The Final Charge

The last morning had arrived and a small group including Max who had a lunchtime flight, left early (after great croissants) to get back to Nice.

Rae and I departed after the last bags were packed into the truck, and drove straight to the airport. The final leg of our journey was a bit glum - industrial Nice is not the prettiest of places and the road was long and busy.

More logistics to deal with - the first cycle group arrived shortly after us as we cleared the bags out of the van and onto the same piece of grass at the airport where the journey began. Bob joined Rae and I in the now empty van to take the journey back to Michelle's house where the bike boxes were stored.

Why husbands feel the need to make negative comments about their loved ones driving, I'll never understand, but Bob only did it once that day.....

Back to the airport as the others slowly gathered. Some had taken a more mountainous route and were rewarded with a more scenic journey. Martin and Geoff made a detour to Michelle's house, where they were leaving their bikes (they are returning to do L'etape du Tour in a few weeks) and had a well deserved swim in her pool.

Finally regrouped with trusted bikes safely packed away, we said our goodbyes and checked in - the adventure over for another year.

Great fun, great memories and everyone delighted that we have been able to raise a substantial sum for our two charities. Over £4,000 at the last count with more coming in.

Thank you all for your generous donations - hope you enjoyed the blog.

Mrs B

Day 5 - Monday

The day started with a quick zip up Col d’Izoard – the third time the guys have been to the top of this mountain. Down the other side and then up Col de Var (again!) - the guys did this from the other direction on Friday.

Ben and Chris were up before the van and didn’t hang around. Dave was close behind and he joined them off down the other side.

Rae and I grabbed ourselves an Iced Tea and a deck chair and waited in the sun for the rest of the crew. We had been driving around Guillestre for some time trying to find a service station as we were nearly out of diesel. Unfortunately it was market day and, not only was it very busy, the roads we needed were all closed for stalls. Nightmare time for me again in the old town narrow streets and then we had to do a u-turn... I kept my cool and just inched the van slowly in both directions until it hit something (the kerb I hope). It was a several point turn but we made it. Rae had some good French language practice asking where the supermarket was and we were glad of the relaxation at the top.

The café owners at the top were great. I had filled up all the water bottles there on Friday and she remembered us. I was glad we gave her the business as drinks and a few snacks for a crowd this large hits the 100 euro mark – not a bad boost to takings out of season. She gave Rae and I presents as we left – a wolf whistling cuddly toy key ring and a jar of home made marmalade.

Unfortunately I did not notice any signs telling us the road we need to take to the lunch venue would be closed for 3½ hours from 1pm. We had waited at the top for a while with Kevin and both he and the van arrived too late. It was a 2 hour detour in the car or a 2½ hour wait in the mountain sunshine so we waited..........

and waited..........

We made some new friends including a crowd of dutch bikers and another british cyclist whose girlfrind was accompanying him in the car. The closure was because of digging high up on the mountain side - the avalanches being caused were why we were being kept away.

We made a vast procession as about 50 bikes, followed by a fancy sport car, then us, and many many more vehicles, turned onto the deserted road at 4.30pm, soon it seemed everyone had turned off and we were once more on very quiet roads.

The weather turned to wind and rain, there was the last big momma to climb, Col d'Allos. We took the van up and over the top - the worst road of all but desolate except for the huge herd of sheep that came our way and made for an interesting wait. We had three large groups in total take over the road from the other direction and the guys had fun piling through them. The first, and most interesting included goats and several donkeys!

Kev, quite rightly, had retired from cycling for the day and beavered away on his blackberry as I sang along to Winners Song by Geraldine (Peter Kay) much to Rae's embarrasment. We had it on a CD and I love it!

I realised, once the van arrived at the hotel late that evening in the lashing rain, that the rest of the guys had been so lucky to have passed through the road before it had been closed. We didn't arrive until 7pm, co-inciding with the last group of cyclists. Some had been hanging around for a while and it had been a long day for everyone .

The hotel rooms were the worst of the week and there were several glum faces. The rooms were so small you could hardly walk around the bed and those that had bathrooms were confronted with scratchy baths and little air flow to speak of. There was no hot water left by the time I was ready to use the shower down the hall - but my screeching made sure no-one else tried to come in.

There were several locals in the bar and in the restaurant and when the food arrived we saw why. The crappy rooms were instantly forgotton as we tucked into the best meal of the week. A lovely salad nicoise followed by lapin (a few concerned faces at the thought by a small minority), lots of clean plates and a choice of great desserts.

Although it was the last night there was still some more cycling to do - a small game of poker ensued and a few retired to the bar for a last drink, but for most it was another earlish night.

Day 4 - Sunday

Today’s challenges include climbing up to the ski resort of Sestriere, back over the French border, up over the Col de Montgenevre, down the other side and then another ascent back up some of Col d’Izoard where we return to the Auberge of Friday night.

Another day with only one short stretch for Kev in the meat wagon, the guys are getting stronger every day but this is not a tour for the faint hearted. You can see they are having lots of fun – I wouldn’t dare tell you who was wading in the water – you can guess for yourself!

We stopped for coffee in a very strange village, odd goings on as you can see from the pictures – lunch was in a red bull Igloo – if you’ve been skiing you’ll know the type. Odd to see one in the summer – the waiter wanted us to sit indoors – so we had a candle lit lunch – bizarre!

The evening meal was a bit disappointing after a hard day in the saddle, but the people were very nice, if a bit eccentric (remember the groovy jumpers and slippers…) and when I saw the bill for two nights, which was less than one night in the other two places, I forgave them.

More pictures of day 3

Day 3 - the Kolonel

Breakfast was a bit of a bun fight by all accounts, the hotel was not very organised and Rae and I enjoyed a more leisurely time after everyone left. This was the day to conquer the Kolonel, and everyone was kitted out in the 2009 team vests for the team photo at the top.

The guys who struggled yesterday have given themselves a pep talk, reminded themselves that this is not a race and they are having fun, and left first. Chris and Ben, the cycling aces, left an hour or so later.

We stopped off to buy bananas and peaches - there are so many guys that one tray of is only enough for 1 each – at a total cost of six euros they were a bargain.

The guys climbed up Col d’Izoard for the second time, from the opposite direction. This time there was no stopping at the summit and they cruised down the other side. Rae and I had a close encounter with a large mobile home, we inched past very slowly with our van on the outside edge!

Now to ascend the Kolonel. The front, take it easy, group stopped to enjoy a tiny café along the route at the bottom. This is a very long climb and with a summit of 2,744 metres and lengthy stretches with gradients’ of over 12% even the van struggled, often in first gear as we manoeuvred around the hair pin bends.

We soon hit the snow line and more spectacular scenery. The van made it to the top first and we managed to find a suitable parking space giving us a clear exit later. Rae and I both changed into our tour tops ready for the group photo and waited for the guys. Gary Lyttle arrived first closely followed by the rest of the guys, who made it one by one. We had some great views of the bikes coming up, we watched the last half dozen get off their bikes and have a snowball fight a couple of metres from the top…. Lots of big smiles as they all in turn beat the Kolonel. The peaches and bananas went down well after the guys had taken five to get there breath back! Rae was great handing them round and I couldn’t resist taking a picture of her as she struggled with the boxes.

One everyone had recovered, with an armful of cameras, I took pictures using each one at a time. We asked another cyclist who had scaled the dizzy heights to take a picture including Rae and I and the smiles you see are a result of what was happening in his light blue lycra! I seem to be the only one who didn’t notice, even Rae made a comment!

The summit marked the French Italian border and after some hairy hair pin bends which saw the guys really having to squeeze on their breaks Rogers back wheel started behaving like it was a fixed wheel affair. For the second time the spare rear wheel came into action at a quick road side swap-over. The Italian drivers are something else and the contrast between the state of the roads and the attitude of the drivers was considerable, the SA guys said the Italian drivers are much worst than the guys back home and they thought they were bad!

Although everyone wase fairly spread out we managed to meet up at Sampeyre for lunch, two lovely Italian girls served us and brightened up a lovely day even more with their charming smiles.

I was on the look out for a supermarket to get a few bits and pieces and, after turning off the road in the wrong place, ended up in a dead end. My van turning skills are sadly lacking and a friendly local came to my rescue, turning the van around for me after his helpful hand signals were unable to do the trick.

Rae and I got very lost near the hotel. The Tomtom I am using in the car is not nearly as precise as the boys’ Garmins and, although we made it in the end, by this time my nerves had severely frayed!

The boys had enjoyed a swim, improvising with cycle shorts, in the fantastic open air pool while they waited for my late arrival. Our evening meal which started with bread dipped in fantastic virgin olive oil, with vegetable salad followed by a big bowl of pasta meant they were all struggling to get the meat and potatoes that followed down and hardly any of them were up to the rich chocolate desert! We had almost dropped to sea level and were very glad of the air conditioning in the hotel as we all had an early night, too tired for poker.

Day 2 - Three mountains!

Hi there - I have added more pictures and words to day one so you may want to have another look before enjoying the excitment of day 2.

A lovely sunny day greeted us and we enjoyed a traditional continental breakfast before the guys zoomed off down the steep down hill that would take them back on the Road to Col de Bonnet. Rodney chatised everyone for not doing stretches and them gave us a dmonstation in the car park.

Rae and I had a quick stop off at the local supermarket to pick up water and bananas (all they had in the shop) before following the guys to the bottom of the 2,806 metres high big momma.

I have to say Rae is great to have around and I have been able to dictate the blog to her as we’ve been driving along which saves loads of time in the hotel and means I can post the blog much earlier. She is official photographer and is doing a great job chasing up kitty money and the fines.

The guys were fairly well spread out as they travelled up the mountain. Tony was King of the first mountain having reached the top first with Kevin Perry bringing up the rear. Rae and I waited at the summit so the guys could put on there cold weather gear and Kevin told me that he had been unable to get a phone signal to call as he had wanted to ask for a lift! I am sure he is now very pleased he made it to the top and, having done that, stayed on the bike and raced down the other side.

Lunch of a cheese and ham baguette was cut short by a torrential downpour. The café was far from hospitable and had to be persuaded to give us any food. Geoff (of course) got into trouble for putting his stocking feet on the table so another fine I think may be on the cards….

The second hill saw two tired travellers, Kevin followed by Max, grabbing a lift. As there is only one spare seat in the front Kev kindly offered the place to Max and climbed in with the bags in the back of the windowless van.

I feel guilty now (a tiny bit) but gave them both a bit of hard time and suggested they got back on their wheels at the top of Col de Var which stands at a giddy 2,109 metres. A lovely decent saw Tony and Steve try to latch onto my tailwind. Probably just as well they didn't quite manage as the fumes are not very healthy as Martin learned to his cost when he asked me to give him a tow.

There were a few ‘deviations’ on the way down which may have something to do with Kevin having a tyre problem. Luckily our bag of spares includes two wheels and so it was simple job to switch wheels at the road side.

The decent was followed by a relatively flat section before the final ascent to the top of Col de Izoard, making a total climbing over 4,000 metres for the day. Although the longest with 30k of climbing, both Izoard and Var have gradients in excess of 15% in places.

I parked the van and waited for everyone to pass. Kevin W had told me earlier that two mountains were enough for him and had bagged a ride. He was joined by Kev P and Max and we rearranged the back of the van to make some room at the pretty village of Arvieux. We chose a wonderful café to enjoy a delicious snack with Bob and Martin before moving on.

Martin has had his share of mishaps over recent months starting with a badly sprained ankle that stopped him training for several weeks to a very serious e-coli infection which meant he was doubtful for the trip at all. He’s been taking it easy and although he had said earlier that he would get in the van for Izoard he decided he would ride up after all.

Rae and I had a long wait at the top but it’s always worth it to see the smiles as the guys see that they’ve made it and have finally reached the downhill. After topping up their bottles they in turn made the final decent. Again my passengers gladly got out and finished the last part of the journey on bike. I don’t think being in the back of a windowless van going around hairpin bends can be very pleasant….

The team is even more spread out that yesterday. This is a really tough day, one of these mothers would be more than enough for most… Chris King proved, as last year, that he is the real King of the Mountain(s) he like a machine and just goes on and on…

The gap between the first arrivals and the last to reach our overnight stop was long and as Rae and I stayed at the top to make sure everyone had made it up the final ascent I was wondering how the guys already at the bottom would manage in all their sweaty damp cycle gear…

They decided to have showers and then slip naked into the sheets until the van came along…. A small contingent in clothes left behind by previous guests staying in the hotel came out to collect the luggage – spot the fetching jumpers and groovy slippers that Ben and Greg are wearing. Geoff also looks very odd in a white skirt…

The food was excellent – notice the picture of the lamb legs roasting on an open fire – yum!

Many fines today. In addition to one for Geoff for putting his feet on the table we had one for Tony for being a tell tale and another for Geoff as he swore at Tony for ‘telling’ on him. Martin got one for hitting Bob, who was behind him, with the contents of his nasal passages and Steve got one for a puncture.

Greg had a fine for overtaking in a silly place and then another for nearly taking out Martin at the same time as a car came around the corner. The roads have been very light on cars with many more cyclists and motor bikes (lucky for me as passing on these mountains is not always easy).

I got one (!) for tooting as I passed Bob which made him jump and nearly fall into a ditch. Bob also got one for using him bum cream instead of toothpaste this morning.

There were several taxi fare fines (all the van passengers) and Chris Engle got one for arriving to join the party this evening and missing the toughest day.

I have been asked by Roger to find a venue for the guys to watch the rugby this evening and have agreed to do so on condition that, if I’m successful, we can cut his hair. He has agreed to this although, with only some nail scissors, he may regret his choice. I’m not sure who’ll have the honours but I have done a bit of hairdressing in the past (you know the score – a few snips of the children’s hairs when they’re toddlers) so I’m sure that I’m eminently qualified if no once else steps forward (I think we may have a queue…)

Rodney’s wife tells us we’ve been mentioned in the school mag – ‘The Downsend Times’ so thank you Mandy, the editor, for giving us the coverage. In addition to Rae we have three school dads on the trip (Bob, Tony and Rodney).

An early-ish night for all (except the poker players) ready for the Kolonel tomorrow!

Rae’s take on the day

Today has been great fun with a few scary moments going up the mountain. We stopped off twice on the journey going up, to admire the fab view! Waiting at the top for the guys was a freezing wait, with me wearing my mini shorts which wasn’t the best of my ideas in that I had goose bumps all over my legs! So far this trip has been great and one of the reasons mum probably let me go on this trip is probably that its good for practising my French, which I had to do when mum made me go to a café and ask to refill our water bottles which the guys are empting as quick as they come! …and there are lots of lovely landscapes with rivers, waterfalls and me having to map read which is good for my geography as well! I’m only saying this stuff to sound good! There was a very nice looking waiter on the first night, and mum being a mum managed to embarrass me about him! Typical!