France Day 11

Big day of riding!  The plan was to do a big loop of 115 miles and 15,420 ft of vertical over 4 climbs.  The Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Telegraph, Col du Galibier and then climb back up to the hotel in Les Deux Alpes.  Six of us left from the hotel at 8am and descended the Les Deux Alpes climb and pace-lined it to the bottom of the first climb.  I knew the weather report was for scattered thunder storms starting in the early afternoon so I began the ride with full intention on drilling it through the course as fast as I could and try to beat the storms.  On the first climb, the Col de la Croix de Fer I left the group and sag wagon never to be seen again. That climb is about 24 km long and is beautiful! I climbed it in 1 hr 24 minutes which ranked me in the teens out of thousands on Strava.

Notice the bright smile of "I'm loving this"

I filled my bottles at a cafe on the top of the climb and descended to St Jean de Maurienne. After cruising through the valley I came to the town at the bottom of the Col du Telegraph.  Nothing was open but the market so I bought a bunch of bananas, a small loaf of bread and a coke.  i quickly ate and stuffed 4 bananas in my jersey for later.  I climbed the Col du Telegraph in 48 minutes. Ranked 225th out of 4200 on Stava. 

Notice the Smile is waning.

After the summit of the Telegraph you descend into Valloire which has this church in the main square. I filled up my bottles and headed for the Gallibier.  The climb goes to the highest point that the Tour de France ever goes and the scenery is amazing.  There were some serious storm clouds up there but I pushed on and prayed they would hold off.  I climbed From Valloire to the summit in 1 hr 20 min which was 332nd out of 4178. Most of them I'm guessing didn't have the miles or climbs in there legs that I already had in mine but whatever...

I only had a few drops of rain on the way up but upon reaching the summit it was not looking good.  The back side (where I was going) looked bad.  I snapped one photo and descended, wanting to hold onto all the warmth I built up on the climb.  I only had a wind vest on and my kit.  The descent was sketchy to say the least.  in short order I was shivering so badly that i had to stop 4 times to shake blood back into my hands and pull myself back together.  There was a cafe 5 km from the summit but they had nothing warm and were full of other cyclists.  I felt that descending was preferable as the temp should rise the lower I got.  I kept going.  There were several tunnels I went though and at least it wan't raining on my in those.  I hit a town called Grave and thought "Oh great! I'm descending to the grave!"  There was a store where I bought chips and a candy bar. I really stopped there because there was a rotisserie chicken cooker just outside the front door and it was warm.  I ate my food and stood next to the cooker trying to warm up.  The weather was not improving.  i could have waited there and eventually the sag wagon would come by (found out later it would have been about 3 hours later) but again I felt like the lower I got the better.  I descended to the bottom of the Les Duex Alpes climb and the rain stopped.  It was warmer there too, not much but warmer.  I climbed up the 10km to the hotel and collapsed in the shower.  After drinking 4 bottles, eating half a box of granola, and taking 8 electrolyte tablets I felt better.  My computer says I burned 7,700 calories so the dinner buffet at the hotel took it in the jaw.  All in all it was an epic day.  Left the hotel at 8am and got back at 4:30pm. 

France Day 10

Big day today.  Climbed Alpe D'Huez in 57 minutes and then descended through absolute chaos.  Rode over to the Col de Sarenne and climbed that which was tough! Then descended to a little town at the bottom for a sandwich before climbing up Les Duex Alpes.  13000 ft of vertical

At top of Alpe D'Huez

The podium with Mick and Todd

The last 4 km of the Col de Sarenne

Mick at the top of the Col de Sarenne. We were fairly cooked

On the descent of the Sarenne

France Day 8, The Ventoux on Bastille Day, in the Tour de France

Crazy, fun day.  Got to Bedoin, France around 8am and hauled it up the Ventoux to get ahead of any police road closures.  The climb is tough but super fun.  I loved the top out of the trees.  They were still setting up barriers at 200meters to go and I had to weave between workers and trucks. The police stopped me at 50meters to the finish.  When descending there were hoards of cyclists going up and the workers were at whits end.  They were yelling and pushing cyclists around, who were yelling and pushing back.  I zipped down to the Thomson viewing area about 6km from the summit.  I changed into some normal clothing, ate, and took a nap as the TV coverage of the tour didn't start until 2 and it was only 11am.  Watched the tour on the TV until Quintana attacked and then went out to the road to watch them come by.  They were on it! Flying by.  TensDam had snot all over his face, they were really suffering!  Jacob Fulsang threw his wrist band at my feet (gonna wash it but totally keeping that). After seeing and cheering them all by I went back to the TV to watch the finish before getting back in my kit and descending.  That was mayhem.  Super fun day.

2km to go

passing some crazy Assies

1km to go

The commentary booth at the summit where Paul and Phil were

bought a bagette for one euro while walking around on the mountian

Chalet Reynard corner

Froom and Contador gassing it past me

Cadel off the pace!

Day 7, Joining the TBT Tour de France trip

I have no photos for this day.  We got up early and drove to Marseille to return the rental car and met up with Thomson Bike Tours.  We went to Pertuis, France to check into our new hotel for the next 2 nights, built up the bikes and went for a 40 mile ride.  The ride was great.  Really nice terrain. I got the KOM on the 2 climbs of the day and the sprint to the end.  Tomorrow we are going to the Ventoux to watch the tour come through.

Vaison lla Romaine Day 7

Today was a sleep in day with a lazy 30 mile ride to spin out the legs.  Then went for a short swim, and then returned the rental bikes to Bedoin where we had lunch.  As we were waiting for our food a cyclist on the road in front of us did something and cut an artery in his ankle.  The arterial spray gave it away.  I thought i would have to help out but, thankfully, there were 3 firemen walking by just then who gave aid.  I did worry for the guy when the fireman got a napkin from the restaurant to apply pressure with and they worked on him while smoking.  In any case, lunch was great.  Returned to the chateau to watch the tour (great stage!) and now it is off to dinner.

Vaison la Romaine Day 6

Today I told Mick I'd accompany him on a "recovery ride" up Mont Ventoux (?!) I needed a recovery ride and after a few km up the climb I bid him good luck and turned around to do a slow toodle through several little towns I was curious about.

This was Entrechaux with its ruined castle that I road up to the front gate of

View of the valley from the front gate of Entrechaux's castle

Church in Faucon

Main square in Faucon

The castle or church of Puymeras ( road up there but there was a bread delivery guy blocking the little road and I didn't wait for him to move the car)

Mick and I having Lunch in Faucon

the dessert was awesome

Mick wanted to see the ruined castle in Entrachaux so we drove over after lunch and walked in.  It is being restored as (I learned on Wikipedia later) was taken over by brigands in the 1790s and they tore it apart and treated it like a quarry.  We walked all over it and didn't see anyone.  On the way out the main gate a man pops his head out and tells us in french that we aren't allowed in there and kicked us out.  Oh well, we had already seen everything anyway.

The best ice cream in town.  I've had one of these each of the last 3 nights in Vaison.  Tomorrow everyone wants a short recovery ride to get ready for the big crazy days on the Thompson tour that starts Saturday.

Vaison la Romaine Day 5

Today we did a 55 mile loop over several small climbs.  The roads were small and beautiful. We Left the Chateau at 7am and rode to the bakery in town for breakfast.  Pain chocolate and some other pastry with a coke was the breakfast of champions for me.  We headed north east out of town and through the little towns of Puymeras, Propiac, Brantes and on to Malaucine for food.  Then Mick and I rode up to Crestet which is a small town built on the mountain side.  Once you got into town there was no where you could ride because the "roads" are all like small sidewalks made out of cobbles that wind through buildings like a maze at strange angles.  We saw it and headed back to the chateau.  After jumping in the pool to cool off, a shower, and stretch we drove to Nyon for lunch.  It was mediocre food.  We then walked around Vaison for a while before going back to watch the Tour.  For dinner we are BBQing steaks. There is another evening thunder storm somewhere near by.

I beat Mick and Todd to the summit of Col de Fontaube. Great view of Mont Ventoux in the back.

Little town of Brantes. Great descent.

Vaison getting ready for the Tour to come through.

Racing Mick up to Crestet