First Ride

It has been almost a week since our last ride in Eagle County so our bodies and minds needed a serious workout. Having spent time in this area last year we decided to repeat one of our favorite rides. Although our starting point was different we were able to navigate to the previous route with our destination the hilltop medieval town of Domme. It sits high on the bluff overlooking the Dordogne river valley and boasts the "panorama" view along the ramparts of the old city. 

We knew from last year that there was an unpaved section that we negotiated by going around a concrete barrier and walking our bikes over the dirt path for several hundred meters. Well, times change and when we arrived at the expected barrier it was a wall of dirt, or more exactly mud after the constant rains. 

Rational riders would have simply reversed course and found another way to get to Domme. But no, we decided to haul our bikes and bodies up and over. 

Kim went over the wall "parle vous" and positioned herself to catch my bike as it came sliding down the other side. 

With both bikers and bikes on the other side we took a stroll through the woods and awaited what was on the other end. 

Not quite as challenging at the other end, we lowered ourselves and bike down to the start of the paved road ahead. So far so good that the worst was behind us. 

Except that our biking shoes and all important cleats were cakes in mud. After digging out as much yuck as possible with a stick we waded into the river to clean off the rest of the debris and tried to avoid soaking our shoes. 

With wet shoes and socks we decided that Domme could wait for another day so we took the low road to Cenac to a roadside cafe we remembered from last year. 

Two coffees and one pastry later we refused to give up and continued the ride as planned and left Domme in our rear view mirror.

The rest of our 30+ mile ride was less eventful as we followed more traditional velo routes all the way toward Daglan along lovely, windy, quiet roads.

A more pastoral setting was a great place to shed unneeded pants and jackets and perfect time for a pit stop. 

Lovely pond and water feature of unknown purpose. 

No ride would be complete without catching up with our bovine friends who always greeted with a moo or two. 

Passing through Daglan, a familiar town where our friends Darlene and Shaun are building their dream house. More on them later. 

Castelnaud in the distance reassured us that we were close to home.

As was the traditional entering sign, with a bit of an exception. Turns out that most of the entering and leaving signs have been turned upside down. What could that mean? As we were later told this was a sign of protest expressed by the local farmers who are unhappy with a number of new rules and regulations instituted by the French government and EU overlords. Seems that they now have to commit some of their productive land to environmental preservation which cuts into their every dwindling incomes. Did not dig into the details but most local farms are family affairs unlike the mega farms that dominate agriculture in the states.