... it's all part of the adventure. Some great feedback about the GPS tracking (make sure you click on the aerial option and have a good look at the size of those climbs!) I realise it looks like we all had a long lie this morning but in fact I forgot to switch the GPs tracker until lunch! It would normally sit on my handlebars but as there has been constant rain it got forgotten in my bag!
'Beautiful but challenging' (and very wet) sums up days 1 and 2 on the bikes. Leaving Chamonix yesterday morning seems a looong time ago having done over 5km of ascent and 175 miles since then. Tonight we are staying in a Gite (at the top of an incredibly steep hill) looking forwards to some scram from Julie and music from Jed.
I am looking for inspirational flaire for this blog but my thought are being drowned by groans of pains from the next room as Fi (masseuse and physio) pushes lactic acid out of a cyclists tired legs!
The almost constant rain is not showing much sign of abaiting and has made for some very hair raising descents through many switch back roads. Despite early concerns about a split group everyone has proved fit and very determined. The only sign of frayed nerves and tired legs were this afternoon as we followed a wild goose chase to find the Gite (hence the slight detour on the GPS tracker).
Tomorrow is shaping up to be an even greater challenge as we tackle over 3km of ascent including the 2247m Col d'Allos, however should be rewarded by a superb descent down to Verdon river to Castellane. Photos and blogs from some of the team to follow soon...
Friday, May 30. 2008
Let it rain...
Thursday, May 29. 2008
Big Brother follows Mark
Tuesday, May 27. 2008
Rain rain go away....
From mark..... Bonjourno... France, Switzerland and now Italy. Yves, Max, Daron and I set out from La Fouly after a huge breakfast and hiked over the Col de Petit Ferret in strong winds and steady rain to Courmayeur.
Only about 800 meters of ascent but tricky conditions with a lot of snow over the top, steep descents and fast stream crossings.
Wet to the bone and a bit cold but after 25km to near Courmayeur we are enjoying a coffee and planning a big day climbing and skiing back over the top to Chamonix tomorrow.
Raja has been a huge help driving the van and is off to Geneva early to pick up the cyclists for the next stage. Plan B, this tour de Mont Blanc has proved an amazing challenge so far. Spirits are high, just hoping for a break in the weather.
Only about 800 meters of ascent but tricky conditions with a lot of snow over the top, steep descents and fast stream crossings.
Daron finally admitting that GoreTex is a bit more appropriate than cotton in this "dreich" weather, even by Scottish standards !
Wet to the bone and a bit cold but after 25km to near Courmayeur we are enjoying a coffee and planning a big day climbing and skiing back over the top to Chamonix tomorrow.
Wet to the bone... but still smiling! The "Petit Col Ferret" didn't feel so "petit" !
Raja has been a huge help driving the van and is off to Geneva early to pick up the cyclists for the next stage. Plan B, this tour de Mont Blanc has proved an amazing challenge so far. Spirits are high, just hoping for a break in the weather.
Noodles and Tubes
Today was an agonising day, we woke up to heavy rain and strong winds forecasted to continue to wednesday. After much deliberating the team had to accept that summiting Mont Blanc was now an impossible feat, unless the weather miraculously improved. Therefore we decided that if we cannot go to the top of the Mont Blanc we would go around it. After a big logistical reshuffle, Mark, Max and I jumped on our bikes and left Chamonix heading for La Fouly in Switzerland. This was a big cycle with around 2,000m climb and 1,400m descent over 80km, which was fortunately broken by lunch, a huge plate of Phad Thai noodles all round.
Straight afterwards Max and Mark set off like rabbits out of a cage on the climb up to the Col des Montets.
Within a few hundred metres Mark was nursing a puncture.
20km's later Mark was experiencing a string of punctures. "You ate too many Noodles!" reproached Max. After breaking valves and running out of spare tubes the elements appear to be against us, especially after Mark's tyre blows out on a hairpin corner at 50kmph. Somehow Mark avoids becoming human graffiti on the wall he was heading for. Sparks are flying off Mark's cleats as he uses his shoe as an emergency brake.
No more tubes, the nearest bike shop is shut on Mondays and the hypermarket only sells cheap foreign cr*p that does not cut the mustard!
It gets to 6pm, and we have a 1,300m climb and 30km to do against a strong headwind. To rub salt in the wounds it starts to rain. The last two thirds of the climb are beautiful, heading up a beautiful valley. Even the pouring rain does not dampen our spirits. Max who is more used to Lebanon's sunny climate is pushing ahead strongly, motivated by a well ingrained competitive streak and the fact that he is freezing his n*ts off.
Max arrives before us and we find him in the shower still shivering. Great nosh, extra soup all round and lashings of Syrian jokes from Raja.
Tomorrow we pick up the Mont Blanc trail circuit as we head on to Courmeyer by foot, running / trekking over this undulating route. We will be climbing over snowy cols and it should be a beautiful route.
On wednesday if the weather permits we will be on skis going over the mont blanc massif, down the valley blanche and back to chamonix, to sleep, eat and sleep before kicking off the cycle stage with a 160km first day.......
Straight afterwards Max and Mark set off like rabbits out of a cage on the climb up to the Col des Montets.
Max, Daron & Mark: Full of noodles and ready to go !
Within a few hundred metres Mark was nursing a puncture.
Mark's 1st puncture. Daron is still smiling...
Mark's 2nd puncture. Max is still smiling...
Mark's 3rd puncture. Neither Daron nor Max are smiling anymore...
20km's later Mark was experiencing a string of punctures. "You ate too many Noodles!" reproached Max. After breaking valves and running out of spare tubes the elements appear to be against us, especially after Mark's tyre blows out on a hairpin corner at 50kmph. Somehow Mark avoids becoming human graffiti on the wall he was heading for. Sparks are flying off Mark's cleats as he uses his shoe as an emergency brake.
No more tubes, the nearest bike shop is shut on Mondays and the hypermarket only sells cheap foreign cr*p that does not cut the mustard!
It gets to 6pm, and we have a 1,300m climb and 30km to do against a strong headwind. To rub salt in the wounds it starts to rain. The last two thirds of the climb are beautiful, heading up a beautiful valley. Even the pouring rain does not dampen our spirits. Max who is more used to Lebanon's sunny climate is pushing ahead strongly, motivated by a well ingrained competitive streak and the fact that he is freezing his n*ts off.
Cycling up the Col de Forclaz. Beautiful scenery.
Max arriving at La Fouly, and eager to get a hot shower!
Max arrives before us and we find him in the shower still shivering. Great nosh, extra soup all round and lashings of Syrian jokes from Raja.
Mark and Daron entering La Fouly (CH). Wet & cold, but still smiling. Notice the fat tires on Mark's bike. Those proved better at keeping air in !
Tomorrow we pick up the Mont Blanc trail circuit as we head on to Courmeyer by foot, running / trekking over this undulating route. We will be climbing over snowy cols and it should be a beautiful route.
On wednesday if the weather permits we will be on skis going over the mont blanc massif, down the valley blanche and back to chamonix, to sleep, eat and sleep before kicking off the cycle stage with a 160km first day.......
Max bemused by the amount of gear packed in the back of the van. Where is my paraglider in all of this ?!?
Monday, May 26. 2008
Hurry-up & wait !
Sunday afternoon, Mark came in as planned. His Koga Miyata will follow by courier, hopefully on time.
Ralph spent much of the day resting, and by late afternoon he was back on his feet again, and began filling up his empty stomach slowly but surely.
Still rain here in Chamonix, and high winds up on the mountain. The forecast doesn't look good either. There seems to be a low pressure zone looming on the area, and it just doesn't seem to want to move away!
With all our bags packed, and ready to go, we all gathered for a Monday morning brainstorming session to decide what to do until the weather Gods decide to smile on us.
The high winds mean that not only is it dangerous, but pretty much impossible to reach the top of Mont Blanc. Those same winds may prove to be a blessing as they may chase the clouds away. Fingers crossed!
Ralph spent much of the day resting, and by late afternoon he was back on his feet again, and began filling up his empty stomach slowly but surely.
Ralph and Daron setting up the support van with Active Earth "Mt Blanc to Mt Cinto" visuals
Still rain here in Chamonix, and high winds up on the mountain. The forecast doesn't look good either. There seems to be a low pressure zone looming on the area, and it just doesn't seem to want to move away!
With all our bags packed, and ready to go, we all gathered for a Monday morning brainstorming session to decide what to do until the weather Gods decide to smile on us.
All packed and ready, but nowhere to go!
The high winds mean that not only is it dangerous, but pretty much impossible to reach the top of Mont Blanc. Those same winds may prove to be a blessing as they may chase the clouds away. Fingers crossed!
Sunday, May 25. 2008
Slight trepidation!
Snow on the Cols
Flexability is the hallmark of a great adventurer, and this expedition is no exception. It has been an exceptional year for snow and the Col de Madelaine and the Col du Glandon are still impassable due to snow, at least to lycra wearing cyclists! Below is how it should look! A new route diversion has been organised, which is longer with a bit less climbing. Max, Mark and Daron could be hitting this 100 mile, plus stage straight after having skied up and down the Mont Blanc.
To see the cycle map go to:
Original Planned Route Map
To see the cycle map go to:
Original Planned Route Map
Weather Update
More Red Blood Cells please!
We all trained hard for this, but a few extra red blood cells may make the difference between summiting and vomiting, so we all decided to spend a night at the "Refuge des Cosmiques" (3,613m). The weather wasn't exactly what we had hoped for. Still, the hypoxia was the same, thus stimulating our bodies to acclimatise to the thin air.
Steph didn't have her crampons on her, so she waved farewell, and left us at the ice cave. She spent a night camping just outside the toilets at the "Aiguille du Midi". As an "Extreme chicken", Steph is a tough cookie but is sensitive to the cold. "I'm usually very cold, so I have 2 down jackets with me for tonight" she said. Just a while she was telling us that she wanted to ski Cho Oyu (8200m), so I wondered how many down jackets, suits, sleeping bags, etc. she would need up at 8000m!
The night -and the food- at the refuge was great, but Ralph's stomach didn't quite agree with the Coq au Vin... I had the misfortune of sleeping next to him, and I counted a dozen trips to the Loo... The next morning, Ralph was dehydrated and weakened. He's 1m90, and has a strong mental, which is what got him back to the Aiguille du Midi, albeit after a few stops...
The Weather Gods are still not smiling down on us. Wind and driving snow were on the agenda, and if the local weather forecast is anything to go by, the next few days don't look that rosy either. Ralph was happy to make it back down to the rich Chamonix air, and hit the sack as we all got ready for the big climb.
Steph didn't have her crampons on her, so she waved farewell, and left us at the ice cave. She spent a night camping just outside the toilets at the "Aiguille du Midi". As an "Extreme chicken", Steph is a tough cookie but is sensitive to the cold. "I'm usually very cold, so I have 2 down jackets with me for tonight" she said. Just a while she was telling us that she wanted to ski Cho Oyu (8200m), so I wondered how many down jackets, suits, sleeping bags, etc. she would need up at 8000m!
The night -and the food- at the refuge was great, but Ralph's stomach didn't quite agree with the Coq au Vin... I had the misfortune of sleeping next to him, and I counted a dozen trips to the Loo... The next morning, Ralph was dehydrated and weakened. He's 1m90, and has a strong mental, which is what got him back to the Aiguille du Midi, albeit after a few stops...
Yves watches on as Raph gets rid of more chicken between his skis...
The Weather Gods are still not smiling down on us. Wind and driving snow were on the agenda, and if the local weather forecast is anything to go by, the next few days don't look that rosy either. Ralph was happy to make it back down to the rich Chamonix air, and hit the sack as we all got ready for the big climb.
Skis on our backpack, and crampons on, we brave the elements to get back to the Aiguille.
Comments
Mon, 02.06.2008 10:46
Hi Daron Sounds great so far buddy - you are getting some serious training in for the 24 hour MTB race !! Enjoy [...]