Day 5….a Rest Day!
Rest Day in Ottrott, France – 220.7km

No rest for the wicked!!! Several of us got up and rode with Axel this morning for a most excellent flog through some of the best roads I have ever ridden. The group was moving fast and furiously through some of the most heinous ball busting twisties I have ever seen. One rider bowed out after the first 15 minutes because he couldn’t keep up (he ended up having a great day).

We rode fast and hard through all kinds of terrain up into a ski area somewhere around Le Bezouard. There we had a lovely lunch of crepes while many sport bikes went by. It was cool, almost cold and we finally headed down the mountain.

Mom – stop reading here!!! Skip the next paragraph or two!!

Some of the riders were good, some were fast, but only a few were fast and good. For the most part, these were definitely the most skilled riders in the group. I was asked to take the rear again and did so until after lunch at which time we all felt like we were pretty comfy and I went up to the front (about 2 bike of the leader). I almost ate it on a turn when I was pretty deep into a corner with the bike nearing maximum lean and I hit some sand or gravel. The bike stepped out on me and I had a serious case of pucker factor going on. Fortunately I pulled it back in and got through the corner just fine.

I also saw a guy almost get creamed by a tour bus on a hairpin turn. He rode wide of the center line before the turn to set it up (so he was in the wrong lane) and the bus almost took him out. I hope he learned his lesson. I was almost taken out by a bus in MY lane…the bus was in it’s lane plus ½ of mine. Yes, the turns were that sharp!! If you ride, imagine looking through the apex of the turn back, behind you and either uphill or downhill. It was pretty wild. Grashopper, if you are reading this, you would have hated the ride today. For me, it was great!!!!

I did a little shopping in town, but again I couldn’t find anything that would make a good gift.

I gotta get some rest, it’s a long day back into Germany tomorrow. Goodbye to Obernai.