velotel
03-07-2013, 03:49 PM
But probably not.
Tuesday, 23 March, started to feel on edge from lack of solid exercise. Had to drop down into the valley for non-cycling reasons. Tossed the bike in the back, just in case. Just in case arrived. As in a quick ride, up the road towards Hurtiers, a road I know well. Not too far, time too short, but enough for the blood to pump, the lungs clear out some junk. Next day, wednesday, in the valley again, with bike, and more time. Or a bit more time. The road to Hurtiers again. A wonderfully rewarding climb. Never tire of it even if it does beat me up. The drop back down excellent too. Up through the village almost to the col above. Turn around, fly down.
Thursday, into Grenoble, lunch with the wife. A rare occurrence, rarely in Grenoble anymore. Figure since I’m going to be there anyway, take the bike along, do something new, like this road I discovered by accident. Found it from the top down, this time I’d do it from the bottom up. Could be a good climb. I’d told Maxn about it. He found it on Strava, sent me a link to Strava times. One look at those I’m thinking are we even talking about the same road! No way those climbing times can be right! He writes back, yea, those times are scary. Told me the riders are practically pros. One with a solid chance of winning the Marmotte.
Gorgeous day Thursday. Still in thick tights and multiple layers up top but sun’s shining, sky’s blue, perfect. Good climb indeed. All these years here and I never knew it existed. Lots of vertical, lots of switchbacks down low before a village, then down a wee bit, up easy, and back into climbing mode. Should have had my camera but just as glad I didn’t. Amazing how much time shooting pics can take. At least in my case since I haul along an SLRD. Not complaining. I can see what I’m shooting without having to put on damn reading glasses.
I’d kind of checked the time at the bottom. Just to maybe see how long the climb would take me. I say maybe because most of the time if I remember to check the time at the start, I forget at the end. Not a stop watch time, just a glance at the hour so accurate it isn’t, assuming I remember to check at the end. Probably should have forgotten to check at the end of the climb. Actually the end of the climb for me is some 800 meters further up the mountain than the normal end, the one the Strava riders time to. Estimated the time to the end to arrive at the time to the standard point. Around 45 minutes, maybe a couple less. The fastest hard man did it in just over 23 minutes, the tenth fastest is still under 30 minutes. Obviously they cheat. Maxn added insult to injury, told me the fastest woman whips me up the climb too! No respect at all.
Ah well, felt good to be out in the sun. Riding up kept getting hit by these waves of odors radiating off the heated dirt and old vegetation. Excellent. Almost started thinking spring was really on its way in. It’s not of course, too early.
Sunday, another gorgeous day. Had to ride. Did the plateau from the house, then the drop to la Terrasse, one of my all-time favorite drops. If it was longer could be the summit of the list. I know it well. A flyer of a drop. Turned left in la Terrasse, took this little road that I’ve never seen a cyclist on. One laner up the mountain side. Steep, lots of teens, ramps in the high teens maybe threatening to slide over into the 20 zone. Lots of fine gravel on the road, winter sediment. Had to go into pure mountain biking mode to keep traction and keep moving forward. Felt good. Slow but good. I always forget how long that little puppy is. Cheated Sunday, took my camera so had to stop from time to time to shoot. Also to rest the legs but purely as a bonus. Amazing how a quick stop revitalizes the legs.
Hit the road from le Touvet, turned left, into the climb back to the plateau. Sustained and at times steep but not so steep as that little beast of a road from la Terrasse. Sun was cooking but in the shade not much over zero, centigrade of course. Hit the icebox, a section of the road in deep shadows, all white on either side of the road. Air cold. Got through, hit the junction with the road I’d ridden down to la Terrasse. Sustained steepness to the plateau. And back to the house. Gotta love it. Four rides in six days after a long, cold, snowy winter. A winter in which we’re supposed to be down by 60% in the sunny days department! Good fun. Just need to ignore those crazy times posted on that other climb. How do they go so fast!
A few pics from Sunday’s ride. In order of as they were taken. The first three and last two pics were shot less than 200 meters from the house.
Tuesday, 23 March, started to feel on edge from lack of solid exercise. Had to drop down into the valley for non-cycling reasons. Tossed the bike in the back, just in case. Just in case arrived. As in a quick ride, up the road towards Hurtiers, a road I know well. Not too far, time too short, but enough for the blood to pump, the lungs clear out some junk. Next day, wednesday, in the valley again, with bike, and more time. Or a bit more time. The road to Hurtiers again. A wonderfully rewarding climb. Never tire of it even if it does beat me up. The drop back down excellent too. Up through the village almost to the col above. Turn around, fly down.
Thursday, into Grenoble, lunch with the wife. A rare occurrence, rarely in Grenoble anymore. Figure since I’m going to be there anyway, take the bike along, do something new, like this road I discovered by accident. Found it from the top down, this time I’d do it from the bottom up. Could be a good climb. I’d told Maxn about it. He found it on Strava, sent me a link to Strava times. One look at those I’m thinking are we even talking about the same road! No way those climbing times can be right! He writes back, yea, those times are scary. Told me the riders are practically pros. One with a solid chance of winning the Marmotte.
Gorgeous day Thursday. Still in thick tights and multiple layers up top but sun’s shining, sky’s blue, perfect. Good climb indeed. All these years here and I never knew it existed. Lots of vertical, lots of switchbacks down low before a village, then down a wee bit, up easy, and back into climbing mode. Should have had my camera but just as glad I didn’t. Amazing how much time shooting pics can take. At least in my case since I haul along an SLRD. Not complaining. I can see what I’m shooting without having to put on damn reading glasses.
I’d kind of checked the time at the bottom. Just to maybe see how long the climb would take me. I say maybe because most of the time if I remember to check the time at the start, I forget at the end. Not a stop watch time, just a glance at the hour so accurate it isn’t, assuming I remember to check at the end. Probably should have forgotten to check at the end of the climb. Actually the end of the climb for me is some 800 meters further up the mountain than the normal end, the one the Strava riders time to. Estimated the time to the end to arrive at the time to the standard point. Around 45 minutes, maybe a couple less. The fastest hard man did it in just over 23 minutes, the tenth fastest is still under 30 minutes. Obviously they cheat. Maxn added insult to injury, told me the fastest woman whips me up the climb too! No respect at all.
Ah well, felt good to be out in the sun. Riding up kept getting hit by these waves of odors radiating off the heated dirt and old vegetation. Excellent. Almost started thinking spring was really on its way in. It’s not of course, too early.
Sunday, another gorgeous day. Had to ride. Did the plateau from the house, then the drop to la Terrasse, one of my all-time favorite drops. If it was longer could be the summit of the list. I know it well. A flyer of a drop. Turned left in la Terrasse, took this little road that I’ve never seen a cyclist on. One laner up the mountain side. Steep, lots of teens, ramps in the high teens maybe threatening to slide over into the 20 zone. Lots of fine gravel on the road, winter sediment. Had to go into pure mountain biking mode to keep traction and keep moving forward. Felt good. Slow but good. I always forget how long that little puppy is. Cheated Sunday, took my camera so had to stop from time to time to shoot. Also to rest the legs but purely as a bonus. Amazing how a quick stop revitalizes the legs.
Hit the road from le Touvet, turned left, into the climb back to the plateau. Sustained and at times steep but not so steep as that little beast of a road from la Terrasse. Sun was cooking but in the shade not much over zero, centigrade of course. Hit the icebox, a section of the road in deep shadows, all white on either side of the road. Air cold. Got through, hit the junction with the road I’d ridden down to la Terrasse. Sustained steepness to the plateau. And back to the house. Gotta love it. Four rides in six days after a long, cold, snowy winter. A winter in which we’re supposed to be down by 60% in the sunny days department! Good fun. Just need to ignore those crazy times posted on that other climb. How do they go so fast!
A few pics from Sunday’s ride. In order of as they were taken. The first three and last two pics were shot less than 200 meters from the house.