velotel
11-12-2011, 02:07 PM
Weather was less than I hoped for, less than what we're enjoying in the Alps. A bit of a shocker that actually. But still good. Up early, just before 5, on the road around 6. Longer than I remember driving down, around 3 hours. Left the car just outside Vaison-la-Romaine in a small park along a river. Rolled off, air cool, Ventoux looking formidable as always. But at least this time I wasn't intimidated like I was the first time I rode it. Well okay, less intimidated. That puppy is huge!
Through Malaucène, onto the road up Ventoux. Only mountain I know of in France that has its name on road signs pointing the way. Easy pedaling to begin with but quickly stiffening up a bit. Then way easy, even flat. I didn't bother shifting to bigger gears; I remembered what lay just ahead. Steepness. And then even more.
Must admit I'd forgotten how hard this side is. Or maybe I was stronger the other time I rode this side. I don't think so. Just memory failure again. Funny climb in some respects. Off and on much of the way. Like the beginning, a flat then a right turn after a meadow and up the road rears. A few or more ks with lots of upper single digit stuff plus the good old entry into the world of double digits. Then the road goes limp. Rolling fast, shifting up, contemplating even moving to the big ring. No, don't have the power today. Views to the right and left, the summit off in the distance and way higher. Sweet riding. Like going up stairs. Long easy section then a ramp of steepness then another long easy pitch. Repeated a few times. Only the ramps seemed to be getting a bit ruder as I progressed.
Uh oh, 12% on the kilometer marker sign. Which means the next k averages 12%. Only soon I happen to be riding where life is easy and far from 12%! Like maybe we're talking 14% stuff mixed up with easy stuff to get to 12%. Someone had written on the road, in french, "go my cork, I love you". Got a good laugh out of that. I doubt if he was too interested in too much corking at that moment. I might well have forgotten the sequence but I think there was a k marker at 12% followed by one at 11%, and another at 11%, then a 10,5%, then an 8%. Only the 8% consisted of more of that 10-11% percent blended with some 5-6%. That was hard.
Easy riding at the turn for the ski station. Hairpin to the right, slight downhill, and into the trees. And up. Felt as steep as any ramp so far. Only this ramp was long. A k marker at 9%, this in the middle of major steepness. A hairpin to the left and I'm shifting gears and rolling fast. Okay, faster. Road's wet, lots of needles from the larch, temperatures dropped considerably, road feels like it could be just a wee bit iffy on the margin. Keep that in mind for the return. A long bend to the right and there's the summit tower. With a good bit of vertical between me and it to go. Pitch ramps up again. Hairpin to the right with big views out to the Alps on the outside. Tempting but I'm holding a nice rhythm so press on. Whoa, here I've got on the pavement a peace sigh and the words "peace" and "love". Weird flashback on that view. Up to the saddle where the south if in full view for a moment. Back left, under the summit. A hairpin to the right and up into the parking lot. Yes! Ventoux, third time. I like that.
The photos are attached in order, from bottom to summit and finally looking back up afterwards. Enjoy
Through Malaucène, onto the road up Ventoux. Only mountain I know of in France that has its name on road signs pointing the way. Easy pedaling to begin with but quickly stiffening up a bit. Then way easy, even flat. I didn't bother shifting to bigger gears; I remembered what lay just ahead. Steepness. And then even more.
Must admit I'd forgotten how hard this side is. Or maybe I was stronger the other time I rode this side. I don't think so. Just memory failure again. Funny climb in some respects. Off and on much of the way. Like the beginning, a flat then a right turn after a meadow and up the road rears. A few or more ks with lots of upper single digit stuff plus the good old entry into the world of double digits. Then the road goes limp. Rolling fast, shifting up, contemplating even moving to the big ring. No, don't have the power today. Views to the right and left, the summit off in the distance and way higher. Sweet riding. Like going up stairs. Long easy section then a ramp of steepness then another long easy pitch. Repeated a few times. Only the ramps seemed to be getting a bit ruder as I progressed.
Uh oh, 12% on the kilometer marker sign. Which means the next k averages 12%. Only soon I happen to be riding where life is easy and far from 12%! Like maybe we're talking 14% stuff mixed up with easy stuff to get to 12%. Someone had written on the road, in french, "go my cork, I love you". Got a good laugh out of that. I doubt if he was too interested in too much corking at that moment. I might well have forgotten the sequence but I think there was a k marker at 12% followed by one at 11%, and another at 11%, then a 10,5%, then an 8%. Only the 8% consisted of more of that 10-11% percent blended with some 5-6%. That was hard.
Easy riding at the turn for the ski station. Hairpin to the right, slight downhill, and into the trees. And up. Felt as steep as any ramp so far. Only this ramp was long. A k marker at 9%, this in the middle of major steepness. A hairpin to the left and I'm shifting gears and rolling fast. Okay, faster. Road's wet, lots of needles from the larch, temperatures dropped considerably, road feels like it could be just a wee bit iffy on the margin. Keep that in mind for the return. A long bend to the right and there's the summit tower. With a good bit of vertical between me and it to go. Pitch ramps up again. Hairpin to the right with big views out to the Alps on the outside. Tempting but I'm holding a nice rhythm so press on. Whoa, here I've got on the pavement a peace sigh and the words "peace" and "love". Weird flashback on that view. Up to the saddle where the south if in full view for a moment. Back left, under the summit. A hairpin to the right and up into the parking lot. Yes! Ventoux, third time. I like that.
The photos are attached in order, from bottom to summit and finally looking back up afterwards. Enjoy