L’Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue to Avignon

May 29, 2019

Too Windy, We Took the Train

A running joke on all our bike tours has been that if the weather gets dicey we will take the train to Avignon. Well, today we took the train to Avignon. A brilliant decision, if we do say so ourselves. We woke up to a forecast of steady Mistral winds at 50 kph with gusts between 80 and 90 kph. How interesting! I was scanning all the weather apps looking for a more favourable forecast...we made the call when it was clear conditions were bordering on dangerously windy to ride. Uncomfortable is one thing, but dangerous is another. It isn’t the steady wind that gets you, it is the gusts. We had a few today that were amazing in their ferocity.

It was a short but windy ride to get here.

Two other bike tourers from the Netherlands on the train with us. He introduced us to Keith’s new app...Windy.

The scale is in knots. 30 knots is 55 kph. The app also has a layer that shows gusts, which were up to 80 kph.

We love Avignon, so finding ourselves here unexpectedly wasn’t a hardship. We are happy as could be. There was a wee drama on arrival though. A few years ago Keith convinced me that taking my bike up an escalator fully loaded was a good idea and easy as can be. I can’t believe I fell for that, and I still can’t tell you exactly what went wrong, but I was only saved from complete disaster by a kind and strong young man who happened (thank goodness) to be behind me. It truly was such a frightening experience as both the bike and I nearly went backwards down the moving escalator. I let the CN know I was never doing that again, quite emphatically. He hasn’t forgotten. When we got to Avignon one of the lifts was out of order, and Keith knew without asking I wouldn’t take my bike up the escalator. I was fully prepared to carry it up the stairs. He said he would take his up the escalator first and come back for mine. He was looking down from the escalator with his bike, huge grin and teasing me, not paying full attention and suddenly he was in big trouble. I really thought he and his bike were coming back down. He says he leaned on the stationary part of the escalator and as the bike kept going up, his body didn’t. He momentarily lost his balance. Fortunately he has the strength needed in a situation like that to regain control. When I got to the top of the stairs I realized I was shaking it frightened me so badly. No harm done, but it was sure a reminder of how quickly a situation can go from having fun together to bad news in a moment of inattention. He was a little more careful when he came down for my bike! We popped out of the station into Avignon.

Last night in our hotel when the Mistral really piped up a tree was knocking against the wall of our hotel room. It was loud and I popped in ear plugs. The poor CN didn’t and was awake most of the night, so as soon as we checked into the fantastic Hotel Bristol he got some much needed sleep and I went for a self guided tour of Avignon. I nipped around in the narrow alleyways where the wind wasn’t as much of an issue for several hours and had a great time.

Once back together we explored the beautiful old town. Despite the wind it was such a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the sky was a brilliant blue and it was warm.

Furniture was blowing over in the outdoor cafes. People were retreating to the cafes in the narrow alleys in the pedestrian zone for their coffees, glasses of wine and gelato to get out of the wind, leaving the area in the large square by the Palace of Popes pretty deserted.

She still looks calm and placid. A little mistral isn’t going to bother her.

In short, we had another unexpected but truly wonderful day. We wandered, we solved a small problem by finding a replacement for Keith’s camera case and we love being in Avignon. We had a fantastic dinner with a lovely woman from New Zealand. We met a fellow bike tourer today at Tourist Info who came off his bike in a gust...he was fine but a bit shocked...that is when he found the nearest train station. Now for the two pictures that really make me laugh and perhaps illustrate the wind.

Today's ride: 4 km (2 miles)
Total: 1,384 km (859 miles)

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Jane WallaceHi guys,
I have so enjoyed your fabulous pictures of your trip and
especially since you arrived in Provence. The hidden treasures you have found and explored are so lovely. We did this trip. a few years
ago and it was magical. We were in a car but it was still great. Enjoy
Avignon .......it was worth the visit. Remember to take the time to
enjoy a glass of wine whenever as it enhances the trip. Heading to
Mayne in our glorious weather.....sun,sun and warm no wind us.
Watch over one another (scary your bike incident) and carry on.
hugs Jane and Al
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5 years ago

Tricia GrahamEscalators terrify me I had a similar experience in Warsaw and NEVER will go on again with a bike. Love your hair!
Tricia
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5 years ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Jane WallaceThe Mistral is howling again today. It is quite a phenomenon. We aren’t sure what we will plan for the day. Tomorrow is supposed to be way better. We aren’t particularly concerned, this is such a wonderful place to be stuck. Have a great time on Mayne. It is a wonderful place to be too!
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5 years ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Tricia GrahamIsn’t that picture funny? We are used to wind on the west coast and yesterday was quite an experience. The gusts were astonishing. As for escalators I will NEVER do it again either. Keith is quite confident about it, but I think it is crazy.
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5 years ago

Tricia GrahamTo Kathleen ClassenThat wind must be amazing it is affecting all three people I am following - You, people in Sardinia and those approaching the Canal du Midi - it certainly is wide spread
Ken has the same approach to escalators as Keith
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5 years ago

Rachael AndersonTo Tricia GrahamI also had the same kind of experience with an escalator and also was lucky to have someone behind me to rescue me.
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5 years ago

Jacquie GaudetWe took the train to Avignon too, in 1992. We had been cycling in Burgundy but the rain didn't seem to want to go away. In Macon we had had enough and spent the day sitting on slow trains all the way to Avignon. The weather was good for the rest of our trip.
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5 years ago