Spokes Cycle Touring Club 2010 Venture Ride

The 2010 Spokes Venture event had 15 cyclists participating: Jenny and Tony as leaders, Glen, Gareth, Carl, Mike Cranwell, Chris Metcalf, Martin Pingel, Dave Smith, Jim Moon, Sue Neal, Clare Johnson, Paul Stafford, Nigel Jones and John Taylor (Martin Steer unfortunately having to withdraw at the last moment due to injury). Nigel and John's wives, Meg and Pat, provided invaluable assistance and support, especially with the self-catering arrangements when we stayed in the three holiday villages during our tour from the Corbieres to Provence.

The format of the event allowed the flexibility to combine a true challenge with the all the essentials of a good holiday. Distances covered and climbed during 15 days of cycling varied from person to person, with some achieving around 850 miles (including 200 miles carrying panniers), a figure exceeded only by the number of vineyards that we cycled through.

By the end, I think it is fair to say that everyone felt fulfilled in their achievements, be they learning to cycle together as a group, perfecting their domestic skills in the holiday cottages, or merely conquering Mont Ventoux. The event also included a practical course on wine appreciation, impossible to avoid in the region of France that we visited.

The roads became increasingly hilly and empty as one journeyed from Homps, and the scenery just went on for ever, with the Pyrenees Orientales to the south, and the seemingly endless hills of the Haut Languedoc Natural Park to the north. We had our first taste of the holiday village life-style that is deservedly popular in France, not least due to the very reasonable prices in the local supermarkets that made self-catering and communal meals such an enjoyable experience.

Our next base was Montblanc, a village between Beziers and Montpellier, where we stayed for three nights at a characterful (ie eccentric) chambre d'hotes run by an English family. We arrived slightly ahead of schedule, only to be told that two of the beds had yet to be made. No problem, we thought - until we found out that this was literally true, with the Black & Decker, saw and screw-driver lying on the bedroom floor!

On the way, Martin had suffered in a minor peloton 'pile up', and our hosts were very helpful in ensuring that he obtained prompt medical treatment. Fortunately, although in some pain, he was able to continue with the event; however, he would most certainly have failed the drugs test for the Tour de France. Montblanc provided an excellent centre for fairly easy cycling around the gently undulating countryside, including a visit to the beautiful historic town of Pezenas, and the beaches near Agde and Sete. Several of us took in some local culture with a degustation at the village Caves, situated as it was right next-door to our chambre d'hotes.

The travelling arrangements from the UK worked remarkably smoothly on the outward and return journeys, with 13 of us on the Bike Express Bus, and four people driving down, so that we all met at Homps, our first base for three nights. This is located on the Canal du Midi, between Narbonne (where we commenced our cycling) and Carcassonne, and it proved an excellent centre for exploring the countryside of the Corbieres and Haut Languedoc.

We continued to Castries, a small town to the north-east of Montpellier, on the hottest day so far: 55 miles, some long but gentle hills, temperature in the 90s. Another holiday village for a two night stay, another long communal evening meal on the patio, courtesy of Meg and Pat. On approaching the town, we noticed what appeared to be a very long Victorian railway viaduct, only to realise that it was actually Roman - an aqueduct, not a viaduct.

One ride the next day visited the Herault Gorge, a truly spectacular route, made much more enjoyable by our decision to tackle it north - south. This was a genuine challenge, with over 80 miles in the hills, navigational difficulties and the heat to overcome. Others explored the Carmargue, a vast nature reserve covering the Rhone delta to the south. The local pizza / wine delivery company provided a sterling service that evening.

There followed an easier transfer to Uzes, a perfectly preserved historic town between Nimes and Avignon, where we stayed for three nights at a comfortable hotel. A sequence of dramatic and truly torrential thunder-storms prompted some to take a day off cycling, but the rain was well timed, and no-one actually got soaked. The unforgettable Pont du Gard was visited, the charms of Uzes were explored, and there was still time for some peaceful cycling along the quiet, undulating roads to the north, where the Languedoc vineyards merge into the Cotes-du-Rhone.

Our final base for three nights was the small town of Aubignan, just north of Carpentras in Provence, and our journey saw the hills gently settle into the broad flat valley of the lower Rhone. After crossing the river, we climbed up to the village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, an attractive but noisy place in dire need of a by-pass if ever there was one, and had lunch in the square. We arrived at our holiday village in good time to raid the local supermarket, and enjoyed another balmy evening of R& R on the patio.

We were, however, reminded of what we were to face the next day, with Mont Ventoux looming over us in the distance, the bleached summit appearing almost like a stellar object, unreachable and unimaginable. Most limited themselves to a few beers and a mere single bottle of wine to accompany their carbohydrate loading at dinner, and we departed on our challenge at the crack of dawn. A steady warm-up climb to Bedouin, followed by a coffee-stop, and we were off on our mission, everyone at their own pace. Over 1,600 vertical metres later, with everyone exuberantly happy at the summit, we took in the amazing panorama, crystal-clear skies giving views across to both the snow-capped Alpine peaks to the north, and the Pyrenees to the south. The descent to Malaucene seemed endless, and following a shopping spree in the superb village bike shop, we enjoyed a celebratory lunch.

Our last full day gave some (you can guess who they are!) the opportunity to cycle Mont Ventoux in the opposite direction, ie the shorter, steeper route to the summit. Others contented themselves with a relaxing tour of the the most prestigious wine villages of the southern Cotes-du-Rhone, followed by chilling-out at the pool in our holiday village. The next day, it was an easy ride to Orange for a long lunch, some sight-seeing of the extensive Roman remains, and a late afternoon departure on the coach.