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Biking trip

Corsica

FRANCE | Sunday, 3 May 2009 | Views [589] | Comments [2]

So arrive in corte by the national, even if its the big road, here big aint that big, forget the 2 line each side, its still small and the scenic on it is quite impressive. Im use to see nothing on a higway but this one even pass throught some little village. at 1h30 reach a camp site, but was close, so had to find another one. there huge black cloud over the mountain once they pass over im doom to be all wet.let push faster. Find one about 30 minute after. Finish to set my tent near one that look like mine but maybe a year or 2 older actually that was the only other tent in the camp + one little caravan. And here the rain start, just in time.. Shower time yeaaaa dam I was  dreaming of that one. Hot water but today it freezing cold so once out of there hurry to dry yourself.. Happy I got some electricity in the bathroom so I can fill my battery !! feel like I gonna pass the night in here hehe that rain aint gonna stop.well the rain stopped at 4h30, got down in town to buy food and a beer, its saturday, nothing gonna be open tomorrow, so did pack well...
once back I meet that nice couple that was in the tent near me, drank the beer with them and night was already over. In the morning, the guy asked me if I wanted to join them on a walk in the mountain. Why not I told myself. Leg still hurt but walking is different exercise ! Nice walk, amazing view, nd really nice companion. More black cloud coming, time to head back. 4 german was walking up, told them its gonna rain soon, they didnt seem to sure about it anyway we went down. We entered a wince cave, called a glass of wine and here come the storm, nice timing. We meet charle the wine man, and drank a few with him and even did offer us 2 round. At 1 euro the glass is quite cheap and even good ( im not a big wine drinker but that one was good. We meet a young usual guy of the place, and drank some more, tried a myrthe liqueur ,  about 30 percent. Wow that thing taste good, but also dangerous stuff, u just dont really feel the alcohol, sweet and so good.
Couple hours of fun in that place, lot of laughs and also learn a bit about the country was interesting

so we came back to the camp, but was still raining and woohoo found my clothes on the line...
since we where only 3 people on the camp and no office open I thought we could use the washing room to set up a place to eat and listen to some music. After approval of the lady, we moved 3 chair and everything to make food. Brought the laptop and put some music on. Was good idea was more hot in there. So well all nice day have an end so we clean up and got back to our tent.

Morning, finally a bit of sun, but feel like its gonna be rainning soon. Clean the tent, add lot of mud  on it. Add to wait for it to dry and also my clothes wasnt dry yet... at 11h30 decided I add to leave. Even if still a bit wet, those cloud coming fast now. So I said good bye to the lovely couple that was doing the south of corsica on a moto, 12pm max I was gone and about 1 hour after rain started...here started one of the hardest day of my trip. Im still on the n-193 but national my ass, that road is a country road. After 4 hours of climbing, I reached the col of Vizzanova. I was already all wet even with my gear on. Few nice view up here but the weather didnt help me to see, add cloud on every mountain hiding them ... so here come what is suppose to be the fun part, going down. But this time, was still raining and  was sooo sold... havent been so cold since I left 2 month ago. Yep already 2 month. With that, I add hard time to find a spot to sleep. Just wanted to change clothes, but nearly everything was still wet only my hoddie and a pair of pant wasnt. No underwear and no sock. 8Pm no more rain finish a boring movie I add started and that was it for today.

Another slow start, wanted some dry clothes, but since its been a cold night and some more rain, well I did put the less wet clothes on, cold... 20 first km all down hill !! turn on the d81 and made about 15 km before my leg suffered from the day before. I stopped right there on a hill. Nice view but not much to do, just dry my stuff and hoped for a sunset. But still dark cloud.

Nop no sunset yesterday. Up on the bike, did reach the Calanche at 4 pm, ok here is something u guy need to see with the sunset the color of the rock and there shape are really brilliant. So I wanted to sleep on the calanche, not easy to found a spot on a huge rock. But finaly found a little forest . Once set, a strange guy saw me cause of is dog, he did stare at my tent for a good 15 minute, even in is car he was still looking up on the hill. i didnt like it. Moved my tent not even 100 meter await, just felt safer not on the same spot and I was more hidden then before. So yea I went for the sunset . Stayed there for 45 minute and time 2 go back in the tent.

In the morning, I just went down the hill to the first camp site of the village of porto. Done not much on the first day, went in the village, and past the night watching some movies with a beer and some chips. I got electricity, useful. Second day, went to the beach, little rock beach, took the sun , played a bit of Poi and well night still young.        

Two days relax in porto, been on the beach, walking around and praticing my poi a bit.was nice weather no cloud, nice sun, about 25 degres, Brilliant. Third day was still sunny and nice, I decided to stay one more day to be able to go up de Col de Vergio about 32 km off climbing, but that also mean 32 km of downhill. I took a break nea the village of Evisa
, I lay down on a stone wall and put some music on. The view here was nice a all around of all the mountain and the valley. Behind me I heard some stone cracking, I turn back and here was 30 pair of eye looking at me by the window of a giant bus. They all came down and add a chat with a few of them, nice and funny people. After I carried on till the summit of the col and did worth the climb, the view again was nice, more mountain and o a first here there a lac in the middle of them. Strangely also, more u go up the hill, till about 1400meter,  more the tree are huge, mostly pine tree.  
So well did like it up there, not enough tree on the coast. Time for the fun part, top speed down hill. Youpie.

Next morning, erkk grey and rainning, did place my tent near a plug first time I get free elctricity directly in my tent :) so well since in was rainning and it didnt stop at all, I watched some movie and played final fantasy 7 a good old ff7 !!! didnt stop rainning at all, same for the night and more rain the next day. Non stop.... woke up the day after and still grey but no rain. Ok let get out of here I got enough. If lucky ill be on the oder side of the mountain by the time it start rainning and for once, I beenr lucky. I took a look back at where I was and those cloud was becoming more and more dark but over my head was blue and sunny. Back on the coast, same view all the way up till the road split. After when a bit inland where I was in a nice little valley where they where growing some stuff. No idea what. One more hill to climb before calvi, on the other side, nice downhill with a straight road. 62.1 km/h my top speed yet. Set the tent and when to try to find internet to contact laurent and carol. Not easy didnt find one internet cafe and took me hrs to find a spot with a wifi. Just long enough to mail them but havent been able to do anything else...

morning, went for the ferry, but learn that there none before friday... back to the camp site 2 more night in corsica. Done some beach and some tourist in town.

This end my journey in corsica and will say the same ting that my good friend Colombe told me, You have to see this country, beautiful place and contraries to what people say the people here are very welcoming. Well the one I meet where nice even those extremist separatist. Add a nice time.
I suggestion,  see this country in the low season, a bit least expensive (already very expensive) and if you want to meet some corse, that the best time, they dont like the hight season so they stay in there place or are to busy to care to talk to you.
The calanche was impressive, calvi was the nicest town and corte was the best for walking. Anywhere u gonna visit, the scenic is beautiful and gonna probably meet more german then corse.
One really good thing here is that I havent see one single mc donald. The biggest business are the casino supermarket and super u. else is mostly all resident business. Make it more expensive maybe but I found it more welcoming.

Tags: corsica

Comments

1

Hey Math,
that url (www.madabois.com) has to be wrong as it's about a young french company fighting for the protection of the forest in Madagascar...

  Pascal G. May 5, 2009 1:34 AM

2

a dam, forgot to even check it...
aint gonna do that again if i post one again.

sorry for that...
thank pascal.

  cheflajoie May 5, 2009 8:39 PM

 

 

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