Warming up for Provence.
Started the announced climb to the area east of the Rhone this morning, probably climbed more than I had to since I took the route via the Ponsas village a bit south of St Villier; the climb uphill was through beautiful forest and farmland. At the top I thought I must have had accumulated enough height to last for the day, only to lose most of it again in a steep downhill ride down to St Barthelemy de Vals. After that the going was more or less as on previous days. The wind from the back, and a landscape with some uphill, some downhill, eventually I came down to the flat river landscape of the Isere river, and going was good on the plain with the wind mostly from the back.
Except for the heat that was. I stopped relatively early at a place called Curson a bit east of Tournon, as time dragged one with more and more Perrier consumed, I decided I might as well stay and have lunch. That took take of the time between 11:15 and 14:00, time that might have been used for more useful stuff. The lunch was (as usual) good though.
Got going again at 14:00, with summertime, and with France of course more or less on the same longitudes as the UK (only 5 east of Greenwich), that is technically noon and the hottest time of the day. As long as I kept the pedals going speed was good, however because of the heat I had numerous stops at bars along the road and that slowed things down a bit.
Decided to stop at Crest after only about 81 kilometres, it was simply to hot motivate myself to go anywhere further. Crest turned out to be in wedding mood, most hotels were fully booked, however the Grand Hotel managed to get me a room with a shower in the hall. They were a bit sceptical with this sweaty (and smelly) bicyclist if that that was OK or not, I told them it was. There was nothing else.
Aix is now about 200 kilometres away, and one fast Monday finish is a possibility. First a climb over the hills south of Crest tomorrow morning, and then in the general direction of Montelimar; along the Rhone and on the plains to Carpentras. Aix is then a possibility via Luberon on Monday.
I'll see how it goes. If there is hotel room available at Vaison la Romaine or even Malaucene, I might go there instead, stay 2 -3 days, leave the bags at the hotel and roam the Mont Ventoux area with a lightened Mercian (if roam is indeed the word to use). If so the finish at Aix will probably be Thursday.
Watch this space.
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