Day two of our short out-of-town bike trip

 Saturday June 8:

We arose to a wet morning, with rain falling off and on as we got up, shaved, cleaned up, packed, etc.  We both had some rain gear, but riding in the rain is not very fun, although if you are on dedicated, paved bike/walk routes, at least you do not get splashed by cars and trucks.

Friday when we checked in, we were asked to specify exactly what we wanted for breakfast at the hotel the next morning.  France is on a campaign to reduce food waste, so having everyone choose in advance meant that the food provided would more closely match the food consumed – usually hotel breakfasts are buffet style with a wide array of choices laid out.  So, we entered the dining room knowing exactly what we would have, with no worries as to the availability of our chosen comestibles. After eating, chatting with each other and sometimes with fellow guests, we returned upstairs to finish preparing to leave. 

David in the Hotel Dining Room after Breakfast

By the time we paid and checked out, loaded our bikes, and prepared to leave, the rain had almost stopped.  After crossing the river to Sablons and heading out along the river on the dedicated bike route, we were able to avoid getting wet as long as we avoided puddles.  The weather was about the same as Friday, but we were certainly pleased that rain was not still coming down.

Most of the route was a dedicated, paved scenic path, sometimes through woods, sometimes along the river dikes, sometimes through agricultural areas.  Signage was good, there were often green dashes on the pavement that ensured we did not lose our way.  After about 90 minutes, we stopped at a new wine bar where David sampled a local red and Roger had more coffee.

Nice Bike Route

The changes in the route when compared to 2012 were amazing – much better signage, MUCH more dedicated, paved paths.  It is a lot easier to enjoy the countryside if there are no motor vehicles to contend with.

Plaque about WW II Resistance Victim on old Suspension Bridge Pillar

Stopped at the Above Bridge Pillar

The above photos are at an old suspension bridge pillar where a Resistance fighter's body had been dumped into the Rhone by the Germans.  The bridge was destroyed by the Germans during the war.

We had noted that our route was going to pass through the town of Roche de Glun, where, in 2012, we had lunched at a restaurant with good food and outside tables under big trees.  We found the place and had a fairly light lunch, again under the trees – which had recently been severely pruned, temporarily reducing their capacity as shade trees.

Roger Chatting with Madame 

Roger enjoying a beer at Roche de Glun

Apparently, the same folks own the restaurant, as we learned that they are about to renovate the place; it did not look as good as it had years before. 

Menu at Roche de Glun

David's Profiteroles 

Roger Enjoying Dessert

We had been looking at weather forecasts, and it was not good for Sunday.  The plan had been to stay that night in a small town, bike Sunday for 2-3 hours and then catch the train back to Lyon.  Roger wanted to get back in time to vote in the European elections on Sunday.  We had researched trains to get an idea of our options and to pick a town with several Lyon-bound trains a day.  We had also learned that the trains on this line might require a reservation if you wanted to take a bike on board.  No cost for the bike, but with more people doing as we were along a popular route, we might need a reservation in order to get on train with our bikes.  So, we had discussed at breakfast the idea of staying the night in Valence, where there were more trains per day heading towards Lyon.  That way we could continue to evaluate our options for Sunday. 

Threatening Weather along the Rhone

We found a hotel right on the Rhone and ViaRhona just outside of Valence and stopped.  After checking in, went to a bar under a canopy in the park near the hotel for a drink.  We decided to bike to the train station a mile or two away to check out our options more fully.  We had decided to go ahead and leave from Valence the next day as the weather did not look good, and neither of us was thrilled with riding in the rain.  So, as the ticket office was not staffed in the evening, we bought our tickets from the machine in the station.  The tickets were good on any train to Lyon the next day, and there was no mention of bicycles, so we thought maybe bikes would not be an issue.  Now that we knew exactly where the station was and how to get there, and had tickets, we headed back to the hotel.  David managed to lose his way again [no recognizable landmarks could be seen from our bikes], so Roger and his GPS again had to point the way.

Bike Path to the left

We returned to the hotel and went next door to a restaurant for dinner – Roger with a chicken salad, David with a pizza.  We then headed back to the hotel and bed.  Total distance – 66km.