October 8, 2023
Montelimar to Piolenc
best trails of the tour
This will be a boring entry because there were no trees down or scary suspension bridges. Just wonderful paved trails and deserted roads through forests and farmland. Okay, there were a few bridges but Marjory didn't have to walk across all of them!
Starting out we got to the river almost right away.
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And the forest started as well. Paved roads, forest, river, flat. Perfect!
We make a turn off another bridge and run smack into a pink shirt club - maybe 300 of them? We don't know what they are up to, but they were having a great time doing it. It took a lot of "ding, dings" to get through them!
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7 months ago
Lots of castles today, but usually way up on the hills. This was a small stone house that had fell into disrepair.
Back into the dark forest - so dark our auto lights were on almost all the time.
Then way up on a hill we see some kind of statue. This is zoomed in as far as my iphone can take me, and I still can't quite make it out. Had to look this one up!
Not all shade though. Once it warmed up - here it is 29 C, we entered farm country. Not much growing, pretty well all harvested including grapes. We did see pomegranates growing - that's when you know you no longer in cold country.
For a while now, there have been cliffs on the other side of the river, while this side (the accretion side) has been flat farmland. It looks like the cliffs are ending up ahead. And look, another bridge!
She stops to take a look, but we didn't actually cross this one. I think we crossed about 10 bridges today.
Here's an interesting field of harvested plants. I think this is lavender, all trimmed short like a shorn sheep. We saw a few fields of this before it struck me what this must be.
We come into the tiny town of Piolenc. Dreading the B&B that could exist in this town, we are very surprised. A cute place with a great room. It's name "Il etait une fois" means literally "there was one time", but translates to "Once Upon a Time" of course. After staying in dozens and dozens of places over the last couple of years, here's my new list of what I want in a B&B.
1. kleenex box. I caught a cold in Lyon I think. 2. Enclosed shower. I hate getting the entire bathroom floor wet! 3. Breakfast that includes eggs and granola. Not just croissants (as awesome as they are). 4. Coffee that is not from a machine I line up for. 5. A/C. When it is 29 C, do I need to explain? 6. Kettle and/or coffee maker in room. Not 100% necessary, but appreciated. 7. One of those plug in bathroom heater thingys that looked like pipes so you can hang your laundered bike jerseys on. 8. while I am at it, hangers with big hooks that you can use to festoon your entire room with drying clothes like a Chinese laundry. Lots have those tiny hooks that only work in the closet.
I think its a modest list, don't you?
The 60 km went by quickly today, and we are looking forward to tomorrow seeing Orange and Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Tonight is Canadian Thanksgiving, and we are meeting up with some friends from Canmore for dinner who are also touring France, so are staying here for the night. Cool, eh?
Today's ride: 60 km (37 miles)
Total: 745 km (463 miles)
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7 months ago
7 months ago