Mes amis,I flew into Nice on June 15th to join 20 other bike fanatics for a two week ride around this part of France. We started biking from Vence and

[tim]

Provence/Maritime Alps

Mes amis,

I flew into Nice on June 15th to join 20 other bike fanatics for a two week ride around this part of France. We started biking from Vence and have so far stayed in:

Castellane
Manosque
Sault
Vaison la Romaine
Orpierre
Digne les Bains
Barcelonette

We have biked past fields of lavender, the Grand Canyon of Verdon, and loads of vineyards plus lots of time pedalling up the Alps in this region. One of our most notable efforts was to climb Mont Ventoux(of Tour de France fame), a total of 6,000 feet of climbing and 60 miles. Our average is about fifty miles per day with 5,000 feet of elevation, but the next three days are all 6,000 feet plus to take us back to Vence. Aside from one day of rain and the wind in the higher elevations, the weather has been fantastic.

Our group is mostly from the northwest U.S. Five couples are riding tandems up these steep hills, an amazing feat. Almost all of us are at least 50 years young, and there are three in our number just past 70 who are incredibly strong riders.

I'm somewhat curious to step on the scales when I return home to see how much of Provence I'll be "bringing" home with me. I fear that even pedalling five hours of mountains each day won't neutralize the pigging out I've been doing on this wonderful Provence cuisine. Today is the one day I've chosen not to ride so as to recharge my aching butt and weary legs(I'm sitting on a pillow as I type). I didn't bring my laptop, but I'll try to share photos with you in the coming weeks after I've returned home.

 

[MIke R]

Re: Provence/Maritime Alps

sounds wonderful beyond words Tim.....you rock....enjoy.....but somehow I dont think the calories in are anywhere near the calories out....so EAT!!!

 

[Chip]

Re: Provence/Maritime Alps

tim,

How was Ventoux? Maryann and I are taking it on in September.

 

[tim]

Re: Provence/Maritime Alps

Chip,

Ventoux is an ugly, windy, long, hard climb. It took me about two hours. On pretty days like the one we had, there seemed to be hundreds of cyclists doing it. When we reached the top, there was a resto where we gorged ouselves before the cold descent. I hope to post my photos one of these days. There were jet fighters flying below us as we stood on the summit.

We did Col de La Bonnette a few days later which is actually higher than Ventoux, supposedly the highest paved road in Europe at 2,940 meters. There was ice in some places on the side of the road as we made the climb.

 

[Chip]

Re: Provence/Maritime Alps

Chip,

Ventoux is an ugly, windy, long, hard climb. It took me about two hours.

Yeah, I could use a tailwind. Two hours sounds pretty good from what I hear. What gearing did you use?

 

[tim]

Re: Provence/Maritime Alps

Chip,

I have full MTB gearing on my road bike, a small triple up front and a large casette on the rear. I pedal a high cadence just to go anywhere, but I only needed my lowest gear on one occasion. We had a 71 year old guy on our trip that could climb faster than I could, but at least I beat the tandems.

 

[Chip]

Re: Provence/Maritime Alps

Is your lowest a 1:1? We're going with compact doubles and a 34:29 low gear. Headed to the blue ridge tomorrow for testing.

I'm ready to roll on the downhills; got more work to do on the uphill parts.