nbjtours

Epernay, France

Rest day 27 miles 1122ft

End of Leg Four Low Countries 2449 miles completed

Sometimes a misfortune delivers an unexpected surprise and yesterday’s delays did just that. 

Overnight the wind was joined by heavy rain, and meant a poor nights sleep, but the day dawned cloudy, and to get back on schedule a short day of 25 odd miles awaited. 

Dotting with rain as I left, the way ahead looked even more ominous with the head wind as ever making life a struggle.  
The route today took me off the plateau, where I had to pedal downhill once more and across to Mt Sinai and the Champagne vineyards 

Unlike normally, when they are quiet, harvest had just started and the vines were filled with workers and roads filled with hire vans bringing more to cut every bunch by hand.   

  The smell of the juice and hive of activity was great to see and made the steep climb up to Mt Sinai more pleasurable  

 and the long sheltered descent more fun. 

 
Many of the vineyards had the names of the great champagne houses marked by them and it was noticeable that Moët bussed in their workers with rows of coaches sitting by. Playing fields had been turned into makeshift campsites, and there are many workers in the site here too. 

A wrong turning made me have to evacuate the road by clambering over a barrier and climbing down an embankment (not easy in cycle shoes and with a bike) as the road I wanted went underneath with no direct access. 

An early finish by 10.45am counts as a rest day and after a shower, a trip into town and round the caves of Mercier with a degustation followed. 

Back to proper cycling tomorrow and sadly no let up in the wind is predicted.