I had gone to sleep at 28° but from 1 a.m. onwards,  I had to add another item of clothing every hour.

As there was no-one immediately around me and I also had no WIFI, I started packing at 6, but after breakfast, which the lady at the campsite had kindly prepared for me, I ended up blow-drying the tent, which was again wet inside Anyway I did get away before 9: That was good because it was so hot- they are calling it a heatwave here!

The first part of the journey went really well. I hqd chosen the quick way down the main road. There was very little traffic on it due to the fact that it was Sunday and the motorway running almost paralell.

Then there was the big town of Romans d’Isere (not as romantic as it sounds) to negotiate, which is never easy.  I tried to find a quiet way towards Valence also avoiding that cityand ended up zig-zagging all over the place.

As I startet to get low on water, the little I still had was getting HOT and it was Sunday, I tried to find a filling-station; bar or restaurant, to no avail. I eventually saw a lady sweeping just inside her house with the door open and asked for some cold water. I almost felt like a beggar! But she was so kind, took my empty bottles and told me to sit in the lounge. She then gave me a glass of water, which she kept replenishing and after about half an hour, which I had spent conversing with her mother in Anglo-French, she asked me if I would like to wash my face in the bathroom to cool down. When I said I must go, out came my bottles from the freezer! Thanks my good samaritans, if ever you should read this!

I finally made it to Loriol, but couldn’t find my warmshowers host’s street despite GPS and asking 6 people, so I had to phone and Lionel came to meet me.

He, Maud and their two sweet daughters made me most welcome, gave me a simple but lovely 4-course meal with a bottle of Cotes-du-Rhone, nice conversation and use of the computer.

Tour stats for today: 89,59 km, 319 m. climb, 6:25 bike time 5 (total 8,5hours)