Thursday June 21, 2012... La Ferte sur Marne to Chateau Thierry- 45 hard slogging km

An easy start along the river for a few km. Then, inland up for a long hard climb. Most walked a good portion of the hill. After crossing a long plateau, we descended to the Marne again for our morning coffee stop before 11 am.

Then, we entered champagne territory...

and stopped for a champagne tasting at Charly. Many bought bottles and flutes (champagne glasses).

Leaving Charly, we started anther long ascent. Paul's story is "I made it up the entire hill. Sandra needed to stop to rest (pretending to stop to take yet another picture of me climbing a hill slowly - but her excuse was transparently false!)."

As we approached the high point of the hill, it started to rain. So,we sought shelter under a farm equipment shed to have lunch. The farmer came out to see what was happening, have a little chat and wish us "courage" (a prophetic remark)!

Then, it was a pleasant ride to a village?..

from which there was a "short cut" to the American WW I war memorial. Nina thought it was a trail for mountain bikes. More like a trail for mountain goats!

An hour later, after a slog through vineyards across muddy trails and up rocky trails (assisted by Tucker who carried our bicycles up the trail), we arrived at the memorial.

A quick circle was followed by a rapid descent (partly down a one way street in the wrong sense) led us to the Elodie (just in time to see lightening approach before the heavy rain).