Rain = Train (after 50k of chilly biking)

Yesterday - Sunday, October 24

Today didn't go according to plan, but that tends to happen when it's cold and rainy. My goal was to bike all the way to Lyon, but about 20 km into my ride I had to take a detour up and over a mountain. This took some time as you might imagine.

I had been cruising along route D1075, following the cycling directions I had found online, until I discovered that the next route I planned to take was not at all suitable for me and my bike. I checked my map for an alternate route, turned around, and within a couple of kilometers I was biking north, about 80 degrees in the wrong direction, up "Col de la Placette." It's only a 587 meter climb, but it sure felt a lot harder than any section of Chamrousse. The rain, the cold, the weight of my panniers, and the fact that I wasn't really taking the most direct route made me anxious that I might never make it to Lyon. After conquering the grueling "col", I cruised down the other side and headed in the direction of Voiron. By the time I reached this little city, my finger and toes where completely frozen. I booked it over to the train station and hopped on the next train to Lyon.

Within an hour I was in the center of the city. I easily found my hostel in the old section of Lyon by crossing both the Rhone and Saone (a major tributary of the Rhone). The hostel is located on a steep hill that overlooks this huge beautiful city. The view is impressive even on this dreary Sunday.

I just took a nice warm shower and spread out my wet clothes on the radiator. I'm going to spend the evening making sure I know exactly where I'm going tomorrow. I'm very excited to meet up with Erin! We will spend the next few day biking to Marseilles where we will reunite with Amie!