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Location Date Stats 1379890800 St Chinian 1379718000 Marseille To Bezier (Train Transfer) 1379631600 Marseille 1379545200 Arles 1379458800 Avignon 1379372400 Montelimar 1379286000 Givors 1379199600 Chalon-Sur-Saone 1379113200 Central Besancon 1379026800 Besancon 1378940400 Plombiers-Les-Bains 
1378854000 Epinal 1378767600 Nancy 1378681200 Verdun 1378594800 Stenay 1378508400 Maubeuge 1378335600 Calais 1378249200
Today went badly.
We left Epinal at 8:30 in pouring rain. Our destination was Besancon, some 80-90 miles away. We never got there.
The route was incredibly hilly. The rain never let up and the wind swirled every which way; but mostly blowing us backwards. As we got higher into the hills/mountains the temperature plummeted. It was so cold. And the area was very remote. At times we were in the clouds with very little visibility. I don't know that the temperature was but it felt freezing. After a couple of hours we descended into a small town where we found a cafe to warm up. (It was one of those Spa towns, where ill folk come to 'take the waters') We stayed there for almost an hour. Drank several coffees and ate some cakes. JC, who was very wet and cold cut up a silver foil blanket she'd been given on a Moon Walk to make herself a thermal vest. We paid up and left, feeling a bit more 'human'. We'd left the cafe owner a rather large pool of water the mop up and some chairs to dry.
It was a long slow climb up out of the town. But over the next few miles the conditions worsened. The wind and rain increased. And the temp dropped alarmingly. And a thick fog came in.
Jackie couldn't feel her fingers and had to change gear by banging the shifter with her palm. My feet were like blocks of ice. We stopped to consider our options. How would we cope with a puncture? for example. We decided to turn around and return to the spa town.
We booked into a central hotel. It was full of old and infirm people (les malades). A very large and antiquated place! A bit of a Hotel California (Book in any time you want, but you can never leave!) Scary!
Each room comes with a Zimmer frame!
The hotel 'madam' explained that we could call upon the medics any time, day or night, if we so needed.
This is one strange place. I can't wait to move on.
I hope the weather clears and we can get to Besancon tomoz!
A horrible day!!!
- comments
Gaza Grim indeed. Sensible to return to somewhere you could recover in. No prizes for ruining your progress by getting exposure which I suspect you might have got in those conditions. Nothing like as bad here but you can tell autumn has set in firmly. Drizzle, damp, dark, and chilly than recently. I had hoped the continent would be better but I guess the altitude you got into knocks things back. I had a quick look at the forecasts for eastern France concentrating on the Metz area which I think isn't too far from you. Didn't seem a lot better on Thurs I'm afraid. Cool and damp. But improving thereafter, and definitely warmer at the weekend. Gazza xx
stevejackiegreen Thanks Gazza. It's difficult to describe what a terrible day it was. We need to push on and just hope the weather improves. My iPhone conked out due to damp even tho it was inside a pocket of my Gortex jacket. I've now dried it out and it works intermittently. I was lucky to get the last blog away
Gazza Still not looking great on the Internet websites. Apparently drizzly on and off in that area for next couple of days so wrap up. Will warm up into weekend I think. Apparently the cure for wet mobiles is to plunge it into some dessicant powder/ granules, like cat litter! Failing that I guess a radiator will have to do. Good luck, take it steady. Gazza xx
Mr J I don't think exposure is the right word. I think you were in danger of Hypothermia which is something to be avoided at all costs. I have known people die as a result and that was in the Lake District! Just trying to cheer you up.