SP26 - Sunday Day 17

On Saturday evening we decided that we had had enough of being pretty much stuck to the pitch. Cabin fever!!  Temps in the day still hovering around 35°C. 

I've already had the Chips Rafferty wannabes scoffing at "only" 35!! Google Chips if you have never heard of him.

How I began to envy my brother Neill and his mate Patrick as they ride around the island of Ireland in the mere 20's and rain!!!

With the "free" days we had earned over the years, the total cost of the stay worked out at £12 or so a night. So hardly a large expense. 

I had actually thought about leaving earlier and finding a dog friendly hotel with aircon. Bugger the cost!!

In the end we decided to head north earlier. Don't believe Google when it claims higher ground will be cooler. It's not true in these circumstances. At 1350m above sea level in the Pyrenees in was 32°C....

Anyway. We packed everything, except the ehu, away Saturday evening. 

We left around 1040am. The first stop the same Carrefour we stopped on the way in. I filled the tank as diesel was €1.819. Whilst Claire shopped using the Clarity card, I looked for somewhere shady. Then saw the jet washes had a slot for tall vehicles complete with raised walkway to do the roof. So €8 later the van was a lot cleaner than it has been for weeks.

Then we set off looking for the A9. The TomTom had other ideas and we toured the area before coming across the A75.

In Serignan there was a classic car meet. It wasn't easy to get photos but Claire got this one.

Reggie doesn't like the dog crate so with the weather being as it is we need to give him a break every hour and a half. So the plan became the aire at the Millau Viaduct.

Crossing the bridge costs €16 and it takes around 2 minutes.... We have a video to link in here...

We had lunch at the aire. Then off again. The target was the Camping-Car Park aire at Riom. It was slightly cooler as we climbed into the Massive Central and the area of the extinct volcanoes.  About a degree or two!!

A little further up the A75 is the Viaduc du Garabit. 

Just before Clermont-Ferrand is the "beau village" of Montpeyroux. We took a diversion. We have been before and there's a dirt parking area for campers. Claire hopped out and took some photos....

We arrived at Riom around 3.50pm. It was still hot. 

We moved a couple of times to get the right angle to the sun.

That evening is rained, hailstones at one time, and we had thunder and lightning well into the night. Did it cool the air... did it 🤬🤬🤬.

Tomorrow's another longish day on the toll motorway....