11 Onwards to St Omer

How funny life can be. At 5pm I was definitely taking in water wondering how I might continue the tour when the pannier broke loose. Miles from anywhere. Solutions pretty absent. Still thinking about the problems but my favourite fish soup and a steak with a comfortable double bed and in the words of James Brown.... I feel good! The Abbey here in Abbeville is huge. It seems to have survived two wars. Unlike the rest of this city which was flattened by the allies and rebuilt very oddly. Just checking on google maps as I have electricity and wifi! Im 30 miles behind where I should be after yesterdays oversleep and accident with the panniers. I will tie the bags up as best I can hoping to avoid another break and if I can get perhaps to the Belgian border I'll try and find a bed there. I have a fully charged phone and changed my settings which had been blocking all roaming. The pannier bag hasnt moved yet but a little trepidation on the one long downhill Ive had. Mainly climbing into headwinds again. All on a busy D road. Lunch stop at Hesdin. Where I should have reached last night. Yes that's me resting on the window of the local boulanger.

I hope I can crank out another 40 miles this afternoon to try to get on track. Later........ I have now arrived in St Omer - battered for 56 miles by the headwinds. Bike worked well with me. Even fixed my pedal clip which had worked loose. Doing another hotel. Life can give you the odd treat if you work hard. Showered, clean clothes and in town watching Belgium equalise with a cold pint. Staying in the Ibis courtesy of Mastercard! Another magnificent Cathedral towers over everything. — at Ville de Saint-Omer