Today’s ride on Komoot
Today was colder and I was older, or that’s how it felt. I really had some things to get done this morning. First of all, I didn’t know where t was going in any detail, I had no accommodation booked, and I didn’t know what the weather was going to do. Then I realised that my travel insurance had run out last week. I’d Ignored the reminders, but had got a quote and that had expired.
So that was the first thing I did. As much as I hate insurance, the last thing I wanted was something to go wrong, and me being left stranded.
I made my way into the CBD, which was only a few hundred metres away, across the swing bridge. Last night, on the way back to the hotel, the bridge was open and it took ages before it opened up again. It was the same story this morning. The problem this time was that it was cold just standing there. There’s actually two bridges. One was more tike a drawbridge which went up, while this one swung around -a bit like Pyrmont bridge in Sydney.
Traffic was flowing on the other bridge, a good 5 minutes before this one. The result was quite a few frustrated people.
Into town, I found a lovely boulangerie, and all of the customers waited as a very very old man came in to collect his bread. We all greeted him and the door was held open as he departed. They were so nice to him. Then normal service resumed and everyone went about their business.
I was looking for a café, and I found the Café Classic, went in and saw people having breakfasts of baguette and croissants – perfect. Sorry sir, we have no food, just drinks. Not feeling like an argument at this hour, l complied and ordered a noisette, then drank it while watching others have their breakfast, grrrr. Another noissette made the difference and my mood was as good as it gets on exit.
I walked to the bike and saw that a pigeon had left its calling card all over my pack and panniers. There was so much that it needed cleaning, so that was next. The final thing to do in town was to find something to put on todays baguette, and for that, I went to the supermarket. What a morning! Its good job that I have a short, easy ride.
The ride itself was very simple. When I left Sète, I joined some excellent bike paths for nearly the whole way. I was even on a eurovelo for a few hundred metres. I stopped for lunch and rugged up as the temperature seemed to drop. I sat on a park bench under a big tree and as I left, I felt the first drops of rain. A few metres up the road, I put on the overshoes and rain jacket) but that was as bad as it got, even though it was still quite cold.
There was lots of roadwork on the way into Montpellier and I had some issues finding the hostel as a result. I’m in the Jost hostel and it’s a great place.
Let’s just hope there’s no snorers. (Note from future self – there were none. All good).
I walked around town, up to Place Comédie and along a nice boulevard. While everything was very nice, it really was a dreary late afternoon and there was enough construction work happening that the overall feel wasn’t that great. However, I could imagine on a nice day, that I’d form a different opinion.
