Day 9 - And finally...

We don't need to be at the airport in Grenoble till 5.00pm, about 3 1/2 hours by car, so we reckon we can squeeze in a ride today.
After packing we stop in town to get the croissants in, then find a bench a few miles out in Serre Chevalier to enjoy them in the sun. The plan today is to drive out past Bourg d'Oisans and park up at the foot of the Col de La Croix de Fer. After a quick change we head out and ride the 1st 10km together...this is a 34 km climb! As it steepens I go off to do my thing, passing a contingent from the Notts CTC who are actually doing this on fully laden touring bikes...respect is due.
Although this is 34 km that includes a couple of fairly flat sections and 2 short descents. Only the first 1/3 is really steep, tree lined and shaded, opening up later past the 2nd lake into a bleaker and more windswept environment.

At the summit, and much to the bemsement of the 30 or so german riders catching their breath there, I swing a u-turn in the middle of the road and head back down to Al to give him some company. 6km down I find him and we ride another 2km to the left turn that takes us to the summit of the Col du Glandon...200 metres away. 2 summits for the price of one, but just one climb. Around we turn again and back down to the car.

After packing the bikes and scoffing the picnic we head off for the airport. Another year done. Pyrenees next year. The pyrenees feature heavily in the 2010 Tour de France, including both sides of the Tourmalet, so a nice chance to develop some empathy for the Peloton.

Day 8 - Will it never end

Just the two of us now, and the Aber boys have taken the sun back with them...even as we leave town to do the Izoard we are in leg warmers, gilets and gloves...not a good sign.

If you don't know the Izoard, it actually starts in the middle of town. 17km of climbing with some respite in the middle. The last 3 km look like intestines spilled out on the mountain and supported by concrete to stop them slithering back down. Check out the video of Alan grovelling up the last section.

It is so cold at the top that all we can do is a U-turn and head back. A shame, I was hoping for a longer ride today, but I'm frozen.

We head to the old town and install ourselves in a cafe for a spell. The cafe owner tells us that it was like this all last month and only warmed up on the day we arrived...which would explain all the flies around the house, the amned things were all hatching.

A quick meal in town, a few beers, clean the house and half pack for tomorrow. The bikes stay as they are though...there is time for one more ride!

Day 7 - Scattered all over and missing in action

Gareth and Meirion have to leave today. To be fair, if they leave now, they stand a fair chance of getting back to Geneva before christmas.

Shelley is stuffed so sensibly has a day off while Dewi and Paul head straight up to the church we can see from the house, on the mountain that looms over the town...more on that later.

Myself, Alan, Tim and Richard head off to find the back road to Sestriere, but it all goes wrong. Up the Mongenevre at a nice steady pace, staying together, and the sun is already warm. Never ridden this sociably before so notice the golf course at the top for the 1st time...at a ski resort? As we start the descent to Cassana I'm afraid Alan and I get sucked into the game of, "Can we go even faster than last time?"

The answer of course is yes, most definitely, and we disappear from sight for the other two. This is where it goes wrong. My lack of clear briefing...cos I know where I'm going, means that when Tim and Rich see a sign 3km from the botom for Sestriere, they take the turning (I didn't even see it). We wait at the bottom for a few minutes and as they don't appear, ride all the way back to the summit fearing either multiple punctures, mechanical mishap, or worse still a crash. Of course we don't find them, so come back down and set off for the back road. We have now done two major climbs before we have even got to the 2nd climb!

As we start the climb, Alan realises he is struggling today, so turns round to head back up the valley to Bardonechia and over the Col d'Echelle. I continue with the back road and it is well worth it. I see one car all the way up, it is sheltered and warm...simply lovely, if not spectacular. Lunch at the top then down the main road, along the valley to Bardonechia and back up the Col d'Echelle, about an hour behind Alan. This is one of my favourite climbs. The first 8 km are wide open and fairly dull, but when the road narrows at the water treatment works and becomes a series of tigt hairpins, the view opens back across the valley. Another quiet road, just a couple of cars for the whole climb. Cresting the summit through tunnels carved from the rock face I hit the plateau and roll along the top, through the forested country park, past sunbathing locals, then begin the long steady run back to Briancon, 20km of rolling valley descent.

By this point, Tim and Rich have done the back road to Sestrieres ahead of me, had lunch, and returned to Briancon over the Mongenevre for a very civilised day out.

When I get back to Briancon it is only 4.00pm, the sun is still hot, and my legs feel ok, so I head straight up the road that Dewi and Paul went out on in the morning. This turns out to be the best decision of the week. This 7km climb up to the village of Puy Chaval is stunning. A combination of steep suburban roads, small hamlets and precipitous cliffs snake their way up to the best view of the week. The road above the village peters out into a dirt track where I stop to soak up the scenery. This is where I want to live. The pictures here just don't do it justice.

We all meet up again at the house and head out for pizza, though by now we've lost Rich somewhere and amazingly none of us hit on the simle note on the table as a method of communication...sorry Rich.

In the middle of town at the pizza shed (?!) we have the most surreal dining experience. Weorder the food, at which point the chap makes a phone call, gets in his car and leaves. After 10 minutes of no activity, Dewi goes into the kitchen to see if he can work the oven, at which point the guy returns with the food. It seems that his oven is knackered and he in turn has to phone out for the food. Enterprising I guess.

A couple of beers at the dodgy pine clad pub full of 12 year olds, and that is the end of the week for the Aber boys who now have to pack and start the long drive back. Boys, cheers for the company, really enjoyed it and look forward to seeing you all next year...2 days left for me and Al though.