The Wobbling Sprocket

Mike did the Lao Tour back in Feb 2008.  He is coming back now for the combo platter, Tour d'Indochine…..both Vietnam and Laos.   Seeing both countries on one trip is a good idea.  They are very different places. 

Tour d'Indochine starts in Hanoi.  We head North to the border with China and then West.   We cross the border into Laos just outside Dien Bien Phu.  

Mike celebrated a birthday when we were in Vangvieng (a real party town) last time Laos and the group decided to decorate his bike for the occasion:

I am not sure what that blue thing is. Isn't Spider Man red? Help!.

Oh, yeah, I am showing my age.  Isn't that thing a Power Ranger??

We got up today and rode down past Evisa to ponder the Spelunca Gorge before having a nice breakfast provided by Alexandra and her little shop.  She made omelets for us and supplies the town with bread.  Her jams are made from scratch.  I liked the chestnut version.

We had a 10k climb before going over the Col de Vergio which is at 1467 meters.  The GR20 intersects the road at the top.  From there it is about a 30k downhill…part of which is through the Golo Gorge. 

Everyone made it through in great shape.

Rusty is off to Paris.  Greg is doing some more solo riding around Corsica and then taking the ferry to Italy.  John and Robin are renting a car to explore parts of the island that we did not reach and Chantal and I have another day (we'll go explore some new bike routes) before heading home. 

This has probably been the most perfect weather week we have ever had on any tour.

Thanks to this group for being so easy going and good natured! 

At the top

The Golo Gorge

Yeah, it's a long way down.

Everyone made it out of Ajaccio with no problem.  It is kind of a confusing town.  We made our way back to Sagone on the beach where we stopped for some quiche and some great deserts at a Bakery.  We then continued for the long climb to Evisa.  Today is no doubt the toughest climbing day.  The weather was perfect and that helped a lot.  We checked in to the Scopa Rossa and then checked out the town before making our way to Gite d etape for some real home cooking by Mary-France.  I think I would count it as the best meal we had all week.  It's family style. No menu.  You get what she cooks.  You will have to come and find out for yourself.

Greg A making his way up to Evisa. This picture doesn't do the climb justice. This section is steep and long. It's all most people can do just to stay upriight.

Here is a good shot of John N and the day's scenery. John is not a hardcore cyclist, but he sure rode like one.

We came across this when we were walking to dinner at the gite....a Citroen CV2 in perfect condition. If I lived in Corsica I would definitely have one of these...and eat goat cheese every day.