Galibier

[maxn]

After some reshuffling of schedules, my intern from Bozeman/Harvard and I loaded up bikes and were on our way to Bourg and Lautaret to meet velotel, a visiting MTB luminary, his wife and son. I was ready for something big, after testing my knees last week (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?p=1152980), and the plan was to ride Galibier. Just after loading up, disaster strikes: velotel calls and tells me that he won't be able to join us because of an unmissable med. appointment. Velotel is one of the most upbeat and positive guys I know, but I could almost see the disappointment on his face. We were definitely more than a little bummed that he wound't be there with us. The new plan was to meet the MTB dignitary somewhere along the road, but a collection of road works conspired to make that difficult. We parked just outside of la Grave, which is only an hour away -- feel free to hate me -- just after a tunnel. Unfortunately, it was not exactly where I thought it was and we still had to ride through a tunnel, where they had stopped morning traffic in both directions to, no joke, replace all the burnt out lights in the tunnel. The flag guy was really cool and waved us through, so we had a car and diesel free ride through the tunnel. From there, gentle grades, epic views and even some new pavement up to Lautaret. The intern, now with clipless pedals (I had been riding with him sans clipless at low altitude and had had no problem keeping up with him), was in his element and dropped me without much effort. Towards the top, the wind kicked in and I found myself climbing the last section in the drops, just to stay out of the wind.

At Lauteret, we pulled over to coordinate with the others: thank goodness for not too expensive international SMSing. While we were waiting, I had an awesome espresso, talked to some locals about climbing la Meije and saw what looked like a McLaran MP4-12C and a 612 Scaglietti drive by. Except for the road works, I bet those guys were having a good day. The others showed up after a little while, and they unloaded the bikes that velotel had lined up for them, which were pretty damn nice! Nice carbon bikes with excellent wheels and groupsets -- velotel doesn't F around when his friends are concerned.

After introductions, we figured out timing, since one of them was going to stay at the col, and started up the Galibier. If you've never been to Lautaret, a little background: you can see the road to Galibier switchbacking up the hill at impossible angles in front of you. It always impresses and intimidates me. It's friggin Galibier, after all, even if it's from the easier side. I took a moment to look up and soak it all in, returned my eyes to the road…
and saw everyone hammering: Sweet! The climb was magnificent -- the best conditions ever for me, and this was my fourth time up. Even at low speed, it feels heroic. Regarding the speed, I did my best to keep up with the young'uns (even though they were clearly not going full gas) but I was soon sucking huge lungfuls of air and my HR was through the roof.

From the top, we took pictures, talked for a little while and then had to split up, as I had to get back to work for some previously scheduled experiments.

Today was: Excellent company, beautiful weather, a climb steeped in cycling history, sweeping views, difficult grades… it's what it's all about for me.


http://youtu.be/FCcJLl0PCY8?hd=1

[thinpin]

Thanks Manx, but EMI has blocked access to Australia (?music add-on) on copyright grounds:rolleyes:

[maxn]

I'll try to upload another version sans musique. Upload will take a while though.

[thinpin]

No stress take your time, These posts are like pudding, to be lingered over not rushed.

[soulspinner]

Awesome descending!

[1happygirl]

Bummer about your friend!!! Hope md visit ok.

if you dont mind (you knew this was coming)
What camera did you use?

Thanks in advance:hello:

[Karin Kirk]

Fantastic!
That is so kind of you to post these videos, they are great fun for those of us who crouch in front of our laptops, living vicariously as you swoosh around the switchbacks. (Nice descending, by the way, you had me whooping out loud)

It looks like a perfect day up there. That high alpine environment is incredibly invigorating. Pair that setting with a twisty road, good pavement, a road bike and some friends, and there you have all the ingredients for total bliss. Thanks for sharing it with the rest of us. :)

[Joel]

Oh gosh! I am training like crazy to do this very climb in september. But I don't know how much jamming the little rises called hills in Florida is going to help. Inspiration to keep jamming in preparation . Many thanks for posting!

[jgspin]

How do you expect us to go riding when you post these videos that keep us glued to the computer? Seriously these are awesome, thanks.

[ultraman6970]

I suck climbing but i would love to do one of these ones at some point in life.

:)

[maxn]

thanks, all!

camera is a 1st gen GoPro HD, K-edge mount

Joel, ultraman: speaking from personal experience, it's all about gearing and (your expectation of) speed :)

Karin, soulspinner: I was actually kind of embarrassed at how many trajectories I missed! Must be the altitude :)

jgspin: I don't usually watch my videos more than once, but this was such a fun ride, I've watched in several times already (even though it is too long)… so I'm in the same boat :)

[khjr]

Cool. That video of your descent brought back memories. When I descended in the first week of August 2007 on the way from Valloire to Alpe d'Huez, it was snowing at the pass and sleating all the way down. Our hands were so frozen by the time we got down to the intersection at Lauteret - we had to clutch mugs of cocoa at the cafe to get our fingers working again! The following week we were backtracking up Lauteret again on our way from Grenoble to Briancon, so we took a fun run up to Galibier - same route (and weather!) that you had. Quite the view of La Meije on the descent!

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . a very strange and wonderful new feeling to be watching something like this and thinking "Very soon I. Will. Be there."

BBD

[HenryA]

Wow!

That is some ride.
Thanks for sharing.

[tiretrax]

Awesome. I get to ride to and around DFW airport tomorrow. Needless to say, I am very jealous.

Have a great trip BBD.

[thinpin]

Wonderful descending. What an arena to play in!

La Meije, nasty mountain, if I remember, loose rock receding snow line, dirty wet crevassed glaciers, spat us out early on.

[BumbleBeeDave]

Just to get some perspective, it looks like from the camera that you were going at supersonic speed on that descent. Does the camera exaggerate the speed? How fast were you really going through all those switchbacks?

BBD

[maxn]

Cool. That video of your descent brought back memories. When I descended in the first week of August 2007 on the way from Valloire to Alpe d'Huez, it was snowing at the pass and sleating all the way down. Our hands were so frozen by the time we got down to the intersection at Lauteret - we had to clutch mugs of cocoa at the cafe to get our fingers working again! The following week we were backtracking up Lauteret again on our way from Grenoble to Briancon, so we took a fun run up to Galibier - same route (and weather!) that you had. Quite the view of La Meije on the descent!

last year the had to bus people off Galibier because it was snowing during a cyclo… in July! How did you like all those tunnels on Lautaret :eek:

[maxn]

Wonderful descending. What an arena to play in!

La Meije, nasty mountain, if I remember, loose rock receding snow line, dirty wet crevassed glaciers, spat us out early on.

glad the other version worked. Did you climb from the North or South? I still have big plans to climb it from the South, but need to brush up on glacier skills.

[maxn]

Just to get some perspective, it looks like from the camera that you were going at supersonic speed on that descent. Does the camera exaggerate the speed? How fast were you really going through all those switchbacks?

BBD
The low perspective definitely makes it look faster than it was. I did not feel like I was pushing too hard, and was mostly just enjoying the ride. GPS says avg ~50 kph from the top to Lautaret, and way slower at the top with all the hairpins: 35 kph. Some day I'll try to descend as fast as I can, but the scenery is so distracting!

[velotel]

Max forgot to mention one slight fact in his story: the historic guy was none other than Joe Breeze, here with his wife and son. We had an excellent road ride from my house on the plateau the day before Galibier that pretty much blew the cobwebs out of his old head. After Galibier we were up in Villard de Lans for the 25th anniversary of the first world mountain bike championships. Joe along with Gary Fisher, Scot Nicol, and of course Ned Overend (who won) plus Jacquie Phelan, Mary Lee Atkins (won for the women), and John Loomis were all here to be honored by the equivalent of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in Crested Butte. A fine event that now that I'm back one of these days I'll post some pics of. I'll also post some pics of the ride on the plateau. And yes, Joe was riding a road bike. The guy was a top road racer in the US back in the 70s.

[maxn]

I didn't call Joe "historic"! And leaving the name out was on purpose; I never mention full real names unless I ask people first.

So bummed I missed the party yesterday.

I rode Chamrousse today with a coworker. Do you have a preference for which way you do the loop?

[thinpin]

glad the other version worked. Did you climb from the North or South? I still have big plans to climb it from the South, but need to brush up on glacier skills.

The south, using a 60s/70s British guidebook to the Ecrin massive.
"step on to the rock ridge...' was a common instruction from the glacier. We gazed at the climbable rock 4m up smooth polished walls above us!
Im vague on the details but I think it was the voie normale to the main peak. It was the early 90s so I suspect conditions have, well, changed since then. !t was also a very bad season.

[maxn]

The south, using a 60s/70s British guidebook to the Ecrin massive.
"step on to the rock ridge...' was a common instruction from the glacier. We gazed at the climbable rock 4m up smooth polished walls above us!
Im vague on the details but I think it was the voie normale to the main peak. It was the early 90s so I suspect conditions have, well, changed since then. !t was also a very bad season.

Nice. did you stay at the Promontoire? I'd like to do (one of?) the Chapoutot routes right of the main peak, as the voie normale is supposed to be a bit of a clusterfrick nowadays. There is a really nice blog maintained by the gardiens of the promontoire here (http://www.refugedupromontoire.com/en-direct/)

[thinpin]

Crickey, I wish I'd kept a diary. It must have been the Promontoire but I honestly cant remember. We were camping in Ailfroide and ended up doing multipitch rock routes in the dodgy weather that year.

[geargirl]

Wow. Scenery is stunningly beautiful. I would have wrecked for sure watching the scenery rather than the road.

I was leaning in my chair around the switchbacks :)

Thanks for posting!

[velotel]

So bummed I missed the party yesterday.
It was a good one, everybody had a great time. The americans - Joe, Ned, Gary, Jacqui, Mary Lee - were all amazed at how good it turned out. No one knew in advance what it was really going to be, me included. The french were thrilled to see them here; they all wanted their pictures taken standing next to Joe, Gary, or Ned. And would you believe I was inducted into the french mountain bike hall of fame! Not sure why but I was honored anyway. You would have enjoyed it. The start for the ride on the old race trail was hilarious.

I rode Chamrousse today with a coworker. Do you have a preference for which way you do the loop?
Definitely! From Vizille around and up the valley to Sechilienne then up and over Col de Luitel then up to Chamrousse and down the other side. Neither side is a great downhill, or such is my thinking. Road too wide, too regular, too easy.

[BumbleBeeDave]

And would you believe I was inducted into the french mountain bike hall of fame! Not sure why but I was honored anyway.

I am assuming it was for your ride reports published here . . . :rolleyes: :)

BBD

[maxn]

It was a good one, everybody had a great time. The americans - Joe, Ned, Gary, Jacqui, Mary Lee - were all amazed at how good it turned out. No one knew in advance what it was really going to be, me included. The french were thrilled to see them here; they all wanted their pictures taken standing next to Joe, Gary, or Ned. And would you believe I was inducted into the french mountain bike hall of fame! Not sure why but I was honored anyway. You would have enjoyed it. The start for the ride on the old race trail was hilarious.


Congrats on the hall of fame!! I know I would have loved it. I have a pretty good idea of why.