Days 11 & 12 - Le Vigan → Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert

 Some Days You Just Can’t Ride

I love being on two wheels, and every single day on the bike feels like a gift. Bike touring adds a whole new dimension to that joy—each day brings fresh scenery to explore, and doing it alongside great cycling buddies is what makes it so special. Together, you build memories that last a lifetime.

But every day on tour is a tiny miracle. A dozen parameters have to align before you even clip into your pedals: your bike needs to be in order, your bags packed and transported, the route mapped out, the weather cooperative, and—above all—your body healthy.

Yesterday, my health failed me.

Riding day after day through hot, hilly terrain takes its toll, and I woke up knowing I was in no shape to ride. I notified our ride leader, Damian, of my condition (I’ll spare you the graphic details!), and we put a plan in motion. I would take a support van ahead to our evening destination, the beautiful Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, and see a doctor there.

While I was in transit, Damian tracked down an appointment with a local primary care physician. When I arrived, the hotel proprietor kindly arranged a taxi to take me over.

The doctor took one look at me and decided my issue was better suited for an emergency room. So, off I went to the nearest ER—only to find it closed. (Who’s ever heard of a 24/7 ER being closed?) Apparently, staffing shortages strike everywhere.

Off we went to a second ER. It was open, but they lacked the specific specialist I needed. To make matters trickier, any further travel was outside my taxi driver’s zone. Cue Damian once again, who helped arrange a second taxi to take me to a regional clinic that had the exact equipment and staff required.

A few tests later, antibiotics were administered, and after a long, wild goose chase of a day, the taxi delivered me back to the hotel just in time for a late dinner.

Today was a well-earned rest day in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, and I’m feeling ready to ride the final leg into Sète tomorrow.

As I’ve said before on this blog, flexibility is everything on a tour. Travel will always test your ability to pivot, throwing unexpected hurdles between you and a solution. But thanks to the patience, courtesy, and genuine kindness of so many strangers along the way, a difficult day turned into a success.

Yesterday and Today's Photos

Happy Biking,

Brian