Day 161, Monday 12/12/2016

I really need a break and a day off, all the campsites I’ve passed in france are closed for the winter and I’ve had enough of wild camping. Cycled into Sete and found the tourist office and they found me a cheap hotel, last night I was thinking of quitting and buying a cheap car and driving back home, but I’ll have a few days rest.
On my way to the hotel I lost one of my walking poles ( tarp pole ), it was my fault, I’d been using it as a bike stand and when I left the tourist office I had not secured it properly as I was not feeling fully alert. After I checked into the hotel I walked back the route I came but could not find it. A good double bed and the room had heating and air conditioning, I had to turn the heating off and air con up as it was to hot for me. It was nice to have a well deserved shower and change of clothes and a good nights sleep wivthout having to worry about anyone coming along and asking me to move.
Lucky it was a large room as the bike storage area in the hotel was not large enough so I had to take the trailer to my room.

Today 11 km

 

Day 162

Rest day

I hung up my sleeping bag and other things to air then went out to find a laundry, my clothes were probably to dirty to hand wash without a washboard. Found a laundry worked out the French instructions and left my clothes to wash as I went for a coffee. I was treated to a free coffee off of a frenchman who paid my bill as he liked Pippa, things are getting better.

Day 163

Rest day

I had an easy day, cut Pippas claws and gave her a haircut, a few walks around town and relaxed.

Day 164

Rest day

I need to do some jobs today, I gave my bike a quick service, I also changed the front brake pads, something I’ve never done before but the old disc brake pads came out easy enough and the new ones went straight in. I bought a new bike stand as I am having problems without one, the guy in the shop did not want to sell me the heavy duty one as he thought I did not need it but to be honest I need a heavier duty stand, this one was for a 28 inch wheel so the bike sits a little higher.
I managed to give Pippa a shower today, now she has less hair and is easier to dry. I also found a vet and bought some more worm pills and flea/tick gel.

 

Day 165

By the time I’d loaded the bike and refitted the trailer i did not leave the hotel until 11 o’clock. I pushed the bike through town for 2 km until I reached the seafront then it was a cycle path all the way to Agde where I came again to a problem I’ve faced before by coming to a road that was barred to cycles so backtracked a bit and ended up wild camping by a ruined building next to some grape vines.
Today 36km

Day 166

When I woke up I found that my trailer wheel was flat again so had to repair another puncture before I left. I stopped a bit later for porridge and a tea on the path along the Grand Midi canal. I had to stop at 1pm to fix another puncture in the trailer tube, I’ve had the tube and tyre off so many times and can not seem to find what is causing it.
Cycled past Valras Plage and found a place on the river bank to camp.
Today 35km

 

 

Day 167

Woke up this morning and my trailer tyre was fully inflated, I should not speak so soon but I think I’ve fixed the problem.
I did have another problem with one of my tent poles as due to a bit of corrosion I could not pull them apart so had to strap them to the side of the trailer, making regular checks to see it was still there. Followed the coast and stopped just south of Narbonne in a car park where I pitched my tent at dusk.
Today 38 km.

 

Day 168

I should not have spoken to soon as today I woke to find my trailer tyre flat again, but luckily it was only flat at the bottom. I struck camp and went at the trailer tube again, while I had the wheel off the police arrived in the carpark and watched me for about 5 minutes before they left, they probably had a report of someone camping where they should not, but it could not be me as I was the cyclist with a puncture.
Cycled to Port La Nouvelle where I found a hotel and booked in, just after I checked in it rained very heavily so it was nice to be inside.
Today 35km.

 

Day 169

Rest day

It was a wet horrible day today so I stayed another day. In between rain showers I took Pippa for walks and spent the day relaxing.

Day 170

Rest day

Another wet day so stayed another day at the hotel, it’s the 21st December today, the winter solstice that means longer days are on their way now.

Day 171

Lovely sunny day, beautiful weather, left the hotel at 10 and was making good time, I saw snow covererd mountains ahead of me. As I was cycling something did not feel right and when I looked down I had a flat tyre on my rear tyre. This puncture was caused by the piece of tyre boot I’d used when I had a puncture in Marseille, I removed the piece of tyre boot and used a large patch to cover the whole area.
Just past Leucate I stopped on a cycle path and put my tent up behind some trees, and near a few hunting hides up in the trees.
Today 27km.

Day 172

Another lovely day, by 10 am i was in shorts and short sleeves, I’d stumbled onto Euro cycle route 8 so most of the day was a good ride. I stopped in Canet En Roussillon and booked into a hotel for 3 nights for Christmas. The hotel room had a bath so I had to have a good long soak, first bath I’ve had in 6 months.
Today 28 km.

Day 173

Rest day

Had a few walks through town and I was the tourist as everyone else had warm winter coats on and I was in short sleeves.

Day 174

Rest day, 25/12/2016

Christmas day and out for a walk with Pippa before sunrise, I took her done to the beach and gave her, her Christmas present of a good hour long walk or run for her on the soft sandy beach watching the sunrise over the med, after that I went to a cafe for a coffee then onto a bakers for some nice cakes for breakfast.