French Alps Trip – July 7th to 13th

Team Godiva Trailriders, prior to their ride up the 1613m Col de Colombiere. L to R Seb, Stotti, Bruce, Rob, Smitty. (Some didn’t look this fresh when they got back)

Wow, what can I say?

The French Alps were stunning and more than made up for a flat with no power for five nights, a broken Vauxhall Astra in Reims on the way down (and a 780 euro repair bill) and a 1275 euro hire car bill (which I should be able to claim back from my breakdown insurance provider)

I could detail each day, but unless you were there “Hemlock Hill”, “Snake Pit”, “Bruce’s Drop” would mean nothing. Even quoting proper place names would be pointless….

So click on some of these links to get an idea of where we were riding

http://www.combloux.com/en.html

http://www.megeve.com/en/ete/mont-blanc/alps/haute-savoie/france/page/discover-megeve-summer

http://www.saintgervais.com/en.html

http://en.lescontamines.com/summer-english.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Blanc

http://www.passy-mont-blanc.com/uk/il4-base,camp,water,directory_p92-lac-de-passy-base-de-loisirs-des-iles.aspx?Cle=74PAEQU100009

Bruce’s photos, click to view slideshow

http://s395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/zimrat/Alps%20Trip%20St%20Gervais%20July%202012/?albumview=slideshow

My photo’s, click to view slideshow

http://s286.photobucket.com/albums/ll91/floyd_england/Alps%202012/?albumview=slideshow

Bike (All week) – Trek Superfly Al Elite

Ride – #109     Day / Area – Sat – St Gervais / Megeve

Miles – 13.3     Total 2012 miles – 2223.2

Ride – #110     Day / Area – Sun – Rochebrune

Miles – 29.9     Total 2012 miles – 2253.1

Ride – #111     Day / Area – Mon – Combloux / Lac Passey

Miles – 24.3     Total 2012 miles – 2277.4

Ride – #112     Day / Area – Tue – Les Contamines

Miles – 27.3     Total 2012 miles – 2304.7

Ride – #113     Day / Area – Wed – Rochebrune / Col de Very

Miles – 36.0     Total 2012 miles – 2340.7

Ride – #114     Day / Area – Sat – St Gervais / Megeve

Miles – 16.4     Total 2012 miles – 2357.1

P.S. Just a quick word of advice. After building a bike, and certainly before you take it somewhere like the Alps, take it for a test ride…. finding you’ve got the front and rear brake levers the wrong way round is best not found out half way down the side of a mountain…. I still have the bruising to prove it!

P.P.S. I’m not much into my road riding, but having been to see the Tour de France, I’d say it’s worth going to see even if you’re not into cycling! (Somehow us sneaking into the team bus area was an added highlight!)

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