CorsicaCyclist
  • Home
  • About
  • Travel
  • Info
    • Vélo parler
  • Routes
    • The North >
      • Circuit de Cap Corse
      • Tour de Balagne
      • L'Île Rousse-Col de Battaglia circuit
      • Calvi-Calenzana circuit
      • Calvi Coast and Col
      • Haut Asco ski station
    • The Middle >
      • Scala di Santa Regina
      • Corte-Ajaccio
      • Vivario Cols
      • Ghisoni Pendulum
      • Restonica Gorge
      • D84 Francardo to Porto and Piana
      • Piana-Calvi (Col) >
        • Piana-Calvi (Coast)
      • Le test de Piana
    • The South >
      • Col de l'Ospedale
      • Porto Vecchio-Bonifacio loop
      • Route de Bavella
    • Randonnée Col Corses
  • Pro Races
    • TDF Stg 1 Porto Vecchio to Bastia
    • TDF Stg 2 Bastia to Ajaccio
    • TDF Stg 3 Ajaccio to Calvi
    • Criterium International
  • Gallery
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Francais

An American en Corse

13/10/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture
Just a note to say thanks for your help with my recent Corsica trip. I had an absolute blast out there a lot of it due to your downloadable routes and some research on Google Street view prior to riding - wow, what a place. I’ve ridden Sicily, Majorca and Sardinia but none come close to the cleanliness of the roads and hills and breath-taking scenery of Corsica - a captivating place. I especially loved the fact there was hardly any litter on the roadsides and the car drivers were cycle friendly – I didn’t get an impatient toot all week.
Some tips that might be worth adding to the routes and your awesome website in general: (Ed's notes)
  • Easyjet now allows 4 x 16gm CO2 canisters on their flights. They’re best packed in hand luggage so the bike box makes it out there. It meant I didn't need to rush about finding a bike store when I arrived
  • There is a great little map shop on Blvd Wilson in Calvi which has pocket size laminated bike maps with topography, elevations and roads marked
  • The Calvi, Galeria D81 route is a great route but the D81b coastal road is so badly damaged in some parts that it’s worse than riding cobbles. Still a nice loop though (Still passable with care and worth it for the views)
  • I couldn’t see on Street View  whether I could ride from Calvi/Bonifatu to Haute Asco. I  rode up to Bonifatu couldn’t get over. It's definitely not passable by road bike. The maps seems to show a dirt track but its actually a hiking trail (that's a hiking route to the GR20 - not passable other than by foot!)
  • When descending you really need to watch out for wildlife- a few times I’d come belting around corners only to confront either wandering cows, a herd of mountain goats or indeed pigs crossing or just standing in the middle of the road (this is normal for Corsica)
  • Also on some descents (mostly above 850m) I noticed a lot of grit and gravel which is deadly for cornering.  Especially coming down the Col de Battaglia between Pioggiola and Speloncatu. Riders should take care when descending (again normal for Corsica especially after rain and strong winds)
  • I strapped on 25 mm Continental 4 Seasons (pumped to about 95psi)  because I didn’t want to deal with punctures and was thankful I did. I recommend a tougher tyre given the inconsistency in tarmac- some of it was splendid but when it wasn’t I was glad of decent tyres and the 4 seasons stick really well when descending (good idea, I ride 25c's with slime inners - no punctures this year so far...)
  • Wear something bright rather than black, grey or green which can get lost against the background. I was wearing coral top and socks and I stood out well against the greenery as people said who saw me out on various roads when I pulled into stops
  • Finally I stayed at La Signoria just outside of Calvi would highly recommend them as a very cycle friendly hotel– great storage, set up facilities and starting point for my rides (nice, very nice)
Anyway, great website, great idea and wish you continued success,

Dave Spring

1 Comment

You are like a hurricane

3/10/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture
We're having a Medicane! I have discovered that the word is derived from Medi-terranean Hurri-cane.
Earlier in the week I was riding in the mornings and we were at the beach in the afternoon, swimming in the sea enjoying typical Corsican early autumn conditions. Now as I write the rain is hammering against the windows and there are the biggest waves I've ever seen rolling in smashing and crashing everything in their path - the harbour wall in the picture is over 2.5m high! Yesterday afternoon we watched a small yacht break from its mooring and wash up on the beach like a child's toy. Friends from the UK having been in touch to tell us our weather is on their news. This morning an 'orange' weather alert remains in place and all the local schools are closed. The Tour de Corse World Rally Championship is due to commence in fifteen minutes - I think wet weather tyres will be the order of the day - and I'm having second thoughts about spectating stage two at Ponte Leccia this afternoon. For sure I'll not be riding my bike!
Typical Corsican conditions are forecast to return mid morning tomorrow, let's hope so. 
Post script: the worst weather day we've ever seen here. After writing the blog we watched a boat capsize in the harbour, another break loose and a couple of people washed into the water - all safe I'm glad to report. There was a break around noon so we set off for Tour de Corse SS2. First off the roads are full of debris washed in by the severe rain - will take a while to clear. We had to wade into Ponte Leccia where sadly many of the businesses and homes close to the river had been badly flooded. On to try and get to Morosaglia we hit a road closure and that was that. We ate our packed lunch next to a soggy rally refuelling team who had no cars to refuel after SS2 was cancelled. We will try again tomorrow hopefully in more normal weather conditions. It was so good to see the sun again late pm....



1 Comment

    Archives

    June 2022
    April 2021
    January 2020
    June 2019
    May 2019
    October 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    September 2014
    August 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed










    © M.Lund 2013-23
Proudly powered by Weebly