October 11, 2003
Saturday Oct 11: Isola to Entrevaux
Being wedged between high jagged mountain peaks, I let myself sleep in to 7 am, but was rolling by 7:42 down, down, down, through the peaks. Every 4 to 5 km was another beautiful little alpine village nestled amongst the peaks. In St Sauveur sur Tinée, I stopped at the local patisserie for a sandwich au jambon and a piece of tarte aux fruits (it ends up this linzertorte-type pie is very common in Provence and maybe elsewhere). It did not last long and has been the perpetual quest each day. In fact a short while later I stopped at another patisserie to see if they had any but found something else to try - a provençal-type pizza with braized onions and black olives. A treat once again. I cycle lots so I can eat all this!!!
After the turnoff to Nice (I went away from Nice) the traffic started to pick up quite a bit, plus there were very steep dropoffs about 50 cm off my side of the road - any inattention and I would be airborne then very flat. So I had to mostly keep my eyes on the road, but the scenery through Provence is so stunning, I had a tough time. Trees all along the road, mountains on either side, vineyards, kiwi orchards, blue sky, no wind, feeling fine.....
I started looking for a place to stay near Puget-Thénier but all was full so I had to continue on to Entrevaux where the hotel at the side of the road had a room, had a view out my window of the Old City and citadel on the cliff, and I could hear the mountain river just outside my window. There must be horseshoes in that trailer of mine.
After a typical dinner of roasted Sanglier (wild boar) and a long walk through the beautiful Old City, I sent out a few postcards then called it a day. And what a day it was, again!
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Today's ride: 78 km (48 miles)
Total: 2,534 km (1,574 miles)
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