Some Portages and Some Pedaling

We started the day very near the Melun bridge club. They were shuttered when we rode by or we would have stopped in. 

Then we rode along past summer homes and ancient towns lined with irises, tulips and cherry trees. 

These were blooming along Blvd Franklin Roosevelt. It seems WWII history is not forgotten here, but that may have been the last time the path was paved. There was pavement covering about half the route; the rest was potholes. 

There was no shortage of gracious architecture. But shortly the path seemed to become a mud puddle followed by a pond. We ended up with wet shoes after riding this stretch. 

Soon after that we ignored a Route Inondé sign to our detriment. We were between the canal and the railroad tracks so we rode through the inundated area. It seemed quite deep with both pedals submerged. But our feet were wet from the earlier mud encounter, so it seemed rather amusing. Afterwards several people warned us not to go that way and we explained we had come from there. 

Shortly after that stretch, there was a lovely, recently set up picnic spot with lots of blooming wildflowers so we stopped for a picnic and to wring out our socks. 

It was a day of hard pedaling but also some noteworthy scenery. We rewarded ourselves with a stay in a camper cabin and savored the dryness.