We will use the same blog :-) for the Italian ride
Mt Ventoux
Foolishly thought why not, a lot of k’s in the legs meant the ascent was harder than I thought. The first 15 k’s from Bedoin to the chalet was at 9% and after that the trip to the summit flattened out to a mere 6%. From the time I hired the bike in Bedoin for the 22 k’s to the top I didn’t use the brakes and for the reverse I didn’ thave to pedal. It is just relentless uphill. Can now be ticked off and left :-). Marie was very happy to be the support crew and rest her legs !!
The Gite
The Gite is comfortable, no radios/TVs etc and a lovely garden to sit in in the evenining. It is like the villa in the book a Summer Lease but in the village rather than out of town. A pity our stay will be so short, Have made friends with a chien who comes and begs for food !!
Saignon
Now have 5 lovely days in Provence with Katie at our Gite in Saignon. Saignon is everything we hoped for (although maybe one shop might have helped). Has 3 restaurants, 1 boulangerie (with Wi Fi if you have a coffee), a hotel and maybe 1000 people live here.
Hi, now in La Grande Motte and riding is fini other than maybe Mt Ventoux. The reason we have been off the air for several days is we have not had internet access. Have put a lot of photos on below.
What a difference good weather makes, From Riom on we have had good weather and we have both enjoyed the ride. Now know why we are here.
We have now experienced the changes from riding through Normandy, the wide open spaces and grain fields, the ride up through the Massiff Central and the forests and the remoteness, villages where it doesn’t look as anyone lives there, and then down from the Massiff through the Cols (some of which are part of the Tour) and down through Provence to the coast.
So, tired legs, sore butts and great feeling of achievement. a lot harder than expected, roads not as smooth, very hilly (ascended between 1400 and 1700 metres per day). average day for those cycling in Brisbane is roughly 2 times around the Mt Cootha Challenge so a bit harder than planned.
Marie did fabulously well averaging over 70 k’s per day (and she didn’t do a lot of the descents which woudl have added a good 15 k’s per day without having to pedal). She rode up the hills witht he group but didn’t have the confidence to do the 10 k descents at 7-8%.
And now fro some well earned lunch of mussells and rose
We made it !!!!! Seethe sea !!!
Before we start on yet another descent
Starting to ride down the Massiff into Provence
Another Col bites the dust