Up & Down; Up & Down; Repeat

Another cycling day (for everyone else anyway  ☹️) so it was up, fresh and enthusiastic, grab a breakfast and collect bikes. Today was to be a long 81km day in high temperatures.  It started quite cool and with just a bit of level cycling through town to start, it turned into a 20km descent, so all layers were worn. The descent was pretty steep and very twisty with characteristically bad roads comprising sections of bumpy tarmac, unpaved washed out rubble, and potholes you could park a tandem in. Fine for the riders, they could pick their way on the smoothest bits, but a tough journey in the bus. Nearly lost a few folks at the unexpected junctions as they weren't keeping together and staying behind the support bus. I could tell that Jomy the driver was getting a bit cross. Eventually we turned off onto narrow(er) country roads, or what passes for roads in these parts, and (who would have thought possible?) the surface became even worse. Navigation was a nightmare; even following the planned route was tricky. We're talking REALLY rural here. Thank god I'd taken a lot of time to download all the offline maps to my ViewRanger app along with the .gpx files for the rides, before we came out here because I had the best nav system of all and was relied upon to keep Senthil the guide, and driver Jomy on the right track. Just as well I'm an experienced Support Driver (from times spent supporting the BP Coast-2-Coast charity rides)!  The going was extremely slow due to surface and terrain. It was up and down like Cornish & Devon back-lanes! Absolutely exhausting for the riders and for me, constantly bracing myself in the bus whilst tracking progress. Many refreshment stops were made to regroup and folk started to drop out as it became clear that we'd never make the full distance in the time available. Lunch break for me was spent, not eating, but fixing Anne's bike which had lost a brake shoe (I had a spare). We watched a local picking peppercorns from vines by the roadside, and saw many patches of said crop laid out to dry in the sun. Eventually all bar one decided to load the bikes and take to the bus (and Anne did state that it was an easier ride on the bike than in the bus!). She did very well and completed 27.2 miles under tough conditions. The one bloke, Tom, who kept on riding, overshot the hotel and was eventually hailed in the dark. All ended well but today's plan was too ambitious. The environment was however, truly beautiful.