Joux Plane

[maxn]

I went on a family trip to Passy this weekend, which is just down the valley from Chamonix. It is also not far from the Joux Plane which meant that there was no way I was leaving my bike in Grenoble. Sunday morning I got up as early as I could, which was tough -- the previous night there was a collateral damage pee incident instigated by my 3 year old, and no one had gotten much sleep. Anyway, I went into rally driving mode to get to Samoens, got the bike ready and sped off within a few minutes of getting to the town center (which is really pretty). Some kind of MTB event was happening and there were a lot of fit people in armor and fancy looking bikes cruising around town. No time for ogling this morning though! I followed the signs to the col and soon found myself on some pretty steep terrain, but with amazing views of the Mont Blanc. The climb is quite tough -- I think it merits it's reputation, and particularly because the slope is so variable and generally hard. Towards the top, you get a few spectacular hairpins with views, and it eventually opens up to a gentle slope to the col. Overall, I think it's a fantastic climb which I highly recommend. I was pretty bummed not to be able to do a longer ride and at least descend to Morzine, but I guess I gotta leave something for another day. Instead, I sped back down the hill and rallied back to Passy. I told velotel about how pressed I was and funnily enough he had the same experience when he rode it -- family/friend obligations made for a quick out and back as well.

video here.. enjoy!
http://youtu.be/XGbQ5NrcTTE?hd=1

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . .as usual! You always have such great music, too . . .

BBD

[thinpin]

Love it...yeeeehaw!

[93legendti]

Bad memories of the Joux Plane - 10km @10%, wooded, so there is no breeze. Ouch.

[HenryA]

That made my legs hurt.
Excellent.

[maxn]

thanks guys!

legend: the key, which I stumbled upon accidentally, was to do it relatively early in the AM! "abordable" as they say in French.

Weird Thing in the Middle of the Road Award for this ride was a potato (visible at 1:29)

[velotel]

That brought up some good memories. I liked that climb a lot. Way hard right out of the gate then it lightened up a bit then got hard again and mostly stayed that way, but not as hard as right out of the village as I recall. The views of Mt Blanc and the Aiguilles from high on the road are spectacular. Day I rode that didn't see another rider on the way up and only one, maybe two on the way down. Better that way, I don't get passed during the climb. Going down hardly ever passed and never dropped so there I'm a happy camper. Headed a little way down the back side just to see what was there. Wanted to keep going but wasn't an option, not without a lot of unappreciated fallout. Oddly I don't remember the descent all that well. Usually those I remember well. I'm sure it was fast and lots of nice turns. Apparently didn't knock my socks off though or else it simply fried my brain so much that it's all a blur now.

Thanks for the memories. Have to say, as usual, for me the music isn't terrific. No doubt something to do with the, what, 30 years of time difference maybe. Sweet ride. Keep thinking I need to get back up there some day and bag a bunch of the good rides there are to do there.

[monkeybanana86]

That brought up some good memories. I liked that climb a lot. Way hard right out of the gate then it lightened up a bit then got hard again and mostly stayed that way, but not as hard as right out of the village as I recall. The views of Mt Blanc and the Aiguilles from high on the road are spectacular. Day I rode that didn't see another rider on the way up and only one, maybe two on the way down. Better that way, I don't get passed during the climb. Going down hardly ever passed and never dropped so there I'm a happy camper. Headed a little way down the back side just to see what was there. Wanted to keep going but wasn't an option, not without a lot of unappreciated fallout. Oddly I don't remember the descent all that well. Usually those I remember well. I'm sure it was fast and lots of nice turns. Apparently didn't knock my socks off though or else it simply fried my brain so much that it's all a blur now.

Thanks for the memories. Have to say, as usual, for me the music isn't terrific. No doubt something to do with the, what, 30 years of time difference maybe. Sweet ride. Keep thinking I need to get back up there some day and bag a bunch of the good rides there are to do there.

want to see a video with terrible music?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9D3B9dFofw

in another context I wouldn't mind but "I'm so gangsta gangsta.. I'm gonna shank ya shank ya" is a bit much haha

To maxn: I subscribed to your youtube feed a while back so keep them coming!

[pitonpat]

Love the ride report, and as usual I am jealous. I looked at Google Earth to orient myself with respect to Chamonix. It seems Plane Joux is "behind" the Aiguilles Rouge from Chamonix- what a wonderful place in which to ride. Keep those videos coming! Do you use a GoPro, and where do you mount it? Thanks, Pat

[maxn]

That brought up some good memories. I liked that climb a lot. Way hard right out of the gate then it lightened up a bit then got hard again and mostly stayed that way, but not as hard as right out of the village as I recall. The views of Mt Blanc and the Aiguilles from high on the road are spectacular. Day I rode that didn't see another rider on the way up and only one, maybe two on the way down. Better that way, I don't get passed during the climb. Going down hardly ever passed and never dropped so there I'm a happy camper. Headed a little way down the back side just to see what was there. Wanted to keep going but wasn't an option, not without a lot of unappreciated fallout. Oddly I don't remember the descent all that well. Usually those I remember well. I'm sure it was fast and lots of nice turns. Apparently didn't knock my socks off though or else it simply fried my brain so much that it's all a blur now.

Thanks for the memories. Have to say, as usual, for me the music isn't terrific. No doubt something to do with the, what, 30 years of time difference maybe. Sweet ride. Keep thinking I need to get back up there some day and bag a bunch of the good rides there are to do there.

The descent is nice -- but mostly for the views. Otherwise you and I have ridden (much) better... Menee for example.

dude, the music is more than 30 years old!!

[maxn]

I think very incongruous music is kinda amusing, monkey. I'll have to find something totally unsuitable for the next one... like Barry Manilow

piton: Yeah, I was staring at cliffs a lot, but mostly during the day when we took the Brevent gondola to the top -- sweeping views of all the important climbs -- Drus etc. On the autoroute to Samoens, I was having a hard time keeping my eyes on the road because the Aravis cliffs line the NW side of the valley -- tons of amazing routes up there, apparently. A few Piola routes that have been on my list for years, but never done.