Stage 6 - Le Sauze Excursion

Rather a change of format today. Plenty of time for a shower in the morning, a fairly relaxed breakfast (not in Lycra) and an 09:10 start. Then an ascent of the Col de la Bonnette from Jausiers, a few km back up the road.

La Bonnette is the highest mountain pass in Europe, at 2,802 m. The climb is 24 km long, on a good road, and the ascent is around 1,600. There is an awe-inspiring gorge near the bottom and then long, sweeping ramps and hairpins through increasingly deep snowfields with the occasional marmot, though they're hard to spot. 

There was a rather better group approach to riding today, so plenty of company. There was some unhappiness at dinner yesterday over the continuing lack of 'why I'm riding' introductions and the general standard of riding etiquette. It's clear to me that most of the Fireflies this year don't belong to cycling clubs, so they haven't had that discipline drummed into them by prickly, traditionalist older members (like me).

Anyway, the majority stopped for coffee about half way up, but I was feeling strong and didn't want to waste it, so made it to the top in the first half of the field. 

The keener members were heading down the other side for lunch before the reverse return journey. More sensible ones like me just came straight back down for beer and bread and six types of cheese in the hot sun – having once again struggled up the 10-11 per cent 'Col d'Hotel', which is an absolute killer. 

I'm worried again about the bike's headset, which is now tending to stick in the straight-ahead position. Going to talk to the support crew and maybe get a bit of physio myself...

The spectacular Bonnette gorge section, about a third of the way up.

The view back down to the lower hairpins.

The drifts are getting deeper...

The end is just in sight, in the notch to the left of the main peak.

Made it to the top! But we're not heading to Nice just yet...

Details Start:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/329223107
Details Finish:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/329223331

Stage 5 - Oulx to Le Sauze

Another very tough day. Back into France via the Col de Montgenevre, then the classic Col d'Izoard before lunch and finally the Col de Vars and a last kick up Barcelonette. Total 133 km and 3,500 m of climbs – a long day and a very hot one.

The first col was OK and not too hard. We stopped at the top for a final Italian espresso (which actually turned out to be French in terms of both quality and price). A speedy descent and then on to the Col d'Izoard – a bit higher and stunningly beautiful with wild flower meadows and some snow at the top. It now takes top spot in my list of favourites in terms of scenery, I think. Lunch was brought forward: omelette and chips which took an hour to arrive. SAfterwards there was a plendid descent with big drop-offs to the gorge below. 

Col de Vars suffered a bit by comparison. Some steep pulls up but with a flatter bit in the middle. I lost the group on the precipitous descent (steep road too, so on the brakes too much and too long) and did a solo time trial for 30 km down the valley. The final kidney punch was a really steep climb up to our hotel at La Sauze, above Barcelonette. 

I should have said that two or three of the riders were unable to start yesterday (lack of food and/or sleep and stomach cramps) but everybody was back today, though a lot of us are hurting. 

Also, the Coupe des Alpes cars have been replaced by a small group of Morgans, and of course there are shoals of racy motorcyclists trying to get their knees down on the hairpin bends. Some of them are not all that good at it.

Ah! Italy! The bar opposite our Oulx hotel served free pizza with the beers.

Wild flowers on the slopes of the fabulous Col d'Izoard.

The bike in snow in front of the Izoard monument.

Looking back down the long ascent of Col de Vars.

Details AM:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/328799960

Details PM:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/328799830

Stage 4 - La Grave to Oulx (Italy!)

An easier day today, though with a sting in the tail. We started off for Briancon up the Col de Lauteret, being passed by what seemed like hundreds of classic sports/touring cars engaged in the Coupe des Alpes. Porsches predominated, but there was everything from a vintage Bentley to several Lancia Stratoses. We stopped at the top for coffee and to look at the start of the famous but closed Galibier climb, which has 5 m of snow at the top still. 

Then a great, long, swooping descent to Briancon followed by a relatively civilised (that is, under 10 per cent) climb up the very peaceful wooded Col de L'Echelles. Going down the other side was a bit sketchier, with big drainage gulleys lying in wait. But by then we were in Italy. 

Lunch at Bardoneccia (wild boar ravioli and great espresso) was followed all too soon by a short, brutal up-and-down climb near there, of the infamous Monte Jafferau, which defeated several pro riders in this year's Giro d'Italia. Then a final fast run to Hotel Oberje dla Viere in Oulx – the first good group I've managed to catch and keep up with. I did a couple of turns on the front and paced one rider who got dropped back to the group, so I think my form is improving. I'm definitely the oldest rider in the group this year and possibly, it seems, in Firefly history. 

The weather is holding up well, with some splendid views. And of course, nice as France is, it's a delight to be in Italy, if only for one night.

Me at the top of Lautaret, and happy to be there.
Sorry about the prosthetic leg though...

One of the many Coupe des Alpes cars in the Lautaret carpark.

The dodgy descent to Bardoneccia.

Details AM:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/328080649

Details PM:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/328079840

Rest Day

Everest is 8,848 m. I looked it up. And La Grave is around 1,450 m. 

As I said, we rolled in a bit before 10:00 PM, stopping immediately at the pub for a beer (AKA recovery drink) and crisps (salt replacement) before heading to our bijoux chalets. No time for a shower, just change into T-shirt and trousers, and then off to a restaurant in town up a LOT of steps, where everything took a very long time. Several riders dozed off and we're all very tired. 

I got to bed some time around 1:00 AM and completely failed to get to sleep until nearly five – probably too many caffeinated energy gells –  at which point my room-mate's phone went off.

I eventually staggered out of bed at 08:30 today and had a pleasantly less rushed breakfast, then cleaned and oiled the bike, did some very necessary washing and after that went shopping in the sleepy little village for new sunglasses and materials for a group barbecue lunch beside the rushing, grey, freezing cold river. We must have consumed several head of cattle, not to mention sausages, cheese, bread and salad and fruit – and of course some beer and wine. 

All in all I'm feeling OK apart from a sore bum, but my back was hurting yesterday and the day before. Might be time for a physio session, or at least a sauna.  

The weather tomorrow looks OK, at least in the morning.  Galibier is closed, so no doubt frantic planning is going on while I doze off after lunch.

The view from our chalet at La Grave. Les Deux Alpes is over the peaks on the right.

Fireflies chilling at the chalets, full of smokey, meaty protein.