Day 16 Sunday 9/15/13 Sault - Moustiers-Ste-Marie 76 miles

We have traveled 912 miles. Two more riding days to go.

 

Just the stats: 76 miles, 14.8 MPH average.  Five hours twenty two minutes of riding time. I stopped for a total of 61 minutes the whole day.  It rained hard in the morning then the clouds cleared.  Then, near the end of the ride - five miles from the finish, the skies opened up with heavy rain, lightning, thunder and HAIL!!.  42 to 64 degrees. Elevation 2,110 feet.

Calories burned on the ride – 4,326. My average heart rate during this ride was 124 bpm. When the lightning and hail struck all around me and I was pedaling like hell, it must have hit 200+.

 

 

 

 

These last few days we have been either climbing or descending as we traveled through this mountainous region of France.   

 

 

The best way I can help you picture what we have been doing is to ask you to imagine you are riding a bike from Hagerstown, MD to Deep Creek Lake on old Route 40 - but on narrow winding roads that are steeper than that.  Then, do this for 75 miles, three days in a row.  That will get you close to what we are doing.

 

 

 

It was raining hard this morning at 9 am, our normal start time.  So we delayed our start.  By 9:45 the heavy rain had let up to just steady rain.  We have to ride every day, no matter what the weather is doing, so off we went.

 Luckily, we begin our day by riding on a series of minor traffic-free roads through a series of small Provencal villages and towns.  We made our way through a region that is virtually untouched by tourism.  The roads were generally undulating (that is code for long climbs and long descents).  Just before lunch we did have a nine mile challenging climb after the town of Forcalquier.  

 

 

 

 

Some people choose to carry a heavy load.  This looks like a good candidate for the "Unburdening Skit" in Emmaus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter and I are proudly wearing the Mont Ventoux shirts we earned yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During our roadside lunch picnic, I could see clouds building off in the distance in the direction we here heading.  I wasn’t too concerned but decided to move on just in case.  We had a nice six mile drop into the Plateau de Valensole, as the name suggests, it’s a relatively flat to rolling section through the primary lavender growing region of Provence.  The air smelled so fresh past these lavender fields. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After about sixty miles into the ride, we had our share of climbs as we wound our way through the almond woods that grow in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(SORRY, NO PICTURES ON THIS PART OF THE RIDE!!)

 

Of course, the impending storm spiced things up too!  I started to pray - "You and me Lord, we can do this".  The clouds began to build; I could hear thunder in the distance.  I prayed for protection.  As I traveled on, trying to ride harder in desperation to beat the storm; the thunder got louder, the lightning was flashing – lighting up the darkened afternoon sky, and then bam the storm hit – in biblical proportions.  I’m talking pouring down rain, lightning everywhere and hail.  Hail yes, stinging, pelting hail.

 

Stuck and with nothing else to do, I decided to enjoy the ride.  This too was fun.

 
I told you I was climbing in the late afternoon.  Well, “what goes up…………must come down” and riding alone at this point, in this downpour, I was enjoying a thrilling four mile descent towards the village of Moustiers-Saint-Marie our destination for today.






I arrived safely, looking like a drowned rat, but thankful to be alive.















Moustiers-Ste-Marie is a beautiful town built into the rocky hillside.  These pictures say more than I could.

 

 

 

 

Notice the grapes growing.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 15 Saturday September 14 CLIMB MT. VENTOUX!!

PART TWO:  Le Mont Ventoux

 

We have traveled 836 miles in fourteen days of riding.  Three more riding days to go. 

Just the stats: 15 miles to the top, I climbed for two hours twenty two minutes. I stopped for a total of 4 minutes during the climb.  It was sunny with high clouds all day, 60 at the bottom and 43 degrees at the top.

 

The elevation on top of Mt Ventoux is 6,224 feet above sea level.  The ascent was 3,635 feet. 

When you get done your climb, you go back down the way you came up – that 15 mile descent took about 42 minutes! 

Calories burned on the climb – 3,143. My average heart rate during this climb was 123 bpm.

 

 

I took this picture of my Garmin at the top of Mt Ventoux. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We finished our 44 mile morning ride at 1:30 pm.  Nine of the group of twelve on this tour decided to climb Mt Ventoux. – Brian, Allison, Peter, Andrew, Chris, Erica, Alexandra, Sharon and Tom (me).  Five men, four women.

We were told that weather conditions are often too bad to do this climb.  50 to 70 mph winds, clouds and cold weather are common.  Well not today.  It was clear skies and the riders who had ascended in the morning said conditions were good for a climb.

So off we went.

The climb up Mt Ventoux is really pretty simple, pedal and don’t let up for 15 miles.  You have to keep pressure on your pedals all the time or you stop.  There is no coasting and no down hills on this climb.  It is a 4% to 8% grade most of the way up with a few steeper sections along the way.  The killer is the last 6 km’s (3.75 miles).  That grade is 18% to 24%.

The last five miles took me 44 minutes to reach the top.






Do you notice the blue skys and no wind?  Calm, just like Drake Passage in Feburary!

 

 

 

 

Before I started the climb, I talked to Yvonne and asked for prayers for this climb.  She later told me she had many praying for me.  I appreciate that and felt those prayers as I climbed, I knew I was covered.










Hallelujah! Glory, Glory, Glory!

I am so blessed and so joyful, I am really overcome with graditude. 

Le Chalet Reymond is just off the summit.

Day 15 Saturday 9/14/13 Châteauneuf-du-Pape to Sault 44 Miles

This day was ridden in two parts:

PART ONE:
 

We have traveled 803 miles in fourteen days of riding.  Three more riding days to go.

Just the stats: 44 miles, 12.9 MPH average. Three hours twenty three minutes of riding time. I stopped for a total of 45 minutes before arriving in Sault around 1 pm.  It was sunny with high clouds all day, 60 to 68 degrees.

Calories burned on the ride – 3,011. My average heart rate during this ride was 122 bpm. Maximum speed – 31.4 mph.

Today started out with great expectations.  Not only would we ride the shortest day of our trip, but there was an optional ride to add on.  This option isn't some casual thing, no; it is probably the biggest thing a cyclist dreams he could do – climb Mt. Ventoux! 

So, the day began with a flat section in the Rhone Valley riding through Bedarides and Carpentras.  As we passed through the villages of Mazan and Mormoiron, cruising by lavender fields and vineyards, views of the mighty Le Mont Ventoux started to appear.

Do you see that mountain looming in the background? 

 

 With every pedal stroke I started hearing the drum beat - Ventoux, Ventoux, Ventoux

 

 

The Giant of Provence or, perhaps more fittingly “The Bastard” as it was famously described by Lance Armstrong, watched over us for much of the second part of the day.

 

For sure, we had some work to do before this 44 mile ride was over.  After some big climbs, we rode through an impressively beautiful gorge before rolling into Sault, the centre of the Provencal lavender trade.

We climbed and then rode on that upper ridge around the gorge.

 

 

I am ready to go.

 

Day 14 Friday 9/13/13 Vallon Pont d’Arc - Châteauneuf-du-Pape 46 Miles

We have traveled 759 miles in thirteen days of riding.  Four more riding days to go.

Just the stats: 46 miles, 15.1 MPH average. Three hours fifteen of riding time. I stopped for a total of two hours the whole day.  Sunny with high clouds all day, 60 to 74 degrees. Elevation 347 feet.  We climbed 2,750 feet and descended 3,024 feet.

Calories burned on the ride – 2,818. My average heart rate during this ride was 123 bpm. Maximum speed – 37.3 mph. 

 

Today was another fabulous day. Immediately after leaving our hotel we climbed two miles up a 10% to 18% grade to enter the start of a winding 22 mile long gorge called Gorges del’Ardeche. In a way, it looked to me much like the Grand Canyon in the USA (just smaller in scale). This ride gave us great photo opportunities. It took 2 ½ hours for me to ride the gorge – I stopped at least ten times to take pictures. 

 

I could have taken 1,000 pictures today.  I hope you enjoy the views.

 

If you look closely at the picture above, you will see Mont Ventoux looming in the background, over 80 miles away.

                                 Alexandra, Leanne, Peter, Tom (me) Allison and Brian 




We stopped for lunch by this lake.

 

 

                Peter, Andrew, Leanne and Allison

 

 

 

Shortly after our lunch stop we had another great winding three mile descent to the banks of the great Rhone River.   With tail winds, this nine mile ride in the Rhone River valley took us passed vineyards and fruit orchards before arriving at our hotel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.  I have been told that this area is responsible for producing perhaps the most famous red wine in France. 

 

 

With a short 44 mile ride tomorrow I can decide to take on a challenge in the afternoon that I have been training for and dreaming about but afraid to mention out loud. Provence is one of the most famous cycling regions of France and has one of the most challenging climbs for any cyclist to attempt – Mont Ventoux – more to come!