I earned 387 exercise points today!

Left: this is the view I WALKED up to in Castellane. The chapel (below) is behind me as I took this photo.

When the cyclists went on their merry way this morning -- today is their last day of cycling -- I decided I needed to get some physical activity, too. Weight Watchers suggests some exercise each day, for which you are awarded “points” -- just as we keep track of our food with points. I suspect most people who follow the plan earn between 3-10 points each day, depending upon the amount and intensity of their exercise. I usually rack up about six points a day. For the hike I took this morning before leaving Castellane, I awarded myself 387 points, which means I can eat 96 croissants today (which I fully intend to do.)

The hike was up the “hill” behind our hotel to a chapel (naturally; the French won’t hike up a hill for, say, a McDonald’s.) I counted 4,792,832 steps to the top on a trail that was comprised of pellet-size gravel, medium-sized rocks with sharp edges, and big round marble rocks coated with Astroglide. I believe the trail is tended to by the town’s Orthopedists, which is just as well, since I almost fell and broke my ankle 27 times.

But I made it, as you can see in the photos.

Fast forward several hours. I met Brad for a delightful lunch (steak tartare, pomme frites, lemon tart) in the perched village of Gourdon. To read about Gourdon, click here: http://www.gourdon-france.com/uk/uk_decouvrir.html

Now we’re in Vence, (in French, it’s pronounced “vahnce”) but I have agreed to drive one of the cyclists to Nice this afternoon to pick up his wife who is joining him for an extended vacation. Two other cyclists have asked to go along so they can “dip a toe in the Mediterranean,” which is fine with me. We must be back in Vence by 8 p.m. for our “farewell dinner.” (The cyclists leave tomorrow. Brad and I stay here through Tuesday morning -- Weight Watchers is Monday night -- and then we drive to Aix-en-Provence.)

I have a terrific internet connection here (for a change) so I’ll post the photos from yesterday (including the “Libyan flag”) -- before this post -- along with those from the hike up the “hill” in Castellane.

Thanks for your comments and e-mails...this is only fun when I think somebody is actually reading it!