11 July 2008: Stage Seven: Taking it Easy
Easiest stage yet, despite the two hardest climbs to date. Didn't have to race the caravan (first stage that I have had the luxury of taking it easy. If only every tour stage were only 159 km with no elevation gain. Ran into a friendly Brit who slowed down to keep me company while cranking up the col du puy mary.
And a welcome surprise at the finish line in Aurillac--CJ with a bag
of groceries! He fixed my luggage rack with the spare parts he brought
from TX, and now we are on the train to Figeac. We plan to ride the
first 50km or so of tomorrow's (easy) stage. The first real mountains,
and one of the worst climbs of the tour--the Tourmalet--arrive in a few
days. Let's hope that my knee, bike, etc. hold up.
Today's aside: there seems to be at least one small town per day that is
named in my honor. Yesterday it was "Crocq" (exactly what i felt like
doing), and today it was "Douze" (which is what I will be doing for the
last few minutes of this train ride).
