A long and beautiful day's ride through the mountains of central Corsica (cumulative elevation 1800m). I climb to a maximum elevation of 1200m before plunging back to sea-level at the western port of Porticcio. It's a Sunday so little traffic on the main highway.
I am staying with Gerard, my WarmShowers host for a few nights. I am really taking my time in Corsica, staying 2-3 nights at each location, instead of the usual one night of previous tours. This has practical benefits as well as having more time to discover the highlights: more rest time for the legs, a chance to wash your clothes, more time to organise hosts at future destinations. Gerard speaks only french, so by the end of the evening my brain hurts from trying to tap the inner recesses of memory to uncover the French lurking in the hidden depths. Gerard is an enthusiastic and good humoured guy, who speaks quickly and did not dumb down his French for me - it's difficult to keep up.
The next two days, I chill out on the deserted beach - its not yet tourist season - and Gerard takes me on his motorbike down the coast to his favourite spots. He used to race motorbikes and delights in taking curves at speed, although he protests that he is driving "doucement". He also likes to cycle and is very active. Anyone who cycles about Corsica has got to have strong legs.
No comments:
Post a Comment