velotel
10-26-2015, 02:48 PM
A magnificent road, a glorious ride. I was afraid it was too late for the colors, the leaves stripped by wind and time. Maybe the meleze (larche in North America, or one name for it) still in color, maybe. Hit the jackpot, leaves and meleze exploding in plumes of light. Big change from the first time I rode it, April of 014, celebrating my 69th. That day was gray and cold with the trees dressed in the pale green of early spring but only down low. Higher just buds except for the wild cherry trees in bloom. The final section to the col was buried in snow so I turned around. Next time I rode it was with my son Mat and forum member Maxn, early June, same year, mountains sheathed in green. Didn't carry a camera; didn't want to slow them down.
Sunday was a world of color, yellows, reds, oranges, blues, greens. One aspect hadn't changed; this is one hard climb! 900-plus vertical meters (3000+ ft), average grade 9,5% or so. A crazy road. I mean what an idea carving a road out of vertical cliffs. Love that they did. I've got a lot of favorite rides and this one is definitely in there clamoring for the top position.
Parked in my usual place, along the river near the junction of the roads for Croix de Fer and Bourg d'Oisans. I like a good warm-up before hitting the grades. Actually I need a good warm-up. The older I get, the longer warming-up seems to take. The ride up the valley does that. But not along the highway, too much traffic there, even in the off-season. There's a gravel road on the dike along the river that totally avoids cars. I like riding it. Up past the junction of the stream coming down from Col d'Ornon to a small bridge over the stream. Front wheel hop onto the wooden bridge, cross, onto another gravel road to a junction with a small paved road. Turn left, over a bridge to the other side of the river then up the valley past old farms to the base of the climb to Alpe d'Huez. Over to Bourg d'Oisans, town quiet, no tourists, not much movement.
On to the climb. No transition, just rises up and stays like that. I was suffering, breathing hard with little effect. Could be a long day. Got to the first tunnel, more an elongated arch than a tunnel, out the other end and onto the balcony. The prelude over, into the symphony. Maybe it was the views but whatever it was I started finding a rhythm, a slow one but felt good anyway. Into the first real tunnel, the longest of the four, also the darkest of the four. First time I rode it I didn't have a light. Made it without putting a foot down but it was close. This time I had a light my son had given me, a Cateye, did the job well. Nothing spectacular, wasn't like it was turning night to day, but more than enough for easy riding. Visually, physically easy it wasn't; it's steep in there.
Came out the high end feeling good, even starting to feel strong. The views from there are pretty amazing. Through tunnel 3, then 4, and up into the forest, the cliff road left behind. Still steep, still narrow. Up through the switchbacks, the road curves around the ridge, a new orientation, instead of north, southeast, lots of light. Up high every thing's covered with fresh snow. The road has been transformed, drastically. Totally repaved, and from the looks not too long ago. Outrageous! This narrow, twisting beast of a track up the mountain with no traffic and the blacktop is totally buff. Right to the end of the pavement in the village of Villard Notre Dame.
Small place, like really small. Supposed to be 34 residents living there. Can't imagine what they do because the commute to the valley has to be hell in the winter. Saw one couple standing outside the door to a house. The only other signs of any life smoke curling up out of chimneys. Through the village and onto the chemin, the rough track of a road up to the col. Sort of paved at first, not recently, evolving to dirt and gravel. Pure one-laner. A wonderful road curling up across fields past trees bursting with brightness. Big meleze forest across the valley blazing orange. Pavement fades, just gravel, dirt, and grass up the last slope, over the ridge crest and onto a wonderful plateau looking out across the Romanche valley. The balcony road between la Garde and le Freney looks like a clean, straight line slicing across the cliffs. Straight it definitely isn't, believe me. In the distance the Aiguilles d'Arve poking up against the sky. Closer in La Meige, the rock and ice peak above La Grave.
Pure dirt and rock chemin now, but easy. In fact almost buffed Sunday, smooth, fast riding, big chain ring for awhile. Across a cliff face with a view seemingly straight down at Bourg d'Oisans. Looks bigger from this perspective than when in the town itself. The Alpe d'Huez switchbacks don't look too impressive from up here. The road slicing across the mountain to Villard-Reculas looks pretty wild though, like the balcony road to Le Freney.
Chemin's climbing again, heading to the final switchback and the ramp to the col. I read somewhere that it's 15% but if it is, I'm crazy strong because I sail up it with ease. Great views from the col. Even a bench to relax on. But not too long because just below is the village of Villard-Reymond where there's a small auberge that serves up beer on tap, if it's open today. Notice a gravel road curling down towards the village. Instantly decide that's the way to go instead of diving down the paved road then having to climb back up to the village. Good call, an easy descent right into the village near the auberge. It's open, excellent, beer coming up.
From there to the valley floor is wild. A fabulous plunge down off the mountain, big speed, lots of carving. Lots of braking too because the road's not far off being a one-laner the whole way down so not much margin if a car's coming up in a blind turn. Not one car was on the road! Has to be one of the top descents I know of.
Into the Romanche valley, cross the highway, onto the gravel double-track along the stream to rejoin the gravel road that kicked the ride off. Big ring, small cog spinning, gravel spitting up off the tires, sometimes pinging off the ti tubes. A terrific finish to one of the best rides in the region. In fact when I get right down to it, have to admit Bourg d'Oisans would be a hell of a place to base out of for a week of riding. Assuming there's a passion for climbing of course because that's what the rides out of the place are all about, going up. Like this one and Col du Sabot, Col de Sarenne, la Berard, etc., etc. Just too bad there isn't some wonderful hotel there with great rooms, views, and good food. The hotels that are there, according to everything I've heard (I've never stayed there), are okay and absolutely nothing more. Oh well, the riding makes up for them.
Sunday was a world of color, yellows, reds, oranges, blues, greens. One aspect hadn't changed; this is one hard climb! 900-plus vertical meters (3000+ ft), average grade 9,5% or so. A crazy road. I mean what an idea carving a road out of vertical cliffs. Love that they did. I've got a lot of favorite rides and this one is definitely in there clamoring for the top position.
Parked in my usual place, along the river near the junction of the roads for Croix de Fer and Bourg d'Oisans. I like a good warm-up before hitting the grades. Actually I need a good warm-up. The older I get, the longer warming-up seems to take. The ride up the valley does that. But not along the highway, too much traffic there, even in the off-season. There's a gravel road on the dike along the river that totally avoids cars. I like riding it. Up past the junction of the stream coming down from Col d'Ornon to a small bridge over the stream. Front wheel hop onto the wooden bridge, cross, onto another gravel road to a junction with a small paved road. Turn left, over a bridge to the other side of the river then up the valley past old farms to the base of the climb to Alpe d'Huez. Over to Bourg d'Oisans, town quiet, no tourists, not much movement.
On to the climb. No transition, just rises up and stays like that. I was suffering, breathing hard with little effect. Could be a long day. Got to the first tunnel, more an elongated arch than a tunnel, out the other end and onto the balcony. The prelude over, into the symphony. Maybe it was the views but whatever it was I started finding a rhythm, a slow one but felt good anyway. Into the first real tunnel, the longest of the four, also the darkest of the four. First time I rode it I didn't have a light. Made it without putting a foot down but it was close. This time I had a light my son had given me, a Cateye, did the job well. Nothing spectacular, wasn't like it was turning night to day, but more than enough for easy riding. Visually, physically easy it wasn't; it's steep in there.
Came out the high end feeling good, even starting to feel strong. The views from there are pretty amazing. Through tunnel 3, then 4, and up into the forest, the cliff road left behind. Still steep, still narrow. Up through the switchbacks, the road curves around the ridge, a new orientation, instead of north, southeast, lots of light. Up high every thing's covered with fresh snow. The road has been transformed, drastically. Totally repaved, and from the looks not too long ago. Outrageous! This narrow, twisting beast of a track up the mountain with no traffic and the blacktop is totally buff. Right to the end of the pavement in the village of Villard Notre Dame.
Small place, like really small. Supposed to be 34 residents living there. Can't imagine what they do because the commute to the valley has to be hell in the winter. Saw one couple standing outside the door to a house. The only other signs of any life smoke curling up out of chimneys. Through the village and onto the chemin, the rough track of a road up to the col. Sort of paved at first, not recently, evolving to dirt and gravel. Pure one-laner. A wonderful road curling up across fields past trees bursting with brightness. Big meleze forest across the valley blazing orange. Pavement fades, just gravel, dirt, and grass up the last slope, over the ridge crest and onto a wonderful plateau looking out across the Romanche valley. The balcony road between la Garde and le Freney looks like a clean, straight line slicing across the cliffs. Straight it definitely isn't, believe me. In the distance the Aiguilles d'Arve poking up against the sky. Closer in La Meige, the rock and ice peak above La Grave.
Pure dirt and rock chemin now, but easy. In fact almost buffed Sunday, smooth, fast riding, big chain ring for awhile. Across a cliff face with a view seemingly straight down at Bourg d'Oisans. Looks bigger from this perspective than when in the town itself. The Alpe d'Huez switchbacks don't look too impressive from up here. The road slicing across the mountain to Villard-Reculas looks pretty wild though, like the balcony road to Le Freney.
Chemin's climbing again, heading to the final switchback and the ramp to the col. I read somewhere that it's 15% but if it is, I'm crazy strong because I sail up it with ease. Great views from the col. Even a bench to relax on. But not too long because just below is the village of Villard-Reymond where there's a small auberge that serves up beer on tap, if it's open today. Notice a gravel road curling down towards the village. Instantly decide that's the way to go instead of diving down the paved road then having to climb back up to the village. Good call, an easy descent right into the village near the auberge. It's open, excellent, beer coming up.
From there to the valley floor is wild. A fabulous plunge down off the mountain, big speed, lots of carving. Lots of braking too because the road's not far off being a one-laner the whole way down so not much margin if a car's coming up in a blind turn. Not one car was on the road! Has to be one of the top descents I know of.
Into the Romanche valley, cross the highway, onto the gravel double-track along the stream to rejoin the gravel road that kicked the ride off. Big ring, small cog spinning, gravel spitting up off the tires, sometimes pinging off the ti tubes. A terrific finish to one of the best rides in the region. In fact when I get right down to it, have to admit Bourg d'Oisans would be a hell of a place to base out of for a week of riding. Assuming there's a passion for climbing of course because that's what the rides out of the place are all about, going up. Like this one and Col du Sabot, Col de Sarenne, la Berard, etc., etc. Just too bad there isn't some wonderful hotel there with great rooms, views, and good food. The hotels that are there, according to everything I've heard (I've never stayed there), are okay and absolutely nothing more. Oh well, the riding makes up for them.