Day 5:

No posting last night as we stayed in a very Fawlty Towers Hotel - characterful but idiosyncratic - we were met by the Patron clearly having availed himself of the wine cellar, and not realising that you can't walk through glass doors without opening them! His posse of helpers included a lucky black cat and a dog named Jirac:the latter quickly assimilated the English language performing begging feats for food on command - if only the riders were as quick to learn. The night's sleep was regularly broken by clattering plumbing - like Marley's ghosts dragging rusted chains, but all slept well.

The day broke to clearing rain clouds and little wind - fortune smiled on the brave band.

The Loire valley stretched beyond Auxerre to Lyon - our route for the day. This section brought welcome flat sections as we mirrored the river's meandering route - crossing back and forth the banks and stalking canal.

Halfway at midday - 4 of 8 total days' cycling leaving a further 415 miles to complete. Pretty as the countryside was, the ride stagnated in long staright paths: did Eales really miss the hills?

Lunch was taken as a picnic by the Loire banks - sleeping cyclists as Milton's Leviathan littering the grass.

First percieved ailment fell not to the Oakley, but to Cocksedge: having started tye ride at 400-1 outsider not to complete the ride (on the bike at least) - Paddy Power closed the book, reporting place betting iregularities on the Triad Hong Kong Exchange.

Remarkably, the attentive Doctors Brookes and Oakley revived the painful Achilles, and a fresh - if misplaced - confidence swamped the team as they set out to ride the first 15 miles of tomorrow's route. Crossing the Loire Villerest dam, climbing began. After only 1042 foot of climbing in the completed 80 miles, we climbed over 1400 foot in the following 15 miles! The sweeping river course was viewed from height, with Chateau and Gite of incredible engineering viewed on all sides.

The Hotel was again a typical French ofering - in the middle of nowhere. Comfortable, and with a remarkably hidden address - just what we needed.

Our evening meal was taken elsewhere - and what a feast? The salads were of main course size, and the main course of sharing size. Possibly the entire local poulation of Duck was slaughtered just to feed 10 - marvellous!

We now have 472 of 812 miles complete, over 21500 feet of climbing (tomorrow appears to herald a further 15000 foot). More than 50% complete, Tuesday's milestones of 500 miles and 2/3 complete will be welcome.