Mulhouse to Verdum, France. Hotter Than Ever!

H'mmm. It was good fun while we were able to give help, but now we are needing help it's all just a bit too much in this absolute extreme heat. All day we required a push start. We only got lost four times and enjoyed the scenic, yet, very hot ride through the French countryside from Mulhouse to Verdun.

There's plenty of barley, rye, oats and mustard being cultivated and newly planted. It's the first time we've noticed large numbers of cattle, all in very good nick.

The truck really started playing up on the journey down the Alps and across the French border into Mulhouse. There was nothing we could do, just put up with it. It wouldn't take charge. We had to wait until we got to a suitable place to buy a replacement regulator.

In the stinking heat we set off to find the National Auto Museum. Lang had David Mottram in his cab so couldn't fit us in so we had to commute in the 35 ° heat by tram. It took us 1 hour to make it. We didn't even know in which direction to start. You will remember that siesta is 1-4 pm, so the campsite office was closed. The French people we asked turned out to be "our guardian angels" and followed us after having given us directions. Step by step they (Grandpapa and two grandsons all on pushbikes) kept turning up guiding us to the tracks and station. Once again we felt like turning back, the heat getting the better of us when we found we didn't have coins for the tickets. The elder person rode "home" to get change for our 10 euro note. He also fetched us a map! Later on, we had the same help from a young man who escorted us to an internet cafe. We were the only customers, the air conditioning had collapsed!

The car museum was fantastic. We saw a "gullwing" Mercedes and Vassel Vager. "There would have to be 200 Bugattis, in your lifetime you could expect to see 1," said Dale. The entire Schulmpf collection was donated to the government in 1981. I photographed a 1923 tricar built by Alfred Angus Scott for towing canons and the 2 cylinder French Jacquot 1878 Tonneau Vapeur vehicle.