Ready to roll

Since our bike tour in June we have both been pretty busy but now is the time for us to get right back into our cycling routine. The plan is to cycle every other day ... so today was the day. We keep our touring bikes here in France and my man has the panier usually for the bread. Our regular route is to Aubeterre. I have posted photos from here before. So a round trip of approximately 40km .. so given that the forecast was for a hot day we set out at 0830 also to be in time to go to the local artisan's cafe (lorry drivers caf) for lunch which we knew we would be more than ready for after a good ride .. .. and we stop for coffee in Aubeterre which is a beautiful old village with a church cut out of the rock... gets a bit full of tourists at this time of the year but we were early so I think they weren't up yet!! We live on the top of a hill so there is always a 2 mile climb at the end of this particular ride. I was leading today and keeping a steady pace is key so that the follower does not crash into the back of you and just as we were getting to the spiky bit of the hill and my speed might have faltered I remembered a slogan I saw on one of the Olympians T shirts.. 'Pain is temporary, glory is forever!!'. Well it got me to the top!! So then a great lunch.. 13 euros for 5 courses.. Chez Moran I recommend it to anyone who might ever be in this area.. and of course the great thing about cycling is that we can virtually eat what we like and not put on weight although sometimes I seem to test that principle to breaking point!! So a hot afternoon and a bit of Olympics on TV after our own little event.