The Wobbling Sprocket

So many pics, its hard to choose:

Robin was on Tour d’ Indochine last year and did the whole thing, including the trek up to the top of Mt.  Fansipan.    She’s a tireless climber with lots of energy and is ALWAYS on the go.

John had a plan to join us for a week on Indochine but work, unfortunately, intervened.  It’s great that he’s now signing up for a go at Corsica.

Corsica is known as I’le de Beaute, “Isle of Beauty”.   That is no overstatement.  It’s a mountain range rising out of the Mediterranean.  The coastline is dramatic and the island contains a little bit of everything.  It’s part of France, but it really has it’s own flavor.  We love the place and consider it one of the best places in the world to ride a bike.  The 2013 Tour de France is likely to start in Corsica.

Robin....bikes, kayaks and mountain climbs.

We are hoping John can keep work at bay…

John (in Mongolia)

Here's a shot from the our very first tour in 2003! If taken today, the background would be just the same. Nothing changes!

Corsica was our first tour ever in 2003.  A lot of things have happened since then, but Corsica hasn’t changed a bit.  It’s exactly the same.   It has a timeless quality especially when you get up into the villages of the interior.  If the shutters on a building are painted a different color, it’s a big deal.

As a place to ride a bike, Corsica is second to none.  It’s one of the few places left where you can ride on a nearly deserted coastal road on the Mediterranean (around the Cap Corse).   Most coastal roads on the Med are simply too congested for comfortable cycling.

Add big mountains (there are 45 peaks over 2,000 meters), cork forest, chestnut trees and great food and you have something that is pretty tough to beat.

The island is not big (120k long and about 70k wide), but the mountains and the irregular shape of the coastline make it “ride big”.   It has a population of only 260,000 and those people concentrated in the major cities of Bastia and Ajaccio.

Corsica has always attracted some pro bike races, but recently has garnered even more attention.   The last edition of the Criterium  International was held in and around Porto Vechio and there have been discussions about having several of the opening stages of the 2013 Tour de France on the island.

Although a lot of the shoreline has dramatic cliffs, there are also great beaches.

Often overlooked is the narrow gauge rail line that twists and turns over arched bridges and through many tunnels.  It connects much of the northern half of the island and goes as far South as Ajaccio.   The ride on the rail line  provides spectacular views  and you can bring your bike on board.

Interested in reading more about Corsica?  The following is a good article:

Corsica: The ‘Isle of Beauty’ certainly lives up to its name – Europe, Travel – The Independent.

We have just added Corsica again to our bike tour schedule for the Spring of 2011 (May 14, 2011).