Early Saturday

[wonger]

Planning departure from Roaix at 7:00 am, espresso and pain au chocolate stop in Sablet, onward to a tour of the medieval hill towns in the area and to Sault at the foot of Ventoux for the Saturday market. Possible ascent of Venoux or return through les Gorges de la Nesque, depending on the mood. Who's in?

[katew]

Rolf? You here?

<looks around>

Nope. OK, I'll look after this.

<whap>

[FairweatherMike]

If Geoff is indulging in a bit of fantasy, well, I love it when kids use their imagination. If however he is corresponding from the site of a certain recent Grand Tour, then that's just cruel. At least send us some GoPro recordings of your 100kmh descent...

Now on to local news: seriously, anybody interested in a 6 am petite depart on Saturday morning? Cook St Buckstar or thereabouts? I have a couple of early hours available for a B ride...

[katew]

Now on to local news: seriously, anybody interested in a 6 am petite depart on Saturday morning? Cook St Buckstar or thereabouts? I have a couple of early hours available for a B ride...

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=4501

Moderate pace, TdV route (maybe truncated, maybe not, but if you have a couple of hours, you could just do the Metchosin loop). Douglas SBux, 6:00 If anything goes wrong-ish, it was all John's idea.

[sylvan]

I'm stuck on the mainland til Sunday so Mike can replace me.

[wonger]

Wish you could have joined us...

[Joe B]

I'm in for a ride tomorrow morning, 7am sounds fine. Where do you depart from, Roaix?

[wonger]

Sorry Joe - now in Nice enroute to Italy.

[katew]

Ah, how we missed you yesterday, Geoff.

Another sparkling day out le Chemin de l'Oie Galopait, followed by the ritual scaling of Col du Lagon. (Never mind that Joe found a nice switchback to ease the pain that arises on that first bump after the caffiene (oui, messieurs, dames, on commençait Chez la Sierène Verte) wore off.)

We progressed the traditional route, that one engraved in the hearts of the region's randonneux for hundreds of years ( <-- "days." --ed.), through la campagne de Metchosin, until Joe pointed out a nice little shortcut that greatly eases the sharp tooth that is Rue Lombard. I believe every one of us uttered an invocation ("Sacre bleu" comes to mind) as we scaled the fir-infested heights of Kangaroo and Lindholm. ("Can you believe the Master's race does this on purpose? Repeatedly?")

After such travails, Boulevard Happy Valley was a relief, as the stream of exhaust-belching, honking pickups whose drivers yelled something that sounded a lot like, "Thank you!!!" as they waved their finger, reminded us so mistily of les rues of suburban Paris.

Onward, ominous music in the background - no, wait, that was coming out of another pickup truck - as we gathered ourself for the big one. Yes, L'Alpe du Munn. (Glenowyn, stop snickering.) Joe apparently knows a shortcut around that one, too, because it became painfully clear that he'd been holding back for us when he waved good-bye and disappeared around the corner after the mailboxes. Like, *gone*. By the time I got to the top and kicked my bike into the ditch, he'd knitted himself a new pair of compression socks and had started in on flossing his rear cassette.

I am pleased to say, however, that the trip through rue Ross-Durrance was simply charming. Very little car traffic and beautiful light through the fir-trees, illuminating les marais. So, "Pbbbbtht" to those who think the road down Col de Sarenne is sketchy.

Once we had descended from la région montagneuse, Joe (still looking fresh as a daisy) and Dave turned right toward the city's best ice cream and bacon, while John and I tacked on another hour or so of pointless miles.

Would love to ride again today - thinking about whether 'tis better to ride this nice, fresh waterfront or go over to the Velodrome to learn how to be a track crayon. Hmmmmm.

[Rolf]

A pox on all your houses. I'm up in Fishing Country in the Cariboo with only an old mountain bike and no real trails around. Beer and campfires are my primary succour. Came through Pemberton and couldn't believe the amount of glitzy carbon on that highway from Whistler - nearly everyone on aero bars. Even saw a couple of crazy solo riders on the ridiculous Duffey Lake Rd. to Lillooet, panniers loaded for bear, 1000km stares intact as they whirred up some crazy grades. Tomorrow, I ride my first horse. I wonder if it will want a Clif bar?

Thanks for sharing the Ventoux pics, Geoff. You guys are living the dream!