Greeted again with blue skies I jumped on the bike and with no agenda (aside from climbing no TDF Cols) I just rode. I ended up on some back roads a few KMs outside Lourdes and eventually set off for the town of Pau which is 50 km north west of Lourdes. With a fantastic tail wind and flat flat roads I was there in no time.
Lots of farming lands to be seen with Sun Flowers just about to open there eyes as the weather gets warmer. The TDF leaves the town of Pau for Stage 13 this year. The helicopter shot of the riders pushing alongside the field of sun flowers is TDF number 1 photo. A good day for Cadel picking up 2nd place and also having some of his rivals get caught up in a crash 10 KMs from the end. Only 20 stages to go.
Tonight I went into the Basilica/Sanctuaries and watched the evening procession at 9 am. Very moving indeed and an amazing amount of people suddenly appeared out of every nook an cranny. I'll give more detail tomorrow as I have a big day planned to attend a few tours and museums on the whole Lourdes experience.
Dinner tonight was a Pizza that you would not serve a beggar (and there are plenty of those here). It must have had 3 pounds of Mozzarella on it, and it was my foodie lowlight of the trip. After a 100 km ride I would have eaten cardboard, which possibly might have been better : >
Till tmrw
Cycling Foodie