St Ybard bulletin Wednesday 16th July 2007

St Ybard bulletin Wednesday 16th July 2007.

Yesterday was hot, >30 degrees, so we didn’t ride. In the morning we went into Brive to pick up the new staircase – you can imagine the fun getting that clunky-clicked onto the roof rack. Then it was to Decaflon for more retail therapy. Then it was on to the wine merchants to fill the plastic containers with good stuff which is good for you. Next we did some endurance training at Espartignac, two whole hours wading through the 11 Euro lunch menu by which time we were smashed. Soup with three types of local bread, ham salad, pork chops with gratin potatoes, selection of seven cheeses from the cheese board, choice of five desserts, coffee and three bottles of wine. Not bad for under £8, eh? Thank God we were not on the bikes, the climb back to Trevor’s would have been very difficult and it was too hot to crash out on the grass; it was a doddle in the cars. After a siesta and some scintillating erudite conversation we repaired the Bowler ‘at in Uzerche for some beers. In the evening we had a light salad, watched the last Alpine Tour stage and the Proms on TV. It’s hard work this cycling in Correze.

Sunday we rode the Route Richard Coeur de Lion, Monday the Tour Vallee de Vizere and today we did 62 miles up to 3000ft around the Circuit de Mondelieres including the Col de Lestards and the Suc de May viewpoint. We ended up back in Uzerche at the Bowler ‘at for beers and to watch the end of the tour stage to Marseille on TV. Meanwhile back at the ranch Denbo had devoted himself to creating the best Spog Bol ever, despite the supermarket closing for lunch, and very fine it was too!