Day 12: Elbeuf to Mousseaux-sur-Seine, France. Mon Pneu et es Plat

Not a sound in the night in our Pine Tree clearing and we wake to the sound of the odd pitter patter of rain but nothing serious. Packed and ready to go we negotiate the semi track we crossed last night and as expected it comes out 100 metres up the road from where we dipped into the deer track. The drizzle starts and we descend back towards the Seine. Just as we are negotiating our way into the town my back tyre goes flat. Probably due to riding in the woods fully loaded two days in a row. The puncture should be no big deal. We take cover under some trees opposite a petrol station and get to work. Rule No 1 of any bicycling, be it 1000 or 1 mile away from home is be equipped to mend a puncture. I have a pump, I have a puncture kit, I have a spare tube but but but I never got round to checking how to take off the back wheel before I left. It has been at the top of my to do list for two months but aerospace cutlery and inflatable lounge bed/mattresses/chairs seem to have taken over in the priority stakes. The front wheel I have already changed so no probs there but because of my Rohloff Hub gears the rear cable connectors are not like anything I've seen or used before. I did look at a video before I left and I know some twisting is involved but cant seem to twist anything to help me. I start undoing a few nuts, a few wires go ping and the wheel is removed. I replace the tube whilst Maddy mends the old one and fit the wheel back to the bike. Only thing is, the gears are not working properly, by properly I mean at all. Both Maddy and I get our engineering heads on and try to work out what has happened. I must point out that since I've owned this bike I've done 1500 miles on it and never had a puncture. This is why I'm now in this predicament. Maddy makes a coffee in the espresso pot and I let the magic of caffeine work its wonders. Within half an hour It's all worked out and I think it actually feels better than before. Next stop Gaillion. Where we arrive down a seriously fun hill with promise of a Mcdonalds. Say what you want about the kiddy fattening corporate behemoth. It always has a toilet, water and free wifi. Cycle touring heaven. Now that I've used quite a few on this trip I don't even pretend to be a customer. I go in, buy nothing, find a power socket and log on. Updates done we head for Vernon via Châteaux Madeleine. The Châteaux is now a private residence that lets out rooms, Chambre D'hotes style. Probably catering to people on the way to Claude Monet's House and the famous garden there where he painted the water lilies and so many other works. Coincidentally we had come here earlier this year in the old Fiesta and had a little chuckle that we actually knew where we where. Even funnier was that just up the road we had camped whilst driving down to Spain in the old Fiesta the year before. We stop to smell the beautiful perfume of the garden as we pass and head off into some little used roads in search of said camp site. Mountain Goat having done two days in the wood decides that a shower is now needed. I of course oblige willingly. We aim at a site on the map not knowing if its the one or not and come to a dead end at the end of a dirt track that just leads to somebodies house. Just as we arrive in the drive way a car pulls out and we ask directions. No problem I reply and off we go following the car, who it seems is taking his dog for a walk, bouncing along in front of the car. After a few kms along the side of a farmers field we depart and find le camping. This is the biggest shock to my system so far on the trip. Not only is it 16 euros for the night but there are people, tourists and many many pitches all next to each other. As camp sites go it's not that bad but after woods, tow paths and the solitude that comes with it, it really is a shock. Tent up, mattress turned to seat and beer in hand and its not too bad being able to do everything in public after all rather than hiding in the darkness but I can't wait to get back in the hedges and ditches and sneaking away with the owls and deer.