Sunday 20 June 2010

Plan - She Said...Day 3


Plan B – She Said….

The campsite lady asked if Ian was cycling today and warned that there was snow on the tops and made zigzag movements with her hands to say that the van wouls be sliding around.  Don’t worry.  Ian’s been awake half the night, whilst I was snoring away, thinking of a plan B!
Right, so we can’t get over Cime de la Bonette, the highest pass in Europe, so we’ll have to head west.  I dropped him off at St Jean de la Riviere and we both headed for Puget-Thenier, and then on to St Andre des Alpes.  I arranged to meet Ian to make sure he was fuelled up at about half way.  I had a great drive along the gorges, following the course of the Var and the Verdon rivers, swollen with all the recent rain.  There was a long plod of a stretch but then the road became more interesting and started to climb significantly, as I approached the Hautes-Alpes.  Spurred on by a decent lunch and mountainous scenery,  Ian arrived about an hour earlier than expected.  I parked the van on a much easier municipal site with tons of space, and swiftly changed and got my bike off and began cycling, only to meet Ian about 10minutes away from the site!  I had a short cycle in the rain, around to a lovely little hamlet called Angle, which I’d spotted during my drive over.  There was supposed to be an impressive Geological phenomenon just up the valley near Angle, but as I cycled up there, with an enthusiastic frame of mind, even I struggled to be impressed with the “thingy”!  Maybe I had to get off my bike and walk!  But it was a lovely quiet valley and the route took me alongside a pea-green lake.  I passed a guy who was bent double picking something out of the scrub, which I assumed must be mushrooms, but I didn’t like to ask, because I hear that French people can be very possessive with their “knowledge”, so I left him to it!
Forgot to say that the Aups area is famous for its truffles and wild boar, but we’ll have to come back in November-March to experience these little black gems!

Ian Says Stage 2 St Martin to St Andre des Alpes  “Apart from the last ten miles, it was a pretty tedious slog.  Covered 55mls, 3500’ascent.  But now in the big hills.  Feel OK, apart from the nether regions, due to tight shorts and  being permanently wet!  You get the rather unpleasant picture!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi guys, just caught up with you. Sounds you're having a great time, are you staying on for the Tour, the stage to watch is the one ending up in Morzine/Avoriaz. we had a great weekend in Blair Atholl where a colleague of mine had invited us to his 25th anniversary and was holding a bash in the castle. Dined in the ancient hall where many kings and queens had eaten along with Bonnie Prince Charlie - great stuff. Weather was superb and still is - may get the bike out myself this week, as long as the mercury hits 25C!
Keith

Anonymous said...

Hi there,
Sounds like you are both having a great time. Do you ever stop for a rest? We are in Victoria at the moment doing a little bit of walking and sightseeing. Enjoying your comments. Keep it up.Looking forward to watching the Tour, all stages are shown live here now which is good.
Kerryn and Ray x