The Family Bike Touring Guide

Today was the hardest day of our bike ride and we managed to complete it! 32 miles and 1,200 ft, so around 10 miles more than the average distance and about 4 times more climbing than the upcoming final three days of cycling. The weather did not help today as it reached up to 27℃ with no clouds and very few shaded areas on our route.

We started the day cycling into the centre of Royan to pick up some food for lunch and have a drink in a Cafe. Setting off, the start of the route was a nice long costal cycle path and the heat was perfect at this point. Leaving the coastal path and heading slightly inland (but still being able to see the sea) we went up our first few hills of the day however this was nothing compared to the last 15 miles.

After around 15 miles of cycling we stopped for lunch in Talmont-Sur Gironde – apparently the most beautiful village in France. We then quickly explored the area and Maisey and I had an ice cream while Mum and Dad had a coffee. Leaving this village started the climbing of the Journey.

Very soon we started to hit the hills. The first few were long but not that steep so fairly easy. After doing these first few hills our plan was to decide at one junction if we take the original route planned months ago, taking us off a main road and onto smaller side streets, or take a slightly shorter and less hilly route on the main road that we were already on. We noticed we had missed the junction that we were going to make the decision at around half a mile after it and as we noticed we turned a bend and met, what I would consider, the worst hill of the ride. We all managed to get up the daunting hill ending at the top in my lowest gear and around 4 mph. After this hill there were some others which were still pretty bad but at this point after accomplishing the first one we all knew we could do it.

On reaching the peak of our ride we joined back onto a cycle path and had a steep rocky decent that signs advised to walk our bikes down, holding the brakes on the whole way. Once back on our bikes it continued to be down hill on gravel filled paths with a few slight inclines that we travelled up with little effort. Along this path we stopped for had a short break and a cereal bar. This is when I realised I was starting to struggle.

The last 6 miles of the ride for me were the hardest of the all. With a few slight hills, mostly on road, my energy was running out and legs starting to become tired, having to stay in low gears most of the time. After finding a small supermarket to pick up some food we arrived at our AirBnB for the night, completing the hardest day of our Family bike tour!

Tomorrow should be a much easier day, and the sun continues to shine.