Mercy and Merci

Last day of riding was yesterday, and time to say goodby this morning. It was another long day - the longest of the tour - with a handful of climbs dropped in and a gorgeous descent into Ajaccio for our final dinner together as a group. It has been an another amazing adventure, with friends old and new. It was exciting to explore a new part of France (or not a part of France, if you are talking with the locals). Corsica is completely different from the Alpes or Pyrenees, and offered something different in itself each day. It is beautiful, raw, and a little rough and wild.

For me, I was so out of shape that a little mercy came right at the start of the long descent from a broken wheel. At the time I wasn't too pleased about it, but my legs were just about done anyway.

I can't post to the blog without overwhelming MERCI to Mark, who again, made a trip possible that I would have never otherwise been able to do!


Splitting right down the middle of the Island and to Ajaccio for today's route. The red line should have gone to the sea, but . . . (see photos below)


The day started with a short climb that turned into a big climb that just kept going and going and going. Right in the little valley before the start of the long part, we rolled by these bridges - one for cars, one for trains, where the wind was singing through the metal of the bridge.



Much of the climbing today was through the woods, so there aren't many photos until we came into towns or made it to the top. For our coffee stop, the town had this statue up - a beautiful piece of art out in the middle of nowhere.

And more mausoleums.

At the top of the first major climb, a small monument recognizing the place as a stop for the Albertville Winter Olympic torch

Our lunch stop was in a little cafe restaurant today instead of a picnic, which is nice to mix it up a bit - especially when the main items on the menu are pizzas! I give this one a big thumbs up.

After that light lunch, it was time to climb again, through what felt like the steepest climbs we have had this week. Or it could have been the pizza weighing me down.

(Looking back on one stretch of road we were climbing)

After all of that climbing, we were rewarded with about 15 miles of down hill back to Ajaccio. Well, most of us . . .

Unlike my pizza, I give this one a big thumbs down! By unhappy coincidence, the van needed to unload all of the spare parts for the final section of the ride today, so it was in the van for me.

Just to be sure the ride gave us something completely different today, a massive man made lake opened up in front of us on the way down. The thick forest around us, a little village perched above the water, was reminiscent of movie scenes. Truly amazing.

Followed by miles of downhill through the valley.

On the plus side of the van ride, I could take photos of everyone as they finished the long day and wonderful week (I missed B and Kari).

Once again, one-hundred-million thanks to Mark for making the trip happen, and to Annie for holding down home without me. All my love to those at home. Packing my bags now, and flying this weekend. Will see you soon!

Into the Heart of Corsica

Another scorcher today, with a couple stiff climbs up away from the coast into the heart of the island. Like the days before, the scenery completely changed to more wooded hills and by the end glacier fed rivers. If it weren't for the terrible roads, with cows and pigs jumping across, you wouldn't believe we were on the same island with all of those sea port towns - except that you can always get a distant glimpse of the coast from the highest climbs. Last day of riding tomorrow!

Saint Florent to Corte, a big climb to start. Nothing too steep but just about 7,000 feet of climbing. Dry hot winds as we left the coast.

By the end of the day, I think the difficultly of yesterday caught up with me, and it was boom out go the lights for my legs. Was saying a little prayer to last all the way to the hotel when rolling by this along the countryside.

But first, a nice long climb to take us away from the sea. About a quarter of the way up, we could look back on Saint Florent.

And then came to a incredibly unique church. I never figured out what the story is with this, although I bet Google knows. All stone, in black and white, that looks like someone built a church out of Lego blocks.

One thing that is the same throughout Corsica are all of the mausoleums. Every town has a collection of them, usually with a large one set aside for the town's leading families.

A couple fun photos from interesting road-side attractions. First a really cool little moto-bike, second old millstones used as part of a little fountain next to our first coffee stop.

 The first climb went on and on and on. But the view from the top was worth it. With a distant ocean on one side and ridges upon ridges of wooded roads through the middle of the island.

 

 

 (skinny - and some sketchy - roads are still ever present)

 

Our picnic spot, with a decent view!

 

 

 

It wouldn't be a day without the roaming animals. This guy didn't like my photograph much.

 

 

 (This is one of the island's major roads, by the way)

 They call it the Heart of Corsica, but it had a bit of Heart of Darkness feel for a moment. For your nightmare pleasures, I give you a fence lined with boar carcasses. Head, fur, skins, nothing else. It smelled great, all those skins roasting in the sun.

 

As we got closer to Corte, we started to roll along rivers and streams. Crystal clear, cold glacier water from the high mountains. Turns out, one of them is flowing right outside our hotel as well!

 (By the hotel)

 Corte is a nice little town, one of the older cities in Corsica, and actually home to the French Resistance during WWII for a little bit.

 (A general I've not heard of before)

You learn something new every day, like Pascal Paoli was one of the island's founding fathers. Pascal here, presiding over the town square.

 

I'm Cooked!

Today was a hard day - the longest in mileage, with a brute of a climb in the middle, and really technical descents because of skinny rough roads, with sand and gravel all over the place, and hot-hot-hot. Not that I'm complaining, it was another wonderful day of riding amongst amazing landscapes. Today's ride saw more of the rural, and small towns perched on steep hillsides.

Calvi to St. Florent (another pretty little port town). Only 70 miles, but over 6,000 feet of climbing and a few good patches of 12 and 13% grades.

The day started with a climb out of Calvi, and a treat of looking back on the town from above - although the climb was a tough way to start out!

And at the top, started the pretty hillside towns . . .

(the top of the first climb from far away)

 We rolled along for a while, gradually going back down to the sea, but staying up on the mountain ridge line, where village after picturesque village came and went.

 

 

 We eventually dropped down to L'Ille Rousse, which was a suprisingly bustling little vacation town. Bars and cafe's were overflowing, and our trailing mini-bus spent 20 minutes trying to find parking. The people watching was spectacular, starting with this older couple sipping liquer in the afternoon shade of the town square.

And continued with these classic guys. The fellow in the blue shirt held that exact pose for extremely long periods of time, just staring out and folks walking buy. The yellow shirt magically appeared and never lit that cigarette.

 

 (Corisca loves their abstract nudes, I've come to learn)

A quick jaunt out of town after our coffees, then onto this climb - which I found to be a leg breaker. Completely exposed to the sun from bottom to top. The views at the top were grand, looking several thousand feet above down to the sea on one side and up at snowy peaks on the other.

 (Hawks began to circle our picnic area, dropping down to pick up left overs. One left with a snake - we didn't have snake, that was just coincidence)

After a long descent, we came out amongst olive groves for our final climb up and over to St. Florent.

 

(Looking back at the valley from where we started our last climb, and getting another view of the sea, where we are staying tonight))

We rolled into St. Florent and a lively town square, with a heated match of petanque underway.

The hotel cat greeted us, before the best hotel view on earth!

 (This is the view from my bed - please disregard the laundry setting out to dry!)

The stars are incredible tonight, shinning over a black sea. I'm thinking of those I love who will see the same stars soon. Hugs and kisses.