On the Road Again!

As usual before a trip on the bike or in the car there are last minute things that need doing and all the paperwork to amass. Breakdown cover for the car?  Done.   Printing ticket for the train and the camp? Done.   And the biggest and most frustrating job? Getting the satnav/GPS to work! I have waxed lyrically on my other blog  about the new TomTom. Well it is back from the TomTom smurf shop apparently with nothing wrong with it! As I have little faith in it, I have made sure that the old satnav is up to date and can take us there if need be. Plus we have good old paper.... Passport looked out? Done Reggie's passport? Done Driving licence and car documents? Done As we are self-catering. Bed sheets and pillow cases?  Towels? Sleeping bags? Foodstuffs? Reggie's food and cool box to keep it cold/frozen? Reggie's bedding? Reggie's spare leads and raincoat. Throws to stop Reggie making a mess? Medicines? Mosquito repellent? Kettle? Cameras and batteries? Other ...

The journey to the campsite near Sarlat is about 550 miles according to the route done on Tyre by Google maps. With Reggie onboard we decided to break the journey about halfway and so the hunt began. Once I had a route in mind that avoids Paris and the terrible Périphique and the slightly less terrible outer A86 ring.  In the end "halfway" looked to be Orléans or that area.  On booking.com I did a search and selected the Campanile at la Source just to the south of the city.  Given the time of the outward Shuttle I expect we'll be there in good time to give Reggie a decent walk on the nearby fields.  I emailed to find out how much it will cost for him and it's an extra €5 a night.  Amazingly, at this particular hotel he is allowed in the restaurant. Although the idea of dogs in restaurants doesn't appeal to everyone, a well behaved dog is hardly noticeable on the floor and is no dirtier than the shoes that people come in. In the end I have booked in there in bot...