Rain, a tunnel, a bad knee after a BIG day, old friends, amazing food, and a Hamster Jammer turns up

Rain, a tunnel, a bad knee after a BIG day, old friends, amazing food, and a Hamster Jammer turns up - it's been a big week!

Our special guest and Mike at lunch today at our friends' restaurant in Lyon. Yum Yum

Right Sportsfans, IT'S BEEN A HUGE WEEK.

1. Rain

We left our gorgeous little cottage a day late because of RAIN! We had 6 days of glorious weather and 28/29 degree days and blue skies. We woke up on the Sunday to get rolling and the rain and cold had set in - we waited a few hours to see if it would clear and it didn't. So we sat back down, turned on the telly, and chilled out for another day in our cottage. We got up the next day and it was lightly raining but decided to head off anyway (back up that bloody mountain) so we could at least get a little distance done - we wanted to be at our friends' place in Lyon at least one day before our guest rider arrived from Australia. So, we hit the road - got 12km down the path (the continuation of the old railway bike path called the Greenway or Voie Verte in French) then had to call it because it was just too awful and too cold. We were lucky to find a great little hidden away apartment in the super quaint town of Buxy after a DELICIOUS lunch at the local bistro.

Sad about leaving our gorgeous cottage in Saint Denis de Vaux - especially in the cold and wet.

Things looked up at the great bistro in Buxy for lunch - this is my dessert - tarte aux pommel

Our gorgeous apartment for the night.

2. A Tunnel

We were up early the next day - Mike did a quick visit to the local boulangerie for a yum brekkie, then we were on the road for a big day. We had to make good kms so we could get to Lyon by the end of the next day (Wednesday). So off we went. Mike had told me there was some gentle then steep climbing to a FAB TUNNEL - the old railway tunnel that until a couple of years ago was the longest cycling tunnel in Europe - 1.6km. It was a great ride - a bit of sprinkling rain here and there but nothing we couldn't cope with. The climbing was fine (though a quick mid track change of knicks for me cause my old ones' padding was causing me a bit of arse bone and muscle issue, so I changed into my long ones and problem solved). We got to the tunnel and IT WAS AWESOME!!! It had a sign out the front saying they'd updated the lighting inside to be more energy efficient so it was motion sensored - which was fine until we stopped to make a video for the grandkids and were plunged into complete blackness - REALLY FREAKY. But was great fun, especially once we were through the tunnel it was all downhill for ages and ages, gently downhill, nothing steep, so easy cycling.

A little video in the tunnel

Leaving the tunnel

When we were out the other side we stopped on the bike path for our baguette lunch - and I looked up from our bench and saw this...a really really old castle. Incredible.

3. Big Day (Tuesday)

This turned into our biggest day ever! We rode 85km! Woohoo! The gentle gradient made it easy, I think the big week of rest also had us revitalised and strong, and we were in great spirits too looking forward to catching up with our old friends, and welcoming our guest rider.

On the Voie Verde - great riding on a great path

Another little video to get a feel for the path

4. Bad Knee

The downside of the day was my knee gave me grief. For the first time on our ride for either of us, body parts became an issue. It started as a niggle, then became seriously sore, and that night I could hardly roll over in bed without crying out in pain. We were now riding along the Saône River again so the riding was easy, and I pushed it out to our accommodation in Montmerle-sur-Saône - a little backyard studio on the top of a very very big hill. We woke up the next morning, I was in a lot of pain, put a call through to my wonderful friend, who happens to be a wise physio, and got some tips. I rode to brekkie and knew there was no way I was going to make 45km, so we had a hoot of a mix up with getting to train stations (got the wrong one first, and made the second one by 1 minute before the train arrived) - and we trained it to Lyon. Only 15km for the day, but a knee saved. Luckily for me we got great support from connections here in Lyon, and all is looking good for hitting the road tomoz - though keeping distances shorter for a couple of weeks.

5. Old Friends

We have been welcomed with open arms by old friends in a beautiful suburb of Lyon called Tassin-la-Demi-Lune. Just gorgeous. We've been eating and sleeping like kings and queens, and laughing and sharing our exploits with the whole gang here. We say a huge thank you to these wonderful people who bring so much colour and warmth to our world, THANK YOU!!! This magical family also happens to own the local cafe/restaurant (YUM YUM) and we've been eating the most wonderful food these last few days I really feel like I'm living in a movie. We've had three nights here, and one more tonight, then we head off tomorrow with our special guest to head to the Mediterranean.

So excited to be here.

Being reunited with a wonderful friend...

Getting to know the restaurant

I've been the sous chef at home for a few days! Pork cheeks in cider. OMG. YUM.

6. Our Special Guest

Our nephew, the Codster, who also was one of the Hamster Jammers on our cycling trip two years ago arrived in Lyon two days ago (Thursday) - WOOOHOOOO!!! It was so great to see him, and it's so exciting to have him with us for the next three weeks of adventuring. He and Mike did a great deal this morning on a local second hand bike (they're both out there in the backyard now prepping it for tomorrow), and then a quick trip to Decathlon for a new tent and other adventuring paraphernalia, and tomorrow we're off! It's so good to have you with us, Codster, we're all older, wiser, and have a good idea how it rolls, so let's see what lies ahead for The Power Rangers (our group name we decided on at lunch today - at our friends' restaurant).