One island, 17 days, and 20 bicyclers - Corsica, Corse!

June 2016, Pam and Bill embarked on a bicycle adventure to a far away island where residents speak Corsican, and sometimes French or English. Many are proud of their heritage and while the island is part of France, there is still small percentage that wish to be independent. That independent voice is often displayed as a graffiti slogan or the crossing out of the French spelling of the city. Yet the people are friendly and welcoming. 

       The island terrain is mountainous and rugged. Varying from desert to almost tropical. Snow still adorned the highest peaks, and the Mediterranean Sea was turquoise blue. Roads along the Mediterranean were generally mild to 4% grades, while inland mountain passes averaged 6 to 9% grade.

       11 of the days, we rode from town to town arriving at our new hotel. 5 times we had a 2 night stay with an optional ride available, or you could hike or wander the town on the day off. Many of the coastal towns had a Citadel (a fortified city) from the old days if fighting off invaders. Some citadels were abandoned as the need was no longer required, while others had thriving cities within the walls.  

      Ordering food was a challenge, if you didn't speak French or the Corsican version, and wild boor was always recommended.  Sometimes a "hamburger" was a couple slices of cured pig meat with goat cheese and tomatoes on a bun.  Fortunately, breakfast and dinner were typically part of the hotel package for us.

       Our group consisted of 20 riders including the ride leaders. While everyone set their own pace, we often would see each other on the ride at the lunch spot or a scenic overlook. Some even went exploring off the route to get bonus kilometers.  In the end, we all agreed.  It was a beautiful island and a unforgettable experience.