Day 13 - Col du Ornon to Faucon

Another easy start ton the day made much easier knowing we would not be riding.

Packed the car last night so were are ready to head off early. Up at 7.00am and a lighter breaky was the order nod the day. Went and had a lie down before we left.

Helen got us on the road at 8.30am to Grenoble for our our train trip to Orange via Valance ville. We had a coffee while waiting for the train and then we were on our way again. They have very nice trains over here and we reckoned we were doing approximately 180kms/hr.
I had a good sleep on the train and everyone was looking exhausted and a lot leaner than when we started.

A packet of chips was had by all and again we were on our way to Orange on another fast train. This seemed faster and being in first class it was so smooth and quiet even at approximate 200km/hr. This assured some of us slept, with photos showing Andy, Bob and myself punching out some zzzzz's.

We got to Orange and met Craig for our trip to Faulcon. Stopped on the way for some yummy sandwiches. These are not your normal sandwiches as we know them.they are the most beautiful long rolls that has a very crisp yet chewy crust and has very nice fillings. We ate these in the yard at ur accommodation which is a beautiful old building that is 3 stories high and a tower as a forth. The walls are all around 2 foot thick so keeps it cool during the day. The inside walls are also very thick and even on the 3rd floor it feels very solid. It has a huge yard with and garage that has a unit above it. The trees offer much shade and being so old are gnarled and lovely. The insects are very noisy here and remind me of the middle of summer when I was small and the cicada's seem so much louder than they do these days.

The terrain here is very rocky and the area is covered in grape vines. The paddocks with the vines are covered in rocks. We were amazed at first thinking they were trying to grow grapes in rock. It is used as a mulch and we believe may add minerals to the soil.

I am sharing a room with Ross which means we can catch up a bit more. It is amazing how much more you get to know someone when you share a room and talk a lot more and a bit deeper. We both had a good sleep once we got to our room. Three for the day. That is amazing for me.

Went for a walk with Ross, Dom and Mark. This is a little town that is full of extremely old buildings. At the top is the ruins of what looks like a fort. It is being partially renovated and new places being built. We walked through very narrow lane ways past the locals houses. So tightly built with every wall being made of rock and cement. All the new places fit in perfectly with the oldest of the buildings. The little centre of town has a little fountain and a restaurant. We went down the road a bit and had a beer and cold pizza type of thing. The beer is served warm and the pizza cold. Interesting.

On the way home we past the local school where they were cooking a couple of lambs on an spit roast. Geezzzz they looked and smelt great. There were long tables set up with white table clothes ready for a feast. The people where just arriving and were nicely dressed. It would have been gorgeous given the temp, the food and the lack of mozzies over here. There are some flies, but no where near as many as Oz but no mozzies.

We got home and had a lovely meal, again 3 courses cooked by Vicky and her 2 friends. Salmon salad, a nice pasta dish and apple crumble with lovely ice cream for desert.
We played our favorite songs from our Ipods etc after dinner before heading to bed ready for a good night sleep after a few beers and probably a few to many reds.. Unfortunately there was a dog doing a lot of barking and Mark and Dom in the room next door who talk at the same volume all the time. LOUD.

12.30 seen the dog stop and the sleep begin, with no covers, the windows open and still lovely and hot. Found out today that Craig went and took the neighbours dog for a walk to shut it up.

Another lovely day spent by the Tools on Tour.