Some challenging riding.........

Stormy weather or what. We did not become storm bound as thought but set off on Monday morning with various plans. Between Craon and Chalonnes-sur-Loire,which was about 65km there was 1 hotel at 20 kms and a campsite at 45km. Plan A was to get the whole way to Chalonnes, plan B was to get as far as Segres and the lone hotel. The forecast was for heavy showers and 25knots of wind gusting 45knots from the south and we were heading just east of south. We made it to Sagres and sheltered for 40 minutes behind a wall as a strom passed over. We set off into an ever increasing wind but a wind that had started veering and was still comming from ahead but more over the right shoulder. Gilly had a bad tumble on her bike in Scotland in similar conditions and so was quite rightly a little apprehensive. The ground was very rolling  and the wind from the right was pushing us into the centre of the road in front of overtaking cars. Not for the faint hearted. We pushed on and stopped for lunch when the wind seemed to increase more. We were in a park under some poplar trees - as they blew over bits were flying past us so we decamped into a nearby bus shelter and waited for conditions to improve. I was just sitting there when I noticed my two companions were very quiet - they were fast asleep!!!! I left them for a while and as the wind started to ease a little we pushed on. If the conditions were not enough to contend with a local farmer took revenge on us - he was muck spreading in a field next to the road - speading stuff from a chicken farm and in the wind we were covered. We stank and little bits of stuff were all over us and down our shirts - we were not happy bunnies!
Still we ploughed on to Chalonnes only to find, because of the weather, all hotelsChambres were full apart from one which was 5km out of town. Camping was not an option so off we went,stopping off at a supermarche on the way as after 70km of hard and challenging riding nobody wanted to cycle bach into town for supper.
The Chambre D'Hote only had one room - room for 3 - when the little said roll over
, we all rolled over - a good way to get to know your brother-in-law! Eventually he got into the single bed in the corner. There was an Austrian lady staying, travelling for 3 weeks or so - she had never been to the UK but told us how bad our diet was as we have such bad fatty breakfasts, how bad our weather was - too much rain,  very expensive, no bakeries so only bad factory made bread, lousey cheese and so it went on, we on the other hand said nothing about Austria as only John had visited for a short business trip. I could understand why she was travelling as a single lady!!  What a day and we all felt great as you do after a challenge.
Dist to Chalonnes-sur-Loire  72.85km

Today, Tuesday was a much more relaxing ride. We followed the Loire up stream for 20 or more km not always in sight of water but on pleasant country roads on and off islands in the centre of the River. We had lunch looking at the old bridge acroos the River at Les Pont de Ce. It was another windy day, overcaste with drizzley showers. We were planning  to camp but the weather again was not conducive for tents.
We stopped early in Chalonnes at a bike shop where they took John's bottom bracket to bits and sorted it out - hopeful the problem is now solved.

I am definately a hotel man as opposed to Chambre D'hote. Our landlady,as much as she was nice and helpful talked for France and John & Gilly both talk for England - tonight a hotel and some peace & quiet!!!
 We are in Brassac-Quince, a pleasant town on a hill with a Castle/Chateauy thing.
Dist 39.9 km Odo 330.1km
We now have over 300km in our legs and the daily cycling is definately getting easier, whether I am thinning down into a racing snake is another matter - now we are in the Pays de le Loire we are into the wine and the cidre is left behind.