I have been thinking about how to tackle this project and have decided that the best way to condense 7 very full days in the Alps is to throw a lot of photos your way. I am only 3 weeks away from the Haute Route, and 2 kg north of where I was before this tour happened, so you’ll forgive me if I am not too loquacious this time around.
Below is a selection of the tons of pictures we took. The rest are on my FB page, if you just can’t get enough of either Colombians or The Alps.
John, herding Camilo into one of our vans – Nice.
The old town of Briancon, where we had our welcome dinner the first night.
First group photo – Highway rest stop, somewhere between Le Sud and Les Alps.
Chez Bear – HQ for the first 3 nights.
Carlos leading the peloton on our first ride – Nevache.
Possibly looking back into Italy, on our first day.
A fit-looking crew, I think you’ll agree.
Cycling Languedoc Mobile, at your service.
Ride in the morning, watch the TdF in the afternoon. If it gets any better than this, I’d like to know how.
Day Two: before a double ascent of Col du Galibier.
Colombian paceline – Lautaret.
Colombian paceline: squint hard.
Galibier 1
Galibier 2
Galibier 3
Galibier 4
Col d’Izoard, Day 3
A familiar sight – Andres reaching Col d’Izoard first.
Pavement Cam action shot 1
Pavement Cam action shot 2
Pavement Cam action shot 3
Pavement Cam action shot 4
Federico, Alfredo and German – Izoard.
Possibly the Col de la Bonette.
More probably the Col de la Bonette
Pretty definitely the Col de la Bonette
German – Birthday Boy
HQ2: Hotel Montana, Le Sauze
Beautiful Cayolle climb – Mercantour National Park
Some confusion as to who was first up the Col de la Cayolle.
Cycling Languedoc – looking pro.
We weren’t the only circus in town – Annot
HQ3: don’t ask
Breaking into HQ3 through the bathroom window. Don’t ask either.
Last day on the road together.
A final drink…or three. Nice.
Bike porn 1
Bike porn 2
Bike porn 3
Bike porn 4
Bike porn 5
Bike porn 6
Bike porn 7
Bike porn 8
Bike porn 9
One last group photo before a 5-star splash-out at the Negresco Hotel in Nice.
This, our first real tour of any size, went amazingly well if we don’t say so ourselves. John and I started working on this last November and I think I spoke more with him in those 8 months than I did with Shoko. It was a full-time job for most of that time. Either hard work paid off or we struck gold with our group. Possibly the latter. It helped enormously that we had a great bunch of solid, well-trained riders to guide. Even more important was that they were a friendly, easy-going bunch.
If you and your friends consider yourselves to be something similar, John and I would love to show you through The Alps. Okay, even if you’re not, we’ll give it a shot!
