Day 37 – to Bize-Minervois

140 km
The morning started cloudy but during the day the sun came and apart from some tiny raindrops it remained dry. There was a rather tough wind from the northwest and that meant for me in my back. After 6 km I was on a piste cyclable near the Canal du Midi in Gardouch. In Naurouze after some 12 km the signs for the cyclists disappeared. I tried to use the footpath, but it was rather narrow and after 2 km I switched to minor roads and used the Garmin to lead me to the start of the next part marked as cycle path in Castelnaudary. Now I saw some signs for a cycle route no. 2, but without indication of a destination village. In Castelnaudary was a series of locks and the bridleway was good for cycling. But also this stopped after some kilometers and all the way to Carcassonne the bridleway was in a bad condition due to the roots of trees that made the path rough.
On this path I had my first flat tire (it was the tire of the Extrawheel. After repairing it I continued to Carcassonne, still using the bridleway. In Trèbes I switched to one of the tracks and used a smaller departmental street, but there was quite a lot of car traffic on it. In Pouzols I went to a camping Les Auberges (two stars). I tried to get the pins of my tent into the ground, but after a while I gave up, packed my things and asked my money back. Then I cycled to the next camping in Mirepeisset.The reception was closed already and I asked at the camping bar. Oh we are full and very expensive. Now I started to look for a suitable place in the wild.
But before I had a last look on my map and saw a 3rd camping in the neighborhood. That was my last try. It was a camping municipal with old, but sufficient infrastructure. Just before darkness my tent was set up.
Paul