Day 6: Montluçon to Auvergne Volcano National Park. 190km.

Day 6: Montluçon to Auvergne Volcano National Park. 190km.

It was all worth it! Crossing northern France was definitely the warm-up: today was fantastic, immediately from leaving Montluçon through landscape reminiscent of the Kent or Surrey Downs - but rockier - through to Auvergne, which is something like the North Yorks Moors or Dartmoor but with Volcanoes. Amazing scenery, and great trail riding.

Just stopped for a recce (tip: keep right). This was another bit of "let's call it twin track". I wouldn't want any bigger bike on this stuff, even an 800GS or similar. Still, easy to skip on road too if needed.

Bridge

Sun setting

It was tough going - truly technical in places. Real goggles off hard. I'd become lazy so far - only occasionally reminded the last few days when I thruppeny-pieced another 90 degree field corner. Still, I've only been riding off-road for a year.

Slowly, though, instructors' voices from Desert Rose in Surrey and Sweetlamb in Wales came back to me, and there was some form of muscle memory. Lean FORWARDS! Steer with feet. Loose bars. More FORWARDS! Point chin where want to go. Right out, over the wheel and beyond. Stretch. FORWARDS. Elbows UP. And it started coming together.

Moors? There was a 20km breather from the hard stuff earlier on roads to get here, but all worth it and I needed a rest anyway. Dripping with sweat! 

Good trails too - they got more technical.

I rode that. Even the roads were worth it. Volcanoes (well, they used to be) in the distance.

That said, I know when I'm getting tired because my ability to resolve left and right on gps fades - as I'm generally heading south, and I have the map set "north up", I have to rotate it in my mind to choose direction. Shouldn't be a problem but surprisingly often catches me out! Time for a breather.

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