Dist 47.56 ride-time 3h56min av speed 12.05 max speed 35.55 altitude up 2089 ft
We left early to try and make up the lost miles from yesterday. The riding was good with more favourable winds and cloud cover and Metz town centre is actually pretty impressive with old buildings and a lovely gothic looking catherdral. At that time of morning the remnants of a big Saturday night were all over the old town centre, drunk blokes being propped up by their women, it reminded me a bit of a more scenic version of Brum's broad street.
As we left Metz the countryside was much more to my liking and the people we passed very friendly.
Today was a brilliant day for wildlife, there were black kites everywhere, I also saw another red backed shrike feeding its young, I stopped to sort something on the bike and as I rode to catch up with John a pair of Montagu's Harrier flew over the road and floated like gliders off over the farmland! I was more than a bit excited and John was laughing at me for being a massive goon; when I caught him up.
We stopped by a ravine and saw a kingfisher and the glimpsed an otter, then later some trees sparrows......ok I'll shut up about fauna now!
In Morhange we stopped for late breakfast, I found a good little bakery, got 6 of those ice pop stick things you had when you were a kid, 4:2 in my favour! I also brought john a little savoury tart and us both what I thought were little sponge cakes.
They turned out to be bread soaked in runny treacle with some kind of custard that looked like it should've been icing! It was one of the wort things I've ever eaten half of!
Outside Morhange John went downhill health wise, it was combined tiredness I think from 7 days cycling and the heat. I set him up the hammock in shade and he crashed out for 2 hours and I got my kindle out to read, the screen was smashed! Id left in pressed up against the camping stove!
Oh well. I took a wander into the woods to look around, staying within earshot of John. It was nice to get some down time and I heard a golden oriole but didn't manage to spot it gutted! (Sorry fauna again) 
We got back on the bikes and revised our target campsite from Plan Incline (we are gutted as supposed to be nicest site if the trip ) to Mittersham. It's by a lake and I went for a good swim after a micro sleep , the swim felt amazing, my body was thanking me for doing some exercise that didn't involve a saddle.
We ate, washed clothes, and now it's time for bed. We are revising the trip a bit and will obviously take health as our first priority.
We hope to get to Strasbourg tomorrow.
One last thing I forgot to mention I saw a stalk today! My first ever and a beautiful bird, I was able to get a photo:
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