Vineyards and flat stages

A backlog of sewing posts is building. To avoid a UFO, I will persist with the cycling.
Next in the tour was the Bordeaux region. I cannot remember the next official stage, but we drove for several hours (half a sock worth), and after another talk on nutrition and long stages, stopped at a feed zone.



(We were not so lucky as this rider, the only shop open for us was a bakery, which had only one thing left -a local specialty, sort of like a fried doughnut filled with stewed apple. At least it was vegetarian!)

We were very fortunate at this finish. We were able to enter the rider's bus area, where all the post ride interviews take place. We saw all our favourite riders roll in, and watched some interviews and cool downs.



Our riding on the first day in this region was all about the riding in a pack. I find this very difficult. You have to watch the back wheel of the rider in front, constantly, to avoid a collision whilst staying as close as possible to draft from them. I am generally riding with cyclists whom are more fit than myself, so I also have to ride as hard as I can the whole time to keep up, not just when it is my turn at the front.
I was strongly tempted to speak rudely to the guys who were excited by the speeds we got up to and carrying on about it after the ride. 55k per hour on the flat just scares me, and I have no photos, or memory! of the scenery. I may have mentioned "never again" to my husband after this ride.

We stayed at this hotel.

The hotel was quite bad, the worst room of our trip and inedible dinners, but the location was fabulous - overlooking the last 500m of the time trial in Paulliac. We hung out our team jerseys at the request of our cycling group so that they could feel jealous if they saw our hotel on TV. (They didn't)
Here is my husband next to Alberto Contador.



I found Paulliac to be a sewing and knitting desert. However, the next stop is Paris, and I promise some fibre content.

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Other things that I don't want to leave until I am up to date with my posts.

Mary Nanna wants to know what I think of Patrones. I think it was a lifesaver at the time. I plan to sew something from my magazines once the weather warms up. There do not seem to be as many patterns as in Burda, and maybe they are more basic, but I only have 2 issues. I don't love all my Burda issues.
Mary Nanna also asked me just before I went away about the skirt I am wearing in this post. I am sorry to be so tardy with my reply. It is Burda 4-2009-101, I have reviewed it here. There are another 25 reviews. I made two skirts from this pattern, and they are both nearly worn out.
Vicki asked if the cycling is connected with work, and how. Yes. I think explaining this in detail could get pretty dull for my sewing blog, so I will avoid it. I seem to be getting a long way away from my travel wardrobe! We work with/on cyclists, and my husband has run some cycling tours and training camps, he will probably do more in this area. Cycling is his favourite part of work, and he spends most of every weekend cycling.

Self Stitched September. Read about it here on Zoe's blog.
I am trying this challenge. Mainly because I need to make some new work trousers, and the boredom of taking a photo of the same pair 3 times a week may inspire me to sew some. I do not plan to post every photo. I am too vain to post really bad ones.
Today I am working in the yarn shop so do not feel compelled to wear trousers. I have posted about most of these clothes already (sort of a cheat post really, to put them up again)





T shirt Vogue 8593, rayon jersey knit
Cardigan, hand knit, my own pattern
Skirt, Burda 4-2009-101, cotton twill

Ravenna boots from Duo in Bath.