Day 22: Same Same

Another glorious day in Annecy. The sun is shining, the bird are tweeting and Le Tour is on.

Today is like all other glorious days, starting with a quick trip to the Boulangerie. Unlike almost everything else this holiday, this is the cheapest part of  our day. For 8 Euros we can get a baguette, pain au chocolat, tartelette fraise, sucre bun and Mark’s favourite a Patte d’ours.

With Le Tour coming close-ish we were able to ride a ‘short’ distance with an ‘easy’ hill to watch the race. The same amazing views.

I must admit the view on most of my rides in France has been the same. I focus on Mark, when he leans one way, which angle he takes and where he is as we grind up the hill (or race down the descent). I know there are amazing landscapes, lake views etc etc but really, my focus is surviving each ride and following Mark.

What is also the same is how the final bit of our ride is always the most dangerous. Where it is back at home finishing along the Cooks River, at Nice along the beach or here in Annecy on the bike path along the lake- this is the most scariest with people walking in their phones, uncoordinated cyclists and people with small dogs. 

Today we had more of the same at Le Tour. Pogajar continues to dominate in yellow, and the rest of the sweaty cyclists continue to following him round the course.  That being said, our ‘territory’ at the 1km to the Summit early on in the Tour was a perfect location. None of those huge crowds from a few days ago and the Team cars stopped near us to hand out water bottles and ice to the real cyclists as they passed by. I was even thrown a drink bottle by Ben O’Connor of Jayco!!

Lunch is also more of the same. Baguettes and sausisson. 

Finally the thing that is the same is US!  When we ride it is so hard to fight the competitive urges to try and pass people- but to stay at our own pace. Mark continues to be our sage- picking where the best place to go based on the sun etc  Although I am relatively fit- Mark is still tougher (even with a sore back) and carries the back pack and doesn’t need a siesta. 

It also must be said, the French wisdom is the same as that all over the world …