SearchCycling to Rome: Day 4 (Maubeuge to Bouillon)
Tuesday 13 June 2023
Alex writes: The difficulty ramped up today with a morning visit to the Avesnois National Park, which was a bit lumpy, and then the Ardennes region, which was very lumpy.Between these we stopped in Mariembourg for coffee and, although it was before noon, also indulged in some filled baguettes and pastries for sustenance. This was just as well as there was nowhere open selling food or drink for the remaining 75km of the day, and the temperature was high again, meaning that extra water was a necessity. At one village we stopped and begged water from a house, at another there was a water trough - which was also great for standing in.
Nevertheless the heat and climbing took its toll and at one point I was totally ramfeezled, requiring a sit down and emergency rations before I could continue.
Despite its arduousness the cycling was however great, with very quiet roads and attractive forested countryside. The day ended with a magnificent fast steep descent into Bouillon, which seemed to go on forever. I hardly had the heart to tell everybody this will be tomorrow's climb out of town to start the day.
Word of the day: parched
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