Sunday 29th May 2011
Bastia Airport to Marine de Porticciolo Start 59km, finish 171km
37000 feet – or 6 miles high over Bognor Regis, Paris and Monaco. Apparently the Monaco Grand Prix was on at the time and I craned my neck through the porthole to see if I could sot the cars racing round on the empty streets but eyesight’s not that good! There were 156 people on the plane and we would arrive in Bastia at 10.52. The temperature there is 18 degrees centigrade and there’s a south west wind – our pilot was so informative! We left Manchester at 07.40. I had to take my bike in my soft zip bag over to the oversize check in x-ray.
I cycled north along the quieter coastal stretch and away from the airport at 12.00 after assembling the bike. It was 51km, 32 miles through Bastia to reach Marine de Porticciolo and Hotel Patriarau where I would stay for three nights. It was better to cycle the narrow stretch of land along the coast to reach Bastia as this is scenic and so much quieter than the busy main road that connects the larger towns and villages in Corsica. I checked in and unloaded my baggage in the room and cycled out north through Marine de Luri to Macinaggio and cycle my first BIG of the holiday, Col di Serra BIG 366. From there I did a circuit by going over the top and down to Pino on the western side of the island and had a rest there, a couple of bananas from a shop nearby. I took a look at the white church and the small walkway by the side of the road through the village. Later I passed back over to the eastern side over the Col de Saint Lucia and back to the hotel, total 61km, 39 miles from 16.00 to 20.00. I ate that night at a beach restaurant and wolfed down a large steak with chips and salad and two light beers all for 20€. Beers were 3€ each. I sent a couple of texts to Ruth then set to cleaning up the mess I made in the room in my rush to get out on the bike earlier today. Average speed 17.5kph, max speed 40kph, total attitude climbed 1080m
Monday 30th May 2011
Marine de Porticciolo and tour of northern peninsula and return
Start 171km, finish 296km
This morning I cycled to Macinaggio again and over the Col di Serra for a second time and this time cycled the west side of the north peninsula tot Pino at 12.00 and bought peaches, sandwiches and pernod 16€ at Spar, then through Nonza with its black sands and fort on the hill then on to St Florent and sunbathed for a while at the harbour and bought a kebab and beer 11€, 15.30 to 16.15 and back over the Col de Tegheme 17.30 then rough road to Pigno 18.00 – 18.30 but not much to see there, to Bastia 19.30 and back to the hotel at Marine de Porticciolo but had a puncture on the way at Grigione and repaired it. Later I went to the nearby beach restaurant and had lasagne and a beer 15.50€. Francois arrived at 00.30 (Tuesday) after I returned from the beach restaurant. He had flown from Paris and met Christain le Corre at the ferry terminal in Bastia to collect his bike from Christian who had brought it across with his own and had also hired a large vehicle – a Renault Espace- from Bastia Airport to transport our bikes. Max altitude 855m, total altitude 3253m, average speed 16.4kph. 244km, total 132km or 64 miles. Height 848m and 209m
Tuesday 31st May 2011
A lazy day because we didn’t leave until 09.30, having replaced the front tube in the room. We arrived in Macinaggio at 10.00 and had a look around the harbour and the small town then cycled up the Col di Serra, the third time for me. It took 1.¼ hours. We stayed for a while at the top. I attempted to adjust my speedo and put the altitude and distance recording correct. Just need to adjust real time and temperature and find out how to stop daily distance . back to Macinaggio and straight through to Santa Severa. It started raining. We had a beer and back to the hotel. We unloaded and when the rain stopped we went north again to Santa Lucia, 1 ¼ hours. Back to the hotel, collected helmet and cycle top then on to Pietacorbara for a spaghetti carbonara and beer 16.00€. Back to the hotel at 21.00. Using the brown hired car Francois obtained we drove to Belgodere south of St Florent for the climb of Bocca di Barraglia, BIG 368. distance now 336km (59km at start). Total 277km. total altitude 4191m. Francois said that Christian would cycle the BIG’s alone from the south of the island and work his way north.
Wednesday 1st June 2011
I woke at 07.15 and Francois had already left to meet Christian to collect his bike from him at the ferry arrival. Christian had brought it across in his car. Francois joins me for breakfast at 08.15. We leave at 09.15 for the airport. I get myself registered as a second driver for the hired car. He tries to negotiate to have the hire company remove the rear seats and store them until the car is returned but no success. The day ends at distance 390km so we cycled 54km today; 27km each way on Haut Asco after leaving the airport, 12.00 – 15.00 with half an hour for lunch at Asco then half an hour back down to the car so we were climbing for two hours. We met with all the others from Challenge_BIG who had come for the annual meeting. We met at the Best Western Hotel in Bastia at 17.30. at 19.30 we all walk to a pizzeria on the harbour-front. Francois and decide that we would pool our costs while travelling together to take account of petrol sharing so we paid 41€ for our meals. Later we walk back to the hotel and our planning for cycling three BIG’s tomorrow.
Records for the next three days are as detailed in the planned itinerary in the roadbook
Saturday 4th June 2011
Up at 07.00 and away at 08.00 and drove to Ponte Leccia for 09.00. Cycling we reached the top of the BIG at 10.20, a 10 minute stop for photos then arrived back at 11.20. Col de Prato BIG 370 was merely a grassy top either side of the road between trees. We arrived in Corte at 12.00, enjoyed some warm sandwiches as we sat outside the small café on roadside seats at 13.00 then cycled the Gorges de Restonica. We left the car at the foot by an albergo then cycled 13.05 to 14.50 to the top of BIG 373. at the top is a skiers café so we had a beer then back down, a gradual descent with plenty of photos on the way. We returned to the car at 16.00. francois overshot back to Corte, it was crowded with traffic emerging and we took the N200 road to Aletia then took a right for Ghisonaccia at 18.00. we had a meal at a pizzeria, salad (10€), lasagne (15€) and 2 Pietra beers, 34€. Total 557km, ODO 706km, altitude 561m.
Sunday 5th June 2011
Ruth left Manchester at 07.10 and arrived in Bastia at 10.45. For the second week in Corsica Ruth and I explored the island using the Renault Espace. We refitted the rear seats that we had left in storage at the Best Western hotel in Bastia. Ruth’s first evening in Corsica was a shock to the system because just as we were going to find somewhere to eat there was a sudden downpour that soon turned into severe torrential rain that made the roads into impassable rivers! The current was so strong it was impossible to cross the roads. We retreated back to the hotel then went out again later when the storm subsided. We found a fish restaurant, a great place (plaice?) to eat along the harbour walkway.
Through Spelemcato, Ville di Paraso at foot (16.15) of Boccadina, road summit at 17.45, return to Ville di Paraso at 18.15
Battalio through Arego and Calvi then some problems finding the accommodation at Argentella.
Col Bavella 13.30 to 16.30 returning back down to the car 17.15 to 18.30 with many photo stops on the way.
Monday 6th June 2011
Ruth and stayed in Bastia and explored the sights of the town.
Tuesday 7th June 2011
We drove away from Bastia and did a tour of the northern peninsula and explored Nonza and St Florent.
Wednesday 8th June 2011
We drove on to Calvi and on the way met up with Helmuth and Patricia Dekkers at Ponte Leccia as pre-arranged. He had suggested a certain café to meet at. We had one night in Calvi at a smashing small hotel near a cliff that we explored
Thursday 9th June 2011
We stayed at Porto Vecchio
Friday 10th June 2011
We stayed a second night in Porto Vecchio and travelled on to Bonifacio and returned to the hotel.
Saturday 11th June 2011
From Porto Vecchio we drove north along the main road on the east side of the island and through Bastia to Pietranera, just uphill a little to our final hotel. This was a really good hotel and we were sorry that we didn’t book a second night here instead of Porto Vecchio. The hotel has a very inviting outdoor swimming pool overlooking the coast. We also had a room with a view across the sea towards Elba. At the bottom of the hill we found a really good pizzeria popular with the locals
Sunday 12th June 2011
We drove back to the airport and deposited the car. Our flight left Bastia Airport at 11.20 and arrived back in Manchester at 12.50