ready to go
Day 1 fresh water at Villagrande
Long climb to V.o La Chiesola
We made it over the top, still friends
Back to L'Aquila
Ouch, cobblestones and broken collar bone--bad combo!
John succumbs to jet lag--bring on the wine Alan
Downtown L'Aquila
No jet lag, let's party!
Day 2 in Abruzzo
Hot, dry Abruzzo
Day 2, nice arch
lazy hazy days of summer in Abruzzo
big town
limestone cliffs
a town on every hill
Italian gatorade
did I mention it was hot
relax, lunch is soon
art in the winery
wine tasting
Angelo, is that fire? Yes and that is right where we are going!
Day 2, lunch after wine tasting
Yum!!
arrival at Modus Vivendi
the view from Val and Daina's room
dinner at Bocca Di Valle hotel, our sanctuary from the wildfires
Mamma Rosa on way to Block Haus
above tree line on way to Block Haus
the higher you go the windier it gets
end of the road, 2km from top--too much wind
the calm after the storm
descending from Block Haus
almost down
Pretoro
Fresh water in Bocca Di Valle
Bocca di Valle
Guardiagrele for gelato
Guardiagrele
between Bocca di Valle and Palumbaro
Palumbaro
view from Palubaro back to Bocca di Valle
Fara S. Martino
coffee stop
It's time for lunch
Hi Mona
Palena train station at Valico d. Forchetta
view from Modus Vivendi hotel room
evening view from Modus Vivendi, see the fire-blackened fields
happy hour at Modus V--no more fire
sunset view from Modus V
Alan's new friend
same hill that was ablaze in earlier picture, one house lost a roof to the fire
Life is a beach
Aglioni agricole
coffe stop--Campotosto
our room is on the right
where is breakfast?
the restaurant is upstairs
view from L'Aquila--snow on mountains we rode over yesterday
on the road to Capestrano
Bominaco with snowy mountain backdrop
more wildfire damage
Castel del Monte
Capestrano
Castle at Capestrano
Smile Pam, no more pedaling
Hotel des Beaux Artes in Toulouse
You go that way, I'll go this way. What jet lag?
abbey at St Hillaire
vineyard near St Hillaire
That little tower is at the finish line.
the winner at Pic de Nore
just about 20 minutes out of first place, but second in age group--elderly and older
sprint to the finish
winner of the handicapped division
which way to the finish line?
Clueless at awards ceremony: what are they saying? What did I win? When does the party start?
Jasmine: first and last woman to finish
Pic de Nore racers
Chris the coach and his team
Just another happy customer
on the road to La Grasse
For those who dare
pray for me
harvest time
climb on and on and on!
more grapes
Can I drive?
Abbaye St Marie at La Grasse
La Grasse
near Limoux
dinner at the farm
Port de Pailheres
detour from Port de Pailheres due to new chip seal
You're the man!
on the road to Mirepoix
sunflowers near Mirepoix
detour on way from Mirepoix back to Limoux
grape harvester--about half are picked by machine, half by hand
the Magnificent Five
on the way to the Gorge
Chatueau de Queri--hardest climb ever
way to go, Steve
our dinner stop after rustic shower
nice!
everybody gets a try but only Chris does it sans napkin
Mirepoix, rare old buildings that never burned
look at the wooden gargoyles above the beam
on the road to Foix
don't believe that max 10%
view from Plateau de Beille road
half way down from Plateau de Beille summit and still high
