The road to Ventoux - Part 18
The Ventoux3 challenge is raising money for the Out of the Blues charity at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/outoftheblues.
Well, it is all starting to feel a bit more real. I have received my “brevit” card through the post from the Club des Cingles du Mont-Ventoux. This is a card that I have to get stamped at each of the villages at the start of the three climbs and at the top. The Founding President of the club, Christian Pic says in an enclosed message: “Nuts is not the one who climbs Ventoux, but really nuts is the one who does it again”. You can see why he called the club “the crazies of Mont Ventoux! Helpfully a rule for the challenge is to attached a sign indicating that you are attempting the challenge to your bike, so that people can laugh at the ridiculousness of what you are attempting. Apparently, to get a stamp at the summit, you have to buy a drink there. It might be needing several, including a large class of the very fine Cote du Ventoux red wine. Kiera Knightly has a vineyard on the slopes and makes quite a nice one…..
Don’t forget the www.NorthernMentalHealth.org site that provides a wealth of advice around dealing with isolation, self-management of anxiety and depression. Please have a look at the site and share it with others – there is something there for everybody.
I wish everybody the very best and I hope you all stay healthy. Whatever your situation, try to make exercise of one sort or another a part of your daily/weekly routine. If you want to get involved in the Ventoux3 for Out of the Blues challenge in any way, then drop me an email at hamish.mcallister-williams@newcastle.ac.uk. The dates are now confirmed as the 2nd or 3rd June, with a reserve day of the 4th. The exact day will be weather determined.
Hamish McAllister-Williams