Stood up for lunch!!!

First off, a correction. I believe I reported that Peter had rented a Ridley Stratos. In fact, it is a Ridley Orion, for those to whom such distinctions are meaningful. Perhaps that is why he was able to reach for the stars today, or at least the heights that one encounters when venturing out on the tour of the Vallee of Toulerenc.

This is a very popular ride around here, and I think I might have reported on it twice last year (once clockwise with Glenn and once counterclockwise with Kate). Today we went counterclockwise, starting up (and I mean up) the Veau road, and then (really up) to St. Leger du Ventoux, then down (nice!) to Brantes and Savoillans, and gradually up to Brantes again, then down like stink all the way to the junction with the D5. At this point, the consequences of an unfortunate miscommunication were felt (by me). Peter and Glenn were ahead of me. I got to the junction and they were nowhere to be seen. I paused a moment, but of course I did not wait long since I assumed they were ahead. This was not so, however, since they had taken a wee detour into Brantes and did not catch me on the downhill. Perhaps you can guess where this is going. I turned right at the junction because Glenn and I had talked about having lunch in Buis les Baronnies, which I am happy to report is a very good looking town with a lively medieval centreville, but where I will have to return to enjoy lunch since there was no sight of those two and I waited a good 20 minutes, before deciding they had probably gone left at the junction to Mollans sur Ouveze. I had a hit of Hammer Gel(espresso) and reluctantly retraced my steps to find them, as anticipated, at a café in Mollans drinking beer and ogling the waiter.

Foolishly we asked for a menu, but it was the kind of humble place where you eat the menu du jour or go elsewhere. So we ate. It was a plate of charcuterie and garniture, followed by a vegetable stew of some sort cooked in a lot of olive oil and accompanying a cut of lamb that none of us had encountered before – it appeared to saddle the spinal column – and then a red fruit charlotte. All very tasty (even the parts we could not identify). And the carafe of rose was compris – all for 12Î each. From there we went on to Entrechaux and took the scenic route (via St. Marcellin – familiar to Kate) to Vaison and checked out a bike store and then came home, quite sweaty (31 and sunny today) and tired. Before any possibility of collapse set in, we piled into the Picasso and drove to the Blueberry, from which I write (with aching knees).

Now we are off home to make a spelt risotto with leeks (for a nice upper body workout to balance the leg-dominated activities of earlier today), and some sausage, and an arugula salad. We will contemplate tomorrow’s activity (aside from fetching Rosanna in Avignon at 11 pm) then.