Today was an easy day but a hard day too. And a day for learning. One of the things I like so much about this kind of vacation is that there’s so much time for reflection, and self-reflection. I’ve learned through these trips that if the motto isn’t “everything’s going to be alright,” then it should be. Because it’s true.
And I’ve come to learn that you have to eat.
Even though we don’t cycle fast, we still do an average of 50 kilometres per day. For me—1.88 m and 90 kg—not to mention a bike that weighs 14 kg and panniers totalling about 15 kg, that means I’m probably burning an extra 1500 calories per day just in cycling mileage, not including the kilometres we spend walking around each town. Yes, the mid-morning pastries help, but the fact is, when you’re exercising, even as gently as we are, you don’t necessarily feel hungry, so it’s easy to under-eat. I suspect I’ve already lost a kilo on this trip, which is great, but you still have to make sure that you have enough glycogen in your system, or you start getting tired and grumpy.
So today was a learning experience, but really, one could have less beautiful learning experiences. The Meuse was at its loveliest this morning, acting as a mirror for the blue sky, the breathtaking Ardennes, and various human-made structures. The weather was ideal. And the path was baby’s-bottom smooth. The signage could be better at time, but I quibble (probably due to low blood sugar).
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After our 67 kilometres yesterday, today’s 45 seemed quite easy, though our legs did complain a bit at the outset. We rolled in to Charleville-Mézieres at around 2 this afternoon and were greeted warmly by our Airbnb host with a freshly baked tarte à suc, a regional specialty. It’s so nice to have a comfortable space to relax in (the hotel in Revin last night was so-so).
We rested, showered, did laundry, and then went out to explore the town, founded by Charles Gonzaga and the birthplace of Arthur Rimbaud.
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