Day 15: Marmande to Moissac 108 km. It's the solitude.

I followed the Garonne Canal for over a 100 km today. Unchanging but I didn't tire of it for a minute. Red squirrels galore and some beautiful grey herons. The other wildlife on show was a hoard of cyclists. All shapes, sizes and ages, riding all sorts of bikes. There were road bikes (racing bikes), tourers, e-bikes, Dutch 'sit up and beg' classics, recumbents, tandems and a recumbent tricycle. On board were toddlers, children, dogs, old blokes like me, couples, people with disabilities and a cat. Yes, that's right, a cat in a basket.

Everyone was enjoying the ride, the canal, the sun and the fun. There was a surprising number of dogs in baskets. Mainly small  Yorkshire Terrier size models that think the walk from the dog basket to the food bowl is a tough day out. As people pass me going the other way I always sing out 'Bonjour', as it seems to be the done thing. Nearly everyone responds in kind, sometimes with a wave and a smile attached. But.... some don't.

What's interesting is that couples who are riding together almost invariably either both respond or both don't. So, as the first half of the couple passes me I can very confidently predict whether the second half will say hello or not. Those who don't respond both sort of scowl a bit and seem to resent the social intrusion. What intrigues me is how they ever got it on together. If they dislike saying hello so much then how did they meet? Neither would have said hello and if they did then the other one wouldn't have responded so...... These things stay in your mind on a long ride. It's the solitude.

Bridge of the day! Well an aqueduct actually but a clear contender for the Bridge of the Ride Award. This is on the canal path into Agen and it is the Garonne Canal crossing the River Garonne. How good is that! 

I've yet to formally announce the rules for the Bridge of the Ride Award and there is work to be done and the excitement is building. Should there be a separate aqueduct sub-category? What, precisely, is the voting procedure? Proportional representation, first past the post? These things need to be decided. As I'm the only one voting you would have thought this would be straightforward but you would be wrong. You see, it's the solitude.