October 16, 2003
Thursday Oct 16: Roussillon to Arles
I was afraid to look outside this morning after those clouds from last night....
When I finally had enough courage to look outside, I could see the Big Dipper and Polaris. IT WAS CLEAR OUT AGAIN!!! What a relief.
When I went downstairs and paid, the hostess came downstairs apologizing that she did not know I was going to be leaving so early so she gave me a banana and an orange for the road. Then we had a nice chat. Perhaps I will put the main discussion in here at some later time, but I think if I turn this into a book, it will certainly be in that. The discussion was very philosophical, and eye-opening. She is a very wise person, and I thank her for our chat (I think she will be reading this, so.. 'Thank you' Mme C.).
Mme C suggested a few back (quiet) roads, so I followed them. Wow. What a treat. There was a tiny bit of climbing but that just made the scenery all the more beautiful. I went up to this hamlet, and over to that village, usually with the trees hanging over the road, the mists sliding through the valleys and the sun turning everything a very Provencal orangey-yellow. Van Gogh would have had his paints out, I am certain, but hopefully not lopping any ears off.
I ended up on a busy road for a while, but while I was munching on my patisseries, a dutch fellow on a touring bike pulled in for his baguettes, so I started to talk to him, and he suggested a quieter route. Then when I just followed the smaller routes, almost all the way to Arles, making one fantastic day. For a while I was cycling with a 75-year old (or so) on his racing bike, and he showed me a beautiful and quiet road almost all the way to the city.
I very quickly found a very pleasant hotel about 150 m north of the Roman Forum, amphitheatre and old city. What a place. I may even stay here another day to get myself organized for the Chemin de St. Jacques which starts here and continues right to northwestern Spain.
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Today's ride: 67 km (42 miles)
Total: 2,779 km (1,726 miles)
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