To day was the first truly sunny day we have had since Rome. God that seems like a long time ago, but that is another story. It was really beautiful today the sky was a magnificent blue with just the odd little puffy white cloud. It was so marvellous to feel the heat of the sun on your back.
However I am wandering from the story which was that we left the hotel for the shore of Lake Como for a group photo, which was followed by a group ride out of Como. The ride has now changed as there were only 16 of the original riders carry on and now there are 50 riders from the 30 so it is a huge group. The average age has also plunged as almost all of the new riders are under 40. So there was a lot of testosterone flowing as the group ride started out of town. I was going to say that I thought that none of these Auzzies have zero bike manners as they were passing on both the left and right sides, stopping slowing with never a hand signal or a word. However I am changing my story and I am now saying that there was a lot of excitement in the air.
After we left Como and head up the lake it was just so beautiful. The lake was a total mirror and the rising sun was shining on our side of the lake. I had dropped to the back as I was stopping to take pictures and enjoy the morning. There I met up with some of the new riders and together we rode past the first turn which would take us over to the next lake. Even though I kind of knew it was wrong I didn’t really care as it was just so pleasant. Ten kms up the road it was time to take bearings and we then rode back the ten kms to the turn. There was a 400 meter climb and Craig left me and I left the other two riders. After the climb I caught up to Craig where he was fixing a flat, so I pumped his tire for him. As we were there an ambulance flashed past us with the sirens whaling. As the other two had not caught us I thought this is bad.
Craig and I rode on as team and we caught a couple of different groups and arrived at lunch towards the end of the ride. There we learned that Rob the big Englishman had fallen and broken his collar bone.
For the rest of the day rode together taking turns pulling and enjoying the day. The road took us in and out of Switzerland. I think we are in Switzerland tonight but I have kind of lot track. There were lots of tunnels, lots of towns to get lost in, and just incredible scenery.
The reason this ride is called Les Dix Alpes is the there are nine passes over 2000 meters and one pass which is just under 2000. It is part of the tour ride.
All in Craig and I covered 148 kms and climbed over 1500 meters. What a great day!
Terry
1 comment:
ITs good to see you still have some upper body strength!!!!
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