Day 4, 07.06, Monday
It’s vacation, so sleeping in and having a relaxing morning are part of the routine. We had a leisurely morning, breakfasting on fresh croissants and baguette, then slowly got the bikes ready for our chosen outing up the Rhone to Cruas.
The wind that had been so active the previous evening had not died down and sped us on our way for the first few kilometers south.
The first attraction of the day was the suspension bridge at Rochemaure. Built in the early 1800’s, the old bridge was destroyed and rebuilt several times (war, accidents, etc.) until it stopped being used in the late 1960’s. In 2013 it was renewed as a Himalayan suspension bridge and put into use as part of the bike trail via Rhona. All I can say that it’s obvious to me that the man who designed the new bridge is not a cyclist.
Remember what I said about the wind??? Well, it was whipping down the Rhone Valley at 50-60 KM/H and on that bridge you are naked to the elements – and it sways with each movement. We were eager to cross and got about a quarter of the way out but Werner, who is sensitive to heights, got a little queasy. I thought I might be able to cross but as I ventured further another enormous gust came and gave me the heebie-jeebies, so I also turned back. Although we knew we wouldn’t be blown off, it was really a creepy feeling being so exposed and swaying in the wind.
We turned around and headed for the next normal bridge and even riding across that one, nearly got blown off our bikes from side wind.
The ride up the Rhone was lovely – we passed through fields lined with wildflowers and oak-tree lined lanes directly along the river. Even though it was flat, the going was strenuous due to the massive headwinds. The headwinds created a highlight for Werner – watching the windsurfers who had gathered at one particular spot (he used to surf himself).
We had rather spaced out that Monday afternoons in France are very quiet with many restaurants and businesses closed for the entire afternoon. Cruas was no different. One café was open, but only for drinks, so we had cokes and pushed our bikes up the hill to take a glimpse of the medieval town.
We headed back to Montélimar and the highlight for us both was crossing the hanging bridge. The wind had died down a bit, so it wasn’t quite so spooky as earlier, and I even rode across the first section, with Werner walking his bike across.
As I was starting dinner preparations that evening we discovered that the RV’s water pump had stopped working. That meant, no running water for cooking or brushing teeth or for flushing the toilet. We played around with the pump, trying to get it to work to no avail. Finally we called the folks who rented us the RV and they helped us locate a new pump we could pick up the next day.
7.6. Montag
Richtig gut geschlafen, Dusche gut warm mit Zeitschalter, super gefrühstückt.
Immerin schon um 12:15 Uhr fertig zum Radeln. Über kleine Straßen nach Ancone, dann über eine Bogenbrücke, mit heftigem Wind trotz flach überm Lenker auf eine Flußinsel bis zur berühmten Hängebrücke von Marc Seguin aus 1853 erneuert 2013. (Bilder dazu gibt’s jede Menge).
Wir hatten fest vor drüber zu fahren, aber es ging ein Wind mit Boeen bis 60 kmh, dass wir umdrehten u über eine feste Brücke fuhren Richtung Rochemaure. Dann entlang der Rhone mit herrlichen Ausblicken, vorbei an einem großen Atomkraftwerk und Stauwehr. Davor Surfer mit ordentlich Speed und einer gar mit so einem modernen aufblasbaren Segelteil.
Bei stándigem Gegenwind dann Rhone aufwärts bis CRUAS. Das Dorf wie ausgestorben. Grade dass wir in einer Bar noch ein Getränk und, igitt Softeis bekamen. Also schnell durch romantische, mittelalterliche Gässchen zurück auf gleichem Weg.
Wieder an der Hängebrücke, der Wind hatte nachgelassen und ich (wirklich nicht schwindelfrei) mit starrem Blick und Radl drüber.
Eigentlich wär der Abend zum relaxen gewesen, bis wir feststellten die Wasserpumpe geht nicht. Tel mit Frau Schorer, wahrscheinlich defekt. Schicken neue auf nächsten Campingplatz oder alternativ selbst besorgen. Internet wo gibt’s sowas, Frau Schorer schaute auch. Nachdem es schon spät war beschlossen wir am nächsten Morgen anzurufen in spez. Laden.