Monday 7 October

Start with the end in mind they say well that would be good if I knew where I was. I had a night in Nuit St G a wine town, then a night in Vichy a water town, and tonight it was to be Ales perhaps a beer town who knows, not me because I got a bit misdirected and ended up in the next town. All right no excuse so the map says Nimes so I guess that's it, or I hope so. The GPS is a love hate affair, as it took me on a journey today that bikers dream of, and even us tourists on a bike get pretty excited about the countryside the roads and the absolute beauty of this place. OK I admit France was not on my list of places but now it is. It is extraordinarily beautiful. The roads, the towns the scenery and the old world charm of this country is breathtaking. Not only that but I got to ride with a bunch of bikers on their way home from a super bike meeting. About 10 bikes. Half were couples. We stopped for lunch together and that was another thing. Salad entre, steak and potatos ànd the now famous fromage which I totally love. Couldn't manage the desert ! Good bunch of people. New Zealand, yes, All Blacks, yes, Jonah Lomu! Yes ....and not the first time. The weather has not been that good but not that bad either. Yes it was between 8 and 12c most of the day but at last sunshine broke through. It shot up to 18 almost immediately so a lot warmer. Petrol is about 1.50 Euro. A bed at a pub hotel chain ranges from 40 to 80 Euro A meal of any sort costs 15 Euro and then add the wine the coffee and so on. Wine by the glass goes from 3.50 to 18E so caution is advised. Well I may get to Spain tomorrow. Depends how long it takes me to find the Roman bits of Nimes. What a magic day. Didn't manage a smile for the speed camera. The GPS said fixed camera 90km and I was at 86 and lo and behold FLASH ! Perhaps I better get over the border tomorrow. Now about the hate part of the GPS. Garmin insist we update maps and pay for them! but they still are way out of date ! I was sent on and endless loop in the city, wrong turn recalculate, go round again and the same result, go round again, and could have done that till I was exhausted, so I jumped the curb into a bus lane, got a strange look from the Police and bolted out of there to end up where I am now and not much idea where that is until tomorrow. Bon soir.