Day 2 - Bagnoles de l'Orne to La Fleche

A Nespresso machine...The Hotel du Beryl had a Nespresso machine, well I pretty much finished the coffe pods!  I was sitting next to Neil at breakfast (who is a doctor) and I am not sure what his professional opinion of my caffeine intake would be...I'll ask him later over a beer and salt laden peanuts!

Our day started in early morning sunshine, chilly in the shade but with the intent of warming up quickly, it was an undulating start to the day which is my kind of riding...unfortunately there was also a pretty big headwind building up which feels like a big hairdryer being blown in your face!  We undulated through lots of pretty and quiet countryside before our first brew stop which was fairly early in the day.  The climbing picked up a bit more before lunch including a horrible climb that looked flat (those are THE worse). Before lunch we crossed our second col of the holiday...again small, but a Col is a Col, and it had a great sweeping descent for around 4 km!!  Lunch was at la plage, and inland beach on a lake called Coco Beach...sounds a bit naff but it was actually a lovely break and a good lunch.  After lunch there were still around 40 miles to go but slightly less hilly, which, given the mercury was rising to above 34 degrees was something to be thankful for!

It was a lovely day of cycling today and when we got to our hotel in La Fleche a cold beer (after my lie down in a dark room) was very welcome.

https://www.strava.com/activities/359657414

Miles - 78
Ascent - 1225m
Rode with - Sue and Bob
Cols - Number two today!
Weather - Hot and sunny around 35 degrees with a hot headwind
Extra interesting bits - Met a fair sized lizard sunbathing on the road...I thought he was a stick until he almost ran under my wheels...not sure who got the bigger fright, me or the lizard!