 4 Beaufort. My speed dropped accordingly to a paltry 11.3 km\/hour. Fortunately, it was only 40 km to\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Chartres<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">. The landscape remained rolling green-green-green. No variation at all.<\/span><br \/><br \/><\/div><div><span style=\"background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">The first larger village,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder;\">Le Gault Saint-Denis<\/span><span style=\"background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">, I reached after 18 km. I hoped to find a bar there to take a break and go to the toilet. I asked a woman if there was a bar open in the village, but there was only a butcher. Not my favourite shop, as I am a vegetarian. There is also no public toilet, so the compassionate woman invited me to go to the toilet at her house. I was very grateful, as in these vast treeless fields there are few hidden corners to pee.<\/span><\/div><div><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\"><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: Open Sans, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\">The last 5 km to the city campsite were very atypical: no busy streets with heavy traffic and one roundabout after another, but a rural gravel path, first along the Etang de Barjouville and then along the river Eure. The campsite is on the right bank of the <b>Eure<\/b> in a very quiet area, but just 1 kilometre from Chartres city centre. A very nice walk along the river.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-86e36f1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"86e36f1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20-mei-23-Camping-aan-Eure.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5084\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20-mei-23-Camping-aan-Eure.webp 800w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20-mei-23-Camping-aan-Eure-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20-mei-23-Camping-aan-Eure-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">River Eure close to the campsite<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-67ac914 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"67ac914\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dfe1b40 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"dfe1b40\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/fietstocht-2023-diner-en-pianorecital-bij-marianne\/\" id=\"Flickr\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Visit to Chartres<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b713e54 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"b713e54\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fbc14a3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fbc14a3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">22 May: Chartres-Rambouillet<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0(46.3 km - 270D+)<br \/><\/span><span style=\"background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">Nice ride today, mostly on French local cycle paths. And for the first time in days a fairly normal ride with moderate winds.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">The scenery was less monotonous than the previous days: first along the valleys of several small rivers, then climbing to a vast rural plateau, and then a hilly D-road up to the beautiful park of the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Rambouillet castle<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">. There it was already 4pm, I found the first open tavern of the day, but a Schweppes Tonic cost me 4.5\u20ac! For that money, I unrolled a long string of toilet paper, as most French campsites do not provide this basic necessity.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">After\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Rambouillet<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0I took a diversion to take a long stretch via the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">D-920<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0avoid and by the\u00a0<\/span><a style=\"color: #00285e; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.parc-naturel-chevreuse.fr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Parc Naturel Regional de la Haute Vall\u00e9e de Chevreuse<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0cycling. After only 2 km through this beautiful forest, I saw a nice and very quiet\u00a0<\/span><a style=\"color: #00285e; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\" href=\"https:\/\/europe.huttopia.com\/site\/camping-rambouillet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Huttopia campsite<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0with a heated swimming pool. Although I still had 12 km to go to Le Cernay, I decided to stop here and have a nice swim. Probably the last swim of many this trip....<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b312a0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6b312a0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/22-mei-23-Kasteel-Rambouillet.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5102\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/22-mei-23-Kasteel-Rambouillet.webp 800w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/22-mei-23-Kasteel-Rambouillet-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/22-mei-23-Kasteel-Rambouillet-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\"> Rambouillet castle<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9a00d62 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"9a00d62\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4888210 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4888210\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">23 May: For\u00eat de Rambouillet - Maison Lafitte<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0(53.7 km - 510D+)<br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">It was not a pleasant cycling route today. First, the wind had returned. Second, I almost always rode along D and N routes with very heavy traffic. I must admit that there were bike lanes, but most of them were\u00a0<\/span><em style=\"font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">'des pistes (presque in)cyclables'<\/em><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">: deep potholes and tree roots growing under the road surface, curbs of side streets, parked cars....<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">The last third of the route I faced bike push ramps of over 15% on which I severely obstructed traffic as there were no pavements.<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">The only relaxing part was in the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">For\u00eat domaniale de Saint-Germain<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">, from where you have a wonderful panorama of Paris.<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Hopefully tomorrow's route will be more pleasant....<\/span><\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\"><span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">May 24: Maison Lafitte - Angicourt\u00a0<\/span>(68.3 km - 560D+)<br \/>The quality of the roads and cycle paths was better today, traffic less congested and the wind was still strong, but often tempered in wooded areas.\u00a0<span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">To reach the<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder;\">Seine Valley<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">out, I had two push-bike climbs. Pretty tiring at the start of a day's ride.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">At\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Pr\u00e9cis-Sur-Oise<\/span>\u00a0Komoot sent me a few hundred metres into an overgrown wilderness with thorns and nettles, but the reward was pleasant: several kilometres along the towpath of the Oise, reasonably sheltered from the wind.<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">When I was in\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Angicourt<\/span>\u00a0arrived, I had problems finding a cycling route to the campsite, which is on top of a hill. Komoot recommended a very steep and rough gravel road. I asked a woman in a cul-de-sac which was the best road to take, and she told me it would be a diversion of several kilometres. After 68 km and many altitude metres, I was feeling quite tired and asked if she knew anyone in whose garden I could pitch my tent. At that point\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Oph\u00e9lie<\/span>, her neighbour, stood with us and she said I was welcome in her garden. What a relief, I could skip another exhausting climb.\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Thank you Oph\u00e9lie and Rudy!<\/span><\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\"><span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">25 May: Angicourt - Orvillers-Sorel<\/span>\u00a0(37.5 km -340 D+)<br \/>Windy winds and open, treeless landscapes! It was fighting the wind again. Most slopes were very mild, but there were still two long (up to +1 km) and quite steep ones. Very tiring with strong headwinds.<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">A special landscape were the\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Marais de Sacy\u00a0<\/span>(swamps). Then, just like a few days ago, I cycled through endless green cornfields.<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; color: #2c2c28; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">At\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Franci\u00e8res<\/span>\u00a0I passed an abandoned<em>\u00a0sucrerie<\/em>\u00a0(sugar factory) which is being renovated into an industrial heritage site. The factory was inaugurated in 1829 and remained operational until 1969. During these 140 years, it underwent several technological innovations typical of the sugar production industry. It is an iconic building that is now getting a second life as a learning and information centre.<br \/>Although it was a short drive today, I was still happy when I arrived at\u00a0<a style=\"color: #00285e; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" href=\"https:\/\/www.camping.aestiva.fr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Camping de Sorel<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8692be0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"8692be0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/23-mei-23-Suikerfabriek.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5112\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/23-mei-23-Suikerfabriek.webp 800w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/23-mei-23-Suikerfabriek-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/23-mei-23-Suikerfabriek-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\"> Sugar factory in Franci\u00e8res<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-643513a elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"643513a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b1c8c6d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b1c8c6d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">May 26: Orvillers-Sorel - P\u00e9ronville<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0(52.6 km - 450 D+)<br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">First of all, I would like to issue a warning to long-distance cyclists wishing to pass Paris via a western route: avoid this section of the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">D-1017<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0if you can. It's a killer road for cyclists: two fairly narrow lanes, only the white line for cyclists, heavy traffic in both directions and disproportionate numbers of heavy trucks. Some of them just blew their horn to tell you to get out of the way and save your life by taking refuge on the unpaved road verge. I assume these are all trucks who want to avoid the p\u00e9age on the A1 motorway from Lille to Paris (or are required to do so by their bosses). They use this departmental road as an alternative motorway and drive accordingly.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">The wind was supposed to be 1 point less today, but I noticed no difference from yesterday. After a few kilometres on the suicidal\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">D-1017<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0I arrived in town\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Roye<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">. Fortunately, from there I could continue on small provincial roads or quiet D-roads. What a relief!<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">One of the roads was called\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">'Route de Flandres'<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">. I am approaching my homeland! A little further on, the name changed to 'Route de Paris'.<\/span><\/p><div><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">In Roye, there were again many dilapidated houses and buildings in\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Roye<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">. I think France is the country with the most abandoned and dilapidated properties in Europe.<\/span><\/div><div><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">About halfway through, I passed the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">N\u00e9cropole Nationale d'Hattencourt<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">, which was created in 1920 to give a final resting place to 1,942 French soldiers killed during the battles of the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Somme<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0in 1914 and 1918. Among them many soldiers from French colonies. So many wasted young lives. These war cemeteries have always deeply saddened me. Let us not forget those who rest there. .<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">After 45 km of struggling with the wind, I was able to ride the last 7 km on the towpath of the Somme. A cyclist's delight, even against the wind, and a nice way to end a cycling day that started with a killer road.<\/span><\/div><div><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5475b5a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5475b5a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/23-mei-23-Roye-vervallen-huizen.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5122\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/23-mei-23-Roye-vervallen-huizen.webp 800w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/23-mei-23-Roye-vervallen-huizen-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/23-mei-23-Roye-vervallen-huizen-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Dilapidated houses in Roye<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f4b49c8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"f4b49c8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48c73f3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"48c73f3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">May 27: P\u00e9ronne - Boiry-Notre-Dame<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0(47.5 km - 550 D+)<br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">At\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">P\u00e9ronne<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0it was market day. I strolled around the market and just as I was about to jump back on my bike, the local brass band, accompanied by a group of majorettes, bid me a musical farewell.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Otherwise, today was mostly a war memorial ride through beautiful landscapes. There were many World War I monuments on my route.<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Just outside\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">P\u00e9ronne<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">, in the village\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Mont St.-Quentin<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">, I saw an Australian war memorial commemorating the recapture of the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Mont St.-Quentin<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">P\u00e9ronne<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0in a surprise attack by Australian troops on a much larger German battalion on 31 August-1 September 1918 .<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">At\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Bouchavenne-Bergen<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0stood a war memorial to\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Marshal Foch<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">, the commander-in-chief of the Allies during World War I.<\/span><\/p><div><p><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">There are war cemeteries in several villages. Sad, so many white crosses.<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">At\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Rancourt<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0I saw another\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">N\u00e9cropole Nationale<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0and a memorial chapel. This chapel houses an exhibition on the patriotism of different religions (Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim) and the role of religious figures during the war and in the army.<\/span><span style=\"background-color: #fcf9f5;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">At\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Rocquigny<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0villagers held an open-air festival to mark the christening of old military vehicles. The event took place in the garden of the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Art deco Church of Our Lady<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">, which was well worth a visit for its strikingly modern architecture.<\/span><\/p><\/div><div><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Post-war church architects have apparently come up with new designs for some churches in this region. The church of\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Vis-en-Artois<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0was another example...<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Although it was a short drive today, I arrived at the campsite late because I had visited so many memorials along the way.<\/span><\/div><div><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c1f9d86 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c1f9d86\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/23-mei-23-Notre-Dame-van-Roquigny.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5129\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/23-mei-23-Notre-Dame-van-Roquigny.webp 800w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/23-mei-23-Notre-Dame-van-Roquigny-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/23-mei-23-Notre-Dame-van-Roquigny-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Notre Dame of Rocquigny<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e681b57 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"e681b57\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0a775a0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0a775a0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">May 28: Boiry-Notre-Dame - Saint-Amand-les-Eaux<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0(50.8 km - 360D+)<br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Today was the first ride after so many that I was able to cycle at a more or less normal speed. Most of the way I followed the towpath of the lower reaches of the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Scarpe<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">, a wind-shielded\u00a0<\/span><em style=\"font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">'voie verte'<\/em><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">. It also took me through the city\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Douai<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">. While I was resting on a bench on the river bank, a local advised me to go to the city hall, as it is very beautiful. And so I did... I was lucky: two of the halls were hosting a vinyl record fair, so I could also have a look inside this imposing building. This is the first drive after many that I didn't feel very tired on arrival at the\u00a0<\/span><a style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #00285e; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.campingmontdesbruyeres.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Camping Mont des Bruy\u00e8res<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">May 29: Saint-Amand-les-Eaux - Kluisbergen\/Ruien<\/span><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">\u00a0(53.1 km - 430D+)<\/span><br style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\" \/><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Another tricky day of cycling due to a northeast wind force 4 against.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">I followed the wind-sheltered towpath along the\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Scarpe<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">-River to its confluence with the Scheldt in\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-weight: bolder; color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Mortagne du Nord<\/span><span style=\"font-style: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-transform: var( --e-global-typography-text-text-transform ); text-align: var(--text-align); color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #2c2c28; font-family: 'Open Sans', serif; font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">From Mortagne, I followed the beautiful towpath of the Scheldt. Beautiful, but in open fields with lots of headwind, so constant hard work on the bike. After a few hours, my legs felt like the lactic acid tanks in a factory I passed along the way.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d77888 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1d77888\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/28-mei-23-Scarpe-rivier.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5143\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/28-mei-23-Scarpe-rivier.webp 800w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/28-mei-23-Scarpe-rivier-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/28-mei-23-Scarpe-rivier-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Towpath along the Scarpe<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dff9ea4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"dff9ea4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a61871 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7a61871\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, serif; color: rgb(44, 44, 40); font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">At&nbsp;<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Tournai<\/span>&nbsp;was a&nbsp;<em>yellow rubber ducks race<\/em>&nbsp;going on. The ducklings were sold to sponsor the local food bank. To end the campaign, all the ducklings are thrown into the Scheldt. The owner of the duckling that reaches the finish line 300 metres downstream first wins a prize. I wonder if the ducklings reached the finish line at all, as the strong upstream wind caused the upper reaches of the river to flow inland.<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, serif; color: rgb(44, 44, 40); font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Today I was tired again when I was on the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/campingpanorama.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: rgb(0, 40, 94);\"><span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Panoramic campsite at Kluisberg<\/span><\/a>&nbsp;arrived. Yes, I am back in Flanders. I'm not sure I'm happy about this....<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, serif; color: rgb(44, 44, 40); font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\"><span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">30 May: Kluisterberg - Ghent<\/span>&nbsp;(42.5 km - 290 D+)<br>No photo shoot today. I had a terrible&nbsp;<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">off-day<\/span>&nbsp;and had insufficient energy to get my heavy bike going again after taking photos.<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, serif; color: rgb(44, 44, 40); font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">Last night around 5am, I woke up shivering in my sleeping bag. I pulled on my down jacket and threw an emergency aluminium blanket over my sleeping bag. This was enough to keep me warm for the rest of the night.<br>When I woke up around 8am, I felt terrible: a stabbing headache behind my left eye, probably due to the strong headwind along the&nbsp;<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Scheldt<\/span>&nbsp;yesterday. My stomach was upset, I could barely eat breakfast. I was still cold and my energy level was close to zero. I took two Dafalgans and waited for a while. They helped, after about half an hour I felt a bit better and started packing my tent.<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, serif; color: rgb(44, 44, 40); font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\">I decided to go to&nbsp;<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Ghent<\/span>&nbsp;cycle and take a room near the station to ensure a comfortable and warm night's sleep.<br>I cycled all the way in a very low gear against the eternal north-easterly wind and took many breaks. When I arrived at the hotel I had booked through Booking.com, there was no room available. An error had occurred just when I was so longing for a bed... Fortunately, there was another hotel nearby where I found a room.<br>If I still feel nauseous tomorrow, I have the option of taking the train to Antwerp.<br>A bike ride that ends in minor...<\/p><p style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, serif; color: rgb(44, 44, 40); font-size: 17.136px; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);\"><span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">31 May: Ghent - Antwerp by train<\/span><br>So I went by train. I could not have cycled 62 km against the wind today.&nbsp;<br>And for the last five southbound kilometres from Antwerp Central to Berchem, I had tailwind. After so long....<br>My neighbour Annet van Vliet had decorated my door, cleaned my flat and delicious snacks were waiting for me.&nbsp;<br>What a wonderful homecoming!&nbsp;<span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Thanks Annet.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a155d6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"2a155d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dda2fde elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"dda2fde\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div 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srcset=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Traject-hoogtemeters-e1786274772552.webp 1080w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Traject-hoogtemeters-e1786274772552-300x219.webp 300w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Traject-hoogtemeters-e1786274772552-1024x749.webp 1024w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Traject-hoogtemeters-e1786274772552-768x562.webp 768w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Traject-hoogtemeters-e1786274772552-16x12.webp 16w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/div><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-post__title\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/blogtype\/reisverslagen\/rond-adriatische-zee\/\" >\n\t\t\t\tAround the Adriatic Sea\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>The challenge: cycling round the Adriatic Sea. Will I manage it before the weather in the Balkans gets too rough? I\u2019m curious to find out myself\u2026.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/blogtype\/reisverslagen\/rond-adriatische-zee\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Rond Adriatische Zee\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\tRead more\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"elementor-post elementor-grid-item post-8495 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-belgie category-info category-tibet tag-activisme tag-lange-afstandsfietsen tag-mensenrechten\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__card\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail__link\" href=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/blogtype\/tibet\/sen-voor-mensenrechten-in-tibet\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" ><div class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tibetaanse-school-groepsfoto-1.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-6578\" alt=\"Eva en Wangpo van ICT met groep leerlingen van Tibetaanse school in Amsterdam\" srcset=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tibetaanse-school-groepsfoto-1.webp 800w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tibetaanse-school-groepsfoto-1-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tibetaanse-school-groepsfoto-1-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tibetaanse-school-groepsfoto-1-768x768.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-post__title\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/blogtype\/tibet\/sen-voor-mensenrechten-in-tibet\/\" >\n\t\t\t\tCycling for human rights in Tibet\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>From 2026, Eva will be raising funds for the International Campaign for Tibet Europe, the world\u2019s largest Tibetan advocacy organisation.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/blogtype\/tibet\/sen-voor-mensenrechten-in-tibet\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Fietsen voor mensenrechten in Tibet\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\tRead more\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Foto&#8217;s Chatellerault &#8211; Antwerpen 14 mei: Vivonne &#8211; Chatellerault\u00a0(62,5 km -640D+)Rond middernacht stopte het met regenen, maar de zon geraakte &#8217;s ochtends niet door de mist breken en het bleef tot het middaguur kil en vochtig. De route was leuk: 5 km over een grindpad langs de rivier de\u00a0Clain, gevolgd door rustige D-wegen die de [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5026,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[{"term_id":34,"name":"Belgi\u00eb","slug":"belgie","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":34,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":187,"count":45,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":34,"category_count":45,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Belgi\u00eb","category_nicename":"belgie","category_parent":187},{"term_id":35,"name":"Fietsen","slug":"fietsen","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":35,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":188,"count":154,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":35,"category_count":154,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Fietsen","category_nicename":"fietsen","category_parent":188},{"term_id":111,"name":"Frankrijk","slug":"frankrijk","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":111,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":187,"count":13,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":111,"category_count":13,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Frankrijk","category_nicename":"frankrijk","category_parent":187},{"term_id":30,"name":"Reisverslagen","slug":"reisverslagen","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":30,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Alle meerdaagse tochten, onderverdeeld in dagetappes, ongeveer op weekbasis (7 tal in \u00e9\u00e9n blogpost)of met een logisch einde (bereiken landsgrens, want dan verandert ook de landcategorie)","parent":189,"count":73,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":30,"category_count":73,"category_description":"Alle meerdaagse tochten, onderverdeeld in dagetappes, ongeveer op weekbasis (7 tal in \u00e9\u00e9n blogpost)of met een logisch einde (bereiken landsgrens, want dan verandert ook de landcategorie)","cat_name":"Reisverslagen","category_nicename":"reisverslagen","category_parent":189}],"tags":[37],"class_list":["post-5023","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-belgie","category-fietsen","category-frankrijk","category-reisverslagen","tag-lange-afstandsfietsen"],"acf":[],"images":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/15-mei-23-Vienne-vallei-150x150.webp","medium":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/15-mei-23-Vienne-vallei-300x169.webp","medium_large":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/15-mei-23-Vienne-vallei-768x432.webp","large":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/15-mei-23-Vienne-vallei.webp","full":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/15-mei-23-Vienne-vallei.webp"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5023"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5023\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6332,"href":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5023\/revisions\/6332"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reachoutforacause.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}