I fell asleep last night reviewing the map for the umpteenth time. Despite the glowing guidebook review of Zicavo, the 20 or so permanent residents offered little in the way of entertainment or dining opportunities. No longer looking for routes, distances or villages, I searched the map for elevation and mountain passes -- details that escaped my due diligence the day prior. Not that I had any other options to get to Zonza, it was merely for mental preparation.
People are creatures of habit, particularly when it comes to morning routines. I've also fallen victim to routine -- tip-toeing out of my Gite at dawn, I pack the bike and cycle through town pleading the owner of the nearest cafe to open early for a petite Cafe au Lait. With a s'il vous plait or two, I squeeze a dab of fresh milk from a good-hearted cafe owner and linger ever so briefly over breakfast and coffee. Now, it is time to ride.
Greeting me just outside of Zicavo is the Col de Vaccio, a mere 1300 meters at it's highest point. A long and gentle approach, my legs easily carry me to the summit in the second chain ring without breaking a sweat. With the cheers of hikers ringing in my ears, I begin to lose the altitude I had just gained. Cautiously manuevering around the potholes, I shift my body weight back alleviating any unnecessary weight on my cracked head tube. The day continues with a series of undulating hills -- all relatively moderate -- and I reach Zonza unexpectedly early just as the digits on my computer clock flip to 1200.
Zonza is a mountain town with a resident population of 2,600. It's proximity to Col de Bavella and its distinction as a stop-over town on the GR 20 hike, spikes its temporary daily population to twice that. The bars and cafes center around the junction and prominent statute of a former Corsican hero. After assessing the buzz in town, I head straight for a hotel. The hotel is full but I'm given some instructions in French: go back down the road to the cross street, up the side street and past the bakery, at the church turn left and look up. Across from the church an elderly woman, dressed in Corsican black, is waiving from the top floor of a 3-story stone mansion.......'Julia, Julia'. Today is my lucky day -- I'm given the keys to the entire second floor flat -- valley and church views, 1200 square feet, kitchen, living room, antiques, family heirlooms galore and even a locked garage for my bike. A combination of premature Parkinson's and double dose of Cafe au Laits kept me from fully relaxing -- just yet.
Reputed to be the most beautiful passes of all the Corsican cols, I head north on Ganesh on the D268 for the 20 km out and back, up and down to the Col de Bavella (1218m). The pass itself is not remarkable, marked most noticeably by clumps of day hikers shading themselves under the few trees still breathing at this altitude. The real attraction of the pass lies in the panoramic views of the Aiguilles de Bavella, with its spiny granite rock formations soaring high to the heavens from earth -- a natural rampart for the town of Zonza and location for several day hikes. I soak in the scenery, taking a horizontal position on the subalpine meadow and watch a cloud transform from hawk to elephant before it fades completely........ finally, my muscles relax. My brain continues to churn, plotting the next week, month and year for a future Ride Strong Bike Tours trip.
Geographically challenged, I decide to ride a route I read about in reverse -- starting with the loop day first, the last day second, busing half of the penultimate day, skipping the optional side tour and combining Days 2 and 4 -- giving me just enough time to bike Day 1 last and pick up my excess belongings in Ajaccio. With any luck, I could then catch the afternoon train back to Calvi for the International Jazz Festival. It is settled -- tomorrow the coast awaits.
Back at the flat, I prance from room to room, taking the rare opportunity to do some much needed grooming -- tomorrow is a beach day after all! Feeling sexier than usual, I exchange my Teva's for my jeweled thongs and enjoy a balmy evening dining al fresco on the first Salmon fillet since San Diego and a half bottle of Corsican rouge wine.
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