The Izoard

Getting more arid

Left the nice hotel (best so far). Nice easy descent into Briançon. Its a really nice place with a great old town. One of those towns which is encased in high walls.

Went to get internet, the drug of the noughties; But alas, there was none. There are lizards everywhere now. Everything is starting to feel a little more mediterranean. The col of the day was the Col d’Izoard and the temperature was pretty high.

I like pushing it up the cols, pretending im racing in the tour. Pretending im rasmussen; a pure wannabe!

Ascent was tough. Met an aussie at the top with a lot more stuff than me. He seemed both jealous and impressed by the little amount of stuff that I have with me.

Izoard summit tower

Descent was nice with a really good road surface. Then into a viscous steep gorge with huge cliff walls.

Big gorge

Youth hostel was closed so I’m in a not so cheap shite hotel in Guillestre where there is nothing going on. Maybe things will pickup but its pretty boring here right now.

Written after some whisky so grammar isnt the best.

The following dog

The Galibier and the Telegraph

Galibier Descent

Left at normal time of about 9:30am. I keep it fairly easy wrt starting time in the mornings.

Downhill to begin with then on to an early climb to a mountain village for some photos.

Next, a big descent into mondane ended up getting to terminal velocity on a certain stretch. (65kph) just couldnt get any faster.

Then a downhill cruise into St Michael which was pretty top class timewise. Made good time and good distance.

Had some lunch then prepped for the Col de Telegraph. Onto the climb, it was pretty tough, making me dig deep. The climb was right out of the valley to a pinnacle; wee photo some sweets and a smile to another bike tourer.

Descended into Valloire, another nice looking ski resort. I was supposed to stay here but it was before 2pm at this point. I could smell the Galibier honey.

Next was a testing 15km unrelenting climb. Stopped for a tiny break for biscuits and water; prepped my pockets with haribo.

I took 4 cyclists on the ascent, none passed me. Also, the cyclists I passed didnt have any load! Pushed myself as hard as I could, hardest so far. On reflection, I think that the Galibier is the best col on the grand traverse. It has everything; views, difficulty, length, status.

An english cycling friend made it to the top soon after me. And we chatted for a bit. Im keen to do a summer ascent of mont blanc so spoke to him a bit about it.

After gassing, the time was getting on a bit (16:30), so wrapped up warm and descended after a couple more photos.

Galibier ascent

Descent was a bit frustrating as I got stuck behind a number of cars and then a lorry. Its strange being faster than motor vehicles on a descent. I remembered racing helen into a fjord when she was driving a few weeks previously.

I was supposed to stay at Briançon but on the way there I passed Serre Chevalier 1500 and a nice looking hotel, so stopped there.

Feeling tired but still strong. Pelforth Brun Bier rocks.

View from galibier summit

The Iseran

Iseran view from summit

Early up, then faffed getting the bike sorted after last nights puncture (up to 120 psi with the resident track pump). This is my favorite part of the day getting everything packed up like the littlest hobo and moving on.

Firstly the descent from Villaroger back to the iseran road. Next there was the long climb to the Tignes dam.

tignes dam

Met some brits at the dam and chatted for a bit then pressed on to Val D’Isere for a spot of coca cola the king of energy drinks. There are a few long scary tunnels on the way to val.

The col ascent from val is only 14km long as you are already high, and it was a nice sunny day at this point. Also only a few km greater than 7% height gain. Col du Pré was steeper in places.

Iseran summit shot proof

Chilled at the top in a cafe with the brits and chatted physiology and about other things with a nice tart to nibble on.

Then I went for a wee walk and stood on some snow, this was good as it means I have September in the bag, having stood on snow every month this year. I hope October to be easy if it snows here, but I cant be sure.

The descent again steals the crown. More straight sections for speed and 20km for length. On the way down I was racing a van and a motorbike and we passed under a group of paragliders which was a really good experience; I couldnt stare tho as the descent commands 100% concentration.

Cruised down the valley to a place called lanslebourg where there turns out to be a hostel (auberge de jeunesse) unfortunately the warden is not very friendly. Met a cool aussie.

Welcome to the real deal

Col du pré

Today brought the high alps to the table. Out of the hotel and immediately up to 1710m for the col du pre was a toughy.

12km of rise with over 10% height gain in places. Then a short descent then over an impressive dam, the barrage de cormeland.

Courtesy of flickr

Then up to my highest point I have ever been on a bike; the cormet de roselend at 1900m. A spot of lunch was had along with a spot of lunch with other keen cyclists.

Cormet roselend

Then the title for the most obscene descent was taken again. 20km of steep descent with countless hairpins and braking burning moments. Dont think the front brakes have long left.

Instead of staying at bourd st maurice I have changed plan a bit and am in the chalet of villaroger 1200m up. Steve Nicolson’s parent have a top class place here and I managed to organise it at the last moment.

I approached Villaroger on the ‘logging road’ and got my first puncture of the trip. It was raining and thus very unwelcome! Doh!

Villaroger when I was there in spring once

The road I was on was closed but I ignored these warnings, thinking it would be possible to squeeze through on my bike. But when I got there I was greeted with carnage. The road had been ripped apart on the hillside to put in a pump storage system.

I took off the cycle bags and carried the bike across the ravine and then took the bags afterwards.

Then I made the final ascent to Villaroger in the rain. Great to speak english after french tastic for a few days. Also nice to hear stories of off piste skiing. Something which very much floats my boat. Sue Nicolson is still a hardcore off piste skier it seems.

Tomorrow is the second biggest climb for the trip taking me up to around 2700m. Legs are starting to feel it a bit now but still feeling strong all in all.

The Sun is Shining

Mont blanc

There was an obscene thunderstorm through the night. I was given the best packed lunch I have every had by the dude at the hostel. A lush big slab of brie amongst other things.

Feeling strong up the first ascent of the col de aravis. First descent was really good, dry up top still wet lower down due to the thunderstorms.

Cyclecomputer is still bust so bought a new one in the only cycle shop en route. Its a shit one and it doesnt have a clock on it so it turns out that I am still watchless. I want a really nice swiss watch but I am not affluent enough at the moment, so will look out for a ghetto casio from the early nineties.

The second ascent of the day was the col des saisies. This was the climb of the day; I was feeling the burn near the summit, but it lot easier than then columbiere partly due to the weather.

Lunch at the top (obscenely good lunch) then down the best descent I have ever done on a bike. There were some long straight sections allowing speeds in excess of 40mph.

Then I tried to find the white wolf hostel. Eventually I found it and was greeted by the white wolf himself. Unfortunately the hostel was no longer open and it has turned into an ex seasonaires drug addict retreat. Was about to ask if I could stay there anyway (as it would have been fun) but a big black labrador chased me away.

So back into beaufort and in a rocking cheap hotel. Went to visit the cheese factory here, the smell of ammonia was unreal.

Wee video of part of a col descent. Strapped my camera to the front of my bike. Maybe you can see it at the beginning in the reflection of my shades.

The Thunderstorm

About 7.5 hours cycling in torrential rain. Very different from the day before. It was raining hard when i woke. I hid in the hotel like someone sheltering from a bombing raid. I shouldnt have bothered.

Off i went out of thonon then 15 mins later realised I forgot my helmet. Take 2.

Up the first ascent of the day the col de …….. it was raining as hard as it can. Soaked to the skin by the top despite goretex then a bit cold in the wind. On the descent the rain was too much for the cyclecomputer and its died on me… no clock again.

Specialized sucks.

In the valley I was cold so barged into a restaurant and got changed into dryness. Two croisants as prep for the col de la columbiere at 1610 metres.

Easily the hardest ascent I have ever done on a bike. The torrential rain storms did not help. Made it to the top pretty tired and wet again but managed to blitz some of the supported buffties on the way up. (where you pay to have them carry your bag)

Then had coffee and crepes at the summit restaurant along with the rest of my food; Then a long descent in the rain..

I thought that it was all downhill to la clusaz but it turned out it way on the way up the next col!! Got to la clusaz and finished my water then found out that the youth hostel was even further up the next col.

Got there at 1910 hours, a pretty tough day; Food was ace although hostel was devoid of life; Went to bed exhausted; to the sounds of intensly violent thunderstorms.

A walk in the park

Changed the bad cycle computer for a new one. 30 mins to fit it then it was nice and shiny which cadence and all that jazz.

Stopped on the way out of switzerland in hermance for expresso in the sun. Stopped off at another wee place as well for some photos of lake geneva.

Ass is sore due to substandard cannondale saddle, replaced with a new one;one one hour fifty Mins cycling so spent a lot of time chilling and doing tourist stuff.

First big alpine day tomorrow. The french generally have big noses and speak little english. Its off season so all is very quiet..

In 2 bike bags I have the following stuff.

duct tape

inner tube

hex keys

puncture repair

pump

brake blocks

screwdriver

2 water bottles (litre each)

shorts x1

lycras x1

helmet

sunglasses

bike gloves

gloves

sun tan stuff

windproof jacket

waterproof jacket

2 buffs

lycra booties

cycletop

waterproof trousers

pants x1

boxers x2

trainers

tshirt

small towel like a rag

lightweigth leisure trousers

sawn off toothbrush

washing stuff

toothpaste

inhaler

camera

phone

mp3

credit cards

bike lock

wee book

passport

maps and route info

acc details

compass

first aid

penknife

I took the overnight train to Oslo from Trondheim. Snorers galore drove me to the all night bar on the train. Next took the plane to Geneva, very warm when I got off the plane.

Cruised to the youth hostel after painstakingly building my bike from its ziptied deflated state.

Went to a bike shop and purchased a cycle computer which is bust. Pumped up tyres also as 120psi on a plane is a recipe for BOOM.

Went to a nice french feeling cafe called cafe remar and had an expresso. Maccys from dinner with lake geneva for a view. Lovely relaxed vibe here, must come back with Helen some day. People were swimming in lake geneva.. it looked so nice.

So the cycle trip starts properly tomorrow; will sort out cycle computer and get on the road. Relatively short starter day along the coast of lake geneva. Cant wait.