Day 5

The rain we experienced overnight had cleared by the morning .However the temperature was 20 degrees lower than the peak of around 35 degrees we had been experiencing. Roger set out on his morning jog with Louise accompanying him by bike whist Chris set off by bike to explore Maily-le-Chateaux. We were though the first lock just after 9:00 and were ahead of the Nichols boat we accompanied the previous evening.
We moored in the basin and walked / cycled up the hill to the village and chateaux. The cyclists Robert and Lyn had to take the road whilst the rest on the party climbed up a path through the woods. We meet at the view point at the top and admired the view across the valley and down to the river and canal. Bread for lunch and stamps were purchased before we returned to the boat . Canal tea shirts we put on and Chris assembled us for a team photograph.

TOE UPDATE

Gerrys toe is improving and she was able to walk up to the view point in go for a bike ride later in the day.



The next section of the canal varied between the river and canal with locks lifting us out of the river and was particularly scenic. Gerry and Chris set off on a bike when we moored for lunch waiting for a lock to reopen. They rode to a supermarket in Chatel-Censoir for meat for tea but it had closed for lunch when they arrived.

When the lock reopened we continued up the canal. Whilst waiting for another boat in a lock Robert and Lyn took the opportunity to take the bike's off the boat and cycle the 15km to Coulanges-sur-Yonne. We located the butchers and fresh chicken was purchased. We were unsuccessful for others items on the list so they had to wait until we got to tonight's mooring spot in Clamency. As I write Chris is preparing tonight's chicken stir fry. It's smelling good.

posted from Bloggeroid

Auxerre to Maily-Le-Chateau

> We had our first meal out yesterday (Tuesday) evening. We dinned in in a restaurant adjacent to the port . We all opted for the set price 3 course meal at 21.10 euros. Pate of goats cheese to start, salmon or beef borginion for the main and fruit salad or creme brûlée for desert. The heat of the day continued into the evening so we dined outside again.
> The forecast for Wednesday was for a cooler day with a maximum in the mid 20's. We planned a supermarket shop at 8:00 for a few essentials before setting off at 9:00. Roger went for a run with his his new partner following on a bike. Gerry stayed in the boat and Chris lead Robert and Lyn to the supermarket with a short detour to admire the magnificent old train station. It transpired the supermarket only open at 8:00 on Saturday so we walked across the bridge and had a coffee in "Le Paul Bert" whilst we waited for it to open.
> Essentials purchased, vegetables for tea, wine, beer and water we loaded our bags and bike basket and lugged it back to the boat.
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> We set off around 9:45 with Gerry driving the boat. We were the only boat going up the canal and the locks were set in the direction we were traveling. At 11:20 Robert and Lyn took the bikes off the boat and cycled up the canal to just past Cravant. We meet the boat again that was waiting for lock for lock 72 to open a round trip of 10 to 12 miles.
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> After lunch we continued to the Port at Cravant. This provided the opportunity to fill up with water. This time there was no charge. Chris stayed with boat whist the rest of us explored the village. Robert and Lyn on bikes and everyone else by foot. The hill out of the village provided a good view of the village and the opportunity to join a couple of cyclists on their ride. Unfortunate we did not have time to follow them to the top. We got back to the boat as the first spots of rain of the holiday started to appear. It did not last long, waterproofs were not required and did not stop us from sitting outside to drive the boat. Lyn had another turn at driving and we were followed up thought the locks by another boat. This meant we had to stop further forward nearer to the lock gates than when we were on our own. Trying to hold the boat in position as the lock was filled explained why two ropes forward and aft were required rather than a single rope in the middle. We had planned to stop at Mailly le Chateux but in the end had to stop one lock short.The locks are only open between 9:00 and 12:00 and from 13:00 to 19:00.

We eat in the boat steak with fresh vegetables , oven roasted tomatoes and mushrooms followed by a fresh fruit salad. The meal started with a blind wine tasting. Chris, Lyn and myself had each selected a bottle of wine from the supermarket for less than 6 euros. Louise acted as sommelier as they were blind tasted and scored by discerning panel. Modesty prevents me from announcing the "winner". In the end the Cabors was the most popular everyone could have another glass of the wine they preferred.

We eat in inside which was a good decision as the rain started as we sat down to eat.
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Wednesday's Photos

Blog to follow

Fwd: 24 km to Auxerre from lock 70

For some reason the words for my post have not posted. Now trying again.


> Roger had a new running partner this morning. Louise set off with him but she was on a bike. Chris went for a bike ride and were on the first lock around 9:30. We were delayed by a problem with the gas. Robert had not realised Louise had turned it off and we thought the bottle was empty. We called the boat yard twice and Lyn was able to practice her best French. First to report the problem and then to apologise and say we had solved it.
> Yesterday's ride to Vincelles meant finding a Boulangerie was not a problem today and after a short excursion on the bike and we were sorted for lunch.
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> We stopped in the shade by lock 74 for lunch . Scrambled eggs with salad and cold meat.
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> Feed and watered we entered the lock but had to wait 10 minutes as a another boat was on its way. We went thought the lock together and then went in tandem all the way to Auxerre. We arrived around 4:00pm and continued into the basin. We had a waterside tour before turning around and mooring for the night in the park.
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Morning Exercise

24 km to Auxerre from lock 70

Monday injury update

2 injuries today. The first was when Chris was putting Louise's chain back on. The front derailleur had a piece broken out and it sliced the top of his finger. A plaster and he was sorted. Later in the day I was taking a stroll between locks when Louise call out "we think Jerry has dislocated her toe and may need to go to hospital!" It transpired she had caught it on Lyn's foot. By the time I got on the boat Gerry had pushed it back into place and had her toe taped on foot up and wrapped in ice. It was decided a hospital visit would not now be required .
She rested her foot for the rest of the day and toe has improved this morning but had to forgo her morning. run.



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