An idea - Ventoux

[martint235]

Click link :www.rooifietst.nl
I 'm off four days to a 4 days bike event Sint Oedenrode Netherland
A nice country to cycle an dreaming away along the water canals, wind mills, heather ...miles of horizon because there are nooo mountains

Where's the fun in no mountains???

 

[Flandrienne]

Where's the fun in no mountains???

The relaxed atmosphere, the meetings with Dutch people, the nice countryside, the local food, the joy of cycling head or tailwind, ...everything ! (except climbing a moutain and descending it in fear perhaps?) I am too keen of descending a snow mountain in winter on ski's , to be honest

 

[Dogtrousers]

Not adverse to flying per se, I just like the idea of crossing France by train really.

Just by the by, I went on a trip to Avignon by train a few years back (not cycling). Had a good journey and an enjoyable time, Avignon's an interesting place: home of the Avignon popes, and they were running a few trains direct from Waterloo (as the Eurostar terminal was then) to Avignon.

Watch out for the Mistral

 

[jayonabike]

Room for 1 more? I like the sound of this & like Ian said, if you don't mind some company.....(it'll give me an excuse to go on a bit of a diet, stop eating chocolate biscuits last thing at night, loose a few pounds and get some climbing practice in)

 

[martint235]

Room for 1 more? I like the sound of this & like Ian said, if you don't mind some company.....(it'll give me an excuse to go on a bit of a diet, stop eating chocolate biscuits last thing at night, loose a few pounds and get some climbing practice in)

Yep with the caveat that it's a year away and an idea.

 

[benborp]

Can I come? Is that an idea worth entertaining? (To be honest, I'm expecting a rude answer. And by the way Martin, you've got to catch the small people first before you can jam them in anything.)

 

[martint235]

Can I come? Is that an idea worth entertaining? (To be honest, I'm expecting a rude answer. And by the way Martin, you've got to catch the small people first before you can jam them in anything.)

Of course you can Ben. Do you go up mountains slower than you go around country lanes?

At the moment, SWMBO is expressing concerns but we're still nearly a year out.

 

[benborp]

Oh, you wouldn't believe how slowly I go up mountains. People laugh.

 

[Paulus]

Of course you can Ben. Do you go up mountains slower than you go around country lanes?

At the moment, SWMBO is expressing concerns but we're still nearly a year out.

At the moment i would say that I would like to join you. I have a tentative plan to ride the Ventoux next year with a couple of friends who are cc'ers. I have been up there before, 7 years ago so I know what I would be letting myself in for. My friends don't.!!

 

[Shadow]

Oh, you wouldn't believe how slowly I go up mountains. People laugh.

Monsieur Ben goes slowly up mountains like Nairo Quintana goes slowly up mountains!

Lovely idea, Martin. Is it enough of a challenge though? (LEL = 1300k, MV = 21k approx) And as mentioned above, it's a long way to go for a morning's ride! Would recommend spending the same day/following day on the bike, on great roads among great scenery.

3 things to be aware of:

1) le soleil - likely to be strong at planned time of year. This is not to be underestimated. After Chalet Reynard, there is nowhere to hide. And the 'lunar' like surface reflects the heat back. Hydrate well.
2) le vent - the mistral can be a bugger any time of the year. Again, after Chalet Reynard, there is nowhere to hide. Hope for calm or a tailwind! I was discouraged from the ascent because of a 30kph breeze, gusting to 50kph and, the previous day, when the wind was more gentle, a bloke got blown off the edge and ended up in hospital, apparently.
3) les mouflons - the wild sheep. Actually, these are mythical animals but les moutons do reside on there. And they do not seem to be afraid of cyclists, unlike english sheep who tend to runaway when approached by humans. It is inadvisable to round a bend on the descent to find a small flock across the whole road!

So, it is not too difficult, if you like hills, but it does command respect. Go for it!

'...SWMBO is expressing concerns...' to be shared on CC? Maybe they can be alleviated.

 

[martint235]

Monsieur Ben goes slowly up mountains like Nairo Quintana goes slowly up mountains!

Lovely idea, Martin. Is it enough of a challenge though? (LEL = 1300k, MV = 21k approx) And as mentioned above, it's a long way to go for a morning's ride! Would recommend spending the same day/following day on the bike, on great roads among great scenery.

3 things to be aware of:

1) le soleil - likely to be strong at planned time of year. This is not to be underestimated. After Chalet Reynard, there is nowhere to hide. And the 'lunar' like surface reflects the heat back. Hydrate well.
2) le vent - the mistral can be a bugger any time of the year. Again, after Chalet Reynard, there is nowhere to hide. Hope for calm or a tailwind! I was discouraged from the ascent because of a 30kph breeze, gusting to 50kph and, the previous day, when the wind was more gentle, a bloke got blown off the edge and ended up in hospital, apparently.
3) les mouflons - the wild sheep. Actually, these are mythical animals but les moutons do reside on there. And they do not seem to be afraid of cyclists, unlike english sheep who tend to runaway when approached by humans. It is inadvisable to round a bend on the descent to find a small flock across the whole road!

So, it is not too difficult, if you like hills, but it does command respect. Go for it!

'...SWMBO is expressing concerns...' to be shared on CC? Maybe they can be alleviated.

Cheers for the advice Shadow.

Challenge: it's different to LEL (I'm guessing you're following the conversation on another place). Once I'd ridden LEL, I will consider myself a distance rider (until I get any kind of motivation up for RAAM which is unlikely). MV is to disabuse myself of any notion that I'm any good as a climber. I just want to tackle a proper mountain rather than a hill.

SWMBO concerns are largely related to cost and the fact that she won't get a holiday.

 

[Shadow]

[quote="martint235, post: 2567710, member: 5525"

SWMBO concerns are largely related to cost and the fact that she won't get a holiday.[/quote]


Can't she go with you?
(that is what Mrs S. is doing this year - while I'm puffing up MV, she's having a facial & massage!!)

 

[martint235]

Can't she go with you?
(that is what Mrs S. is doing this year - while I'm puffing up MV, she's having a facial & massage!!)

It's an idea I suppose. I'll give it some thought when there's room for thoughts other than "What the **** am I doing cycling to Edinburgh?"

 

[martint235]

So on the way back then.

Possibly. Although then my head will be full of thoughts along the lines of "Fridge. Expensive German beer. Beer."

 

[Shadow]

Possibly. Although then my head will be full of thoughts along the lines of "Fridge. Expensive German beer. Beer."

No matter how thirsty, can you hold that thought for 650k? The mind wanders...