Despite it being very hot here yesterday (it was 34C when I started my ride), it was cooler under the trees on the Voie Verte. I had no particular destination in mind as I headed south – I just wanted to make sure the ride total was over 50km.
Over the canal south of Ploërmel – idiotic teenagers throwing themselves into the water … you can’t tell them – they just don’t understand the meaning of the word ‘dangerous’. Over 100 deaths by drowning in France this year – but kids keep diving into the canal.
Left the Voie Verte at Chapelle Caro and meandered on a quiet road down to le Ponty .. curious placename: perhaps it’s a corruption of
pontille, meaning footbridge? Rejoined the Voie Verte and back to la Touche Carné and a brief diversion to visit the
manoir. Never been here before despite cycling past it hundreds of times.
Heading back up the long slope towards Ploërmel when the problems started – the back tyre was bumping: gave it a pinch and it was very deflated. No pump with me and no phone (I’ve no idea who I could have rung anyway). Got to Loyat and the tyre was completely flat. Walked and cycled very slowly for the last 13kms back to the van. Went to the LBS this morning and talked to Tony – perhaps it’ll mean a new tyre .. but more importantly, I’ll be better prepared should this ever happen to me again (the first time I’ve had this problem a longish way from home in over 10 years of cycling).
62.36km in just over 4 hot hours
Lots of this going on – I reckon over the half the wheat has now been harvested and they’ve also made a start on the
colza (rape) – and it’s not even the middle of July
The oddly-named hamlet of le Ponty
The 15th-century
manoir de la Touche Carné
