Across the flatlands to Mulhouse

Dull motorway much of the way. Sunny and warm but very windy. When you àre driving a car you don't much notice the wind, but on a bike you get almost blown away. Perhaps motorbikes aren't all they are cracked up to be, after all. I should have something of an answer after 4,000 miles, I guess.The trip did get interesting once I  reached the Vosges. Wooded hills came into view and I rode through a gorgeous valley following a river for some 20 km. This was a big improvement scenery-wise on day 1.Poppies are out over here and can be seen in profusion along the edges of roads and at road junctions where there is unused land. I thought about stopping to take a picture but everyone's seen poppies so I just passed on by.

Mulhouse has a centre - historique with a rather attractive large open square. When I arrived in the afternoon  it was packed with people enjoying themselves. Thought I'd catch a tram into town in the evening and soak up the atmosphere. As you can see from the photo they'd all gone to bed by 8.30pm - or maybe they'd heard Lodge was in town. Either way, it was pretty dull; only livened up by a tasty meal in the Franciscans Friars restaurant (Mulhouse salade, filet mignon with large potato cakes and some gorgeous dessert with chantilly cream, framboises & ice cream). Life's not so bad after all.