Day 4 Chartres to Auxerre "He who would valiant be, 'gainst all disaster"

After the more general "Why?" to which there is no sensible answer, there is the occasional "Why Assisi?" Assisi was the birthplace towards the end of the twelfth century of St Francis, the founder of the Franciscan order. We have a long standing association with the Franciscans. Fr. Andrew McMahon OFM has been a friend for about 40 years. He married Jill and I in 1972. He baptised both our children and later presided at both their weddings. He baptised both our grandchildren. Andrew once walked from Southampton to Assisi. Is this a pilgrimage? Well, no, not really. I would not dignify it as such. Andrew has advised that there are no indulgences available for this sort of thing. Indeed references to bicycles are rare in Canon Law. He fairly makes the point too that it would take more than a bit of a bike ride to atone for my life of sin. But promises have to be kept, even those made to someone who has been dead for nearly 800 years.

The main feature of today's route from Chartres was flatness. Flat as a witch's tit and almost as cold. For almost 80 miles there was not so much as a hill, more a series of wrinkles. At some points the road stretched out straight for so long you couldn't see the next bend. It should have had a shimmering heat haze except that it was too bloody cold. I was talking to a man at lunchtime whose dog had run away. He said he watched it for nearly two days before it disappeared from over the horizon. Traffic on some of the roads was a problem. As there are are no real bends the traffic moves very quickly - especially the trucks. The blast of wind from an oncoming truck blows you backwards. On the other hand overtaking trucks suck you along. Disconcerting though it is, I never thought I would be grateful to be sucked by a truck. But there you are. Auxerre was rocking tonight. It is the Fetes de Musique. There was a band playing on every corner by the time I came to bed, three going at once in the main square. If you positioned yourself carefully you could get punk, hip hop and Rolling Stones covers simultaneously.

Another 125 miles has now been completed. It was hard work at times despite the flat start, especially when the stiff breeze moved round more to the east. Tomorrow's route to Beaune is a bit shorter, thankfully.