Bikepacking - Oraison to Cavaillon

Day #

32

State of Legs

:-|

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	Distance (miles)	Distance (km)	Ascent (feet)	Ascent (metres)	Punctures
Today	72 miles	km	2707 feet	metres	0
Trip Totals	1457 miles	km	62446 feet	metres	0

Today's Route

Route So Far

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Travelogue

Oak trees, jays, a red squirrel and lavender. These are the highlights of today. Oh and dinner. We'll come to that.

Once again, the day started with tolerable temperatures. The cycling was great, through hills but with a general downhill trend. There were uphill parts that made their presence felt, but there was a lot more downhill today than has been the case in a long while. 

For some reason my legs were not happy today, at least not during the first 30 miles or so. I guess they just hadn't fully recovered from yesterday despite that not having been a particularly arduous day. They perked up later though and of course got me to Cavaillon where I am currently camped.

I think of today's ride as falling into two stages.

Initially, in the hills, the landscape was dominated by trees. We don't have that many tree-clad hills left in England but here in this part of France it's very common. The trees here were largely oak trees. I don't think I've ever seen so many oak trees in one place. And I saw dozens of Jays as well. This is not a coincidence. Jays are associated with oak trees because they bury acorns and are therefore responsible for the growth of many new trees. 

Cycling along a narrow path through woodland, I saw a red squirrel! In the UK, we have very few of this native species left. They've largely been pushed to one side by the cunning and supremely agile grey squirrel. I went to take a photo of the red squirrel but was too late. So instead, here's a photo of my bike at the spot where I saw the squirrel. Just as good, no?

There was a red squirrel here, honestly!

I stopped in the town of Reillane. It seemed a very popular place with tourists in general and there were a few cyclists at the bar I went to as well. As usual, I had a coffee, a cold drink and had my bottles refilled. I also ate some biscuits and an apple to take on a little fuel.

From here it seemed to get drier. The fields looked parched and there were fewer trees as we left the hills. Much of the cycling now was on a cycle path. A very nice cycle path with a great surface and of course no traffic. I have mixed feelings about these sections though. They create a nice cycling environment but they're maybe a little dull. I prefer the country lanes and minor roads that meander through the hills and farmland.

In this second stage, there was a characteristic that was with me for much of the way. The smell. Many of the fields grew lavender. It had evidently been cut but you could smell it in the air everywhere. It was wonderful of course. I later learned that the lavender had been harvested a month earlier than usual this year because of the hot weather.

That's lavender behind the bike - there were so many lavender fields

Refilling bottles at a public fountain

I saw lots of dry river beds (or maybe the same one many times)

I stopped one more time for refreshments and ice for the phone, about 10 miles from Cavaillon.

The campsite was easy to find and I soon had the tent up, without fly sheet, it being so hot.

I'd eaten an apple, a couple of pieces of bread and a couple of biscuits for breakfast. And for lunch? Well, nothing really. An apple and half a dozen more biscuits en route. So, I was looking forward to dinner after cycling 72 miles.

But I'd forgotten that today is a Sunday! So all supermarkets close at mid-day. And that was that. I asked about food at the campsite and was told there was a McDonalds about a kilometre away and that the public swimming pool next to the campsite had a snack bar. I hit the snack bar, it being closest. I asked what they had and heard the word "pizza". OK, this was looking promising. I ordered pizza, a "normal" portion of fries and a coke and sat down at the only table.

The "pizza" turned out to be a slice of pizza. And when I asked for "un autre" learned it was the last one! But, but, but, but, but (splutter), I just cycled 115 km! These words flashed through my mind as I looked down at what was probably no more than a thousand calories, if that.

Solution? For dessert I ordered.....

That's "frites grand avec ketchup"! Living the dream. It won't crack the top 100 of French food I've eaten in my life but I'm no longer hungry and tomorrow's another day. And the shops will be open :-)

Bon appetit!