Blah Blah Blah: Day 11 - Montelimar to Orange - Hey Buddy, You're Going the Rhone Way - Rhone Source to Sea 2018

October 14, 2018

Blah Blah Blah: Day 11 - Montelimar to Orange

Today was all about the little things that happen on a bike tour that add up to a really good day. We had our setbacks and troubles, the headwind that wouldn’t die, and our WIFI spot device that did, but today they were like water off a duck’s back.

Today's title doesn't refer to a bland, or boring day, it's more of a commentary on my relative verbose babblings about the day that follows. Read on...

Having learned a little bit over the last few days, we did get an earlier start to try to avoid the wind. This was only moderately successful as the wind decided to get up a little earlier too. It was pretty easy getting out of Montelamir and we were soon cruising along the Rhone under an overcast sky. As we were approaching a turn in the river there was a good photo opportunity with a suspension bridge and an interesting small castle on the other side of the river. As we pulled into a small clearing beside the trail we saw another ‘touring’ couple. It turned out they were in the same hotel we were in last night and were nearing the end of a two month trip that started in Amsterdam and was finishing in Avignon. They cycled up the Rhine and then down the Rhone … we can relate to that!

Soon after that interesting little encounter, we were riding along through another morbid looking field of dead sunflowers. Most people think of sunflowers in terms of intense yellow and green. However when they die on the vine they turn a deathly dark gray and the seed pods hang forlornly looking down. Whole fields of these look quite depressing … maybe that’s what drove that Van Gough guy off the deep end when he was down here. As we were checking out the dead plants and speculating on why they looked like this, K spotted a farmer looking guy getting some stuff out his van by the edge of the fields. We went over to ask about the sunflowers and it turned out the guy wasn’t a farmer, but a hunter just heading out for some ducks and pigeons. He did however know about the sunflowers and it turns out this is what they look like before they are harvested and in a few days a combine was likely to arrive in the field, mow the plants down and take the seeds for oil. ‘Ya learn something new every day'.

The next ‘little’ encounter was truly little. As we were cruising along we spotted a couple of young women out for a walk with one of their toddlers on his trike. He was also cruising down the bike path having the time of his life. He gave us a big wave and a ‘bonjour’ as we rode past. Kirsten challenged him to a race but he wasn’t interested!

It’s a good thing we were focused on vignettes like this, because the wind was just as bad or worse than the last few days. We had a shorter day though and were soon in Orange by midafternoon, found our hotel, got cleaned up and had a wander around the center.

As with almost every other sizeable town along the Rhone, there are extensive Roman ruins, and in Orange, they aren’t really that ruined. This place has one of the best (only?) preserved amphitheaters complete with a preserved theatre wall. It was Sunday, so guess what? It was closed, but it will be open tomorrow, so we are going to have a wander around. From the exterior it’s a pretty impressive structure, and to think it’s over two millennia old is even more amazing.

We finished out day with a great meal in a very good Japanese restaurant. As noted earlier, it was Sunday, and this is France, so the place we chose was one of the very few establishments that was open, however we were well rewarded for choosing it.

It was a small place with about 6 tables, 2 of which were occupied when we arrived. We were informed that the remaining tables were booked for a party coming at eight, so we just managed to score that last table. We quickly put in our order for soup, yakatori, sushi and sashimi … and a couple of Kirin.
Just as the Kirin arrived, so did the 8 o’clock party …. 14 bus tourers from China. The relative calm of the restaurant was soon turned into moderate bedlam. The staff, the owners - a young couple (her French, him French/Japanese) and one other helper were kept hopping by this mob. Remarkably our food kept coming out in a regular, but understandably a little slow, fashion. When we were about ¾ of the way through our dinner, the bus crew were done and left as quickly as they arrived. Suddenly the calm serene atmosphere was back and we struck up a nice long conversation with the proprietors. Alicia’s English was very good (even though she learned it in Ireland) and we stammered away in French with her partner (the main chef who’s name unfortunately escapes me). Once again, it’s these interactions that make a bike trip what it is. In between all these human encounters we pedaled another 70 km and saw lots of cool stuff, but that’s not what we’ll remember about today.

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Prayer in C by Lilly Wood and The Prick

Great song, and so French. This came up on random play yesterday and it's time has come today. Though this video was not shot in the theatre in Orange ... just pretend, ok?

Chateauneuf sur Rhone just south of Montelimar. This is where we ran into the Aussie couple who were nearing completion of their two month tour. Note this is not Chateau Neuf du Pape, that's another 40 km or so south of here, we'll have to wait!

Impressive escarpments and spires just south of Chateauneuf

These are the forlorn looking sunflowers I was talking about

a whole field of them looks pretty morose

The Rhone would alternate between a broad valley with farms and villages on either side and then these steep walled narrow sections. Lots of limestone in these cliffs as we've seen several cement plants along the way

... and yet another suspension bridge. They were obviously in vogue when most of the bridges around here were built

Here's the little dude that Kirsten was trying to drag race with. He didn't show much interest and was left in her dust

Guess which way we were travelling? If we had been going the other way it would have been a 170 km day!

we've come across many 'Route Barre' signs, and routinely ignore them without consequence. Low and behold, this last one actually meant something. Good thing for us it was Sunday and no one was working and we made our way through. It was only about 20 m of obstruction, but if we had to take a different route it would have added at least 5 km of detouring

Turns out that the name Orange came from the medieval rulers of this area who hailed from the Netherlands ... I'm paying them a sartorial homage

The Roman theater was closed by the time we got there. It's on tomorrow morning's agenda. This is the stage wall from the outside. The amphitheater is in the other side ... pretty impressive from here!

Just another shot to give you a sense of the scale. And remember, this is over 2000 years old!

Across the street from the Theater, a classic French street scene. Love the colors and the asymmetry of the buildings

Sunday night means sushi night! We found a lovely Japanese Restaurant and ended up having a wonderful meal and an engaging talk with the owners, a young local couple. That was after the bus people came, ate and left!

If you are ever in Orange and are looking for good Japanese cuisine ... here you go

Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 822 km (510 miles)

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