Fat Yank living like a Savoyard

[BoulderGeek]

As I posted on other threads, it was my plan to move to the Haute Alpes and ride my beer-loving, pizza snarfing, pie consuming, steak destroying American azz off this summer.

Well, I've been here for 5 days, in the mini-city of Chambéry. Loving the change in ambiance. Taking French class every day, living with young students, chatting with young, hot, Icelandic female students (but nothing that would get a 39 year old geezer in trouble in any nation of the world).

Had a kickass ride today. Just got back from 60 kilometers of rolling spin with a 60 year old French dude I met on the bike path. Chambery has ~30 miles of paved bike path, similar to Boulder (about 3x more than Boulder in length, though).

We went for a spin to the end of the path at Lac du St. Andre, then he led me on his loop through many little villages, through rolling woods, vineyards like Sonoma and countryside like the farm country of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

It was a great introduction. It's too bad my French is so bad, but it was really fun. Back home for a quick lunch, clean up and back to town for 4 hours of class until 6PM. Beer and some part of a duck to follow, maybe with bread and cheese.

Anyone with interest in seeing pics is welcome to check out the totally unkempt storage space at http://www.bouldergeek.com. I made a random little web comic, too, just for family and friends, but you're welcome to see if you have any interest in riding Eastern France: http://www.bouldergeek.com/ride_comic.pdf . All of this stuff is more proof of concept than anything real, since I just arrived and haven't been portaging a camera.

Sorry, no Serottas, just my travel Rocky Mountain. I don't trust the airlines with my Nove.

[Lincoln]

Good on ya for doing it! Keep us posted. :beer:

[Ken Robb]

what a lovely day. It's like that today in La Jolla--68F and not a cloud to be seen. Cruising/running errands on the Rambouillet in "regular" shorts and a Polo shirt. Nice.

[Bud]

Nice. Keep the updates coming. I'll dream of planning my own similar adventure someday... :cool:

[saab2000]

J'espere que tu fasse une sortie de velo dans les Alpes Suisses aussi!

Bonne Vacance en France!

Have a Biere Monaco pour moi!!

Et un petit "Salu!" au Mont Faron en que cas tu fait une voyage au Cote d'Azur a Toulon! Ma premiere ville 'etrangere' en Europe.

[stevep]

sounds terrible.
glad i dont have to suffer the alps this season.
have a great time.
its beautiful there.
plus, the food...
how much can i take.

[BoulderGeek]

Reviewing my thread while getting my manger on, pain aux choclat, croissant with confiture de framboises et cafe au "french press" cafetierre.

Anther free morning, another good time for a spin.

Vacances en Suisse to come in August.

Heading off to the Dauphine Libere next weekend. Figured to ride the Col de la Madeleine to watch the race, and the next day to try the Col du Glandon.

Even that 32 I put on the rear gets used awfully quickly.

[3chordwonder]

Damn, I'm jealous. Those photos look great! Meantime, it's overcast and cold here in Melbourne... plus, it's stuck in Australia, miles from everywhere. Enjoy le fromage. Or la fromage, whichever...

[Gothard]

Where are you going in Switzerland? If it is anywhere near Sion in Valais, give me a shout!

[BoulderGeek]

Where are you going in Switzerland? If it is anywhere near Sion in Valais, give me a shout!

You're awesome, Gothard. I'd love to.

I'll be working that all out in August. it would be great to meet up for a ride or two sometime this summer. Thanks very much for mentioning it.

Mike

[William]

BG,
Thanks for the updates! Keep em coming.



William


PS: Don't forget to post more about the "young, hot, Icelandic female students" as well!! :D

[Ray]

BG,
PS: Don't forget to post more about the "young, hot, Icelandic female students" as well!! :D
Yet another place where a picture is worth the proverbial 1,000 words!

Sounds like a great time. I love the sound of the French language and would love to do something like you're doing and really learn it. Enjoy!

-Ray

[Moosedryvr]

BoulderG,
You are living my dream!! I've already got my village in the Dordogne all picked out, now if I can just figure out how to support my family, send the kids to college, etc. while I spend my time riding around the French countryside! Seriously though, going over for a summer could be doable, especially if I do it in between retiring from the Air Force and starting whatever my second career will be. You've got my wheels turning...
Have a great time and keep us up to date. Pics would be huge! All the best!
Shawn G

[97CSI]

Great fun. Best food and vin in the world. And some great riding. Can't wait to get back. Our fav is the Cote d'Or region. Dream of retiring to Flagey-Echezeaux or Nuits-Saint-Georges or other smaller village in the region. We have found the food in and around the Cote-d'Or region to be the best, overall, of anywhere we've been in France. We are fortunate to go about every-other-year for a month, or so. Usually get to catch a stage or two of the TdF. Keep us updated.

[Michael Maddox]

Gah. I hate you.


Such terrible ENVY! :crap:

[BoulderGeek]

Bumping the thread.

Last week, I was in the Luberon, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille.

Now, I am writing this from my fine, fine room at the Radisson SAS Amsterdam. Much nicer than the Marseille Auberge de Jeunesse, I must say.

Here are a couple of small shots from my Provence sortie. I'll be off the bike for a week, eating moules and seeing if there is a Belgian ale I like better than Duvel.

After that, I will head to Italy for a few days in Como/Lugano riding the lake and hills. Then basing in Florence, Genoa and Cinque Terra for combo of walking and riding fun. Anywhere else in Tuscany that I need to go in a week?

[rwsaunders]

Boulder Geek...you're killing me here with the travel. I thought that I was living the high life, taking the Missus and kids to Cleveland for the weekend.

[93legendti]

...Anywhere else in Tuscany that I need to go in a week?

Volterra, Montalcino, Impruneta and San Gimignano.

[dave thompson]

Volterra, Montalcino, Impruneta and San Gimignano.
...and Pienza!

[93legendti]

...and Pienza!
Yes, I should have added that one, especially since I did cycle there in 2000 and stay overnight.

[BoulderGeek]

Thanks, guys!

I'll look those up, and see if I can make the logistics. I might not be able to get to the little towns on train with my Eurail pass. Not sure if it is just big city to big city, or if I can specify little places as well.

I have five hops to use in Italy over 8 days, including ingress and egress. Need to plan wisely.

[BURCH]

This is great. Thanks for sharing. I feel like I escaped from my desk today for a little bit.

Enjoy!

[Fixed]

bro iceland 's the new florida ..imho cheers :beer:

[BoulderGeek]

OK, a couple more for the scenery.

My battered travel bike at the old port in Marseille. The north beach in Marseille and the central fountain in Aix-en-Provence.

Those were shot only one week ago.

Just got rained on hard in Belgium. Drying out with a funky local Duvel-like blonde. Not the type of blonde I would prefer, however... :-(

[BoulderGeek]

In Cinque Terra italy right now. Off to Perugia today, to sample some Umbria.

I thought that the recommendation was for Perugia, not Pienza. Whoops. We'll see where this road leads.

Edit: checkin the thread from Firenze! I have and a half wait for my next train. No shortage of tourists here! Ack.

Guess I need to try some Montepulciano when here, eh?

[dave thompson]

In Cinque Terra italy right now. Off to Perugia today, to sample some Umbria.

I thought that the recommendation was for Perugia, not Pienza. Whoops. We'll see where this road leads.
Perugia's not that far from Pienza. You must go there!

[BoulderGeek]

Perugia's not that far from Pienza. You must go there!

Heading over tomorrow. Going to train to the next village from Montepulciano, then ride through M and up to Pienza for lunch.

Man, why was I never told that Perugia is the San Francisco of Umbria? I hit one hill today that I swear was 18-percent for 2KM! It about made me barf. Flagstaff, AdH and the freakin Galibier have nothing on this piece of asphalt.

After Pienza, it will be Genova for a couple of days, then Cono/Lugano, and then back to France for the great pack-up. Au revoire, Europe! What a long, strange trip it's been.

[Lincoln]

BG, more pictures please.

[Bud]

WHen you get back, beer at the Sun is on me. I want to hear some of the stories first hand.