2009 Euro Tour -- Ride Day 15 — 9 July 2009 — 21850 St-Apollinaire (Dijon) to 89200 Magny (Avallon)

For once we had a relatively early start, being on the road by 8:45.  Walking the bikes outside, it was just starting to sprinkle.  Not to be deterred, we loaded the bikes and got going.  Fortunately, that was the only rain we saw all day.  We did have, though, the hardship of a sometimes chilly headwind that remained strong through the entire last two-thirds of this long ride.  What should have been a fast downhill for many kilometers along D10 toward Venarey-les-Laumes along the Oze River felt like a long uphill scholg.<br /> <br />The entire length of D7 was particularly nice riding on almost no-traffic roads.  Also, during the day, we passed from the Côte d’Or Department in the Bourgogne Region to the Yonne Department in the Bourgogne Region.<br /> <br />Background:<br /> <br />My wife and I have been doing self-supported tours in Western Europe (a majority in France) since 1993.  This series of rides covers our 2009 4.5 month route through parts of France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and then back to France.  Our beginning and ending point is near Chadurie (south of Angouleme) where our friends have a farm with Gites and Chambres d'Hotes.<br /><br />We rode our Dawes touring bicycles purchased in 1993 heavily loaded with 700Cx32 tires.  All of our riding was on paved roads, mostly with very little traffic.  Pretty much the only unpaved sections were some bicycle paths in Germany and Austria. Sadly, that wasn't so great as Helen fell a number of times on the unpaved paths.  Fortunately, though, no serious injury.<br /><br />If any questions, feel free to email me at jeffkadet@netdiving.com<br /><br />Jeff