Reliving the tour - stage 1

It's been over 6 years since I did my tour and, with winter on it's way I thought it would be nice to revisit it, both for the memories and to think ahead for next year. 

Rather than go into details I will just recall a few of the day by day bullets, to act as a stimulus  to my memory. (Remarkably I can close my eyes and play back huge amounts of the ride as if I was there again). 

So here we go: Day 1 

• Car to Entzeim airport, very well known from many trips by plane. But this time it's the start of quite a differerent journey and pedalling away from it feels somewhat strange/scary
• Very shortly get lost which is ironic since this is the area of France I know best
• Find my way and cycle through familiar scenery and up my first climb, which I know well
• Mid morning start riding in new territory and realise tour is starting for real
• Stop for lunch, eat far too much and find restarting hard going
• Long hot ride in the afternoon. 
• First planned stop has no hotels, find one in St Avold but its another 30km onwards.
• Find the hotel and head out into a very quiet town to get some drink and pasta at a pub.