Rodez.... Almost

June 24, 2011

Took a rest day today and explored Florac.

June 25, 2011

Today was jam packed with different scenery and riding conditions. 

I started off with a usual trip to  the local bakery and got some nourishment. 

The town of Florac is in this beautiful setting surrounded by high rocky hills. One of them happened to have switchbacks working their way up it's steep slope. That was my route. I trudged in low gears for a while until I reached the top and was welcomed by a vast and barren plateau. It is a part is a part of 'Les Grands Causses' which is a 3150 square kilometer area of limestone plateau. The stony surface allows water to filter through creating an area with little vegetation and many caves. My ride was on the Causse Méjean which is the highest and most isolated. 
After crossing the barren land I came upon the Gorges du Tarn. However, I came upon then at 800m in elevation and had a switchbacks descent into the valley! 
The rest of the day i rolled through the gorges and then started a gradual climb up the Gorge de la Jonte to my destination of Meyrueis clocking a distance of 80km. 
The gorges are amazing in the sense that along the walls of rock their are these massive boulders precariously perched as if they are about to tumble into the valley, but have obviously been rooted there for a long time. I hope they don't decide to move soon. 

June 26, 2011

Today started again with 24km of climbing to the summit of Mount Aigoual. The trip up went well and it provided a couple stretches of challenging climbing. A couple km from the top the road started to level and the trees fell away exposing the mountain top. The vegetation was all short shrubs and alpine grass where there were tons of hikers joining me in the last stretch to the top. Once at the peak I was able to enjoy 360 degree panoramas of the area... It was amazing. From 1567m, one sure can see a long way. 

From this point I was then given a gift from my past 5 days of work... A 55km downhill (almost). The day was getting super hot so I was glad about the descent. I got into Millau (pronounced Mee-ooo) and my cycle computer read 95km. Another good day of distance. The day was super hot so I hid in the shade for most of the day. 

I met an older (50ish) married couple from Utah (non-mormon, beer drinking Utah couple) at the campsite and chatted with them for an hour or so. They had only back packs and a tent. No car, no bikes. First older couple I've seen without a car or caravan.

They were staying in France for a month because she had family here and then they were going to teach ESL somewhere else in Europe. He was a social worker and was really burnt out and she was along for the adventure I think. This is the second time I've met a 50ish year old male sick of their work, on a sort of walkabout and trying to figure out a balance in life. It makes me think of career choices. Work is work, one can never get away from that. But finding something where you don't have to throw in the towl because you can't stand it anymore seems optimal. Finding that balance is a lifetime journey for some people. I hope I can find something that gives me a good quality of life so I don't have to go to another country to find out what to do with myself when I'm 50.

Intereting life this is.
June 27, 2011

Yesterday was my last day of my remote cévennes ride, so again I found myself planning my own route. My goal for the day was Rodez and I chose quiet roads to get me there. I started out with a steady climb out of Millau and looked at the Pont De Millau. It's a huge bridge that carries 2.5km of a 4-lane freeway that is (at it's highest) 343m above the valley bottom. It's one of the tallest in the world. I recommend you google it and check out the architecture on it! And no I didn't ride on it. It's a freeway so I'm not allowed, its also a toll road and I'd probably get blown off.
 I continued on my route which I planned to pass a couple lakes. Unfortunately, 5km out of town I got a flat. I'm a whizz at em now though, so I was moving again right away. The day started getting super hot again around 1ish and considering the lakes I was beside I stopped at the closest campground and went swimming for the afternoon. I saw a poster for a company who takes people wake-boarding and skiing... But I didn't call and just took it easy. I stopped about 15km south-east of Rodez so I will continue past there and onto Figeac. I will see how the day goes and how far the route ends up being... Might make it, might not.

I think I need to be prepared for sweltering heat everyday as I move forward. Especially in the south. Earlier starts may be necessary... But I still like to treat this a vacation. I get up early to work, not to enjoy enjoy myself :)

Dinner time! 

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I've talked to several people this trip who approach me and tell me about their past cycling adventures. They all talk about covering X kilometers in X days. And usually, to their credit, they are covering some solid distances. Now I'm not one to judge about how a cycling tour should be done. But I'm gonna anyways, at least from my experience.
Some of my most enjoyable moments have not come from covering over 100km in day. They have come from the sense of exploration and discovery. For example, today I could and should have covered more ground, but didnt. I knew in Rodez I would have been at an average campground with nothing to do. Cutting my ride short let me enjoy my afternoon lakeside and the beautiful weather France has been giving me. I enjoy being on the road because it is what allows me to see what I am able. But stopping to enjoy what you are seeing is all the better.

Even though this point may seem elementary, It is the main driver behind this trip. I cover ground to see things, not just for the sake of saying I did it.

But as in any argument, there is always two sides. So if your prerogative is just to cover kms... well, power to ya.

Bye for now. 31 day countdown begins today... Time flys.