It's not that the keyboards scared me off...

I just haven't seen an open internet cafe in several days!

Greetings from Sault, best known for its lavender, porc, and proximity to Mont Ventoux, a climb that is often tackled by professional racers in the Tour de France and the Dauphine Libere... in fact, that race is heading up there today! I rode up it yesterday and was thinking about sticking around to watch the professionals ride up it today, but that would mean sitting around for an entire day (they don't arrive here until the afternoon) to watch 5 minutes of excitement.

My time in France has been more enjoyable and interesting than I had hoped! I've seen amazing caves, ancient Roman bridges, aqueducts, arenas, and amphitheatres. In Avignon I saw the former home of the pope and other beautiful bridges. In Arles and St. Remy de Provence I visited the old haunts of Van Gogh, including two hospitals where he lived.

I've seen more wineries qnd vineyards than you can count, ridden through hills that remind me of Vermont and New Hampshire, and endless cute villages filled with people walking with baguettes in their hands.

Both times that I've pulled out a map in a small French town, an old man on a bike (with bread in his panniers) has stopped to offer his assistance. (They were different old men... I think...)

Both times that I've stayed a bit outside town, my hosts have offered me a ride into town so I could get dinner (even though it was only about a mile and I obviously have a bike...)

But my favorite hosts of all, of course, were Olivier and Isabelle in the small town near the Grotte de Demoiselle (the most fantqstic caves I've seen). They're cycle tourists who visit q different country every year in their off season (January). While they were busy serving ,others day dinner to their guests, I got to look at their pictures from their New Zealand and Vietnam trips. They also charged me far less than they should have for delightful accommodations (including a kitchen and large dining area that I had all to myself).

Oddly enough, the first woman I interacted with in France (at a bakery just north of the Spanish border) was a bit unfriendly, but since then everyone has been great. OK, OK, there was also that one woman at the hotel in Chateauneuf de Pape who gave me directions to the parking lot that only made sense for a car (that is, she had me bike downhill and uphill for about a mile instead of just walking on the sidewalk for 25 meters), but I'll chalk that one up to ignorance.

Yesterday was one of the highlights of the trip... on my way into Sault I ended up riding with a Belgian cyclist (Jurgen) and he even joined me for the ride up Ventoux! (25 km and about 1100 vertical meters of climbing). He had climbed it several times in the past and had knew the route well. And then after we parted ways and I headed into my hotel, I ran into two Swiss cycle tourists who happaned to be arriving at the same time. They later invited me to join them for dinner... and as it was the first time in two weeks that I had had dinner with anyone, I didn't hesitate to accept. I had a really great time eating and chatting with them about cycling, Europe, France, America, food, and everything else. Thanks, Pieter and Beat, for a great time!

Well, the morning is already getting quite warm (it's 10 a.m.), so it's time for me to start heading towards Italy! I should be there in 2 or 3 days...