NEXT

Alan is Neils second cousin. He and Heather have lived all over the world and have lived for 19 years in a beautiful farmhouse in Martiel, south of Figeac which is on our route. We stayed with them 5 years ago and they are wonderful hosts and we really enjoy their company, so we were excited to return. Alan met us near Figeac and drove us home where we had a glorious swim in their pool, a super supper and watched Ireland v Tonga. Saturday morning I awoke to Neil singing the Irish national anthem. Honestly !

We had the perfect non cycling day with Heather looking after us. Neil and Alan took Neils bike in to have his gears fixed while I did the laundry. We all went to lunch in a beautiful restaurant garden owned by a friend of Heathers. The owner, Marian, was a real character and lunch lasted from 1 to 5. In the evening we all chilled swapping stories. It was so relaxing and the perfect rest day.

NEXT

BACK

NEXT

Since I’m appending to my old operation blog, which some people may still be following, and we’re having a rest day, I thought I would use the free time to mention some post op long term symptoms since over five years has now passed. I very rarely mention them these days as I have learnt to live with them and I’m just enjoying life too much to worry about them.

When my surgeon warned me I’d wouldn’t be the same after my surgery, I thought quietly to myself, rubbish. I WILL be the same. But of course he was right, so I have found a way to manage various niggles.

Since I no longer have an oesophagus, my stomach now sits above my diaphragm in the same space as my heart and my lungs, so I can feel quite sick when I exert myself too much . I guess it’s because my heart pumps more and my lungs work harder using the space my stomach shares. This is where the electric bike is absolutely brilliant. I try not to use the assist power too much as I would like to get fit, but when I feel my heart rate going up, I simply press the turbo button and cycle gently on avoiding any unpleasant symptoms. This generally happens on long hills as I sail past poor Neil slogging away! I still feel I’m cheating with an electric bike, but thank heavens for it.

I can also suffer from something called dumping. It happens if I eat too much sweet stuff as it passes too quickly through my stomach. My body quickly creates loads of insulin to deal with it and I get a diabetic type of hypo, feeling woozy, hot and sick. This usually passes after about an hour. Life is too short to skip on ice creams, especially during this trip, so I just carry on knowing it will pass.

And lastly, I can get extremely painful reflux as I have no valve preventing food from coming up from my stomach, so I can no longer stand on my head ! Haha. But if I eat the wrong food, up comes the burning bile which flows down into my lungs and I end up coughing painfully for weeks. However, we’ve solved it!!! It usually happens if I eat creamy cheese in my meals or lots of creamy desserts which gives me dumping anyway, so I tend to avoid them if I can. Also we bought an adjustable electric bed at home so I sleep with my upper body elevated. Definitely worth buying!! When we camp, we park the campervan on an uphill slope. And when we are travelling like this, I just use lots of pillows and try to sleep with my body elevated. Fingers crossed I have not had one of these horrible episodes for almost 2 years. It’s great having learned how to avoid them.

So I lead a perfectly normal happy life (if you call cycling from St Malo to Nice normal). My praise for the surgeons and teams at Plymouth Derriford NHS Hospital will always be endless.

NEXT

BACK

NEXT

I keep meaning to add how amazing Neil is cycling up long hills refusing to stop. I’m sure he won’t mind me saying he’s 71, and nothing defeats him. Whether it’s swimming or cycling he never gives in.

NEXT

BACK

NEXT

Neil has suggested on this blog that I’m addicted to coffee and he may well be right, BUT!!!! There wasn’t any! We left at 6.40 in the cool morning air, meandering up and down small country lanes feeling like we were cycling through Devon, but didn’t pass a single boulangerie/cafe/coffee stop. We’d left before breakfast and had run out of our picnic supplies, so scavenged our last titbits of old toast we’d saved with only good old Werthers Originals to keep us going. The day was heating up towards 30 (hence our early start) and we had made a few navigational errors adding some miles and rocky farm tracks. We have to be careful with these as Neils super duper bike could easily break a spoke. Then at midday we reached Assier with the most wonderful sight. A pretty village restaurant, popular with the locals, with an outdoor terrace shaded by large Indian bean trees. It was far too late in the day for my coffees, but we both enjoyed the most delicious meal ever! 3 huge courses! Heaven. Thoroughly satisfied, we could barely get back on our bikes.

And then on to Figeac where Neils cousin Alan was waiting to drive us to their home near Martiel. He and Heather have lived in this beautiful French farmhouse for 19 years and are the most generous and fun hosts.

So here we will stay for 2 nights, enjoying their company, chilling in their pool, using their washing machine and enjoying their delicious cooking. Ahhhhhhhhh. We really hope we get the opportunity to repay their wonderful hospitality to Devon.

NEXT

BACK

NEXT

Du Broulliard today as we leave Sarlat. Starts a whole load of nonsense in my head . Mr Whitton my French teacher and Whitmarsh book 4 . All the verbs were at the back and we all had to learn the next days verb … he would enter the class room door with one word

Whoever he pointed to had to compose a sentence in the present tense and so on until we all been pointed too in several tenses . He was a strict teacher but gave me the confidence to have a go , often misplaced too . I still think I’m fluent just a bit rusty

Really lovely cycling though today . Ceri’s bicycle purring along like a new machine . De rigeuer coffee stop and gentle cycling by the Dordogne. The sun comes out and we have lunch next to a now customary church . A swim has to follow in the oh so picturesque Dordogne. I put on extra lube as I know there is a stonking 4km hill . Ceri keeps out of the way as I weave up the hill . Out of Dordogne now and in Quercy . Looking forward to our mini break chez my Irish rellies Heather and Alan

Ceri here: Neil is amazing. That was a tough 4km hill and he didn’t stop once!

NEXT

BACK

NEXT

Wow! We started with a 7km downhill start! Neil had his coat on and I was actually cold! What a contrast to the previous week. We had also started later enjoying breakfast from our lovely B&B hostess. It had rained during the night leaving fog everywhere as we descended into a valley. Brrrr! Not complaining though.

Neil has a cousin south of Figeac whom we’ve stayed with before. They are such great company that we’ve actually incorporated a rest day and we’re staying with them Friday and Saturday nights. Wow! But it did entail a lot of planning and rearranging our route, so last night we spent hours working out viable cycling routes and accommodation (which are everywhere but not with a restaurant or within walking distance of one). We’ve never planned 4 days in advance before!

Cycling today felt quite autumnal with the leaves turning, orchards dripping with fruit and cool drizzle. There were times we could have been in Devon! It was an easy ride to Sarlat where we found the most wonderful cycle repair shop. The man worked wonders on my bike fixing brakes, rattles and my rear light. No more gaffa tape!

And Sarlat was another absolutely stunning medieval town. We spent a lovely evening wandering around enjoying bars and restaurants with music drifting from talented musicians. The rain had long gone.

NEXT

BACK

NEXT

Yesterday afternoon was one of the best. No more heat exhaustion as we reached Brantome by 2 and our hotel room had AC. Refreshed and rested, we wandered around the stunning medieval architecture, through the gardens along the river. We were relaxed and happy.

Then today became another day of surprises! Dawn in the Dordogne was stunning and it’s still very rural but getting quite hilly. Today the temperature had dropped to about 25 which made for glorious cycling. But my brakes started making a funny noise so we stopped to investigate. A huge Alsatian charged at us barking excitedly, crossing the road causing traffic to slam on brakes. There were so many near misses. While Neil searched out the owner, I gaffa taped up my brakes as a bit had fallen off. They seem to work 😬.

Further one, I noticed Neils helmet on the ground as we left our coffee stop, so picked it up. At the top of a huge hill I commented on his decision to cycle with no helmet. His face turned suddenly from horror, to ‘sod it, I’m not cycling that hill again, I’ll buy another one’ to relief as I produced it. He’ll no doubt get his own back soon. 😂.

Then the best part of our day was reconnecting with Leslie and Jonathan, the couple we’d swam with in the channel on day 1!! What a wonderful surprise it was. Amazingly, we’d all stayed in the same town last night. They are faster than us but had had bike problems so lost a day. It was such a fun reunion over beers, then we parted ways again as they head home tomorrow. We’re now staying in a lovely farmhouse B&B with a pool. The rain started just as we turned in…. Perfect timing

NEXT

BACK

NEXT

It’s wonderful what a nights rest will do . I reflect on blowing up yesterday. Despite my knowledge I succumbed to Heat exhaustion. Just subtle changes to start with then the smallest hill seems difficult. Must be the bike , put a bit more lube on the chain , must be the ice cream I had after lunch ! Then you realise your pulse does not go down after stopping cycling …. Then the penny drops you’re trying to lose heat . Very hard to do in 35 degrees. Anyway as Ceri described yesterday with careful stops and rests in the shade I get to the chateau .

Anyway today could not be more different, we arrive in Brantôme in the Dordogne about 2pm after the usual 06.30 start. Some cloud cover makes all the difference. Couple of long hills with some delicious long downhills too . 400 miles comes up soon be half way. Both of us cycling well today . Ceri has become addicted to coffee. Double espresso followed by a café au lait .

NEXT

BACK

NEXT

What a classic Neil/Ceri day full of twists, turns and surprises. We started off before dawn as usual, cycling up hill, singing with the larks as we watched the glorious sunrise. About 5km in Neil realised he’d left his credit cards at the hotel! We didn’t want to cycle that hill again, so we decided to keep cycling and I emailed to ask them to post them on. Amazingly, there was a bar open early Sunday morning in Lessac with a few ruddy faced characters propping up the bar sipping their first Rose of the day as we enjoyed our coffees and croissants. With no reply to my email, I called the hotel. The wonderful lady from the hotel found the cards, jumped in her car and drove a good 15 minutes to find us, leaving her hotel in the hands of the cleaning lady. Wow. What a kind lady – great fun too.

So on we cycled following our chosen route through the absolutely beautiful town of Confolens where lots of extremely fast cyclists wizzed past us smiling and waving as us tortoises. Neil got that familiar buzz and decided to follow their route instead of our flatter route. I warned him about the hills but he’s so super enthusiastic now he didn’t worry. He’s amazing. So up and down we cycled on our detour generally along the river Vienne. It felt like the best cycle day yet as we crossed the river at various bridges. Then inevitably, Neil stopped and hung precariously over the edge of a particularly high bridge trying to find a spot to swim. It all looked pretty dangerous to me, so I took out my phone and found a nearby campsite on the river guessing we could swim there. It was beautiful as we enjoyed our picnic and swims and we stayed far too long but it was worth it.

There’s very little accommodation in this area so after a lot of searching with maps and internet last night we found a chateau for tonight with yet another great restaurant. Because of the delays and swims, we ended up cycling for hours in the 35deg heat of the day up and down hills and we knew we’d be in trouble. I was OK as I could keep my heart rate down by pressing turbo on my bike. But Neil was cycling with no help up those hills. We stopped very regularly whenever we found shade and waited for Neils pulse to calm down, both of us swigging loads of water. Neil wasn’t exhausted but he was overheating.

But he has this uncanny knack of finding bars in the most obscure places! We found one full of British ex-pats who’d had a ‘few’ with their Sunday lunch. Some were interesting but not all!! So we moved on faster than we would have liked and carefully cycled the final 5 miles. This chateau is beautiful but our room is on the top floor! Hilarious! We lugged our stuff up, the grand circular staircase then immediately had cold showers and rested, looking forward to our supper. What an eventful day! We’re off course, but that’s fine. It’s all a great adventure and we’ll probably be a bit more sensible tomorrow!

NEXT

BACK

Neil writes on this blog alternate days You may notice the difference in style! He is a GP and has an eclectic way with words …. and spelling!

NEXT

BACK