Day 3: Going Sailing

The huge wind that nearly killed me a couple days ago has swung around to the north.  I am realizing that France is one giant funnel from north to south, with the Pyrenees on the west and the Alps on the east.  Hot weather blows from the south and cooler temps from the north.  So heading south today, I was blown along by fifty mile an hour winds and temperatures in the seventies.  Just about perfect weather.  At one point I was coasting UPHILL doing about twenty five miles an hour!  Day from hell?  What day from hell?

I flew from Crest to Vaisson la Romaine, at the base of Mt. Ventoux.  I followed winding back roads through tight mountain passes carved into solid rock and gorgeous picturesque little villages: the beauty was nearly indesrcribable.  The twenty five or so miles from Crest to Dieulafit are some of the most beautiful I have ever ridden in my life.

I have a photo, but as an extra measure of torture, I am currently forced to write using a French keyboard (yet the FOURTH configuration so far!) on a mac!  My mac loving girlfriend is having a great laugh at the moment.

Went through Nyons along the way, famous since Roman times for olives.  Alongside shop after shop of olive oil sellers were chateaus selling their Cote du Rhone wines direct.  But all far too heavy to carry on a scrawny bike.  The wind laid down the trees and I flew by.

An emergency vehicle just went by with sirens going, and the neighborhood has responded with everyone blowing their horns for about five minutes afterward.  Those folks in Vaisson la Romanie sure know how to have a good time!

Photo at last.  I swung around the left side of this mountain range, down into the valley below, and back up to where I took the photo.