A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.
Nice photo of sign, click and see the Loire but an hour later. Sorry for the cheat but flowers so lovely and it was almost the last of the Loire before I switch rivers at Nevers to follow the Allier.
I crossed from the north bank to the south at Fourchambault and once again joined a section of the Loire cyclepath that ran along the top of raised banks by the river. Very nice, and quite quick too. This is my breakfast stop, fruit and an energy bar since I'd not managed, or been bothered, to cycle into the couple of towns I'd skirted in order to find a boulangerie.
Shortly after this the Loire turns right and I follow the Allier, quite closely for 30km. Lovely riding, hillier, but not too much so. Up one hill I was overtaken by three racers out with a group of others. I managed to stay reasonably in touch, with the three leaders and held off the larger group chasing, though I doubt any of them were trying as hard as me. Caught them on the next down hill though with my max for today of 55.4km/hr and they didn't catch me for the next 4km when I turned off to follow signs for Apremont. It was fun to stretch my legs and up the effort for a bit on nice tarmac.