velotel
10-14-2013, 03:18 PM
Another Wednesday, weather fine before an announced change, need to circulate some fresh air through the bod after working the morning. It’s October, weather could change any day, grab the good days while they’re here. Just a quickie, time too pinched for anything longer. Decided to head south a bit, skirt an area called the Trièves, a mini-paradise for bikes, ride the Col de Menée. Last time I rode it was with Maxn, mid-October 011. We did the full loop ride, Cols de la Croix-Haute, Grimone, Menée. A stunning ride on a day with the forest an explosion of colors under a sharp blue sky. His video of that ride that he posted was pretty cool.
No time for the loop, but should be enough for an up and back to the Col de Menée and if I ride well and fast to the col, maybe time to drop down the south side to Nonnières then ride back. Could be tight to bag all that but why not. Just turn around when I run out of time.
A fat hour’s drive to the start of the road to Menée, parked, changed, bike ready, I’m ready, time to go. But not far, view too good. Stop and shoot. Have to remind myself I already have lots of pictures from various rides over the years here so no need to be stopping for every Kodak moment. Probably ridden the road half a dozen times over the years plus driven it quite a few too. If it was closer to where I live, I’d ride it regularly.
Get to an intersection, village of Chichilianne to the right, col straight ahead. A large sign announces that the road to the col is closed up ahead. No problem, those signs are only for cars. Just ride past the barrier blocking the road, slip by the work zone, keep going. Always, almost, works. Been easy, small cog spinning till now. Low single-digit grades. That changes. The 3K ramp to the Col du Prayet kicks in with a K around 9%, finishes with 2 K at 7%. A little something to let me know I really am climbing to a col. From Col du Prayet to Menée is soft and easy, 5,5 K at mostly 4%. Crazy fun. Narrow road, good pavement, serpentine city the whole way. I’m flying. Pretty rare that I do a climb where I have to slow down for turns! Almost unheard of in fact.
Road contours across the hillsides through a deciduous forest. Two years ago with Maxn the leaves were going all psychedelic. Too early this year. Just hints of the colors to come, if it doesn’t rain too much, if the winds don’t blow too hard, if it doesn’t get too cold too fast, etc. Lot of ifs involved for the good colors. I’d cross my fingers but they’re too busy holding on to the handlebar. And no road work. Figure another false alarm. Somebody put the signs up a week ago, did the work, forgot the signs. I can see where the col is just up ahead. Another 5 minutes, maybe a bit more, and I’m there.
Nope, road is definitely closed. Fence blocking the entire road’s width right after a narrow bridge. Damn, maybe 2 K to go and I have to turn around. Okay, no problem, change plans. Ride back down to the road junction and the take the road to Chichilianne and on up the valley beyond it. No idea what’s up there so apparently it’s time to find out.
But first I have to ride down what I just rode up. Major hardship. I mean I’m talking a road that isn’t all that far off flat that twists and curls across the mountains like the track of a smooth walking goat in a hurry. First time I rode down it was with Maxn in 011. Declared afterwards that was the best downhill ever. Ok, I know, but at the time when we got back to the car, that really was the best ever. And it’s still absolutely one of the very best. Which still kind of amazes me because it’s not all that fast, too twisty for huge speeds. But the turns are wonderfully round and perfectly linked, one flowing into the next, a high-powered, riveting dance of pure fluidity. And it’s over way too soon. From Prayet down is a tucked-in, hang-on speed run. Only not too tucked in because the whole time there’s this fantastic shot of Mont Aguille right in front. Beautiful.
Get to the junction, turn left, new road to me. Into Chichilianne, odd name, sounds like the name of some latin jazz dance, not a village lost in the Vercors wilderness. Small village but big enough for the standard church plus a small chateau. In other words the usual, picturesque, bucolic, charming, etc., etc. Passing through doesn’t take long. Cross a creek, get to a T-intersection. Right looks like it’ll take me back down to my car. I’m not ready to stop yet. Go left instead. Heading straight towards a wall of peaks curling away from Mont Aguille. No idea where I’m heading. No map to look at. Weather’s gorgeous, good road, lovely valley, what more could I ask for.
Climbing steadily but gently. Ever so slowly start moving up the cog set. Drop onto the small ring, drop back down a couple of cogs. Nothing but a feel good pace. Mountains closing in but the valley stubbornly stays not far off flat. Riding through fields and scattered pockets of trees. No one there. I think I’ve seen one moving car since turning back on the road to Menée. Whoa! What’s this, end of the pavement, but not the road. Cool, keep on rolling, just have to move up a couple of cogs. Get to a small parking area, full of cars. Must be hikers. Keep going. Yep, hikers, ride past half a dozen. They look at me like what am I doing there on that road bike! Having fun.
No idea how far I’ve gone but have a feeling like I’m starting to run out of time. Just a little bit further, just to see where this goes. Turns out where it goes is up, up to some col on the ridge coming off Mont Aguille. A sign with a hiker and an arrow points the way to Pas d’Aguille. Looks like too much grade for my gearing. Turn around, fast return, tires skittering around on the loose surface. Back on the pavement, really flying now, down the valley, past the road to Chichilianne, past another village tucked into a forest on a hillside. Back to the road to Menée. A few K later and I’m back at the car. Perfect timing. I’ll be back at the house just in time for the dog’s end of the afternoon walk and then his second insulin injection of the day. He’s old, diabetic, and still raring to go. Great day. Nothing extravagant, just a quickie on more french roads. Gotta love it.
As usual, a few pics. Cheers
No time for the loop, but should be enough for an up and back to the Col de Menée and if I ride well and fast to the col, maybe time to drop down the south side to Nonnières then ride back. Could be tight to bag all that but why not. Just turn around when I run out of time.
A fat hour’s drive to the start of the road to Menée, parked, changed, bike ready, I’m ready, time to go. But not far, view too good. Stop and shoot. Have to remind myself I already have lots of pictures from various rides over the years here so no need to be stopping for every Kodak moment. Probably ridden the road half a dozen times over the years plus driven it quite a few too. If it was closer to where I live, I’d ride it regularly.
Get to an intersection, village of Chichilianne to the right, col straight ahead. A large sign announces that the road to the col is closed up ahead. No problem, those signs are only for cars. Just ride past the barrier blocking the road, slip by the work zone, keep going. Always, almost, works. Been easy, small cog spinning till now. Low single-digit grades. That changes. The 3K ramp to the Col du Prayet kicks in with a K around 9%, finishes with 2 K at 7%. A little something to let me know I really am climbing to a col. From Col du Prayet to Menée is soft and easy, 5,5 K at mostly 4%. Crazy fun. Narrow road, good pavement, serpentine city the whole way. I’m flying. Pretty rare that I do a climb where I have to slow down for turns! Almost unheard of in fact.
Road contours across the hillsides through a deciduous forest. Two years ago with Maxn the leaves were going all psychedelic. Too early this year. Just hints of the colors to come, if it doesn’t rain too much, if the winds don’t blow too hard, if it doesn’t get too cold too fast, etc. Lot of ifs involved for the good colors. I’d cross my fingers but they’re too busy holding on to the handlebar. And no road work. Figure another false alarm. Somebody put the signs up a week ago, did the work, forgot the signs. I can see where the col is just up ahead. Another 5 minutes, maybe a bit more, and I’m there.
Nope, road is definitely closed. Fence blocking the entire road’s width right after a narrow bridge. Damn, maybe 2 K to go and I have to turn around. Okay, no problem, change plans. Ride back down to the road junction and the take the road to Chichilianne and on up the valley beyond it. No idea what’s up there so apparently it’s time to find out.
But first I have to ride down what I just rode up. Major hardship. I mean I’m talking a road that isn’t all that far off flat that twists and curls across the mountains like the track of a smooth walking goat in a hurry. First time I rode down it was with Maxn in 011. Declared afterwards that was the best downhill ever. Ok, I know, but at the time when we got back to the car, that really was the best ever. And it’s still absolutely one of the very best. Which still kind of amazes me because it’s not all that fast, too twisty for huge speeds. But the turns are wonderfully round and perfectly linked, one flowing into the next, a high-powered, riveting dance of pure fluidity. And it’s over way too soon. From Prayet down is a tucked-in, hang-on speed run. Only not too tucked in because the whole time there’s this fantastic shot of Mont Aguille right in front. Beautiful.
Get to the junction, turn left, new road to me. Into Chichilianne, odd name, sounds like the name of some latin jazz dance, not a village lost in the Vercors wilderness. Small village but big enough for the standard church plus a small chateau. In other words the usual, picturesque, bucolic, charming, etc., etc. Passing through doesn’t take long. Cross a creek, get to a T-intersection. Right looks like it’ll take me back down to my car. I’m not ready to stop yet. Go left instead. Heading straight towards a wall of peaks curling away from Mont Aguille. No idea where I’m heading. No map to look at. Weather’s gorgeous, good road, lovely valley, what more could I ask for.
Climbing steadily but gently. Ever so slowly start moving up the cog set. Drop onto the small ring, drop back down a couple of cogs. Nothing but a feel good pace. Mountains closing in but the valley stubbornly stays not far off flat. Riding through fields and scattered pockets of trees. No one there. I think I’ve seen one moving car since turning back on the road to Menée. Whoa! What’s this, end of the pavement, but not the road. Cool, keep on rolling, just have to move up a couple of cogs. Get to a small parking area, full of cars. Must be hikers. Keep going. Yep, hikers, ride past half a dozen. They look at me like what am I doing there on that road bike! Having fun.
No idea how far I’ve gone but have a feeling like I’m starting to run out of time. Just a little bit further, just to see where this goes. Turns out where it goes is up, up to some col on the ridge coming off Mont Aguille. A sign with a hiker and an arrow points the way to Pas d’Aguille. Looks like too much grade for my gearing. Turn around, fast return, tires skittering around on the loose surface. Back on the pavement, really flying now, down the valley, past the road to Chichilianne, past another village tucked into a forest on a hillside. Back to the road to Menée. A few K later and I’m back at the car. Perfect timing. I’ll be back at the house just in time for the dog’s end of the afternoon walk and then his second insulin injection of the day. He’s old, diabetic, and still raring to go. Great day. Nothing extravagant, just a quickie on more french roads. Gotta love it.
As usual, a few pics. Cheers