2014 The Sixteenth Day

            What a great sleep!  I awoke to bright blue skies and pigeons cooing but no coffee by Aaron.  I may have to pick up a stove and a cooking set. 

            A nice warm ham sandwich and coffee was breakfast.  The museum next to the cathedral is not to be missed.  They even offered discounts to seniors although I did have to verify that I was over 55.  The exhibits were awesome.  Of course, knowing a little French would have added to the experience.

            The hard to find Tourist Office was two blocks away from the cathedral.  Once again the attendants were tremendously helpful.  When my computer did not connect, they allowed me to use their computer.  They gave directions to Tonnerre, my next destination.

            From Sens my timing was slightly off.  I missed a grocery stop in Cerisiers by 10 minutes and later landed in Tonnerre at 6 just missing the Tourist Office.  I did find two icy cold beers and a delicious ham sandwich in Arces-Dilo.  The stoic manager was a man of few words and a shuffling gait.  Two talkative parrots made up for his lack of chatter.  Two cars suddenly pulled up in the square.  The drivers opened their trunks and exchanged items.  A drug deal?

            The cathedral in St. Forentin was the most top most building.  The attendant in the Tourist office put me onto a canal road all the way to Tonnerre.  My expectations of the paved path from Chalons to St. Dizier were quickly dashed as this road alternated between smooth gravel and a farm path.  I jumped back and forth between the smooth gravel and the busy 905.

            The canals and their locks are amazing.  A boat was being raised in one of the locks, water in, water out.

            I arrived in Tonnerre exactly at 6:00, the closing time for the Tourist Office.  I thoroughly beat myself up trying to find the camping ground.  The signs led into town, out of town, up a tremendous climb, before I cut my losses and turned back into town.  A sign directed to the right.  This led to another way out of town to a closed campground.  I was so tired that I actually considered dry camping.  The place was quiet and out of the way.  The entrance was blocked with several boulders.  At the last minute, another sign sent me back to the original entrance into town.  Sure enough, there was the campground, on my left when I was looking right.

            The last time I felt this beat up was after the long ride in Wales in 1995.  For the first time, I ate before showering.

            The campground was gorgeous, right next to the canal.  I slept like a baby and woke up totally refreshed.  I am heading to the Fontaney Abbey today.  They have a hostel there.  From there I will head west.

            Much joy!!!

            Hardy