Where: Dijon France

Distance: 725 km

 

Paris to Dijon

As we slipped onto the rain soaked streets of Paris Monday early afternoon there was a very different feeling then a few days earlier. My navigation device was playing up again. There was no support van waiting, there was no clear route and my bike now had an additional 25 kilo loaded on.

That night we got in at 10.30pm. Exhausted we were ready to eat and sleep. Luckily there was still a place open serving food.

 

The next day we both woke stiff and sore. Neither of us felt like completing the 145 km before us.
We made a very late start on the day and didn€™t get away until 2pm. I needed to recharge my GPS and Trent needed to do a few things in town. We both thought we would get in at about 9.30 €“ 10pm that night. Much to our horror the sun was setting and we still had 50 km to go.

My balance goes when it gets dark so I was wobbling down the road like a drunk with a yellow moon hanging around watching us. The only people we saw as we rode across the rural French hills were farmers harvesting their wheat at night. The stars that night were amazing. With no lights except my bike light the stars looked close enough to grab. Both Trent and I nearly gave up riding that night but we made it to our next town. At 2am we finally arrived.  The bed that night felt like heaven. Never again will I get caught riding late at night. 

 

 

The next day started with a swim in a French lake which was just perfect. Nothing like freezing water and a warm sun to kick start the day. The ride in to Dijon was too good to be true. Canal riding for kilometer afer kilometer. Its lovely to arrive with loads of time to be a tourist and explore beautiful Dijon.