Hello from Provence

Overall Trip Assessment (Preliminary June 7):
Partly because the weather has been so great, I have to rate this trip pretty high, maybe an "8.5" ........ and only the VQ-Corsica-2008, and CV-Downhill to Nice-1996 would rate a "9/10". Ana seems to be getting a lot of pressure to put on a Corsica trip next year. Both
Provence trips had offsetting '+s' and'-s', (scenery, group dynamics) ... so ranked about the same.

Video(click) of "Belgian Dancers" in Castellane

May 15 Why does Air France have 5 jumbos daily to Paris (mostly Canadians), and AirCanada only 2,.... pisses me off. One example: AC charged me 150CAD last year for my break-away bike, this year AF free.

Arrived as planned, raining in Paris and Nice; train to Montpellier was 90 percent young people, 99 percent with cells MP3s, polite, ..... nice to see

May 16, went to Decathalon bought tubes, mini back-pack, 3.5 Euro, ... great value items,...... rendez vous'd at 5PM,..... met the 20 ... several from last year's Camino.

May 17, only 50 percent sunny; 80 K to Vezenobre. A very 'gussied-up' dinner... but tarte citron for dessert....excellent.

May 18, 100 percent sunny, 70 K to Orange .... nothing to unusual, was the first in.... not sure thats the way to do it. "Last-in" probably has the best day.

May 19 So far, the weather has been pretty much perfection,.....; sunny and not too hot, 26C. Today, May 19, a day-off (no cycling required) in Orange, .....so took train with 6 others, 17 minutes, to Avignon (pont, papal place), 3rd time in 2 years (...... no imagination). Generally impressed with the cast of characters (20 cyclists) on this trip (even if from, BC, ..... insufferable BC), including a 'Thelma and Louise' equivalent (rise 2 hrs late, 1 hr late for dinner), and another party that's pretty much an 'old wine lush', ..... sort of masqurading as a nun.

May 20 Another beautiful day ..... left Orange for Sault (last year we stayed at Apt instead),.... about 70 Km and day 600 m of climbing, ... didnt seem quite as hot at the 32C that it was supposed to be. Several of the group climbed Mt Ventoux, but I did the regular route. Most of the group stayed qt the hotel for dinner.

May 21 about 65K to Ille sur Sorge and a 50/50 day for sun cloud, ...; quite pleasant. Nice ride through a gorge. Betty, from Nfld, told a story where she demo'd how she told the pharmacist how she acted out the need for anti-vomit pills, ..... pretty funny ..... she was clearly guilty of overacting (you could almost smell the v___).

May 22 a day, so went to Gordes, for lunch, and back. Im 90% sure Hilary (of Hawaii) went by me and shouted my name, but I didnt stop (she was going downhill). Guy had met her the day before. Went to dinner with Simon, Raewyn, Doug, to a rather fancy place, 50E each....kind of fun to do, .... once in a while.

May 23, cycled to St Remy, and in Les Baux my derailler cable snapped (broke), and I was pretty worried, ... but made it to St Remi which was pretty flat, ... fortunately since I was limited to highest gear. Ive carried spare cable kit for years, ... and for the first time had a chance to use it, successfully.

May 24, cycled 65Km to Uzes where the temp was about 37C (... I liked it), saw the Pont de Gard etc etc. Got in around 1:30, talked to Ana a couple hours about Peter's passing, comparisons of GCK to Cycleventures and Velo Quebec. Went in the pool, which was exceptionally clean. Went with Gwyn and Pat to same resto as last year, was fun.

May 25 cycledto Nimes, about 50K on my own. Went with Guy Bettty Raeyn Simon to Resto where you cook raw meat on hot rocks, ... was fun.

May 26 cycled 60K to Montpellier, went to Decathelon to buy Scuba hood...good value. Met others downtown for dinner, where Raewyn went sullen (normally chipper) because she ddnt like the resto choice, .. but finally warmed up (... some).

May 27 Ana took bikes and luggage to Vence, and Ron, Heather Tom and I took train to Nice.
Because Tom didnt have a chip in his Visa card, couldnt retrieve SNCF ticket, ... awkward. Took taxi with Tom to Vence 58E.

..........Second Trip..................

May 28, took bus to Monaco for the day, went alone...fun. Met 4 of the new group for dinner, by accident, in Vence. All days have been sunny, about 28C, new group seems worried by the heat-needlessly. new groups always seem dull ompared to previous groups, ... but that will change. 18/20 are from Gabriola island, or Ottawa.

May 29 a circuit trip, just 55K, and back to the same hotel, dramatic change in scenery.... you can see the maritime alpes (snow capped). ...fair bit of climbing to 1150 m. Those who rental bikes seeem happy, ... used Backroad titaniums,...pretty classy.

May 30, 71 k to Callian, 1330 vertical climb, a bit cool, maybe 23C at the max. Staying at an auberge out of twon, famiy stlye dinner, outside, long table for 20 .... lamb and scallopped potatoes. Penny seemed to have major tire probllems with her new bike, ....only 1300 km old).

May 31, 70 K to Le Muy, and a bit of rain just towards the end. They had internet wifi, but the proprietors didnt seem to know how to make it work; We've had internet wifi every place so far, ... quite a change from prior years

June 1 to Aups, the BBC-internet had predicted rain, although it was bright sun (but muggy) to start. At noon there was a shower and I had my peanut butter + ,jelly sandwhich under a tree. Ron and Heather were later and got caught in the hail/rain,... and were pretty cold coming in. Went to dinner with 7 others, most having pizza. It was, frankly, long and tedious.

June 2, rest day in Aups, so did an 81K ride to the west, 5 downhill chevrons and only one up, ... dont quite know how that can "be". Felt strong, ... so maybe the effect of 20 days of cycling has a "strengthening" effect. Had dinner with Ron and Heather, .... nice conversation, including about horses, ... a small group is so much better than a group of 8... had lamb, ... perhaps the best meal, other than Vezenobles.

June 3, only a 42Km ride to Moustier (3rd time, previously with 3 Cycleventure trips) but the 42 Km seemed long, kind of a gradual uphill, I guess. Sunny and 27C according to France2 TV. Using the internet in the library, and only the 2nd time the hotel doesnt have wifi.

June 4, a day off in Moustier, so did a little loop on the north side of Gorges de Verdun, got back at 4pm. Ate a 500ml ice cream container from a depanneur. Dinner with 5: tom jay john jilll kathy .... steak was surpriingly good.

June 5, 60k to Castellane ... took the south side since Ive done the north side twice, ... cloudy, a bit of rain, ..... really it's not that great if the sun is not shining.

June 6, a day off in Castellane, and the weather reports are not thqt great.... but its sunny at the moment. June 7 is the last cycling day back to Vence. Did a fairly short ride to Demandoix, at 1203 m, ... partly sunny, and just long enough to feel I'd not wasted the day.

Party hour in the courtyard involved dancing (sort of) with the Belgian(Flemish) cycling group, their music, .... including Village People MCA-which got the best dance participation, ... frivolous joking, and good humored fun, all around. The hotel manageress smiled and said "you will have a happy souvenir".

Dinner was another matter,.... the same members as the June1 'long and tedious' event. The meal was pretty good, but our group, essentially just the ladies, performed repeated loud boisterous outbursts of raucous laughter, at essentially juvenile inane acts (switching chairs to feel stickiness under the table). So offensive/inappropriate in fact, TomV, after warning, ... paid his bill an walked out, after just having his main course placed in front of him. Tom's act had a sobering effect, and the giddy women clearly toned-down thereafter. To call them sophomoric, is an insult to sophomores, ... and like George Bush they no doubt thought they did nothing wrong. The "french connection" gets the academy award, but with strong supporting roles. Sidebar: Mr "Prim and Proper" spent 5+ minutes kneeling at another table recounting our trip details, ... an action more peculiar, than offensive. ... I thought the Belgians/dancing would make it a memorable day, ... little did I know.

June 7, 71km ride back to Vence, beautiful sunny, say 25C ... all things considered, ... rides anywhere in the world, don't get much better. Sidebar: JohnM got up at 6AM to get his rental bike back to the shop by noon... got there by 9:30... must have ridden like the wind.

Overall Trip Assessment (Preliminary June 7):
Partly because the weather has been so great, I have to rate this trip pretty high, maybe an "8.5" ........ and only the VQ-Corsica-2008, and CV-Downhill to Nice-1996 would rate a "9/10". Ana seems to be getting a lot of pressure to put on a Corsica trip next year. Both
Provence trips had offsetting '+s' and'-s', (scenery, group dynamics) ... so ranked about the same.