Heads are saw from trying to think up alternative routes and options, given the drama with the car. The hire car is fine, but I only have it until Wednesday. So either way I have to go back to Ambert. It's a balance now between getting the miles in on the bikes, to arrive at Nice by Friday, but at the same time keeping in mind that every mile towards Nice adds extra to my journey back to Ambert. Even if the car is fixed today, it's a 400 mile round trip. Each day adds an additional 150 on to that.
It's a sorry state but the only option is to bin off Mont Ventoux. It was a diversion from the initial route, and the boys were keen (?!) to do it, but with the rest day yesterday and safety miles today and tomorrow it's just not possible. On Thursday the boys may need to cycle 170 in one day.
Not ideal!
Also it's costing us much more too. There's no way we could fit all our things into the Panda, so the camping stuff plus all none essentials for around 4 days were left behind. While hotelling it up and meals out every night is nice, it's much more that the average of 15 euro a night we had previously been spending on accommodation.
I'm trying to keep my own spirits high too - it's been quite a stressful few days all round, and although I've not been cycling it's been quite draining for me too. The Panda has no air con, and right on queue the cloud has broken and we're back to baking heat and clear skies. A left hand drive is also really hard to get used to.
Anyway.
Today's drive has been lovely. I opted for the scenic route, cutting down the mountains along the the River Rhone. I have stopped off for a coffee and a few photos in Tournon Sur Rhone, a pretty little town on the river. The views driving here were spectacular but I daren't stop at one one the many picnic stops - I was desperate to get off the death roads in the mountains. Maintaining my position in the road has been quite a challenge, and bumping into the curb is one thing, but falling off a mountain is another!! So I don't have many pictures of the route I'm afraid. But I have tried to take some at Tournon.
I waited there for the boys to give them their lunch. They had said it was their best ride so far, so that's brilliant. A big mountain at the start, then all down hill and then flat along the Rhone Valley with some spectacular views. Lovely stuff!! At the top of the mountain it was 13 degrees, at the bottom it was 26! They averaged 17mph for the ride, even with the mountain! Scenery looks very different this side of the mountain.
After lunch I headed for our hotel, the Ibiz in Le Pouzin. We had a couple of beers and dinner in the hotel after searching for the village for a restaurant.
After much discussion the boys have decided not only to make up the miles lost from the rest day, to get us to the same place we should be at the end of Tuesday, but they have decided to take the detour to go up Mont Ventoux!! Lads lads lads!
I have booked us a hotel called "le coq hardi" tomorrow in Carpentres.
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