A perfect day (almost).
Started from Dijon with much the same weather as yesterday, grey and overcast, however today it cleared, and the day became sunnier and warmer. From the cycling point of view, the important thing was that it was blowing a steady force 3 or 4 from NE during most of the day, and the cycling on the river plains of the Saone with wind from the back was almost too easy. Well, with a heavy loaded bike one appreciates landscape like this and wind and weather as it was today. I will tackle the mountain challenges of Provence without the pannier bags.
Maintained average speed of 23 km/h during the day, and logged a total of 125 kilometres on the bike computer. I have been a bit sceptical about how correctly the bike computer has been set, however when I today checked the map and compared map distances with the computer, the numbers matched.
Had lunch at Seurre along the Saone, continued from there around 13:30 and arrived at Chalon sur Saone around 1500.
Until today at 1500 I have been very impressed by the way French drivers drive when they pass or meet a bicyclist. Without exception they have shown considerable consideration, if the road is too narrow to pass without a comfortable distance between the bike and the car, they always wait until the road widens up again. I have been more and more impressed by how considerate the French drive; this was something completely unexpected and has been a pleasant surprise.
Until today in Chalon sur Saone. First a female driver took a shortcut in front of me in a roundabout, she missed by less than a meter. From there and at least the 10 kilometres on the D978 south from Chalon, to be a bicyclist involved a balancing act between the ditch and the trucks passing by doing from 110 km/h and upwards.
Do the French drive differently south of 47 north? Am I getting to close to the Mediterranean?
Am about 120 kilometres north of Lyon at the moment. Unlikely that I will make it all the way to Lyon tomorrow, most probably I will arrive Lyon after a relatively short ride on Thursday instead.
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