Have arrived in....Stenay
T'was rather a long day in the saddle. Just over 100mls. Still, beats sitting around on one's arse all day. I've not ridden that far before, although Jackie has. I don't think I'll be doing it again.
Yes, a really hard day. Harder than some I've spent working in the FSS.
Today and yesterday was spent alternating between Belgium and France. Not because we were lost but because of the convoluted shape of the border. I reckon we crossed from one country to the other around 10 times. At least. There are no frontier posts as such. But at one 'crossing' there was an historic frontier 'manned' by a couple of mannequins, dressed as border guards.
We cycled through the historic town of Chimay. Home of one of my favourite Belgium bottled beers. The temptation to stop for a bottle or three was tempered by the fact that we had another 70 odd miles to pedal.
A few miles after Chimay. We were cycling through a small village when a huge snarling dog came bounding towards us! It was trailing a long chain and gave the impression that it had severed the chain, from somewhere, just to get at us. We sped up and felt lucky that it did not actually attack. It really was a fearsome beast.
We lunched on cheese (filched from the hotel's breakfast table) at the ancient town of Rocroi. Built, and fortified, by Henry II in 1555 - when Francois de Cleve, first duke of Nevers, pushed back the Prince of Orange from the Champagne region. Amazing fortifications.
There was a wedding! Whilst somewhat pushed for time, we decided to wait to see the bride and groom emerge from the church there. A long wait but we'll worth it. Very colourful it was too.
We'd booked ahead at Stenay. Mainly because there was only one hotel listed there. We arrived, somewhat tired! (after a 10 hour cycle), only to find the hotel closed. I saw a young French lad letting himself in (using a keypad) and asked what was going on.
It's closed - he said
But I've got a reservation! - I said
I showed him my paperwork.
It's still closed - he said
With that we cycled around the town to find an alternative place to stay. There wasn't any. So I decided to return to the closed hotel to remonstrate with rhe owner. The lights were off as I walked around tapping on windows (it was getting dark). With that, a guy pulled up in a van.
Can I help you? - he said, in French (of course).
I explained the situation and he said that he was expecting us! The hotel was technically closed (for restaurant refurbishment) but he was aware of our booking: and would honour it. The young lad, he said, wouldn't have known about the solitary booking.
The upshot was/is that we're staying in 25 room hotel as the only guests. Even the owner is staying off-site. It's a bit like that Jack Nicholson film. The Shining??
The whole point of doing a long day today was to gain us more time to look around Verdun tomorrow. I hope it'll be worth it!
We found a place to eat pizza...