Cycling Journal - 8/19/05
8:30 AM St. Sorlin d'Arves
Ugh I'm tired, and I slept eleven hours! Is it a bad sign if I have trouble going up the stairs? I wasn't very hungry for breakfast, but I have leftover dinner if I need it during the climb (on top?). I can't wait for the long run to Grenoble. Leave here by ten, the col by noon, Grenoble by three. Well, let's hope.
I'm getting more homesick, it would be nice to take a day off, and see someone I know. Still, if today is a nice day (looks like it is so far) and I make it to the col okay, I'm sure I'll enjoy the rest of the ride to Grenoble.
11:30 AM Col de la Croix de Fer
I think I stayed in the Alps for the same reason that I want to live in New England. A good deal of the time I'm swearing at myself, wondering why I'm here. But then there are these incredible moments, like this one, that make it all worthwhile, and it is even more precious that I have suffered so much for it.
This spot is unbelievable. Two thousand meters up, but still calm and peaceful. A cloudy day, but still beautiful. And it helps matters that it was a hard, but short climb.
I'm even ahead of schedule, and am entertaining thoughts of going to Col du Glandon. (If it's less than 100 m up, I'm doing it!). I even had a fresh squeezed lemonade at the Chalet here. What more could I ask for.
7:30 PM
Here I am on a train to Avignon like I wanted. Too bad it's hot, I'm worried about my bike in back, and I am in the loudest car you can imagine (a small child whose dad doesn't care how loud he is, plaing with another kid, meanwhile that kid's sister started talking on a cell phone directly below a picture of a sleeping cell phone).
Still, I can't complain - at least I'm not in complete pain. In an hour, I'll have to race off the train and try to find a campsite before they close. Laying in my tent (maybe with a large, cold soda) is my new daydream. It's very hard for me not to have everything planned out in advance, especially since things close so early here. Still, that allowed me to turn east on Wednesday morning and spend three more days in the Alps.
Now though, I think it's time to take things more slowly.
10:00 PM Avignon
I managed to find a place to sleep again, how about that. French camping is pretty funny. They all cram into these little spaces, most of them in RVs, and set up their tables just like they were home. Still I'm jealous of the families gathered around a few candles.
This particular campground has extra features, like a non-functional laundry and an internet station that takes your money and doesn't connect to anything. I did manage to get some ice cream though. This diet may explain why four days in the Alps didn't change my physique.
Tomorrow it's off to Arles, the land of Van Gogh (I have a Van Gogh theme going) by way of the Pont du Gard. I think I'll take a shortcut and skip Nimes. It's actually only one hundred km on the autoroute to Marseille, so two days with the roundabout way should be easy. And I could use some easy.
Ugh I'm tired, and I slept eleven hours! Is it a bad sign if I have trouble going up the stairs? I wasn't very hungry for breakfast, but I have leftover dinner if I need it during the climb (on top?). I can't wait for the long run to Grenoble. Leave here by ten, the col by noon, Grenoble by three. Well, let's hope.
I'm getting more homesick, it would be nice to take a day off, and see someone I know. Still, if today is a nice day (looks like it is so far) and I make it to the col okay, I'm sure I'll enjoy the rest of the ride to Grenoble.
11:30 AM Col de la Croix de Fer
I think I stayed in the Alps for the same reason that I want to live in New England. A good deal of the time I'm swearing at myself, wondering why I'm here. But then there are these incredible moments, like this one, that make it all worthwhile, and it is even more precious that I have suffered so much for it.
This spot is unbelievable. Two thousand meters up, but still calm and peaceful. A cloudy day, but still beautiful. And it helps matters that it was a hard, but short climb.
I'm even ahead of schedule, and am entertaining thoughts of going to Col du Glandon. (If it's less than 100 m up, I'm doing it!). I even had a fresh squeezed lemonade at the Chalet here. What more could I ask for.
7:30 PM
Here I am on a train to Avignon like I wanted. Too bad it's hot, I'm worried about my bike in back, and I am in the loudest car you can imagine (a small child whose dad doesn't care how loud he is, plaing with another kid, meanwhile that kid's sister started talking on a cell phone directly below a picture of a sleeping cell phone).
Still, I can't complain - at least I'm not in complete pain. In an hour, I'll have to race off the train and try to find a campsite before they close. Laying in my tent (maybe with a large, cold soda) is my new daydream. It's very hard for me not to have everything planned out in advance, especially since things close so early here. Still, that allowed me to turn east on Wednesday morning and spend three more days in the Alps.
Now though, I think it's time to take things more slowly.
10:00 PM Avignon
I managed to find a place to sleep again, how about that. French camping is pretty funny. They all cram into these little spaces, most of them in RVs, and set up their tables just like they were home. Still I'm jealous of the families gathered around a few candles.
This particular campground has extra features, like a non-functional laundry and an internet station that takes your money and doesn't connect to anything. I did manage to get some ice cream though. This diet may explain why four days in the Alps didn't change my physique.
Tomorrow it's off to Arles, the land of Van Gogh (I have a Van Gogh theme going) by way of the Pont du Gard. I think I'll take a shortcut and skip Nimes. It's actually only one hundred km on the autoroute to Marseille, so two days with the roundabout way should be easy. And I could use some easy.
posted by dave hiller at 11:39 AM
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