My trip to the alps
- Thread starter jowwy
- Start date
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Viva la wheel
Guest
I saw a reply from you but now it has disappeared about training ?
However well done , maybe next climb will feel easier
However well done , maybe next climb will feel easier
Mrs M
Guru
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
Brilliant, well doneA lot of you will know that a few months ago i agreed to take a trip to the little known place called, Bourg D'osians in the alpine region of france. It's home to some little climbs like Alp D'huez, Glandon, Croix de fer, Telegraphe, Galibier etc etc........
Well the trip happened last thursday 6th July and was a 5 day affair, with some R+R included. Now as you also may be aware i'm no flyweight, but more like a super heavyweight when it comes to climbing, i stand 5ft 10" and weigh in at 115kgs....(Prime Welsh Beef). So the story begins
Day 1 Travel and alp d'huez
Up at 3am for breakfast, pack the car and at 4am off to pick up my mate simon for the drive to bristol. the flight was at 7.35...but with a 1hr drive and check in we needed to be there for 5.35am. Well the que at easyjet check-in had more switchbacks than alp de'huez itself. But after a short while bags and bikes were checked in, quick nip through security and within 30mins we were at the gates ready to board the flight.
Flight to geneva was no drama and it felt like we was there even before my sandwich arrived from inflight services. Now the fun begins, through security and off to collect bikes, quick trip around geneva airport to the french sectour to collect the hire cars. Nice young lader at the desk upgraded us for free to a Hyndaui Tucson instead of a fiesta after seeing our bike boxes and cases. From there it was a 2hr drive to bourg and the 4 story town house we rented for the trip. We arrive at the house at 3.30pm and the temp was a barmy 36deg......
Unload car and into the house to choose our rooms for the stay. Within minutes we were building up our bikes and getting ready for the first climb........now i had been awake since 3am, had two pieces of toast for breakfast and a sandwich on the plane, it was 4pm by this time. Bikes were primed and the fatal blow was struck - 1st climb was Alp D'huez........after nigh on 13hrs of travelling and hardly any food....gulp gulp gulp
we set off from the house and within minutes we were at the foot of the mighty alp, off my compatriots go climbing like goats towards turn 21. Me i'm no climber and was a littel envious of my fellow riders as the flew like gazelles skywards. i promptly got into my rhythm and started to climb, making my way slowly to turn 21, no dramas, to the bend even more upwards to turn 20....with 1.5km into the climb, i was feeling ok with 36deg sun beating down on my farrowed brow, round the hairpin of 20 and onto turn 19.....as i turn 19 the loudest bang i've ever heard, look down......shredded conti4000sII, was absolutley gutted, 3 turns in and the first climb for me was over and the long lonely walk to the house had begun. Alp D'huez no more
Day 2 Glandon and Croix De fer
Up nice and early and off to a local bike store for a nice new tyre, fitted, pumped up and bike primed ready for the day. Now today i know was going to be tough, it was the 28km climb form the town of Alloment to the top of the croix de fer. Knowing this i had already planned to only ride to the small village in the middle. Again it was 33deg and as a fat man climbing it wasn't going to be easy. But, i had already agreed with the guys i would climb to the village, descend.....jump in the car and then meet them at the top of the croix de fer for a nice omellette.
Off we set down the carriageway and into the town of alloment for the start of the Glandon. The climb started nicely with a few little switched backs upto the 1st lake.....28km sign passed along the way, again i was alone....the first few km's seemed to flyby and then the tougher sections started and the pain began. Between km 25 to 18 i went to a very dark place.....the climb ebbing and flowing but not getting less than 8%, legs were screaming and the heat and sweat adourning my brow. I needed 3 lungs that day as i climbed slowly and steady, knocking off the km's, stopping for slugs of water, high 5 and fruit pastilles along the way.........2hrs later i was into the village and the last km upto no.17.
7.5miles and 1886ft of climbing.....for me my highest ever climb, ( but that wouldn't last long). Soon i was turning and heading back down to pick up the car.......before driving all the way back upto the top to meet the guys ( who by the way were already at the top before i even reached the 2nd lake in the car ) quick omellette, look at the views and then back off down.
Day 3 Lions rugby and the Ornon
Day 3 started with breakfast and the lions rugby in cafe de paris....bring your own food, but you must buy our coffee is what they told us. So thats what we did.....after the game it was a little wonder around the town, look around the market and then back to the house to kit up. Todays climb was what people explained to me was an hor deouvre of a climb, a nice chilled welcome to the alps. Hmmmmmm i dont think so.....11.1km ave 5.8% and 2200ft of climbing, that doesn't sound to chilled to me. But off we went down the road about 1 mile and then left straight onto the climb (alone again). It kicked up pretty quick, but again i was into a nice rhythm and started ticking off the KM's, but by damn it was hot yet again, with more humidity this time and just no breeze at all....before long i was at the 8km to go marker, it started to flatten off, up the gears and zooming through to km 7 and up it kicked, switch back after switch back, the heat from the sun raining down onto my tortured brow, but i was feeling good, the legs felt strong and i was getting more comfortable with this climbing lark.....each km was ticking away, but this time i didn't need a 3rd lung, as a rose gazelle like ( more like beastly) up the climb.
2hr later.....with 11.1km and 2200ft i was at the top ( my new highest climb) the guys were at the top cheering me on to collect my first full Col of the trip....the Col d'ornon was completed, i felt a sense of elation but also a feeling of bleh.......what i mean by bleh, is that to me it just felt like another climb, but in a different country, but this time it was high 5s and well dones ( i never got that when i got up the tumble, llangynidr or llangattock) but i did at the top of an alpine climb.
Day 4 Col de telegraphe and the (to tough for me ) Galibier
Now this day was going to be my toughest of the trip. The telegraphe stands at 11.8km...ave 7.4% and 2860ft of ascent, to me a beast.............but before that was a 110mile trip to the foot of the climb by car.
up at 7am, off by 8 and arriving at St micheal de maurinne for 10am, again it was steaming hot at 36deg, but thunder storms and rain were drifting in during the day. Off we set through the town, right turn at the lights and there it started straight away kicking up to 8% as we went under the bridge and past the start sign....(again i was alone, but i'm happier that way as i'm not fretting about holding up the guys). i was agin into my rhythm, into my big 40t rear gear and churning out the tempo 3.7mph lol. Now for those that have climbed the telegrahe will know what i mean, the % although not too taxing was steady at 7% for most of the climb, it went from switch backs, to straight road to switch back to straight road........but to me it felt easier than the Ornon, a strange feeling it didn't feel tough, it definatley didn't feel like 10% at km 7, but my garmin said it was, my legs weren't screaming, my lungs gulping in fresh air, t no longer felt like a tough slog, it felt easier, it felt lively.....was i starting to get my climbing legs, 4 days and the last climb into the trip or was it just a false sense of euphoria, which ever it was i felt good. Again the km's were ticking down as i rode, upwards towards the sky, trying not to look to much to my right at the steep cliff drops (scared of heights see).....suddenly it was down to 5km to go.....then 4...3.....2.....and 1. Another 2hr climb was done. 11.8kms and 2860 ( a new high) but this time the feeling of elation was more real, i climbed what some people would tell me was going to be my hardest day in the saddle, but it didn't feel like to me. To me it felt easier than the ornon, but the % says it wasn't.............now before people say, why didn't you carry on, you felt good, it felt easier....but i knew the mighty galibier would be that step to far and were the elation would turn to regret and pain if i continued. After a brief stop at the top and a bottle of water, i start the descent and before i had even 1km under my wheels, the inevitable happen.....thunder and lashing rain and even with disc brakes, i was struggling with the bike in the wet, hands slipping off the levers.
and from this point onwards i started wat some would say is the slowest descent of the telegraphe in cycling history. i stopped jumped off the bike and started the 11km walk back to the bottom of the climb, rain lashing down, but hot at the same time............it took 2hrs and slower to get down than it did to climb up, but i didn't care one jot....i was down and i was safe.
Overall
My trip overall was one of a sense of achivement, elation and bleh all in one. I did something i had never even thought of doing. I went to the alps, i collected two full cols andi stuck my fingers up to the guys at home that said to me. at your size you aint completing a climb mate and your mad to go there. Yep maybe the mad bit was right, but the other bits i proved them wrong.
18st 2lbs of prime welsh beef climbed the cols........and lived to write this diary.
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Cheers for all the comments. One thing that was a huge plus was the electric gearing on the climbs.......sram etap is defo the business, very expensive, but so worth it. The quick and efficient gear changes under pressure was so procise.
I would certainly recommend it for anyone's best bike
I would certainly recommend it for anyone's best bike
I thought the same, but as you get into a good rhythm you do find yourself changing down to rise out of the saddle a bit, just to help ease the legs and lower backI've never done climbs like that but I suspect I wouldn't be doing much gear changing if I did. Straight to the bottom!
I may go back who knows, but have no plans currently
Arjimlad
Tights of Cydonia
- Location
- South Glos
Splendid, and how exciting to watch the pros do those very climbs too. Great stuff - very envious !
I love the "I've been there" feel whenever I see somewhere I've been on the telly - the "I did that" version must be even better
Shut Up Legs
Down Under Member
Agreed. I did Telegraphe and Galibier a few weeks ago too, albeit at a slightly more sedate pace than these guys!
Soltydog
Legendary Member
- Location
- near Hornsea
Top kudos @jowwy I'd planned on a similar type trip for my 50th, but being a 'large' chap myself, I'm not sure I'd want to spend day after day on long climbs, so for my 50th I'm opting for a once in a lifetime bike, custom ti build. But my retirement plan is to go follow the tour & do a climb or two whilst there If I lose a few pound each year before retirement I'll be in much better shape for climbing
If I lose a few pound each year before retirement I'll be in much better shape for climbing Well im 41....already got the custom ti build and a custom cannondale build. So it was only the alps left for me. Was a tough few days though, but proud to have done itTop kudos @jowwy I'd planned on a similar type trip for my 50th, but being a 'large' chap myself, I'm not sure I'd want to spend day after day on long climbs, so for my 50th I'm opting for a once in a lifetime bike, custom ti build. But my retirement plan is to go follow the tour & do a climb or two whilst there
