velotel
09-14-2018, 01:40 PM
I’ve got lots of best rides. So many, all good. But, if pushed to just flat lay it down and state which is absolutely the best ride I’ve ever done, I’d say this one, the Plateau d’Emparis, the best of the best.
Big climb, not a monster but big enough, over 1200 vertical meters (4000 ft) of sustained going up;
Challenge, 8% overall average but with the first half or so hard, over 9%, good steep, not a torture test that you need to change gearing for, just a steady, workman’s grade.
Views, bottom to top beyond stunning, the kind where you’re forever stopping to take it all in, or shoot more pics.
Traffic, it’s a one-laner, seemingly vertical drop-offs from the edge of the road, the kind that make passengers do some major butt clinching and drivers sweat, the most cars I’ve ever encountered during the climb was 3, maybe 4.
Climax, the higher you are, the easier the grades, topping off with a glorious section where you can grab your big ring and rip across this huge, rolling plateau of grass.
Descent, fast, furious, thoroughly engaging.
Food, there’s a refuge up top that serves wonderful food in a sublime setting.
Anonymity, tell your friends what you rode and no one will know what you’re talking about.
Impact, show your friends pics from your ride and you’ll blow their minds.
Oh yea, the road’s dirt. Dirt is around 60% of the loop distance. Fat tires aren’t required; I’ve ridden it with 700x25s with no problem but I’m way happier with 700x37s. The dirt instantly deletes the Plateau d’Emparis from roadie bucket lists. Paved there would be riders standing in line to get onto it on a beautiful day. Better the way it is.
Last time I rode it was a year ago, a gloriously October day. Looped over the Col du Souchet via a braid of single-tracks then down the other side via more single-tracks and finally a long switchbacking descent on a trail so rocky I walked it to the valley. One of the most magnificent days with my bike I’ve ever had in my life.
This time I’d drop down the road from the village of Besse. No interest in riding up that side, views are kind of closed in, lots of traffic on weekends and, having driven down it three times in all, I think it’s seriously steep in places, steeper than the road from Mizoën.
I’ve got more than enough photos from all my climbs to the plateau. So of course I shot a slew more. The place is too gorgeous, the road too enchanting, the light too alluring, plus it’s just so damn easy shooting pics with the iphone. Besides, photo stops let me rest.
The steepest section is the road from the reservoir to the village of Mizoën, a slightly rude welcome to the village. I’d ridden through the village I have no idea how many times over the years and not once had I ever taken the time to ride up to the church the village is built around. Decided to rectify that.
Steep, short climb to get there. Small church, not much to see, and I’m standing there looking out over the valley and notice two older men walking up and looking at the church, talking about history and the second world war, and I’ll be go to hell american voices. They were on a bike tour with some company, staying in the only hotel in Mizoën, and that day was a rest day. They’d ridden over from St Jean de Maurienne via the Croix de Fer the day before. I never encounter americans where I ride, or anyone else for that matter, and there I was at this small church in some small village and I meet two. Not only that, they both had been in Crested Butte, the town where I lived in Colorado. Small world.
Off to the plateau, a climb that never ceases to impress me. First 2 K paved, average grade just over 10%. Get to the switchback where the asphalt ends, won’t see blacktop again for awhile. Road was already a one-laner but now even tighter, a squeeze for a car and bike to pass. Surprisingly smooth dirt at first but up higher sections of loose gravel. The first 5 K of dirt average about 9,5%, pretty much sustained, rides easier than the number though, or at least it seems like that to me. Probably because I’m distracted by the views. And all the stops I making to shoot another picture of a view I’ve already shot, several times probably!
No trees, some small groves near the bottom of the dirt but outside of that, just grass and rocks. The road’s carved out of these steep slopes plunging down into a deep canyon so no matter where you are, the view is stunning. Hit the section where the road cuts into cliffs and I’ll be damned, they’d sort of paved it, a thick layer of tar heavily laced with large gravel laid down over the dirt road. Maybe 100 meters worth, probably done to ease their maintenance headaches. This is the part of the road that can make passengers in cars nervous and even send bike riders to inside of the road to avoid looking down. I think it’s great.
Past the cliff and the hillsides ease off into rolling sweeps of grasses. The road eases off too, dropping into the 8s and 7s. One aspect here that’s so cool is the higher you get the easier the grades. Up one side of a v-shaped basin to a round ridge where there’s an old, run-down barn of some sort. On the other side of the ridge is the valley the road from Besse climbs up through to the final slopes to the plateau. The switchbacks up that slope look steep.
This is the start of way fun riding, the surface mostly wonderfully smooth, for dirt on the side of a high mountain, grades mostly in the 6 to 7% range, the hillside covered in grasses and low shrubs, and always in front of you views of rock summits and glaciers across the valley. A romp up and across the mountain onto a flattish, broad plateau-like ridge where the road swings left, your eyes pop out of your head, and you forget to breathe. I mean up until now the views have been pretty spectacular but this is where someone amped up visuals big time. La Meije, 3983 meters high (13067 ft), a vertical mass of rock, ice, and snow culminating in 3 needle-like summits, right there in front of you. I swear every time I ride here I can’t help myself, I laugh and if I could sing I’d sing because it’s just plain crazy. I’m on this fantasy of a road carved out of the mountain side across a cliff way the hell above a narrow, dark gorge of rock cliffs and waterfalls, I’m staring at this magnificent panorama of alpine grandeur, and I’m riding my friggin bike! And it’s a road bike! A road bike wearing fat tires, or fat by road standards, but still a road bike complete with drop bars and gearing by Campy and I’m flying along up this crazy road. Maybe it’s just me but the setting is surreal. I love it.
Then the road sweeps around some ridges and heads away from the gorge, the grade fades, and all of a sudden I’m on the Plateau d’Emparis and, get this, moving onto my big ring! At least I do if I’m having a particularly good day and feeling excessively confident of my strength. Off to the right is the Refuge des Mouterres where the food is so good I’ve driven up here four times - twice with my wife, once with my wife and her mother, and once with my niece, her husband, and son - just to have lunch and sit and enjoy the peace and quiet and views. Great place.
Okay, lunch eaten, wine drunk, homemade pie with coffee consumed, time to ride. A wee bit more uphill, super easy, past another refuge (less interesting), and the road goes limp, I’m out of the saddle accelerating on the big ring and flying along over a vast, rolling prairie of grasses surrounded by high summits. To the right is the trail to the Col du Souchet, the col I crossed last October. That was a crazy day.
I keep flying along to Col Nazie and a large parking lot full of cars, around a climbing curve to the left and I’m at the high spot looking down, way down, at Besse. First time down this on a bike. Slightly worried about washboard from all the traffic. Dive in, instant acceleration, like that all the way down. I always say if you want to know if something’s steep, ride down it; gravity never lies. This is steep.
One-laner with spots where cars can slip by one another, sharp switchbacks covered in loose gravel, between switchbacks fast going. There isn’t the sense of air off the side of the road like during the climb but if you went over the edge, you’d tumble a long way before coming to stop. Slammed into some washboard a couple of times that I didn’t see coming. Didn’t faze the bike at all. This is one of those descents that drains the hands of strength, and it’s not just the braking, which is one-finger anyway. It’s the constant need to absolutely keep the handlebar in hand because the surface is forever tossing the front wheel around.
Into the heart of the valley, across a small stream, around some more switchbacks, into a grove of trees, one more switchback and that’s it for the dirt. From here down nothing but blacktop, but still too tight for cars to pass without someone waiting at a wide spot. There’s even one section with grass growing in a line down the middle of the road. I love it.
Closing on Besse and there’s lots of people walking along the road. Perfect, gives me an opportunity to use the super little bell my son gave me. Great sound. Into Besse, everything built out of rock and wood timbers and beautifully restored and maintained. A gorgeous place though for me the place is way too sterile, almost like it’s more a movie setting than a real village, only it is a real village and apparently people really do live there. They just stay invisible.
Stop a couple of times, shoot some pics, but impatiently. I can hardly wait to attack the descent after the village because, based on having driven it, I think it’s going to massively fun on the bike. It is, linked sweepers, carving curls, tight S-sections, gravity always pulling hard. As good as it gets, only way too short. Ends entirely too soon with a short, steepish climb, a super fast descent on the road from Col de Sarenne, then a steep ramp back up into Mizoën, the loop closed. Another excellent adventure on the Plateau d’Emparis.
Big climb, not a monster but big enough, over 1200 vertical meters (4000 ft) of sustained going up;
Challenge, 8% overall average but with the first half or so hard, over 9%, good steep, not a torture test that you need to change gearing for, just a steady, workman’s grade.
Views, bottom to top beyond stunning, the kind where you’re forever stopping to take it all in, or shoot more pics.
Traffic, it’s a one-laner, seemingly vertical drop-offs from the edge of the road, the kind that make passengers do some major butt clinching and drivers sweat, the most cars I’ve ever encountered during the climb was 3, maybe 4.
Climax, the higher you are, the easier the grades, topping off with a glorious section where you can grab your big ring and rip across this huge, rolling plateau of grass.
Descent, fast, furious, thoroughly engaging.
Food, there’s a refuge up top that serves wonderful food in a sublime setting.
Anonymity, tell your friends what you rode and no one will know what you’re talking about.
Impact, show your friends pics from your ride and you’ll blow their minds.
Oh yea, the road’s dirt. Dirt is around 60% of the loop distance. Fat tires aren’t required; I’ve ridden it with 700x25s with no problem but I’m way happier with 700x37s. The dirt instantly deletes the Plateau d’Emparis from roadie bucket lists. Paved there would be riders standing in line to get onto it on a beautiful day. Better the way it is.
Last time I rode it was a year ago, a gloriously October day. Looped over the Col du Souchet via a braid of single-tracks then down the other side via more single-tracks and finally a long switchbacking descent on a trail so rocky I walked it to the valley. One of the most magnificent days with my bike I’ve ever had in my life.
This time I’d drop down the road from the village of Besse. No interest in riding up that side, views are kind of closed in, lots of traffic on weekends and, having driven down it three times in all, I think it’s seriously steep in places, steeper than the road from Mizoën.
I’ve got more than enough photos from all my climbs to the plateau. So of course I shot a slew more. The place is too gorgeous, the road too enchanting, the light too alluring, plus it’s just so damn easy shooting pics with the iphone. Besides, photo stops let me rest.
The steepest section is the road from the reservoir to the village of Mizoën, a slightly rude welcome to the village. I’d ridden through the village I have no idea how many times over the years and not once had I ever taken the time to ride up to the church the village is built around. Decided to rectify that.
Steep, short climb to get there. Small church, not much to see, and I’m standing there looking out over the valley and notice two older men walking up and looking at the church, talking about history and the second world war, and I’ll be go to hell american voices. They were on a bike tour with some company, staying in the only hotel in Mizoën, and that day was a rest day. They’d ridden over from St Jean de Maurienne via the Croix de Fer the day before. I never encounter americans where I ride, or anyone else for that matter, and there I was at this small church in some small village and I meet two. Not only that, they both had been in Crested Butte, the town where I lived in Colorado. Small world.
Off to the plateau, a climb that never ceases to impress me. First 2 K paved, average grade just over 10%. Get to the switchback where the asphalt ends, won’t see blacktop again for awhile. Road was already a one-laner but now even tighter, a squeeze for a car and bike to pass. Surprisingly smooth dirt at first but up higher sections of loose gravel. The first 5 K of dirt average about 9,5%, pretty much sustained, rides easier than the number though, or at least it seems like that to me. Probably because I’m distracted by the views. And all the stops I making to shoot another picture of a view I’ve already shot, several times probably!
No trees, some small groves near the bottom of the dirt but outside of that, just grass and rocks. The road’s carved out of these steep slopes plunging down into a deep canyon so no matter where you are, the view is stunning. Hit the section where the road cuts into cliffs and I’ll be damned, they’d sort of paved it, a thick layer of tar heavily laced with large gravel laid down over the dirt road. Maybe 100 meters worth, probably done to ease their maintenance headaches. This is the part of the road that can make passengers in cars nervous and even send bike riders to inside of the road to avoid looking down. I think it’s great.
Past the cliff and the hillsides ease off into rolling sweeps of grasses. The road eases off too, dropping into the 8s and 7s. One aspect here that’s so cool is the higher you get the easier the grades. Up one side of a v-shaped basin to a round ridge where there’s an old, run-down barn of some sort. On the other side of the ridge is the valley the road from Besse climbs up through to the final slopes to the plateau. The switchbacks up that slope look steep.
This is the start of way fun riding, the surface mostly wonderfully smooth, for dirt on the side of a high mountain, grades mostly in the 6 to 7% range, the hillside covered in grasses and low shrubs, and always in front of you views of rock summits and glaciers across the valley. A romp up and across the mountain onto a flattish, broad plateau-like ridge where the road swings left, your eyes pop out of your head, and you forget to breathe. I mean up until now the views have been pretty spectacular but this is where someone amped up visuals big time. La Meije, 3983 meters high (13067 ft), a vertical mass of rock, ice, and snow culminating in 3 needle-like summits, right there in front of you. I swear every time I ride here I can’t help myself, I laugh and if I could sing I’d sing because it’s just plain crazy. I’m on this fantasy of a road carved out of the mountain side across a cliff way the hell above a narrow, dark gorge of rock cliffs and waterfalls, I’m staring at this magnificent panorama of alpine grandeur, and I’m riding my friggin bike! And it’s a road bike! A road bike wearing fat tires, or fat by road standards, but still a road bike complete with drop bars and gearing by Campy and I’m flying along up this crazy road. Maybe it’s just me but the setting is surreal. I love it.
Then the road sweeps around some ridges and heads away from the gorge, the grade fades, and all of a sudden I’m on the Plateau d’Emparis and, get this, moving onto my big ring! At least I do if I’m having a particularly good day and feeling excessively confident of my strength. Off to the right is the Refuge des Mouterres where the food is so good I’ve driven up here four times - twice with my wife, once with my wife and her mother, and once with my niece, her husband, and son - just to have lunch and sit and enjoy the peace and quiet and views. Great place.
Okay, lunch eaten, wine drunk, homemade pie with coffee consumed, time to ride. A wee bit more uphill, super easy, past another refuge (less interesting), and the road goes limp, I’m out of the saddle accelerating on the big ring and flying along over a vast, rolling prairie of grasses surrounded by high summits. To the right is the trail to the Col du Souchet, the col I crossed last October. That was a crazy day.
I keep flying along to Col Nazie and a large parking lot full of cars, around a climbing curve to the left and I’m at the high spot looking down, way down, at Besse. First time down this on a bike. Slightly worried about washboard from all the traffic. Dive in, instant acceleration, like that all the way down. I always say if you want to know if something’s steep, ride down it; gravity never lies. This is steep.
One-laner with spots where cars can slip by one another, sharp switchbacks covered in loose gravel, between switchbacks fast going. There isn’t the sense of air off the side of the road like during the climb but if you went over the edge, you’d tumble a long way before coming to stop. Slammed into some washboard a couple of times that I didn’t see coming. Didn’t faze the bike at all. This is one of those descents that drains the hands of strength, and it’s not just the braking, which is one-finger anyway. It’s the constant need to absolutely keep the handlebar in hand because the surface is forever tossing the front wheel around.
Into the heart of the valley, across a small stream, around some more switchbacks, into a grove of trees, one more switchback and that’s it for the dirt. From here down nothing but blacktop, but still too tight for cars to pass without someone waiting at a wide spot. There’s even one section with grass growing in a line down the middle of the road. I love it.
Closing on Besse and there’s lots of people walking along the road. Perfect, gives me an opportunity to use the super little bell my son gave me. Great sound. Into Besse, everything built out of rock and wood timbers and beautifully restored and maintained. A gorgeous place though for me the place is way too sterile, almost like it’s more a movie setting than a real village, only it is a real village and apparently people really do live there. They just stay invisible.
Stop a couple of times, shoot some pics, but impatiently. I can hardly wait to attack the descent after the village because, based on having driven it, I think it’s going to massively fun on the bike. It is, linked sweepers, carving curls, tight S-sections, gravity always pulling hard. As good as it gets, only way too short. Ends entirely too soon with a short, steepish climb, a super fast descent on the road from Col de Sarenne, then a steep ramp back up into Mizoën, the loop closed. Another excellent adventure on the Plateau d’Emparis.