This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Read on for the video and Seb's excellent story Mavic Trans Provence 2012 Day 2 from Trans-Provence on Vimeo There is no man who could possibly describe what happened today The assembled Trans-Provence riders are spilt into two groups of 35 riders The first “wave” of riders were sent out of the camp at seven o’clock in the morning The second group was supposed to follow one hour later so the second group of riders were over an hour late to leave the camp on this second day of the race This one hour was all it took to turn a beautiful most exhilarating and utterly exhausting days riding I have ever experienced I remember Jon Cancellier beaming to me with a shit eating grin just minutes later three dozen Trans-Provence riders would be wishing to their god and their holy other that they were any place on earth other than that barren mountain top I was hiking just 20 yards behind Jerome Clementz as I approached the saddle and the start of Special Stage 4 He turned to me and we both silently communicated that now was the time to get off this mountain top because all hell was about to break loose I watched him drop into the trail and disappear into the gloom as loud as anything you’d hear during the fourth of July by turning into a punishing shower of hail Those of us already on the mountain top who were readying ourselves to drop into the “race” all looked at one other with fear before pour ourselves into the trail As we bleeped ourselves into the belaise I looked back and pondered the fortunes of the riders behind me Things were not deteriorating fast—they were instantly turning to trouble I decided there was nothing any of us could do to help one another other than get off this mountain as fast as possible which had turned to a river within 60 seconds I wasn’t looking for fractions of a second or seconds but as thunder rolled constantly (I’ve never heard a continuous roll of thunder that lasted thirty minutes) and my body temperature plummeted to North Sea dunking levels I wanted out of there and knew that risking it all for a shot at the overall prize was not worth the overall prize of my life I have never subjected myself to such extreme conditions on my bike I got to the end of the stage and the other riders who had finished before me were huddled under the cover of a thorn bush which afforded them as much actual coverage as a cabbage strainer we looked at each other and just muttered the few words we could “Let’s get the fuck out of here Yet another muddy baptism on the way to the day\'s finish As we attempted to pedal out we were forced to cross a mudslide that had materialized out of nowhere There was no option other than to attempt to wade into fast flowing river of dark custard that spilled across the road the lighting kept striking and we all took another step closer to becoming hypothermic Amongst the maelstrom the distance between Special Stage One and Two went awfully quick By the time we approached Special Stage Two we were more than ready to check out so we tagged the bleeper and sent it into the sludgy the trail became fun and afforded a glimpse of happiness amongst the madness when the final obstacle of the stage was to cross a raging torrent of a flood creek At the feeding stage – only 17 kilometers into the 48-kilometer day – stories were swapped and tales were told Hot coffee--perfect for getting some warmth back into a near-hypothermic body all with massive shit-eating grins that said “I did Day Two of the 2012 Trans-Provence and survived” I knew we could help each other go on Only 25 kilometers were left until Special Stage 7 (Special Stage 6 being cancelled due to Murphy having his way) especially as they followed the Morning To End All Mornings and they eventually led to another 8-kilometer downhill and then a 5-kilometer commute to beers that 25-kilometer stretch included an unholy amount of hike-a-bike and enough water-color vistas to see us through the rest of our lives knife-edge singletrack with whiplash-inducing switchbacks And absolutely at odds with the nine types of hell we endured in the morning Despite the morning\'s wet weather racers enjoyed miles of amazing singletrack during the second half on Day Two\'s stage This is only day two and my mind has been blown Today is a day I will not forget for a long time but the pure survival aspect of it and the camaraderie I feel I shared an experience with several dozen people that none of us will ever forget I feel I could see these same people in 30 years time and we would recall tales of lightning-dodging but suffered a puncture on Special Stage 1 (the biblical storm stage) Then a huge crash claimed his trousers on Special Stage 2 most expected Clementz to be way down the rankings went for stage domination on Special Stage 7 and at day’s end he was only bumped back to second place overall John Cancellier came across him on the trail waving his trousers above his head and smiling rather than feeling bitterly beaten by the racing gods and the fortune of speed he laughed and shared jokes about his whole experience beyond being the best mountain biker currently on two wheels he is perhaps one of the best humans and greatest spirits put upon this earth It is only day two and already there has been pandemonium Sleep needs to come soon because I can’t wait for tomorrow to bring more of the same Something I would not expect myself to have been saying about twelve hours earlier while on the top of Mount Storming Hell Santa Cruz Stone King Rally 2022 will take in two countries (75%in Italy 25% in France) and will take place from 28th June to 3rd July 2022 Almost two and a half years after riders rolled down off the Maritime Alps to arrive on the French Riviera and bring the curtain down on the last-ever Trans-Provence Santa Cruz can finally unveil that infamous event’s successor: the Stone King Rally Tempted? You may need to read up on our guide to the best enduro mountain bikes to contemplate a 2022 well worth preparing for Trans-Provence Rally of the Stone King Ash Smith PRESS RELEASE: “Santa Cruz Stone King Rally is the evolution of backcountry MTB enduro competition Containing the same blend of wild adventure and gravity racing excitement that Trans-Provence introduced in 2009 and refined over the course of a decade we now take things to new levels on a 100% original itinerary from the High Alps to the Mediterranean “Stone King’s truly transalpine itinerary – crossing the Alps’ central watershed not once but twice – will take in two countries and four distinct regional areas: the majestic Queyras Regional Park (France) the mystical Occitan Valleys of Piemonte (Italy) the revered coastal mountains of Liguria (Italy) “Each of these zones contains its own brand of mindblowing descents and incredible journey-style trails The inextricable link between these trails the cultural heritage and the agricultural or industrial history of each valley is critical to the spirit of a backcountry adventure like Stone King; riders will experience – in a variety of formats – a thread of associated stories throughout the race and tour versions of the itinerary “Race entry is limited to 100 riders and will take place on Tuesday 30th November 2021.” The ocean marks the end of the Trans-Provence (Image credit: Macky Franklin)Wood-fired pizza oven oh yeah!(Image credit: Macky Franklin)One of the other EWS races I raced was the Crankworx round in B.C (Image credit: Phil Martin)4th overall at the 2014 Big Mountain Enduro Series(Image credit: Phil Martin)Gotta love the riding in Moab!(Image credit: Colt Maule)This in the view you should always have when pre-riding!(Image credit: Macky Franklin)Day five of the Trans-Provence(Image credit: Fay Jordan) This was my home for the week of Trans-Provence (Image credit: Macky Franklin)After traveling most of the summer in the van it was a bit of a shock to be back in the Rockmelon(Image credit: Syd Schulz)Tomorrow I fly back to New Mexico after my first trip to Europe in 12 years I’ve spent the last four weeks traveling between France and Italy meeting great people and racing some of the biggest enduro races of the season The lead up to my trip was similarly crazy From the Big Mountain Enduro series finals in Moab Syd (who finished fifth overall in the series) Sean and I (fourth overall in the series) headed back to Taos We spent a day emptying and cleaning the Sprinter van then Sean headed to Tennessee Three days later we loaded up the Rockmelon (my little orange car) and headed to Crested Butte After five hard days of racing at the Crested Butte Ultra Enduro (I finished sixth and Syd finished eighth) we drove to Durango and the next morning flew to Las Vegas for Interbike After five days of having (good) wrenches thrown into our sponsorship plans for next year (more on that when things are finalized) we headed back to Taos Then we had another four days to pack before I flew to France to race and Syd flew to Italy for the Breadloaf writer’s conference My first race of the trip was the Trans-Provence This is the best-known multi-day enduro stage race in the world and it did not disappoint Over the course of the six-day race we climbed over 7,700 meters (25,000 feet) and descended over 13,700 (44,500 feet) and rode more than 250 kilometers (150 miles) The trails destroyed equipment and left many racers excluding the racers who had raced it in the past everyone was racing it blind (without pre-riding) This meant that I had to balance racing against riding cautiously because a mistake could mean anything from a shredded tire to a helicopter evacuation rockier and slower than most of the trails in the US and it’s clear to me that these things are weaknesses in my riding I struggled to carry speed through the tight steep switchbacks and regularly chose poor lines through the rocky sections which resulted in numerous mechanicals and crashes These issues cost me over 30 minutes and destroyed any chance of a top-10 finish (which was what I was shooting for) The first day I had a bad crash on the last stage of the day and pulled my hamstring I was able to finish the stage but the injury bothered me for the next five days and subsequent crashes further aggravated it despite some top-10 finishes on individual stages From Trans-Provence I headed to Finale Ligure, Italy for the Enduro World Series finals The trails in Finale were also technical but in a very different way There were some tight switchbacks but the dirt wasn’t as loose and most of the trails weren’t as rocky Instead we had to thread our way through tight trees and try to find the fastest line through (or over) large rock features The race was comprised of six stages spread over two days and unlike the other EWS races I raced this year there were no assisted transfers (shuttles or chairlifts) so we pedaled over 90 kilometers (55 miles) carrying everything we needed to compete I finished the first three stages without any major issues and finished 104th I was close to 10% behind the leaders (fairly standard for me at the EWS races) on all three and went into the fourth stage ranked 90th out of the 250 or so pro men Unfortunately I took an EXTREMELY poor line on the fourth stage and crashed burping about half the air out of my front tire in the process I hopped back on my bike and continued to race but eventually rolled the tire because of the low pressure crashed again and was forced to run the rest of the stage This put me in 217th for the stage and lost me multiple minutes putting me comfortably outside of a good result The next day I had two solid runs and finished 98th and 86th I was surprised to learn that I still finished 122nd While in Finale, I stayed at the Ciapin Mountain Bike Lodge It’s a cool little lodge located about 15 minutes from Finale Ligure with riding just outside the gate and five sheep roaming the property as the living lawnmowers There’s a wood-fired pizza over (which I obviously took advantage of) and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a bike-related vacation in that part of the world who had both competed in the Roc Marathon race I’m looking forward to being back in the US for a couple of months now while Syd Then we’re headed back to New Zealand to work on our steep technical switchbacks and prepare for the first round of the Enduro World Series in Rotorua in March 2015 Mountain bike racer Macky Franklin hails from Taos New Mexico but has a difficult time answering the question "Where do you live?" Spending most of his time on the road chasing summer or traveling to race he generally answers "my little orange car" After holding a cross country pro's license for six years Read this blog to follow Franklin throughout the 2014 season as he races four of the seven Enduro World Series races When Franklin was 13 and learning to ride clipless pedals he was given the "Turtle Award" as the rider who spent the most time on his back he has moved past that stage and is now focusing his energies on learning to corner like a downhiller Visit his website at www.mackyfranklin.com PARIS -- The saucer-shaped object is said to have touched down in the south of France and then zoomed off It left behind scorch marks and that haunting This is just one of the cases from France's secret "X-Files" -- about 100,000 documents on supposed UFOs and sightings of other unexplained phenomena that the French space agency is publishing on the Internet France is the first country to put its entire weird-sightings archive online who leads the space agency's UFO cell -- the Group for Study and Information on Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena Their oldest recorded sighting dates from 1937 The first batch of archives went up on the agency's Web site this week The archive includes police and expert reports witness sketches (some are childlike doodlings) The archive has about 1,650 cases and 6,000 witness accounts said it is making the files public to draw the scientific community's attention to unexplained cases and because their secrecy generated suspicions that officials were hiding something "The great danger would be to leave the field open to sects and charlatans." He said many cases were unexplained lights in the sky "Only 20 to 30" could be classified as "Objet Volant Non Identifie" -- UFOs that appeared to be physical objects France's wartime hero who became president there was a wave of sightings of phenomena in France and it went up to the highest levels of state study it to see if something needs to be done,' " Patenet said hundreds of sightings occurred in several months but generally 50 to 100 are reported each year Only 9 percent of France's strange phenomena have been fully explained Experts found likely reasons for 33 percent and 30 percent could not be identified for lack of information The most baffling were labeled "Class D aerospace phenomena." About 28 percent of sightings fall into this category Patenet singled out the January 1981 case of the saucer-shaped object that a witness said he saw land in Trans-en-Provence the zinc-colored object made a whistling noise as it landed The witness later drew a picture: It resembled a wok with a lid and legs "The machine stayed a few seconds on the ground and then left very quickly but it left marks that were analyzed and allowed us to determine that the ground had been heated up that the object must have weighed several hundred kilos and that surrounding plants underwent biological changes," said Patenet (One kilogram is equal to about 2.2 pounds.) The agency said everything in the archive would be published except for psychological reports about witnesses and their names France — At least 19 people were killed in flash floods that hit the back hills of the French Riviera and turned streets into rivers of surging This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025 audio and/or video material shall not be published rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use The AP will not be held liable for any delays errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing free from the trades and other publications that are part of the tinsel town machine Showbiz411.com has been covering Hollywood the music business and the business of celebrity but contributions (not tax exempt) from readers who enjoy the scoops and fact based reports are always welcome and very appreciated I’m the first to tell you I am out of my depth writing about trans anything I’m respectful of all the different aspects Last night I clicked on a film called “A Good Man” on the TIFF Digital press site I thought it was a new Anthony Hopkins film because of a press release I’d received several times concerning Sir Anthony and the word “Good” in the title What I got was a French film that seemed to be about a young attractive heterosexual couple in Provence They’d moved to a house by the seaside because it was easier than living in the city of Aix in Provence It took a while before it dawned on me that something else was happening But when the couple went to see their ob/gyn about having children I got it: the husband announced he would carry the child I immediately went to the imdb to see what was going on (The TIFF site purposely gives little information about the plot and the actors.) There was little information except that Benjamin “Portrait of a Lady on Fire.” Benjamin’s girlfriend was played by someone named Soko Because Benjamin had a closely trimmed beard that certainly looked real to me it still took me few a synapses to put the puzzle together I don’t know what trans people will say about “A Good Man,” but I found it extraordinarily moving The lead actresses do as good work as I’ve ever seen Merlant is mind blowing in conveying — especially to a viewer as clueless as me — textures of emotion both male and female The director-writer Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar and her co-writer Christian Sonderegger should be commended on all levels for peeling back this story like an onion (There’s one great moment when Soko returns from shopping for a small crib only to find that Benjamin has made one She is stunned: what place is there for her in this arrangement?) I don’t know how they paid for “A Good Man” — there’s one production company listed I do hope Sony Pictures Classics take a look at it and France considers it as their Oscar entry I don’t know if a movie has ever covered this subject “A Good Man” was announced as a selection of the 2020 Cannes Film Festival that didn’t happen It just shows that Thierry Fremaux and his staff have excellent taste If this had played in Cannes it would have been the talk of the Croisette Showbiz411 is now in its 13th year of providing breaking and exclusive entertainment news unlike the many Hollywood trades that are owned by one company To continue providing news that takes a fresh look at what's going on in movies Reader donations would be greatly appreciated They are just another facet of keeping fact based journalism alive.Thank you either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content government acknowledged the existence of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) nothing's been attributed to extraterrestrial activity—but nothing's been ruled out One hundred forty three of the 144 UFOs reported by military planes remain unexplained The last 75 years have been rife with similar reports from across the globe some of which might get even the toughest cynics wondering what's really out there fighter pilots engaging with a super-speed giant Tic Tac-shaped aircraft in 2004 to an Italian stadium full of fans viewing an oval saucer raining metallic glitter a half century earlier Pilot Kenneth Arnold was flying his private plane when he saw a flash of light then an object he described as looking "like a saucer." It was moving at incomprehensible speed along the side of the mountain He reported them as "unidentified flying objects" and the description stuck fighter pilots engaged with a white aircraft shaped like a massive Tic Tac and moving three times faster than the speed of sound "I have no idea what I saw," Commander David Fravor said of the encounter wings or rotors and outran our F-18s." He added that he wanted to fly one Police Sergeant Lonnie Zamora was driving down a dirt road when he saw the "egg-shaped craft" peeking out from an arroyo he thought it was a car in need of help; however he then saw a blue flame and heard a loud roar Five tourists later reported seeing the craft in flight Hundreds of people in the region reported seeing a glowing red-orange object soar through the sky every night for several months Often described as "mischievous" and "playful," the UFO was affectionately nicknamed Charlie Redstar Charlie inspired a summer of UFO watch parties in fields across Manitoba 13,500 people claimed to have witnessed silent each with three orange headlights—a type of UFO completely different from previous reports which showed unusual activity during the sightings Renato Nicolaï was working on his farm when he heard an odd whistling sound Then he saw a disc-shaped object take off and disappear above the treeline leaving burn marks on the ground where it sat An investigation was done by France's special UFO-hunting team which claimed the ground had been heated to over 500°F Play was put on pause at a soccer game at the Artemio Franchi Stadium as thousands of spectators went silent midgame Several were pointing to a large oval in the sky that was emitting a strange material—one fan described it as raining silver glitter After multiple people reported a metallic object bounding through the sky Lieutenant Yaddi Nazeri engaged it in a high-speed air chase in what is known as the "Tehran UFO Incident." The UFO won this time They only came back to life once he returned to ground "It is hovering and it is not an aircraft." These were the last words 20-year-old pilot Frederick Valentich said before he and his plane disappeared forever All he left behind was a radio dispatch in which he describes the mysterious flying vessel "playing a game" with him Newsletters in your inbox See all 2019Trans-Provence was the original alpine mountain bike enduro-style event and quickly built a reputation for being an incredible adventure that was grueling on both body and bike Simply finishing each of the six days was no easy feat and required a combination of fitness—both physical and mental—and high-performing You may have noticed my conspicuous use of the past tense I was lucky enough to participate in the last ever TP and while my weekend warrior status meant I wasn't exactly in Olympic shape an appropriately outfitted bike and gear bag played a massive part in getting me to the finish line we climbed about 30,000 feet and descended about 75,000 over the course of some 190 miles That came after roughly 7-10 hours of saddle time six days in a row so needless to say I became fairly familiar with the ins-and-outs of everything on my bike and back The following isn't a complete list of everything I used but rather is composed of some of the most standout and/or favorite pieces of gear I shuttled back and forth across the pond for perhaps the hardest and most rewarding week I've had on a bike many different types of trails bike and body had to endure over the course of the race For more on the story and experience of Trans-Provence itself, click here. Otherwise The Bike: Santa Cruz MegatowerSatchel Cronk Holding On: Maxxis Assegai and DHR IISatchel Cronk 2.5-inch Assegai EXO+Satchel Cronk I'll take a weight penalty in exchange for confident downhill performance Hence the Super Deluxe Coil bolted down in back I've spent significant time on both air- and coil-sprung Megatowers and while an air shock makes the bike more playful the small-bump-sensitivity and absolute bashability of the coil is hard to not absolutely love on a bike like this Additional weight I decided to ignore in favor of near-paranoid preparedness include a Blackburn Switch Wrap Tool Kit and a Specialized bottle cage with SWAT multi-tool for quick adjustments (as well as a full multi-tool in my backpack Little stem, big fun.Satchel Cronk Thanks to my aforementioned long legs and short torso I'm often on a bike that fits my legs I also value a particular combination of playfulness and confidence that means I like a bigger but want to be able to throw it around as much as possible I've found the best recipe for that meal to be a big bike with a short stem shortest stem I've found is Pacenti Cycle Design's P-Dent handlebar and stem Thanks to a dimple in the back of the bars that keeps them from contacting the steer tube the Pacenti stem is able to deliver an awesomely short 25-millimeter length and is simply more fun than handling a bike with a longer stem I took it off my personal bike to reign in the Megatower and it's going back on it when it's time to send the Megatower back to pasture Sensus Meaty Paw GripsSatchel Cronk I've always liked slimmer grips and the extra feeling of maneuverability I get from being able to grip with a full bear hug takes a degree of pressure off of your hands and helps reduce fatigue and arm pump on rougher and ultimately played a huge role in preventing the A-Line claw as the thousands of vertical feet of descending stacked up Shimano Saint M820 PedalsSatchel Cronk A heavy-duty platform for the roughest of rides I've been smashing these pedals into rocks for about a year with no significant damage beyond the aesthetic (though beat-up metal arguably looks way cool...) With softer-soled I've found that the extra platform makes a significant difference in at least three ways the extra surface area helps guide the foot to the right spot the platform gives extra support whenever the foot moves (while cornering for example) or applies extra pressure to the pedal (in a compression or rougher section of trail) these bad boys have your back in those rare and pivotal moments when things get hectic while you aren't clipped in you're riding blind on an ancient European hiking trail and plant your foot to help pivot around a tight switchback then find yourself immediately bouncing down a rocky chute these scarred aluminum pancakes singularly saved me from sampling the dirt Troy Lee Designs Skyline Air JerseySatchel Cronk and reflected not just stages but all of the hours in between As the race neared the Mediterranean and the days got warmer my go-to jersey was this Skyline Air short sleeve stretchy polyester/spandex blend that stayed mighty comfortable over the course of a long day I'd reach for this technical long sleeve from Leatt I like having just a bit of fabric on my forearms when the days aren't too hot and this jersey strikes a nice balance between coverage and ventilation A slim fit and silicone grips at the cuffs and hem help keep everything where you want it Holding It All Together: Cambelbak M.U.L.E. LR 15Satchel Cronk Giro Havoc H2O JacketSatchel Cronk and haven't worn any that feature additional padding or protection in years I was getting significantly more arm pump and hand fatigue than usual perhaps because of how many hours I was spending training in rough terrain Leatt's DBX 1.0 gloves fit into this puzzle perfectly They aren't the very thinnest gloves I've worn but are minimal enough to keep me plenty happy and feature a padded palm that does just enough to lessen vibrations the Meaty Paw grips and ever-exceptional Fox 36 fork my hands were well taken care of over the course of many a long Troy Lee Designs Ace 2.0 ShortsSatchel Cronk these simple yet effective shorts are some of my favorites when comfort is key Mad Alchemy Dark Matter Purifying Chamois CreamSatchel Cronk I'll keep this simple and recommend some kind of good chamois cream for anyone planning to spend fifty-some hours on a bike in a week Mad Alchemy's particular concoction features activated charcoal that battles dirt and bacteria I've spent two years beating these shorts down They've held up through countless scrapes with branches and the plentiful pockets hold whatever assortment of items I'm carrying when riding I'll admit that they've stiffened and discolored just a bit after so many hours of faithful service but not enough to keep me from reaching for them ride after ride Leatt Airflex Pro Knee PadsSatchel Cronk Giro Chamber II Clipless ShoesSatchel Cronk the Chamber II's are perfect for my style on the trail; whether I'm spinning up or tramping through the bushes to shoot a photo Proven during everything that was Trans-Provence Enduro racing was originally a "blind" racing format where unlike downhill or cross-country competitions racers could not pre-ride and learn every detail of the timed stages organizers have added practice runs to the schedule Pre-riding the course is supposed to even out the advantage of local riders or racers who have raced the same event previously The newly-formed World Enduro Series has stated that practice days will be included in the race schedule in 2013 I asked Anne Caroline Chausson what her take on practice for Enduro is “It is like DH – there is no discovery and instead it becomes about analyzing lines with this format you need more time – what with practice days – so for riders it means more time off work With the classic style of Enduro [no practice] you go for the weekend discover and get the purity of racing.” “It makes sense here because there are thousands of old trails hidden trails that have overgrown and been forgotten Organizers around here often go out and discover old trails cut back the overgrowth and set stages upon them Even for locals it is extremely hard to know every track and trail.” Ash Smith sees why it has to be this way and this is why the six-day Mavic Trans-Provence can retain the spirit of the origins of Enduro rather than becoming too serious about line choice and memorizing problems In the above video we see Ash Smith out on the trails in Provence scoping out new terrain and singletrack to put into future Trans-Provence routes but he also wants to keep providing the racers at his event with new experiences and fresh delights After completing the 2012 Trans-Provence I can honestly say that there is no way anyone could pre-ride and remember all 300 kilometers of trail – this was demonstrated when on the last stage of the 2011 Mavic Trans-Provence race leader Nico Vouilloz got lost on the trails closest to his own backyard resulting in him losing the general classification victory If I was lucky enough to return in 2013 then it would still be as fresh as the first time round There can be no local’s advantage and just the raw thrill of trying to ride as fast as you can on never-before-seen trails It’s exhilarating and truly undiluted racing Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker and flashing lights over New Jersey — for decades people around the world have looked up at the skies and reported mysterious unidentified objects (UFOs) But are these sightings signs of alien visitation A recent New York Times investigation found that the Pentagon had funded a program to answer just that question The program found several reports of aircraft that seemed to travel at high speeds and have no signs of propulsion The object seemed to be traveling at high speeds was surrounded by a glowing halo and was rotating as it moved "There's a whole fleet of them," the Times reported the mysterious object accelerated "faster than I'd ever seen anything in my life," Fravor said is convinced that the source of the object was extraterrestrial Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox high-pitched sound before seeing a flying saucer nearby The lead-colored UFO took off almost immediately formerly called Groupe d'Études et d'Informations sur les Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non-identifiés (GEPAN) said the chemical evidence was consistent with heating of the soil and pressure from a heavy object They also found traces of zinc and phosphate and evidence of abnormalities in the plants nearby skeptics said the smooshed plants could have been caused by tires and cars had been heard traveling in the area around the same time as the farmer's sighting another explanation is that the French military was testing an experimental craft was looking at the sky with his family in Athens when he noticed what looked like an orange glowing orb moving rapidly overhead [at] right about 90 degrees of elevation," the man reported to the NUFORC a group of three similar objects followed the same flight path two more objects flew along that same route The objects gave off no sound and seemed to glow from atmospheric heating He and his family attempted to record the objects using their iPhones Another report from the NUFORC came from an airline captain who was flying between Los Angeles and Portland when he noticed glowing blue lights over Mount Shasta in California that appeared much brighter than the stars typically do in the area "The two lights were approximately an inch apart in the windscreen and the size of normal stars," the captain noted in a report "one of the 'stars' just dimmed out over about a 10-second time span followed by the other one dimming out completely in about 10 seconds also." The lights were stationary, so they were not falling stars or satellites, he said. [UFO Quiz: What's Really Out There]  The lights also appeared to be far above the level of the plane which was flying at 38,000 feet (11,580 m) For every unexplained sighting, there are dozens that turn out to be military flares, weird cloud formations, weather phenomena or elaborate hoaxes GEPAN's database suggests that only 7 percent of all supposed UFO sightings are truly unexplained In the 1940s, the U.S. Air Force began investigating UFO sightings, and that program, called Project Blue Book logged more than 12,000 reported sightings before it was shuttered in 1969 Most of those Project Blue Book sightings were ultimately explained the people involved in the program were skeptical that these cases were true alien sightings or completely unknown physical phenomena "If more immediate, detailed, objective data on the unknowns had been available, probably these, too, could have been explained," a report in the Project Blue Book archive noted the fact that human factors are involved — in particular rather than accurate scientific data — it's likely impossible to eliminate all unidentified sightings Originally published on Live Science Tia GhoseSocial Links NavigationManaging EditorTia is the managing editor and was previously a senior writer for Live Science Her work has appeared in Scientific American She holds a master's degree in bioengineering from the University of Washington a graduate certificate in science writing from UC Santa Cruz and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin Tia was part of a team at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that published the Empty Cradles series on preterm births including the 2012 Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism Did the James Webb telescope really find evidence of alien life Dyson spheres could really exist — but there's a catch You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience Promoting races is something that folks do because they want to Either they see the benefit for the larger mountain bike community or to the trails and towns in a particular location Once all of the non-volunteer staff are paid Trans BC (British Columbia, Canada) and Trans New Zealand organizer, Megan Rose, participated in scads of multi-day cross-country races around the globe before deciding to throw her own shindig, and her research seems to have paid off. She wanted to root her Canadian race in a part of BC that didn’t already have an established event, and in 2014 she kicked off the BC Enduro Series Single day events were not her primary aim but she threw herself in helmet first and learned everything there was to know about running a well-attended race In 2015 she kicked off the first Trans New Zealand 5-day enduro race, which she knew was more in line with her passion for racing and event creation. Throughout that year Megan continued to manage the BC Enduro series, as well as the Trans New Zealand race, all while sowing the seeds for the larger Trans BC race the following year The longtime Canadian transplant was living in BC at the time and put a massive amount of effort into developing the relationships that have made the Trans BC event possible Megan handed the reigns of the BC Enduro Series over to Ted Morton who eventually took the series over entirely She had two multi-day enduro events to plan and manage We recently had the chance to chat with her about both of the events and how you can prepare yourself for a multi-day trail festival in the forest What initially inspired you to put on multi-day enduro events I used to race 4-7 day adventure races around the world and participant in multi-day XC races so I think this is where the thought initially spurred from I wanted to put on multi-day events in some of the best locations for mountain biking to provide the opportunity to showcase my hometown places for others around the world [So they could] experience what we have since I was able to experience other peoples’ hometown places through the events I had participated in the past What are some valuable things you have learned while running these events?  You have to be in it for the love of it.  I have loved every bit of it and mostly the people I’ve connected with along the way Making an event too serious takes all the fun away Keep it simple and provide those core aspects What is unique about the Trans BC and Trans New Zealand races?  It’s been super exciting creating these two events not based around the ‘racing’ aspect Riders from around the world just want an excuse to explore and visit new places to ride These two Trans races provide that platform to visit a location without having to organize a thing I’ve tried to keep the format super chill and non-race like but I have never purposely invited pros to come to the event or offered them incentives of free or discounted entries as I never wanted the events to be about that or [about] attracting more viewers because the pros are involved I wanted it to be about the everyday riders where we all go ride bikes on sick trails in the woods every day It’s about racing your buddies and the riders pushing their own limits with them all coming out as better riders at the end of the week with a ton of stories to tell I think this concept really resonates with a lot of people What are some of your favorite races to compete in around the globe?  I would totally be following the Trans races around the world if I could meeting new people and being in more “chill” events But unfortunately a lot of the other Trans races clash with the ones I put on However this year I got to do Trans Madiera and I’m heading to Trans Sierra Norte I like to choose events in locations I have never been to before I have done Trans Savoie and Trans Cascadia in the past too yeah I guess I have got to most of them at some point How do you train to compete in a Trans BC/NZ race Do you have a recommended regiment or program?  I would say 80% of riders that come to Trans BC/NZ don’t really follow a set training program I think the most important part when preparing for either of these races is just to get out there and ride as much as possible “long” day a week to get used to being out there for the extended periods or a few back to back bigger days leading closer to the event use ‘training’ for the event as an excuse to explore your hometown area more Be creative with finding and creating new adventures close in your area or do some smaller trips a month or two out these races are about exploring new locations and pushing your limits with friends So just get on your bike and ride with your friends What is the perfect bike for your events?  Trans NZ would be anything from 140-160mm front and 130-160mm rear based on preference Trans BC you would want 160-170mm front and 150-160mm rear to have the best time How should riders prepare their bikes for 5-6 days of enduro racing Arrive to the event with fresh brake pads (or at least bring a spare set with you) have a fresh set of tires on (suitable for the terrain you are about to ride) make sure your chain isn’t more than 3 months old make sure your brakes have had a recent top up of fluid or you know they are in full working order then get it serviced by your local bike shop Let them know you are about to do a 6-day stage race so they can check all the above points and if your bike is more than a year old make sure they check the drivetrain is all still good and nothing needs replacing before you start What other extra components or clothing should folks pack?  Both events are in the mountains where the weather can turn in an instant We have had years where day one is snowing and at freezing level then by day 4 it’s hot and 30° Celsius (86° F) Bring a spare derailleur hanger suitable for your bike and anything else that might be specific for your bike that might be hard to get on the fly in these small mountain towns We provide a lot at Trans BC and NZ to save people flying with all the tools and extra things that are awkward and heavy We have ample floor pumps on hand at the start and finish of each day (and good ones we have plenty of lube for every day and every rider and we have a full professional tool kit that the riders can access when needed What are some things that first-time racers are surprised by?  It really is just a party on the bike for 6 days How helpful and friendly all the other riders are to each other All the people you meet from around the world but I feel those nerves are quickly washed away once they settle into the chill vibe with super helpful people around them What percentage (roughly) of the field is typically racing At a guess maybe 10% racing and 90% riding for fun But that is talking about those “really racing and wanting to do well.” Everyone is still racing and pushing limits Then there is a high percentage that are just there to race their buddies How are you encouraging more women to race?  This question might have just opened my eyes to think that maybe I am not doing my best or my part to encourage more women to race and that I should be I have heard through the grapevine that being a women putting on the events has been enough in itself to encourage women to do Trans NZ and Trans BC but that wasn’t anything I have intentionally done So this has opened my eyes that maybe I need to do more I will let one big secret out though…yes both events are lottery entries but I make sure I allocate a set amount of spots for women riders and to be honest I make sure they get allocated a spot (as long as their application convinces me they are up for the challenge) There have been some applications that come through that I question if they are ready so I chat with them to get a better idea of their background and make sure they know what they are signing up for and some have decided not to do it after that chat I want to make sure that if someone signs up (male or female) they are ready for the event the most important thing is that every rider has fun when they come and doesn’t hate the experience because they weren’t ready for it I would like to know from other fellow female riders The women numbers have been dropping each year and I want to grow it back to what it was year-one or do some cycle through a few consecutive races?  They are the best riding locations with the ability to connect 6 days of riding in NZ I try to move Trans BC around as much as possible to spread the love amongst the communities not overload those communities too much too soon Because the event draws from the larger local market than NZ does (e.g it’s the first time we are repeating quite a few trails but for those I have asked who have raced it in the past I am certainly stoked to sign up for one of Megan’s events If you have participated in a Trans-(fill-in-the-blank) event please share your story in the comments below Enter your email for the top stories in mountain biking plus product picks and deals delivered to your inbox each week You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Anka Martin poses with the new Roubion all-mountain bike in the French village that serves as its namesake Anka Martin sprained her ankle on a descent during the first day of a three-day Juliana Bicycles media camp last week in the Southern French Alps True to Martin’s spirit she was equally concerned about missing the final two days riding the trails of the Trans-Provence stage race with our motley crew of female journalists as the possibility of having to sit out the upcoming Enduro World Series race in Scotland For Martin, mountain biking is about the adventure although she happens to be a badass shredder who won Trans-Provence last year and the inaugural Andes Pacifico in February has completed the arduous Cape Epic four times and is a regular Top 10 finisher in the EWS races laid-back approach to the sport that makes her an ideal ambassador and racer for Juliana Bicycles the women’s-specific spin-off of Santa Cruz Bicycles It’s a bike that was inspired after Martin’s Trans-Provence win and is named after the picturesque mountainside village of the same name that marks her favorite day of the race Anka Martin during her winning effort in last year's Trans-Provence stage race Juliana Bicycles is positioning itself to appeal to women who aspire to live and ride like Anka guides backcountry bike trips in her adopted home of Nelson and around Europe–the kinds of big adventures where she truly feels most inspired Martin had her reservations at first about moving from her longtime supporter but she’s adapted to the role with ease likely because she believes so strongly in the brand and the message it’s promoting the women’s surf brand of clothing that’s centered more around the culture of the sport than the act of catching waves “ [Juliana is] actually trying to create a lifestyle that women may possibly look up to and say ‘I want to go there.’ It’s not even the bike They’re trying to create a feeling–an emotion They’re selling something that women will see ‘I want to go and ride there or I want to go and do that.’ It’s more trying to inspire women.” The bikes labeled ‘Juliana’ are built around frames engineered and designed for Santa Cruz Bicycles and repainted and respec’d with women in mind it’s not about shortened toptubes or more compact geometry but marketing a bike and an image that will attract more female riders It’s too soon to tell whether this formula will be more or less successful than others and Martin acknowledges that the end result isn’t necessarily dependent on fit or image “If you put one model or one bike in your shop You have to convince [shop owners] to get a few in there so that when women walk in they feel like ‘Wow they really catered to us and I have a choice.’” Martin took 8th place in the first Enduro World Series race this season in Chile A career in mountain biking came relatively late for Anka a South African native who moved to Southern California in her early 20s with her now-husband and to study fashion at FIDM Institute in Los Angeles she began to yearn for her own sense of identity She bought a hardtail mountain bike to cruise the beach boardwalk in Huntington Beach and quickly found her way to some dirt trails off the side of the paved path “I was like ‘You can ride on dirt You don’t have to stick to the boardwalk?’ I met a British girl out there at the jumps she became my bike mentor and good friend and told me about a place called Big Bear Mountain,” Martin said her voice inflecting awe as she said the name of the mountain town about two hours outside of L.A She started going to the mountain every weekend to ride and by 25 traveling the country racing DH and 4X while working industry jobs to support her burgeoning race career and later turned pro as well before transitioning full-time into mountain-bike photography Anka rose to the sport’s highest level racing a few World Cups downhill races per year and representing South Africa in the World Championships but eventually the intensity of jumps and stepdowns took the fun out of it She had also grown bored of traveling to the same venues year after year but never actually being able to ride much in these beautiful locations all over the world She missed the adventure aspect that initially drew her to the sport enjoy multiple days on the bike and soak in the scenery “I like riding my bike because of where it takes me I love stopping and looking at the flowers and the trees and the bugs and the mountains where a lot of people who race don’t stop to appreciate it.” Never afraid to get a little muddy out on the course Along with the big races like Mega Avalanche she sought out local enduro races when she was in Europe with the guidance of friend and mentor Jerome Clementz one of the world’s best enduro racers once again providing Anka the opportunity to travel and compete around the world she plans to enter most of the Enduro World Series races–she finished 8th in the series kick-off last month in Chile–as well as compete in Mega Avalanche a six-day race from Val D’Isere to Mont Blanc along the French-Italian border is looking ahead to the next phase of her career as a guide for Ride House Martin the company she and Sven recently launched in Nelson The guided trips are high-end excursions to remote trails and cater to adventurous mountain bikers who are already capable riders They’ve run a few test trips and feel confident about the company’s direction And if this new chapter is anything like the rest of her career Anka’s passion and excitement will most certainly lead her down the right path Click here for photos and videos of Anka and friends shredding her home trails in New Zealand earlier this year 2011Revolutionary isn't a word to be taken lightly Attach the adjective to anything and suddenly you're brushing shoulders with things like modern medicine So when a box of purportedly revolutionary Matador beef jerky came across our desk as so many ill-targeted press packages seem to do (believe us we get everything from spiky yoga mats to offers for cold-weather shrouds for the male member) I was dubious I suppose you can't discount this "revolution" for lack of planning Who knew that they're now targeting meat snacks at "Millenials" and "Generation X" And with an 89-percent purchase interest (whatever that means) how can they go wrong but how does this "revolutionary" meat snack actually taste It turns out that our Managing Editor Brice Minnigh and Photo Editor David Reddick got their hands on the jerky before I did Minnigh could not be reached as he was already headed to the corporate office to nail his numerous demands to the boardroom door "You're having a party - maybe a house full of folks What would be the perfect little tangy mouthful to serve we tested the possibility of adding one more scenario to Utz's sales pitch—that of trade-show/race venue caloric salvation While loading our cart at WalMart on a trip for some last-minute necessities our collective impulses took over when we saw the barrel of fluorescent orange morsels at the end of the aisle and they hastily found themselves proceeding through the express checkout line we recommend an Oscar Blues Dale's Pale Ale—the orange residue sure to be left by your hands complements the can's color scheme quite nicely the Utz cheese balls proved to be quite palatable While some staffers expressed doubts about being able to polish off the entire barrel in just four days we managed to do just that with an entire day to spare After a closer inspection we were impressed to find out that the cheese balls were entirely free of hydrogenated oils and trans fats While diminishing the cheese balls' junk food resume I suppose our arteries are better off for it it even turned out the cheese balls were gluten-free to boot Should you begin to question the cheese ball's positon at the top of the food pyramid a glance at the 9th item on the ingredient list—monosodium glutamate—should be all the answer you need be prepared to build up some serious (toxic?) residue So while the cheese balls proved to be a welcome sight at each return to the Bike magazine booth they were still subject to a few downsides we're not exactly sure just how Utz achieves the brilliant neon color featured on thier signature cheese balls Our guesses ranged from black magic to plutonium-238 everyone's pants were beginnning to adopt an orange hue right along with our notepads and camera dials But would we trade them for a healthy carrot stick or handful of trail mix Clay Porter is a busy man who always has projects on the go Intrigued by a recent Instagram image he posted of him with the legendary filmmaker Spike Jonze (above) and then the sneaky release of Four By Three an exclusive series of four short stories about the Athertons produced by Clay Porter for Red Bull Media House I figured it was time to find out really what he is up to I managed to track Porter down by phone where he was driving on the Interstate 5 North to his home in San Francisco where he planned to celebrate his first birthday at home with his pals since 2005 this is the first World Champs or World Cup I will have missed since 2005," said Porter "Normally I spend my birthday in Europe somewhere because the World Championships are on but this year I'm spending it at home" However, he isn't turning his back on mountain biking just yet Instead this year is spent focusing on some bigger developments which Clay sees as logical progression in his own career Basically I want to make more money and progress myself I have achieved some of the goals I set out to do but now I want to hone my craft as a film maker This year I've invested a lot of time and money on things like a RED camera because it needed to be done" Does this mean Clay is moving into more mainstream movie making "I met Ty Evans at the NAB trade show (the Interbike of filmmaking equipment basically) Ty Evans has worked with Spike Jonze on projects like Fully Flared in the past and he introduced me to Spike They [Spike Jonze and Ty Evans] are in the process of wrapping up their four years in the making epic skateboard movie and I got in on some shoots to help out." So is it true what they say about meeting your heroes "It's cool to see how they do things It's refreshing to see that they aren't that different and there is not magic They do things loose and fly by the seat of the pants sometimes It is good to see that as a film maker you have to plan but still be flexible and open to just going along with how things unfold." released today was the trailer for Four By Three Clay has worked alongside the Atherton's for years producing the Atherton Project for several years "Red Bull decided not to do the Atherton Project this year We talked (Athertons and I) about what we could pitch to Red Bull instead The Atherton Project was always a scramble to pull together the content which is a recipe to get out a lot of content but maybe not the best content With Four By Three the production value is higher and it is more about a cinematic approach Something a bit different than a lot of stuff out there these days." It is true that every team has a videographer churning out videos of the race weekend and most high profile racers have dedicated web shows When the Atherton Project came out originally it was unique and perhaps created a template for others to follow "I wanted to shift away from that style It was so tiring and we wanted to do something that was psyched up." There\'ll be plenty of that in the upcoming Four by Three series which highlights each of the Atherton siblings The four episodes are in the works with the first one being released on 11th September 2012 The first episode will be based around Rachel Atherton's time at Fort William that race being the Atherton's home race as such The second is about Dan's shift to Enduro and will have lots of footage filmed at the Megavalanche and then around Europe in the summer The third episode is focused on Gee and his Rampage experience The last episode will be on all three siblings and their home life Also on the to-do list is to get Won't Back Down (the Steve Peat biopic that he has been co-working on with John Lawlor) completed this winter Also for action fans there is going to be a Brendan Fairclough mini movie released this fall It will be an I-Tunes exclusive and will cost only a couple of dollars as the production process has proven so much fun so far He [Brendan Fairclough] is honestly one of my favorite riders to shoot He is so into filming and he makes everything look so good." Maybe we will even see him release another mega-doco-slash-action flick about World Cup racing next year You can read this article in 2 minutesTrans.INFO International freight transportation services company XPO Logistics has opened a less-than-truckload (LTL) hub in Vitrolles in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region The new facility will be used to distribute palletized loads for leading companies in the textile the 4,500 square metre hub has 46 docks and can manage up to 700 deliveries per day the company has reserved an additional plot allowing for an expansion to 6,000 square metres just 5 km from the Marseille-Provence airport is said to be a strategic location for XPO’s regional LTL development and international reach XPO will use the hub to expand its last mile service “We are excited to expand our LTL network in the south of France to support the demand for our services Our strategic choice of Vitrolles adds significant distribution capabilities close to our customers’ markets and the hub will shorten the length of our nightly distribution runs by 35 minutes on average.” Other key aspects of the facility are as follows: XPO says its LTL network in France currently serves approximately 4,500 customers with nationwide coverage It’s lorry and van drivers make approximately four million deliveries per year Agnieszka Kulikowska - Wielgus Journalist Trans.info | 6.05.2025 Pölös Zsófia Journalist Trans.info | 5.05.2025 Fragrance on the Fly: Why Pocket Perfumes Are Perfect for Airplane TravelSponsored Article 6.05.2025 The bike uses the same frame as the popular Bronson the all-mountain machine made by Santa Cruz Bicycles This is good news for us ladies With 6 inches inches of travel build around the trusted VPP platform 27.5-inch wheels and a 67-degree headtube angle up-for-any-terrain ride so the Roubion should be too This is the seventh bike under the Juliana brand spawning from the original Juliana bike¬–the namesake of Juliana Furtado–that first entered the Santa Cruz line in 1999 The bike on display here belongs to Juliana sponsored rider and all-around enduro badass Anka Martin so it was kitted out in full SRAM outfit including XX1 drivetrain and a Pike fork The actual Roubion builds won’t be announced until the bike is officially launched next month The Roubion name comes from Martin’s favorite stage of the Trans-Provence multi-day race in France Martin won a stage riding a disguised version of the Roubion Juliana Bicycles is offering one person a chance to ride the new Roubion on a guided Trans-Provence adventure in France this spring. For details and to enter go to julianabicycles.com/myroubion/. Rachel Walker shows off her Juliana Furtado If you’ve ever had a hankering to own a totally unique bike, something you’d never see the like of on the trails, take a close look at this Juliana Furtado. Juliana is the women’s-specific sister brand to Santa Cruz but it’s the custom paintjob that’s the real standout feature: doodled by talented graffiti artist and regular mbr snapper Sam Needham Rachel’s bike is truly a thing of beauty (Needham) There’s a story behind those doodles though — penned for Hope rider Rachael Walker and designed to show the relationship between bike and rider “After the Andes Pacifico in February Sam and me got a little carried away over a few beers,” Rachael says “From my blurred memory I remember us talking over each other as we threw ideas around of your bike telling a story a story of all the adventures a rider shares with it.” The Furtado tells the tale of Rachael’s favourite trips past and planned, including the Andes Pacifico, the Trans Provence hand-drawn with a Sharpie pen onto the frame over the course of weeks “Sam was pretty nervous to begin with and it took him a while to pluck up the courage to start getting creative with the purple Sharpie pen,” Rachael said DIY paintjobs are the ultimate custom touch (Needham) Lee and Vicky at InvisiFrame then applied the finishing touches to protect Sam’s artwork Meanwhile the guys at Hope took Sam’s doodles and turned them into workable laser etching programmes — lasering skulls and lightning bolts on hubs and brake lids “From a distance now the result looks similar to a tattoo sleeve,” Rachael said Sweden-based slikgraphics.com will create a totally unique design for anything bike-related — helmet, frame, shock, forks, even mudguards; price on request. For a cheaper option choose bike-specific logos and colourways for your Orange, Mondraker The south of France seems like a pretty cool place to ride He comes from the south of France, a region that has become a nursery for some incredible riders including Fabien Barel and now Vouilloz’s protégé Adrien Dailly Dailly recently won the Junior category at the EWS in Samoëns and seems to be yet another fast Frenchy In this video Vouilloz and Dially show us the riding they grew up enjoying. From the twisting streets of medieval towns, to exposed slickrock and mountain gulleys, the variety of terrain is inspiring and mesmerising. It’s no wonder the Trans-Provence is such a popular race Vouilloz and Dially will go on to race the next round of the Enduro World Series at Crested Butte in the United States Following on from his second place in Samoëns Vouilloz will be looking for a top result while Dially will hope to extend his 500 point lead in the junior series Stay tuned to MBR to find out how they get on and for the rest of the Enduro World Series season Turn autoplay off Turn autoplay on Please activate cookies in order to turn autoplay off Provence spans several very different winemaking regions, and this wine route starts in Toulon heads down to Saint-Tropez across the vineyards that cling to the edge of the Mediterranean through classic Provençal landscapes of lavender fields and olive groves into the wild countryside of the Massif des Maures this are now also makes some exciting red wines with many young vignerons moving towards organic production so don't be surprised to see horses ploughing through the vineyards or a herd of grazing sheep replacing weed killers Village bistros serve hearty portions of traditional Provençal cuisine and although the grand châteaux tempt travellers with luxury accommodation many winemakers are also beginning to offer more affordable B&Bs You have to go off the beaten track to discover the small estate of artisan vigneron Régis Scarone hidden away in the wild Vallée des Borrels a 20-minute drive inland from the Côte d'Azur Cultivating vines that are over 50 years old with the white and rosé aged in old-fashioned cement vats and a mix of old and new barrels used for the red Although he has virtually eliminated chemical treatments in the vineyards Regis steers clear of the official organic certification because 'there is just too much bureaucracy' You'll be hard put to find better value than his crisp Trois Chênes rosé at €6.40 barrel-aged for 14 months.• 45-19 3emes Borrels Doubles from €65 including breakfast; table d'hôte dinner including aperitif Further information: Tourist board: visitvar.fr; wine information: routedesvinsdeprovence.com; car hire: carrentals.co.uk John Brunton blogs on thewinetattoo.com Our series of top 10 guides to global wine regions 17 Jun 2015: California’s Paso Robles wine route: top 10 guide 7 Aug 2014: Piedmont wine route: top 10 guide 21 Feb 2014: Languedoc wine route: top 10 guide Worldwide wine routes index My partner and I recently made our first trip to Paris and stayed Hotel Residence Des Arts for three nights The hotel is located on the left bank one… The 'forgotten' area of France and yet possibly one of the most stunningly beautiful Velo Vercors is a cycling company run by an ex professional British cyclist Roger Dunne and his wife Teresa Harte in the beautiful Vercors region of south… one of the first destinations many will think of is France Every Wednesday we'll be posting a round-up of videos that have caught our eye over the previous seven days. Starting this week’s collection is a round-up of the action from this year's Cobble Wobble hill climb in Frome Some 180 riders on all types of bikes – from stars of downhill (Mick Hannah) BMX (Kye Forte) and four-cross (eventual King of the Cobbles Lewis Lacey) to a pantomime horse – battled it out on a race up two historic cobbled streets lined with spectators and 17th century buildings This week's second video is a look at the Trans-Provence mountain bike enduro – a multi-stage all-mountain challenge in France where the winner is decided by their performance on 26 special stages which take place predominantly on downhill singletrack US road/cyclo-cross racer Andy Jacques-Maynes (Kenda/5-hour Energy) extols the virtues of the road tubeless system and takes Easton's EA90 RT wheels for a spin