Next NRBC-time and venue: Beau Soleil, Neffiès, plenty of room and plenty of Single Malt!
You have Misha to blame for this missive as he mentioned: "Patrick, thanks for pictures and day-entry from you dairy. have an impression! Sure the rest of the NRBC would be interested to read it as well! i was lucky to spend some time in Montpelier some 16 years ago. This is a great area and an interesting area."
Vittorio, thanks for Hemmingway link. Perhaps this should be the NRBC motto: "All the Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time!
So, by popular demand, here is yesterday's entry. Fondestos to one and all, Cheers, Patrizzio/Il Conduttore! Pics: signposts in Roujan in case I don't meet your train, when you arrive, en mass, in Béziers!
Patriçio, My shade of green is slowly fading … wish I could have been there.
However, early fall here has given us sone entertainment. We have had a
couple of storms here. One was incredible, thunder lighting and 50mm
of rain in like 2 hours. Another just yesterday.
I happened to be along Spanish Banks, unfortunately without my "real"
camera, but caught these images on my iPhone. Incredible reflection off
a high rise, nice sunset, special freighter, and another sunset with my
real camera from my Dad's place.
Note the pics are zipped. Dennis, do you know how to stop Mac Mail from automatically compressing images?
Looks fab!!! Wish I was there!!! Love you, don't fall into the drink!!!
Hi Chloe,
I arrive in Bellingham on Thursday 9/19/13 at 840pm. Can you pick me up please?
I leave Sunday afternoon so please let me know if you can bring me back or I can ask Erich perhaps too.It was half the price to fly into Bellingham. I can rent a car there too if need be.
See you in two weeks, Love Ayn
Quite enjoyed John Cleese's incisive political analysis! I know you found Pèsenas such an interesting spot that I thought you might like revisiting it. I was there for first time this past Wednesday, another fabulous day in Paradise! Trust all goes well. Fondestos and Cheers to you both, Patrizzio!
Glad you liked the tea towel. Just a small token of our thanks for all you did to make our visit/stay so enjoyable. Life here is pretty good as well. Have started to get to know the area.
Trust all goes well. Fondestos and Cheers to you both, dear Cornwall friends. Patrizzio!
Hello Big Al and Marilyn!
If you come and stay you do so for nothing, in exchange for Chloë's desk! I gather you are in the process of getting estimates for metal fabrication. Starting to get a real cycling feel for this area. Fondestos to one and all, Cheers, Patrizzio/Il Conduttore! If this isn't enough:
Stats for today's ride: Today's weight: 79.3 kg = 174.827 lbs
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/371483004#.UioPJPRE9CI.email
Hi Patrick,
If I have given you the impression my life is "busy" I'm very sorry. And I'm pretty easy to locate, as opposed to you. Only two countries of residence, Sweden and Canada.
As a matter of fact, I have been in Vancouver (Pacific coast of
Canada, if you remember) for a week now. We are planning for a great
trip to Campbell River next Tuesday. Jane's sister and brother-in-law
have bought, and moved into, a new and bigger house,
at nearly 60, to make room for their ever increasing number of
grandchildren (8 or 10 by now, more coming). We are going to be gone for
whole week, so may be we will also be visiting some of the more exotic
islands in the Strait.
Oh, and I signed up for a French course at the Seniors' Center in
West Van! 55+, which means the number of sex bombs participating will
be limited (unlike the course at VCC last fall), but may be just as
well, considering my capacities, although not totally
gone, are dwindling.
So, wherever you now are in the big wide world, from both of us to both/all of you, a very merry autumn! Fondestos and bestestos, bonne chance, and all the rest,Kjell
Surviving the rain and thunderstorms in Oregon!
Patrick James Dunn Hot here in Neffiès as well. Just back from a 66 km ride: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/371483004#.UioPJPRE9CI.email,
so a bottle of Ormarine 2012 Picpoul de Pinet, 12.5%, one of
Languedoc's tasty varietals, is screaming at me from the fridge. Couple
of its now departed mates, lined up like your French cheese boxes! Wait
until the end of September!
Wasn't sure about how far I would ride, today, given my quasi-Tour outing of
day before. Spent a lazy morning/early afternoon concentrating on email
and updating The Diaries, (Am now almost finished adding/editing entries
up to and including August 16th so quite pleased. The guilt of
incomplete entries has driven me to excessive drinking, Dear Reader!)
Around 3:00 pm, (Have found that this is a great time to set out as sun
is starting to lose some of its ferocious midday heat but temperature is
still such that I cannot believe I'm cycling so comfortably in
September.), and had decided I'd treat my self to a "flat" ride after
the hills of Montesquieu.
Wanted to do a quick run into Pésenas,
the better to orient myself for today's market, so I made for Caux,
Nizas and then Lézignan-la-Cèbe. From there it is as straight run to Pésenas and I was able to keep my AVG around 20+/- KPH. Once I'd entered town I did a loop, noting where "Parking Gratuit"
was to be found. Knowing that there is usually a roundabout at the
entrance/exit to most villages/towns, I used the one at the south end of
town to reverse direction, (Without having to touch The Burning Ground,
please note, Dear Reader!), and was soon shooting back towards Caux.
Once there I headed for Fontès as I wanted to explore the area around/beyond Péret. Quite level going between Fontès and Péret so I filed this topographical information, muy importante,
away for future use. I'd like to chart a 100 km ride before too, too
long and if I hope to maintain a 20 KPH AVG, I need such terrain.
Anyway, once near turn-off to Péret
I thought I'd push back the boundaries of the known universe a tad
further so continued on to Lieuran-Cabrières. Still on the relative
level so looks like a good possibilty to include as part of my marathon!
[Will try for Nébian and Clermont-l'Hérault, next two towns in this
direction, on a subsequent ride.] Rode up the short plane tree lined
approach to Lieuran-Cab, (So abbreviated on road sign. At first I
thought it was a wine varietal!), and then turned around
and made for Péret, taking a different road than one I'd done a few
rides before. This took me up a gradual climb into town itself. I hadn't
entered Péret before so I was pleased to see how two roads connected.
At this point was of two minds about how to return to Neffiès, back to Fontès or else the Tour Climb via Cabrières. Since
last part of ride was not overly taxing, I opted for the latter, so was
soon swooshing down the hillside, once again enjoying the small valley
there. Lieuran-Cabrières, Péret and Cabrières
are all nestled into hillsides, their vineyards strung out like green
pearls at the base of the smooth throat of the encircling hills.
Once I left Cabrières I must admit I was a tad apprehensive about coming climb but was
heartened when two Lycroids rocketed past me. If they could do it, so
could I! Anyway, I wondered at my wisdom when they turned off, just
before the start of the ascent, towards Fontès. Cowards! I spat on their
cling-wrap gear and girded my own loins for climb ahead. In fact, it
was far easier than I had remembered. I think having done it before, I
knew what to expect although I surprised myself when I reached the top,
much sooner than expected.
Felt pretty pleased about my decision to follow this route home although I still think that the ride out of Neffiès
is a far more strenuous, steeper climb. Switchbacks are not nearly as
long so climb isn't as gradual. Nevertheless, I banished such
intimidating thoughts and whizzed into town and out the other side
towards Roujan. I simply love the extended avenue of magnificent plane
trees joining the towns and it doesn't hurt that going towards Ruajan it
is downhill for much of the way.
Turned around just before
entering Roujan and pounded back trying to keep my 19.6 KPH AVG but
climb back into Neffiès took its toll and I pulled up outside Beau
Soleil with 19.5 KPH AVG on the clock. still, more than delighted with the overall outing: the route, the climb, the distance. One small step for Il Conduttore, one giant step for Il Pelotoni!
Ride stats: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/371483004#.UioPJPRE9CI.email
Today's weight: 79.3 kg = 174.827 lb
Back
inside to put away my trusty Navigator and then a glorious hot shower.
Enjoyed another dinner of my dwindling supply of butter beans, jazzed up
with horseradish, tangy Maille mustard and some Worcester Sauce, just
for good measure. Large green salad topped with red oniones, Camembert
and Jean Rènet's green olivettis. Read Gods and Beasts as I savoured la nourriture des paysans! Into bed by 11:00 pm as wanted to be up early for Market Day!
Dear Traveller
Passenger name - Patrick Journey date - 02 September 2013 Departure station - LONDON ST-PANCRAS Arrival station - PARIS NORD
Patrick James Dunn Hot here in Neffiès as well. Just back from a 66 km ride: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/371483004#.UioPJPRE9CI.email,
so a bottle of Ormarine 2012 Picpoul de Pinet, 12.5%, one of
Languedoc's tasty varietals, is screaming at me from the fridge. Couple
of its now departed mates, lined up like your French cheese boxes! Wait
until the end of September!
Wasn't sure about how far I would ride, today, given my quasi-Tour outing of day before. Spent a lazy morning/early afternoon concentrating on email and updating The Diaries, (Am now almost finished adding/editing entries up to and including August 16th so quite pleased. The guilt of incomplete entries has driven me to excessive drinking, Dear Reader!) Around 3:00 pm, (Have found that this is a great time to set out as sun is starting to lose some of its ferocious midday heat but temperature is still such that I cannot believe I'm cycling so comfortably in September.), and had decided I'd treat my self to a "flat" ride after the hills of Montesquieu.
Wanted to do a quick run into Pésenas, the better to orient myself for today's market, so I made for Caux, Nizas and then Lézignan-la-Cèbe. From there it is as straight run to Pésenas and I was able to keep my AVG around 20+/- KPH. Once I'd entered town I did a loop, noting where "Parking Gratuit" was to be found. Knowing that there is usually a roundabout at the entrance/exit to most villages/towns, I used the one at the south end of town to reverse direction, (Without having to touch The Burning Ground, please note, Dear Reader!), and was soon shooting back towards Caux.
Anyway, once near turn-off to Péret I thought I'd push back the boundaries of the known universe a tad further so continued on to Lieuran-Cabrières. Still on the relative level so looks like a good possibilty to include as part of my marathon! [Will try for Nébian and Clermont-l'Hérault, next two towns in this direction, on a subsequent ride.] Rode up the short plane tree lined approach to Lieuran-Cab, (So abbreviated on road sign. At first I thought it was a wine varietal!), and then turned around and made for Péret, taking a different road than one I'd done a few rides before. This took me up a gradual climb into town itself. I hadn't entered Péret before so I was pleased to see how two roads connected.
Once I left Cabrières I must admit I was a tad apprehensive about coming climb but was heartened when two Lycroids rocketed past me. If they could do it, so could I! Anyway, I wondered at my wisdom when they turned off, just before the start of the ascent, towards Fontès. Cowards! I spat on their cling-wrap gear and girded my own loins for climb ahead. In fact, it was far easier than I had remembered. I think having done it before, I knew what to expect although I surprised myself when I reached the top, much sooner than expected.
Turned around just before entering Roujan and pounded back trying to keep my 19.6 KPH AVG but climb back into Neffiès took its toll and I pulled up outside Beau Soleil with 19.5 KPH AVG on the clock. still, more than delighted with the overall outing: the route, the climb, the distance. One small step for Il Conduttore, one giant step for Il Pelotoni!
Ride stats: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/371483004#.UioPJPRE9CI.email
Today's weight: 79.3 kg = 174.827 lb
Dear Traveller
Passenger name - Patrick Journey date - 02 September 2013 Departure station - LONDON ST-PANCRAS Arrival station - PARIS NORD
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