That’s what I’ve been saying every day for a week now, but it never does. You probably think I’m running out of energy, but it’s definitely not just that. Despite the fact that I have nearly reached the sea it has never been really flat for very long, as you will have noticed, if you’ve been following the tour stats – 7700 hm. – that’s 25000 feet of elevation and I’ve alreay done the 1200 Kilometers (750 miles) which was the actual route distance for the whole trip! I have checked that the distance showed on my cycle computer is correct. It had occurred to me that it may need recalibrating with the new tires and luggage, but it was spot on.
Yesterday I fought with extremely strong head on winds, which made going uphill almost impossible and I couldn’t get up much downhill speed either. Fot those of you who have cycled around Neusiedlersee the wind there is NOTHING compared to yesterday. For the 1st time (or maybe it was the 2nd) I briefly thought of giving up, but how do you give up – do you just thumb a lift from a lorry, or do you lie down at the side of the road and wait for an ambulance (or the police)? Also to use my Dad’s words I am not a “giver upper” but a “tough nut”.
After all that, this beautiful Scie Valley was a reward for everything and I arrived to be greeted warmly by my second warmshowers host, Frances Doherty, offered a hot relaxing bath and a glass of Kir! The evening proved to be most enjoyable with a further 5 female English artists who are staying with Fran (they have a joint exhibition at a local chateau), excellent if rather unusal food and a good laugh before I once again collapsed into bed. Fran doesn’t have wireless and the mobile network is also very weak but I am hoping to use her PC this morning to upload some photos before you start wondering whether I’m sittiing on a train making all this up. I’m only 16 (according to Fran) or 18 (according to the internet) Kilometers away from Dieppe and the ferry is at 6 p.m., so I have plenty of time.

Tour stats for yesterday: 104,24 Km., 675 hm., 7:34:54 bike-time.