Another day, another fiasco. Paul can't find his bike lock key...
As I drifted into a welcome slumber after writing my last despatch, I jolted awake with a 240v start.
Where was my bike lock key??
The last act after chaining up the velo to a piece of hotel is always to put the key in my left rear jersey pocket.
The jersey I’d washed at the laundrette, and the one where there was no sign of any key.
My mind switched to DEFCON 1 - what time did the laundrette open? Would the key have been found? If it was lost could I get a locksmith on a French Bank Hol? How much would he want to charge me? Would I need to cancel my car hire, and try to get another night at the hotel?
I even wondered how many parts I could strip from the bike and affix to a newly purchased frame and wheels, if nothing else worked.
All this whilst I searched through every bag and box in my possession - I even checked the kettle (I am my mother’s son).
Having decided that I couldn’t answer any of the questions until the morning, I told myself to chill out and go to sleep. And amazingly I did.
When I woke at 6:00am, I dressed to walk to the laundrette and be the first to open the door.
My hand hovered over the floor buttons in the lift and thought it might just be worth checking around the bike in the underground car park to see if I’d stupidly left it there.
And I had.
Somewhere on the hotel CCTV there’s a short section of me dancing a jig in the underground garage where the bike was held - punching the air like a mad bloke. Thank God I’d been such an idiot!
After that, the day unfolded in a most satisfactory way.
The young man at Enterprise Car Rental upgraded me to a huge SUV, which meant I didn’t have to dissemble the bike to put it in - then I returned to the hotel, packed the car and set the Sat Nav for Lyon - where an equally nice lady from Enterprise signed off on an obviously depleted tank of fuel.
The Kyriad Hotel where I’m now holed up is a curious place. Set in the middle of an industrial estate, it’s quite beautifully furnished and decorated - wasted on what seems to be a single-males-only clientele who talk in loud German voices about business shit that should literally be of no interest to anyone sane. ‘Transparency’s the only way forward Hans, but don’t tell those bastards from Head Office’ etc etc etc…
I enjoyed another pizza, and hatched a plan to see the highlights of Lyon, prior to a short 25 mile ride to Vienne, where I intend to pick up the Garmin thread once more.
To be honest, driving here today I could see that I’ve essentially missed 3 days of rapeseed oil fields that stretch on for ever, divided by identical roads with punishing hills. Nah mate, I didn’t enjoy it in 2012, so I doubt I missed out on a life affirming experience this time.
Some fields Paul 'missed' whilst driving to Lyon.
