Thursday
ummm so today was supposed to be a real rest day - and it almost was, i mulled around the apt. drinking coffee headed into Morzine to buy some croissants and groceries then cleaned the Mountain bike....snoozed ans surfed most of the afternoon until the tri-athelete in the flat below us knocked on the door and could not make the planned friday morning ride and had to move it to today.....
oh dear
i stretched out the legs, drank plenty of energy drink and energy bars and headed out at 7pm - the roads quiet, a threat of thuinder to the east, but we were still bathed in sunshine...
we chatted on the way up the first "col" and set an easy pace - the usual chats people have when out in the middle of no where - people wanting to change thier life for the better, make a new start with thier own business , work hard, enjoy life..... he discussed his thoughts and plans, yet worried about making the step of quitting work to get it all going... i tried to offer some advice from the fact i've done it twice (once to New Zealand, and the last one to see the world) but its a big step and one he has to make himself...
the second climb came all to quickly and we struggled on up, staying cool in the rain clouds that drifted across on the edge of sun/shade..... at the top the sun had light up a far off mountain , a bright deep yellow that only the suns rays can seem to create, we both looked in awe, caught our breath and then headed down the twisty tight roads back to the chalet - buzzing - a great ride - we planned for another on saturday morning before i leave - a real twisty steep leg buster!
....a nice tuna pasta tea was perpared by his partner and we wolfed it down and talked more on life's big decisions!
the thunder rolled in as i hit the sack, couldnt say if it rained or not as i didnt open my eyes util 8.30am
oh yeah so add another 35K or hill climbing to my tally or rest days!!!
Friday
up and early we met up with the rest of the club members for the last ride (for them) before they leave tomorrow - i didnt really get what the plans where, lots of downhill - 'maybe' , going to 'x' , 'perhaps' , and when we arrived at the town to get the chairlift we were told our passes were 6 consecutive days, not 6 anytime days....so our passes were invalid, and we had to buy a day pass . at 20 euros!!! so in total for me, 4 days mountain bike riding cost me a 100 euro's in lifts, yet a full season of 8 weeks would have cost me only 160 - i was not in a good mood, and not wanting to waste any more time, i decided to set off on long but straightforward XC ride, with just a few runs on an easy downhill course.
i didnt push the legs too hard, and enjoyed riding in the woods staying cool...saying hello (Bonjour) to walkers - and finished up with 40K for the day and could have gone back from more (it was only 1.30pm) but decided i wasnt 'in the zone' and went back and cleaned the bike and packed - ready for my move across to Annecy....
defo rest day tomorow - oh dam , early killer road ride . . . . will rest sunday HONEST!
(no pics today!)
Tuesday
So today was supposed to be a day of rest, yet with all these lovely roads and the Tour De France on its way, I couldn’t help but pop into the local Tourist office to get a leaflet on the local rides , and , of course it meant I wanted to do one of them – there are quite a few, and obviously around here not many easy ones. I picked one of the ones that’s is rated as ‘difficult’ – the ‘Col de L’encrenaz’ (rather than extreme – which is one of the famous ones – the ‘Col de Joux Plane’) and would take me about 1h 20 to 2 hours depending on fitness. I was going to use my lowest gears and just tootle along and get a feel for the roads and the new bike – after all I’ve only ridden it for 2 hours so far. Waiting for the heat to go out of the day I set off at 6.15 – a nice cool breeze and a steady climb out of Morzine to Les Gets , which went steeper and steeper – at which point I ran out of gears – even with 3 up front and 9 behind! I also noticed my bike computer had reset itself into german and didn’t read any of the K’s I was doing…..As I breached the top of Les Gets the twisty downhill road kept me alert and on the rubber brakes most of the way down, at this point thinking – oh dear, the route to the real climb is much steeper than this , and if I want to abandon this, ive got to climb back up what I’m going down! I pulled right and to continue the route, up a fantastic cliff side on a quiet French road criss crossing up the mountain, I laughed, I was doing it – a real mountain climb just like on TV – however I had once again ran out of gears, rapidly losing lots of fluid from the very still evening , with the setting sun right in my face! After what seemed like an age of climbing I crested the top and began the steep descent , again on the anchors but slowly getting used to banking the bike around these tight roads… getting cold though as I was now in shade but soaked in sweat and descending at a rapid rate of knots….but it was all good – and to top it off my bike computer started working again – I tootled back into the village, totally exhausted but happy. I think I’ll come back to do the best Le Tour climb later when I’ve got more road bike climbing in from other rides I hope to do in the region.
Wednesday
So today was supposed to be a day of rest, ok ok I know it was yesterday and supposed to be moved to today, but the other group were talking of a light an easy ride across country, using the chair lifts – and the sun was shining – I soon regretted it after the first hill, legs were mashed, but everyone was in the same boat and we all stuck together and enjoyed the countryside taking pictures, stopping for great coffee and lunch…. The day moved on into the late afternoon and we all went out for a pretty nice meal – huge salad + huge pizza + 4 scoops of ice cream….yummy. It would be nice though when your in a foreign country to make some kind of effort in their language….i do as much as I can, it seems others don’t have the same attitude...
Just to tot up my riding then –
Friday = 40k easy mountain biking
Saturday = 45k XC mountain biking
Sunday = 88k XC mountain biking
Monday = 38k hilly XC mountain biking
Tuesday = 35k ‘difficult’ Col road riding
Wednesday = 35k XC mountain biking
Sunday
Race day
Up at 6.15 and ready and out in the car to the start point – one of many around the 80K circuit – its was a crisp bright cool morning and we got registered and sorted the bikes out and met up with the rest of the crew – 16 in total. We headed off at 8.30 (no start line – you just head off and finish at the same place!) and enjoyed the first of many downhill run’s – plenty of riders out on the course – and the sun getting hotter and hotter – the day simply progressed as one downhill after the next with breaks in between at the chair lifts where free refreshments were provided – some superb cheeses, ham, breads, chocolate , energy drinks and water. There was one exception, where me made our way along a ridgeline high in the Alps down through Switzerland into Chapel and Champery – views that I cannot describe nor any photo could do justice….. We splintered off into slow , medium and mad downhill groups and I was with a group of 5 guys – for me by the last few runs I was a bit tired of the constant downhill – mentally more than physically and we pushed hard to get the chairlifts before close at 5.15 – but we made it and it was something to say we completed it all in the allotted time, no broken bones, and for the most part it was quite enjoyable, for sure if it had rained the tracks would be a nightmare as they were mainly soil based – but as I said we enjoyed a hot and sunny day. It took its toll though and I was in bed by 9
Pics were few – and others took more than me to be uploaded later. There are at my photobucket account – linked here :
Monday
A very leisurely morning – supermarket to buy fresh croissants and more coffee – sat out on the veranda watching the sun come up and hearing the church bells ring across the valley – some of the guys decided to join me on a simple cross country ride out of one of the books I had bought from the Tourist Info on Friday – just under 40K with a few chair lifts and mostly ambling downhill – unfortunately we lost a rider who shot off in the distance and took a wrong turn – or thought anyway that’s where we should be going – perhaps I made the mistake of saying ‘we need to follow the sign to X’ but not stating clearly that’s not the destination just the way to go before turning off – not willing to ride back he decided to go his own way, and I felt a bit guilty about it – but today was about riding together and not hammering it out of sight….
The ride was superb and the weather too – a few laughs and jokes along the way and ending up at a lovelly lake outside of Montriond – where we stopped for ice cream and Coca-cola Light ® and soak up some sun…some of the guys enjoying a dip in the pool, before heading back to the chalet for a cuppa and a snooze….
well actually a few days ago, but the internet connection is up and running now :-) so yes i know ive not updated this blog in such a long time - i of course completed the coast to coast ride where i left off the blog, and since then just been planning and sorting out everything for the tour, didnt realise it would take soooo long and just how man bad used cars are out there - after weeks of searching i settled on one Merc coupe - yeah not the camper van i was looking for eeeeexactly, but everything fits in, and 2 bikes on the bike rack, so there we go.
Ok so here comes the blogs and pics:
Wed the 25th – Day 1
Car packed, just about fitting in. chose to go for the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre – thereby missing out London, and not getting up at some incredible early time to get the 6.30 am ferry – either leaving a friends house at 3.30am or a B&B at Dover at 5.30am….plus the cost of the B&B’s too…. So I added that factor in and the overnight ferry seemed sensible.
Said my goodbyes to parents
5 hours later I arrived at Portsmouth – the TomTom phone navigator doing its job well as I didn’t know Portsmouth too good – but it was well signposted anyway – its suprising how little you start to take in when someone (something) starts to give you directions – suddenly you lose track of signs – roads you are on etc etc. we have lazy brains! J well at least I have….
I got there early – by 3 hours - but there was 1 car ahead of me, and after I faffed around buying water and food I attempted sleep in the car but the noise and bright sunset over the concrete and tarmac car park and buildings that seem to make up ALL ferry terminals (I think they are prefabricated!!!) kept me awake. At 9.30 we started to board – lorries first then us, but there was a delay on the up ramp and everyone stopped and waiting – when we all were signalled to move again it seemed the big articulated lorry in front of us had not put on his handbrake and he rolled back towards us – the 1 guy (an old couple) who was ahead of me took the full impact, his car totally caved in at the front – me I was about to try and drive a sharp right turn but fortunately the lorry driver stopped – for me anyway – the old couples holiday ruined – it was written all over their faces – I felt so sorry for them – I was going to get out and help them but they were clearly ok from the amount of abuse they were giving the foreign truck driver! It played on my mind though as I headed to the ferry, what an awful shame, something so simple could wreck so much – not just metal and plastic, but people hopes – never wish that on anyone.
Once on the ferry I hoped for sleep but the incessant drone of the engine , let alone the snoring from next door AND the constant tannoy announcements left me tossing and turning, still wired from the long drive, the accident and the thoughts of whats to come….
I watched the clock roll by to 3.30 and then I slept till 5.30 – annoyed ay myself for not catching the sleeping bug and feeling so incredibly tired…. A few coffee’s and croissants and I got into the car ready for the 8 hours ahead – not only of foreign right hand driving, but also long and very very boring motorways – split up only by the excitement of toll booths that I would have to get out of my right hand drive car to run around to the left hand side of the car and stick in my VISA card…. The petrol and tolls mounted as did the long hours in the seat – by hour 7 I was ready to quit big time, but then after one more turning we opened up into the Alps – scenic views, big (and I mean BIG) mountains with grass, tree’s and high snow peaks – and chalet’s – like a picture postcard as they say!
The roads turned windy and complex, but Miss Tomtom helped me through although I found myself very distracted by the scenery, the milka swiss moo-cows and the road rider enjoying some serious hill climbs….
The chalet I was staying in was a welcome sight, and inside too was no let down – commanding views of the mountains, but it’s the bed that’s calling me more than anything…..a quick trip to the supermarche and I’m all stocked up with porridge and coffee and bread and Nutella – the warrington/st helens mountainbike club arrive tomorrow morning and the fun begins then, although im sure after driving all night they will just want to crash.
Oops lets not talk about crashing.
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Friday.
Got up Friday morning to coffee and porridge out on the balcony as the sun rose through the mountains , its heat causing the low mist that had settled overnight to begin rising – the air was fresh and I was keen to get out for a ride……heavy dark clouds in the distance rumbled thunder.
Leafing through the MBE EUROPE book (link) and remembering we were starting the PassPorte de Soleil from a town called Avoriaz I TOMTOM’d my way there in the car – a short distance but a 20 min drive due to the mountain roads twisting and winding up. I got there for 10 and the place was dead, not the bustling bike trail centre I thought it would be.
I drove around its distinctive angled buildings (due to some over zealous French architecture in the 80’s) and finally found the Tourist Information, there I asked about trails and they handed me a less than detailed map – a blind man with a broken pencil could have done better – but I then was told of a book of riding all of the area – so I bought that (to be honest the French T/Info woman was so nice I would have bought anything from her!) and went on my merry way looking for the start points of the trails. Nothing really grabbed my eye and I came across the only place looking open – a bike hire shed – so I stopped and asked in Frenchinglis about the area, he was very helpful. Unlike New Zealand or UK these are not specific mountain bike trails , which is what I thought, more like general tracks – bridleways – and you needed a bit of map savvy to figure out where they were – nothing from here he said is any good for the light riding I wanted to do – but he pointed me back up the main road to a cross roads where some trails met. Nice man.
Back up the road life was beginning to stir, fences were ging up with markers for the race on Saturday and Sunday (I was on Sunday) and riders were coming through thick and fast – lots of riders…. I parked up, donned my gear with the rumbling thunder getting closer and simply road up and down a couple of tracks , figuring out the markers to look out for, and ones to ignore, speaking to a few brits on the way – one of which kindly gave me a map. After about an hour of riding I didn’t want to do any of the downhill tracks because I wasn’t sure I wanted to bust a gut coming up – and I was ready for lunch back at the chalet.
Looking through the new book I noticed a ride from the chalet up and around the back – 2 hours, bit of a climb but otherwise should be ok – and indeed it was, nice trails down by the river, then a climb on the road and 4wd track (panting more than usual due to this high altitude!) coming out at a refuge called GRAYDON – along the way I met some Milka cows (go google Milka Chocolate!) being rounded up by the farmer, a small abandoned church, a little café that had just closed (dam you!) and plenty of walkers to say hello. I slippery steep downhill back the chalet finished of the ride – confirming the bike was all ok and the rider still was a bit dodgy with his new brakes J
I stepped out the shower to hear the call that the others had arrived in the Chalet and had unpacked and ready for food. We headed out to the local restaurant ‘Le Petit Coq’ (ooo matron!) ran by 2 English women, and had burgers and fries (yes real FRENCH FRIES – soooo nice!) and some house red. The others were pretty tired from the long drive and I still was feeling it a bit too, so we headed back for an early night.
Saturday
I awoke to find my chalet room buddy had arrived about midnight and we chatted over the coming week and what I had already ridden. We met up with the others for a quick ride in Morzine – where the main centre is for riding and bought our 6 day lift pass for 82€ - not realising it until later that I could have got a season pass for only twice that much – 6 weeks for the price of 2! After fixing a puncture I got on the road ride over we headed to the lifts! Trying not to look like complete newbies we managed to negotiate them ok – for the trails I was simply following the group and no idea what we rode – although at least these were properly numbered trails. Of course the backdrop of the Alps was something to behold, not that we looked up much while riding – it was full on ‘red route’ stuff and slippy and muddy as the overnight rain had not been dried out in the forest sections – lots of bumpy brake ruts, with some Black sections thrown in too, it was getting more intense than I really wanted it to be, but I was fully armoured up, and only had one OTB (over the bars) when my pedal caught a broken tree making it into a lethal hook. The bike and brakes and forks working well. It was a strange feeling at the end , not the exhausted knackering rode-all-day,. Because you had hardly pedalled , but mentally you were tired and the inside of the arms and thumbs were sore!
Showered and getting ready for the race tomorrow – early start as we have to register for 7.30am, so about 6.00ish start.
Bikes ready
bags packed
rider nervous
its 5am, woke at 3.30...., awaiting my lift to meet the others before heading to the start point of St Bees in whiteheaven, grabbed about 4 hours of kip, and 2 coffees [so far], eyes have that heavy feeling...
weather is focast for rain all afternoon, but clearing for friday...nice....
last chance to check my packing once more....
Soon enough its time to take down my Christmas tree,
remove its tinsel, its lights, the wee fairy.
Memories of the days when it was bare and empty
....Ready, for someone to come, and give it some TLC
For many weeks it has given its best,
to bring joy without asking for anything else
Even so, it must now come down
Even so, its stands there still, upright and proud.
[note to self]
...no matter what, at l least i had the balls to go for it, with everything i had, at every turn and gave it every chance... ...things happen, or do not happen, that are out of our control...
Over the past few weeks I've been out riding with the local mountain bike club
A great group of people, well organised and all out for fun !!!
Rides included a few in Scotland, Wales and recently I a 'christmas ride' where we had to dress up in a christmas theme and ride around a track at Llandegla (www.mtbwales.co.uk) .
A fantastic day out, the early misty rain clearing to make it a wonderful day of riding, none caring about the times or best routes or technique , just fun, talking, and wishing everyone Merry Christmas as we went round.
Dont worry kids, the real Santa uses his sleigh and Raindeer - with Rudolph up front of course :)
I'll update my blog with a lot of things after Christmas and New Year. But its seem appropriate now to say
Merry Christmas Everyone, and a very Happy New Year.
Taken with my Olympus C5050z - Walton Gardens, Warrington
...and these of Kipford, D&G Scotland - note the less that satisfactory colour saturation despite it being a new camera and better MP the old C5050z still really captures great range of colours - particularly in manual mode.
For FSJB.
...
