27-07-2015     Zicavo ↔ Col de Sorba   99 km (A.)
      for route click here

Breakfast at seven; inside, since it's quite fresh (15-16°) outside. Enya decides to take a day of rest and maths and goes back to bed (for more than three hours), I go for a ride with a very light bike: only the pannier on the handle bar (and wearing my thin wind jacket for the first hour). I leave without a definite plan (which is the best plan) and will at least revisit the Col de Verde. I'll try to be back before 3 p.m., which might give us time for a swim in that nice pool 2 km from Zicavo (2 km of climbing, that is). It will be an uneventful but fine day, with five hours of easy cycling over a sort of route des crêtes under a beautiful sparsely clouded sky. The first of three 3rd degree climbs is the south side of the Col de Verde. Last week's impression this is easier than the north side proves correct.

Dad is leaving

Hours of bliss

I easily ride up to it without using the smallest front chain wheel. It's fun, it's paradise! While going up I decide to make an aller-et-retour to the Col de Sorba. The weather turns out quite perfect again! The descent to Ghisoni is WONDERFUL!! I have a small bite at the junction where the road to Vivario is to the left and then make it up to the Col de Sorba in one stroke.

Lovely descent to Ghisoni

Junction to Col de Sorba

It asks a little more effort than the Col de Verde, but here too the south side is easier than the north side, and it is still manageable with the middle chain wheel. The scenery is even nicer than up to the Col de Verde, in my opinion. There are no buildings whatever between Ghisoni and the pass, only trees, mountains, a road with beautiful curves, especially near the top, and GREAT views. WONDERFUL again.

	Nice ride up		Through the woods
	Approaching the pass		View back to GREAT road

From the top I make some pictures to the other side. The impressive road we looked and rode up to a week ago is hidden within the trees, but deep down the railway bridge Pont du Vecchio, architectural highlight, is clearly visible. After a quick descent I'm back in Ghisoni before noon, half an hour earlier than according to my most optimistic scenario.

	View to the other side		With the Ponte di Vecchio
	And down again		Vista through the mountains to the sea

I do some small shopping (yoghurt and chocolate) in the small épicerie next to 'our' gîte, and have a coffee in 'our' pizzeria "A Stazzona". 'Vous êtes seul?', the bar keeper wants to know. (Enya announced our oncoming return yesterday evening − via facebook.) I call Enya to inform her I'll be back around 3, indeed, and ask her to buy some stuff for sandwiches. The fun continues, the weather is lovely, with the third ride up to the Col de Verde, for which I do shift to the third chain wheel (why bother, why hurry?). Alas it's the last climb of the day already − I feel I could ride all day and not get tired.

	Beautiful mountains		Beautiful skies

Pictures for Enya:

Would I see pigs,

I would make pigtures!

The descent to Vicavo is a bit boring at the end, especially after Cozzano. Three o'clock sharp I'm 'home', and I find Enya in the garden, with her notes. She has had a fine day too. We make sandwiches and forget about the swim. Instead we make a short walk to the supermarket where we add a second souvenir: Corsican jams. We take place again at the garden table to write and study. Louise serves us tea, which is nice, since it is rather fresh (compared to what we are used to). Two cyclists arrive, randonneurs like us (one rides a mountain bike with a trailer). Later on, when the male half of the couple is studying the map, we get to talk. Louise serves us a home-made apéritif. She pampers us! And there's no reason whatsoever to worry about us being vegetarians! We have dinner with the two cyclists who appears to be Belgians. They are not used to speak Dutch, so we converse in English. Dinner takes place inside, because in the evening it is again rather fresh indeed. Dinner is at least as good as yesterday: the delicious zucchini soup again, and a delicious salad with lentils. It takes some trouble, but I manage to book a bed in a hotel in Bastelica. What a fine day again!

Maths & Sandwiches

Tea by Louise

Our typical disorder