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Day 6- October 2nd 2012 Tournon Saint Martin to Roumaziers Loubert(Total 73 miles - Running Total 422 miles)

If I thought yesterday was a tough day, the leg between Tournon and Roumaziers would really test me. The weather whilst getting warmer by the day changed for the worse and the gorgeous sunshine which had been with me for the past several days was replaced with torrential heavy blinding rain all morning. Even the waterproofs failed to keep me dry and before long I was soaked to the skin. This was also a day where the climbs were much steeper as I began skirting the western edge of the Massif Central and made more difficult by the ongoing head winds which were stronger than ever. On the positive side the rugged scenery was just breathtaking.

Much of the day was on quiet roads with just the last leg into Roumaziers on a very busy main road which thankfully had a cycle lane. The pain I had in my bum was getting unbearable and even heavy doses of pain killers did little to mask it. Wherever I had a downhill stretch I would stand on the bike rather than sit just to take the pressure off my backside. More than ever I felt that I wanted to give up and not in a million years could I envisage myself reaching Barcelona. The ride today took me the best part of 12 hours which meant that my average speed had fallen to a ridiculous 6mph, but after innumerable stops I finally limped into Roumaziers Loubert. With the hotel restaurant about to close I had no time to change for dinner. What a day.