Goodbye Mountains

MONTPELLIER, FRANCE

It was cold and rainy at the Col du Lautaret which is the last Col before Galibier. I knew my options were to either climb Galibier in absolutely miserable weather without knowing if more snow was falling like yesterday, or to go over to Italy and ride the climb to Sestriere and watch the Tour go by. So I left.

I figured I didn't really need to climb the highest finishing climb in the Tour de France (2645 m, 8678 ft) in these conditions. Besides, I have climbed America's highest paved road, Mt. Evans, Colorado (4300 m, 14,000 ft). Take that, France!

I borrowed a spoke tool from Trek Travel on the Tourmalet and returned it here

I got so chilled yesterday I didn't want to risk doing it again, especially with a 5-hour drive ahead of me. On Sunday, 200 cyclists had to be rescued off Galibier when the snows blew in and they weren't prepared. I left Lautaret in the cold rain and first drove down towards Briançon and saw many cyclists headed up the mountain. 

Partway down the mountain I abandoned the idea of watching this stage of the Tour in Italy. I knew traffic coming back through Briançon would be a nightmare and I was just too tired to stay that late. Garmin's ETA was never close to reality in the Alps because the roads are not conducive to traveling 90 kmh which is what Garmin uses to calculate time.

If I could do it over I would have stayed one more night in the Alps (tonight) then used tomorrow as an all-day drive day (7-8 hours). Or paid more for a connecting flight from Grenoble instead of returning from Toulouse.

When I turned around to head back to Montpellier I went back up the mountain. I saw many of the same cyclists I passed headed back down. I think they realized how nasty the conditions would be.

On the way back to Bourg d'Osians I saw and talked with one of the riders from Evolution Cycling Club in Reston. Seems they had a group of six riders here this week.

Turtle. I remember him from a group ride two years ago.

Near Grenoble I saw a man fixing a flat (bike) in the rain. I did a U-turn and pulled up with a floor pump. He knew no English but gestures said it all. He was happy to have someone stop with a real pump.

Just helped this Frenchman by lending him my floor pump

So I left the Alps behind today and am now on the Mediterranean coast of France in Montpellier. I am staying in a 15th century building. A Best Western.  

 Actually, my room was part of the old butcher shop.

This entrance is just to the right of the main entrance to the hotel

I went for an afternoon ride trying to find the sea but couldn't. How big is it anyway if I can't find it?

I'm sure close but don't know the connecting roads

On the map it appears that I was close but so far away. It looks like only a highway which does not permit bikes, crosses over to the beaches. I'm probably wrong.

Montpellier is the fifth largest city in France. Not sure why I wanted to come to a city. With tram construction and a traffic pattern that predates city blocks, it is pretty difficult to navigate. It gave both my car Garmin and my bike Garmin fits trying to route me to my hotel. But it is a nice city.

Interesting grass in the trolley tracks

Reflecting, I climbed the Tourmalet, to the summit this year, and from both sides as I went down to the point I had come up on  from the other side last year. I got chased by the Devil. Twice. And cows. And llamas. I climbed Mont Ventoux in 50 mph winds at the summit. And I climbed Alpe d'Huez. That's a pretty complete week.

Last year when I signed up for the Trek Travel tour of France I was glad to bike Pla d'Adet, Aspin, Tourmalet, Azet, and Pyresourde. But I always felt that I haven't been to France until I biked up Alpe d'Huez. Now I have.
 
This has been a great trip although I have ridden far less than I planned as I have driven far more than I planned. But the great climbs made it worth it even if I left one on the table. It can stay there.

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Mont Ventoux

BÉDOIN, FRANCE

I met two guys from West Chester, Pa. (near Philadelphia) in Bédoin, which is the little village before the base of the climb. We agreed to ride together until James and Brian decided that I (1) had already ridden too many climbs this trip, (2) was suffering from sleeping in the car last night and having no breakfast*, and (3) was much older than them. They had just arrived and were looking to follow the Tour. Too bad they didn't wait for me because I had lots of useful tips. Philly fans.

Traffic circle outside Bédoin

So I started the climb on my own. It started raining part way up. Still, I was in short sleeves until I pulled on my vest with about 10km to go.

The lower wooded section is beautiful. Climbing higher I saw few riders but did pass one from Denmark. Apparently his wife was with him for support. She would pass, go ahead 200-300 meters and wait until he passed her.
 
Visibility near the top dropped to 10 meters. On the last turn to the summit I was hit by 50 mph (80 kmh) winds which ripped my glasses right off me. Goodbye glasses. The wind blew me across the road but I stayed upright, worried only about a descending car.

Couldn't lift the bike the wind was so strong

It was only about 50 meters more to the summit. I stayed at the summit no more than 2-3 minutes. I think severe hypothermia would probably set in by spending no more than an hour there. It was nasty on top. The temperature was probably 40 F (5 C) and the winds seemed to be sustained at about 50 mph.

I was content to take a picture of the summit sign but three women from Germany drove up and offered to take my picture. Thus I have photographic evidence of being here.

I had passed the memorial to Tom Simpson just a couple hundred meters from the top. I did not want to stop and lose momentum so I kept going. This memorial is to drugs, no? Tom was high on amphetamines and alcohol and pushed himself beyond the limit of his body and died on this mountain during the Tour de France. But yet, he's a hero.

At the Tom Simpson Memorial

On the way down I stopped to take a photo. Seems like the thing to do is to donate a water bottle. I didn't.

A guy going up saw me taking a photo and offered to take mine. He did then I took his. I also gave him a push to help him clip in and get going again.

My photographer. Does he look like a turtle?

Despite being dropped by my Philly friends, I was passed by four cyclists going up and I passed 17. On the descent I was passed by no one and passed four more cyclists and two cars. I was freezing on the descent (I did put on arm warmers), went through sleet then just pouring rain. I went as fast as I could safely go just to get down quickly.

Oh yea, Frenchmen must have a complex because they sure like to paint penises on the road quite a bit.

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*I had made a reservation at a bed and breakfast near Mormion. There was no house number for a street address. Garmin got me close then had me go up a back alley that soon narrowed and wasn't big enough for the car. I asked three different families who were walking and none seemed to no for sure where it was. Eventually, I found it, and took just my backpack to the door.

I used the door knocker. Heard a dog bark but that was it. They had a bell with a long rope. I pulled it repeatedly. No answer. I was scared. I was literally in a back alley.

I found my way to the main street and there was a pizza shop about to close with a couple sitting out front. I started talking to them and found out they're from England. He was kind enough to use his iPhone and call the place for me. Answering machine. He then sent an email. After 15 minutes the pizza shop closed and the owner went with me and he too, and no luck getting an answer.

I drove to the major city, Carpentras. I found a Best Western that was about to close for the night (11:00p) and a sign on the door advertised they were full. I asked anyhow if they knew of other vacancies. The desk clerk told me that every hotel he knew was full since there was a festival in town.

I asked if he would be so kind to let me log onto his WiFi and send my wife a message that I was OK since I hadn't messaged her at all today. Of course I was scared to death but wouldn't tell her that. He walked outside with me and secretly handed me a slip of paper with codes to the WiFi signal. He showed me the imaginary line where I would be outside of camera range because he would get in trouble if his boss saw him helping me. (True)

I thanked him, got my laptop as the rain started to fall lightly, and ducked in a protected area close enough but not able to be seen. I found the signal but could not connect. Damn shame.

I got in the car and started driving. I looked for "all lodging" on the GPS and it brought up campgrounds as well. I thought that might be an option. One was close and a bit secluded. I arrived and went through a security gate. I parked then explained my situation to a young man who quickly ran and got his sister because "her English is perfect." It wasn't, far from it compared to many people I met in France, but it was adequate. And it was 10 times better than my French. Her mother, the campground owner came over as well.

They were full. I offered to rent a site but they had none available. Then she asked if I had a tent. Well, no. All I was looking for was to park for the night and sleep in the car. Someplace safe from criminals and the police (in case it was somehow illegal).

They willingly agreed and offered me a blanket and pillow. And a shower. I declined all but the owner brought me a blanket anyhow. I'm glad she did.

It wasn't a relaxing sleep in the Fiat and morning came soon enough. I went to meet and thank the owners and this time there was a man there. I returned their blanket and couldn't thank them enough.

He had fresh croissants delivered and I bought one for my breakfast then decided to drive to Bédoin rather than bike there because I was very unsure of the direction. Thus I had suffered from sleeping in the car last night and having no breakfast, save for a croissant, which is hardly the energy food for climbing such a mountain.

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Happy 4th

STERLING, VA

Happy 4th of July!

Today I parked near Dulles Airport and rode to Loudoun County H.S. in Leesburg to join a 60 mile ride around Loudoun County visiting quaint little towns celebrating the 4th of July. By visiting I mean rolling through without stopping.

I was better suited to a solo ride today. A solo ride affords me the opportunity to stop and take pictures and the little towns were sure beautiful, all decorated in red, white, and blue. And there was no better picture than a beautiful red barn outfitted in American flags. But I stayed with my group.

We rode through Waterford to Lovettsville, then Hillsboro to Round Hill. At Round Hill I broke off from the group. They had planned to ride down to Airmont then back to Purcellville. That would give them 60 miles.

I headed back on Rte 7 through Purcellville and Hamilton and back to Leesburg cutting a little off the ride knowing I had an extra 20 miles in my legs.

In contrast to the 100 miles in America's Most Beautiful Ride, today my legs felt awful. I hated not to stay with the group although our group was down to four riders. But I knew to listen to my body.

I stopped by Loudoun Golf and Country Club. But my son-in-law, Byran Snow, the golf pro there, was on vacation.

I stopped in Leesburg for a Gatorade. I stopped on the trail just outside of Leesburg looking for more water. It didn't work. I stopped at Smith's Switch Station where at least they had water.

In the end, 70 miles was enough today. Recoup. Rehydrate. And celebrate another year of life.

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