Dole Thursday 5 june

97ks and finally in the Jura. The mountains are near. Today dawned cold 7* and after a nearly amorous chat with Sheila, I had a glorious 12ks shady canal start to the day. Simply lovely.
Breakfast at la ferte hotel (they'd have surely heard all the laughing retorts) was filling and entertaining enjoying a discussion about M Duchamp with a local artist. Comfortable place with a stable for a velo garage. Yes. I've been pushin it a bit on the eurovelo itinerary. It is easier to keep riding through lunchtime and get two days done in one. My itinerary is based on a publicized eurovelo event and there is a deluge of veloistes who have set off from Vienna against the tide of which I've based my daily regimen. 
Yesterday in the cold wind and rain I was very grateful to a french speaking rider who assisted me to find and then have confidence in the veracity of the little green panneau. He rode light on and I soon lost him into the developing mists. 
Then unexpectedly this morning au cote de Seone I pass him telephone to ear in animated francais. Pascal is quick and before I know it we are deep in conversation. Thankfully he seems understanding as I murder his native tongue.
A Parisian journo Pascal is actually being paid to ride his carbon forked velo to Basel. Also he has visited Australie to cover les Bleus in the Rugby.He has an appointment with a gentleman at an eclus or lock on the Seone and I plough on after friendly adieus and a rather formal card exchange....
To find within 10 ks an WA aussie Elizabeth Pye running a bar tabac in Lechatelet creatively cooking a cherry pie who  gave me a good hoy as I surprised her at the oven. The 3rd compatriot in 15 days she made me a very nice petit noir and Perrier which jolted me into the last 25k leg into Dole. Which is also a very wonderful place. Peter V my colleague recommended I visit and I will take in the best of it tomorrow.
There is a famous Franciscan monastery and Louis Pasteur, who I admire for his persistence in the face of complete disbelief,  was born and lived here. Steep streets over an important river junction. L'eglise looked rich and powerful.
It is hot now 25 and I'm camping 3 star on the Doubs. For so long on my eurovelo map as a junction between the loire and rhine and also ev6 and ev7. The hefty Dole bell is ringing out nearly seven, the indian minors are chatting to me, fellow park residents are talking and  crunching gravel on the way to the excellently hot showers. All is well in the world.