France 6

Bike day 21,
Is from Ussel to Mauriac, and it takes us down the Dordogne valleys and along the most beautiful gorges. Riding out of Ussel, we climb on some quite busy roads and the prospect of a relaxed ride seem to be misplaced. It is overcast and at 800 m above sea level it is quite cool. After about 10 km we leave the farms behind and ride into the forests and the very gentle descents go on for ever and ever !
The road gently descents into the gorges hugging the side of the mountain with glimpses of the river a long way down. The river systems in this area are dammed with a number of major dams, for hydro power generation. The narrow gorges with steep wooded sides create the long narrow lakes. We just roll along, hardly needing to brake or peddle for over 20 km, slowly getting closer to the water, which is perfectly flat and still, reflecting the opposing mountains and forest.

We reach the suspension bridge to get us to the other side and we climb the 20 or so km with the same gentle grade out of this beautiful area to Mauriac. If this is mountain riding, then bring it on ! We arrive at Mauriac early afternoon having enjoyed every meter of the journey. A lovely hotel awaits us and after the usual cleanup we have a stroll around the old town and relax at a cafe terrace with a drink in the warm afternoon sun.

Bike day 22,
Starts well, with a good breakfast of serial, yoghurt and fruit, followed by the  baguette, croissant and the usual pan au chocolate. The map does not give much away and it looks like following the main road for much of the way. Well if a contrast with yesterday was ordered it could not have been any worse. The road crosses a number of ridges, with long steep climbs and plunges into the next valley.

It is very hard going for Veronica and although she is getting stronger every day, this is going to be a
real test for her. We stop frequently, it is full sun and hot, drinks and snacks at regular intervals. We find the first rest area of the trip, half way down a long steep descent and enjoy our hot drinks we make from the thermos we carry. It is very tiring as the long fast descents don't last long enough to recover from the long steep climb that came before. Veronica is fading fast and we sit in the grass to have lunch and a rest. Back up those seemingly never ending hills, the biggest one which turned out to be the last, has a section of 8% for 3 km. Veronica's fear of not lasting the day was forgotten when
the last 10 km turned out to be mostly downhill.

The ride itself was quite spectacular, with views of the central massif coming closer and the wide expanse of the valleys with distant views of chateaux, farms and forests.

The arrival at the hotel in Aurillac was a great relief and after a well earned beer, a walk to the supermarket for tomorrows supplies ( being Sunday) and a lay down for Veronica before dinner.  The ride was 51 km and took us 3 1/2 hours, with a respectable 14.4 km/h average. We climbed 920 m and descended 1009 m, so we actually lost some altitude.
It is early to bed tonight, as Veronica went deeper than ever before, but her recovery is good and we plan an early start for tomorrow to avoid as much heat of the day as possible

Bike day 23,
 I wake early around 5 am and find Veronica wide awake. The road ahead is not going to be any
easier, if not harder, and the plan includes the option of folding up the bikes and continue by train or car.  That is the option Veronica has decided to take, a sensible one, but disappointing for both of us. We have biked 1,316.5 km, climbed a total of 9,727 m, in all sorts of weather and it is an achievement to be proud of.

We loved the bikes which held up very well, had no breakdowns at all, or any flat tyres.
First things first, book another night here, cancel the reservation ahead and check for a one way hire car. It is all possible, but the rental car place is closed on Sunday so we will be on our way again on Monday, but the biking is over.