Day 3: Hairy Hairpins
Today is a big day. And once again I’ll be chasing clocks.
Dinner - and indeed my campsite - tonight is aituated at the top of the highest mountain pass on Corsica, at 1500m altitude.
It’s also 135km away from Calvi.
I’ve booked dinner, but - guess what - they close at 7pm. If I miss it, it will mean a 30km descent in the dark / dusk on unknown roads. I don’t fancy that.
And so I set an early alarm, ready for breakfast at 7:30 and departure at 8:30. I think that’ll do it.
But first a note about last night. After my beer by the sea I strolled along the boardwalk to Calvi Town, primarily to get some cash (seemingly no-one takes cards on Corsica..) but also to find a restaurant.
I paused in the marina to phone home then set about my task.
Breakfast was reasonably straightforward once I’d managed to convince my hostess that yes I really could eat 2 croissants, 2 pain au chocolat and a baguette.
By this time (7:30), the sun was up and the sky a lovely light blue. It was going to be another hot one. Leaving Calvi I headed down the remote west coast and through more stunning scenery past the former Silver mine at Argentella and fishing port of Galeria.
A short distance in, the road surface started to break up. That is to say, it properly broke up. I spent around 10km dodging wheel-eating holes and big piles of gravel. The effort was jarring my entire body, not least my backside.
Shortly after Galeria the tarmac returned, however I can only imagine that whoever’s job it was to steamroll the freshly laid tarmac did so with a hammer. Or a tree. Needless to say the pothole dodging had stopped but the constant jarring had not.
Finally I got to a section of route that the Tour de France peloton rode in 2013. They wouldn’t tolerate imperfections on a Tour route and indeed normal service was resumed.
Throughout all that thought, the scenery had not let up.
The gradient had been “undulating” all day but soon enough came the first major climb of the day: the Col de Palmarella. 11.3km up to 400m. The climb was steady enough and didn’t prove too much of a problem: the view at the top was incredible.
There then followed a 30km descent along another superb winding road. The only slight problem was that every now and again there would be a build up of sand on the road, right on the hairpin. Nothing like a bit of sand as you’re fling into a corner on a 30kg bike…
Eventually I arrived in to Porto. By this time I was 80km into my journey, but still had 55km to go, and that included the 30km climb up the Col de Vergio. Keen to avoid a crowded cafe I stopped at a Spar shop and purchased a baguette & bottle of coke, and went in search of somewhere to eat it; an opportunity arose 1km outside of Porto in a shady spot next to a river
Energy levels roped up, I headed south towards the village of Piana through the famous rock formations known as Les Calanques, a series of columns which rise more than 400m above the sea.
It has cost me an 8km climb at 8% but was well worth it.
That box ticked, I turned and headed back to Porto and the dreaded mountain climb,
The Col de Vergio is not the highest point on the island, but it is the highest road pass. The climb consists of 3 parts: 10km at 5%, 6km “easy” bit in the middle, and 16km at 6% at the end.
As I rode away from the coast, it began to heat up. I was struggling. Slowing my pace, I crawled up the first section. Everything started to hurt, penance for the earlier bumps in the road. I couldn’t get comfortable and I was fast running out of water.
Towards the end of the “easy” section I saw a sign for the next village, 5km away. I had to rely on there being somewhere to get water there, and I rationed my water to get me there.
Fortunately, there was a bar. I stumbled in, and ordered 2 cokes which were duly delivered in a glass with ice and a carafe of water. I panted my thanks and duly devoured the cokes, having a jolly good think about what I’d done.
I looked back on my phone - had I taken any photos on the climb? Oh yes, just one:
Sitrep: I had 12km to go and 2:15 to do it in. Barring a disaster I should be ok, but I wasn’t sure my legs quite agreed.
Fortunately, luck was on my side. The double coke had done its job and I had 2 full bidons. Once out of the village, the incline became slightly more manageable, and I soon joined the D84 with a beautiful Tour de France-esque surface and benefitting from the shade of a huge pine forest.
The change in surface made things “more comfortable” and I found a rhythm which I knew I’d be able to sustain to the top. In the company of goats, boar, cows and donkeys (plus the occasional motorbike) I slowly wound my way to the summit, to be treated by everyone’s favourite dictator, Napoleon himself.
The next 3km were easy, down to the campsite / hotel / bunkhouse / bar / supermarket. It certainly wasn’t what I imagined!
Checking in, the kind chap firmly reminded me of the 7pm dinner curfew - I had 45 minutes to get the tent up, have a shower and wash my cycling gear. Easy.
As it transpired, dinner is a buffet which closes at 8:30…. But the view’s not too bad…
What a day. Nearly 10 hours travelling and 7:45 in the saddle. At times I wondered if and how I was goi g to make it, but the Corsican scenery and knack for making everything “just so” won the day.
Tomorrow, I go downhill.
Wow. Well done
ReplyDeleteAnother cracking day! I'd have a word with the route planner if I was you. Who in their right mind would stick 30k of constant climbing at the end of the day? Glad you found some 'Tourmac' and hooray for the redemptive powers of Coca Cola.
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