It is only 13 C in my tent this morning and without leg warmers it is going to be a cold ride. So I pull on a pair of running tights. I stand up at breakfast and make a request of people that they look though their stuff for my leg warmers. Looking at the faces I might as well have been talking to rocks in Chinese. I doubt that anyone heard me. There is always going to be some wear and tear on equipment so I guess I will just write them off to wear and tear.
The Col De L’Isran is the highest paved pass in all of Europe. It is not the most famous and certainly not the hardest. There is a 18 kms ramp to the pass which is only 1-2% and then there is a section of 8 kms which is pretty steep. After that you come to a ski village where we stopped for a pastry and coffee, which was delicious. Then there is flat section of 4 kms followed by the final climb of 18 kms of 8-10%. I can do about 9-11 km/hr so it is 2 hours to the top. It is brilliant sunny day at the top which is at 2770 meters. I don’t know the times but we were having fun so who cares. I hang out and have lunch but it is windy and Juerg and I roll pretty quickly.
We are in a little village where there isn’t much but we are in early so Juerg and I walk into the grocery store and get some beer and drink it in the town square. We laugh that the last time we did that was on the Orient Express. We talk about getting caught drinking in public in Romania. Juerg thought it was Timmoshara but I am not so sure.
It was a great day and we had a lot of fun.
Terry
5 comments:
Terry, sorry to hear about your problems on the ride with leg warmers, tents etc! Good to hear about your progress over the Cols, keep going and riding strong.
I hope you have heard that I am back home now and that I have not broken any bones, which means recovery will be quicker. Hope the drivers in France are good to you all!!
Cheers Rob
Terry:
Have been following your trip and enjoying the pictures and comments. Have not had a drink of Scotch since you left so it would seem that you are the bad influence and have now lured a friend into drinking in public. Keep up the great work!
Bill
Terry, wow, these are some serious climbs!! Hopefully the fun on the descents equals the work on the ascents. Great pictures. Keep up the good work and enjoy the ride.
Hey Terry,
It is sure sounding like your world class tour of the Swiss tour is accompanied with more then your fair share of trials and tribulations. At least you have kept healthy and strong! You and Jurg would do good to indulge in a bottle of Jägermeister stout. You've got the end in sight...enjoy.
So what's with the Aussie's? Why are they a bother? Not a bunch of Young Al's? Say hi to Jurg for me.
Post a Comment