So….we made it back home!  Thanks to Elisabeth Toms, we arrived back in Spartanburg just about a month ago.  It has been great to get to see friends and family again!  We had alot of catching up to do!  The bags might be unpacked and put away – but the memories of the trip are still so fresh!  We still have excitement planned for this year – a Fall wedding – so the adventure still continues!  Thank you to everyone who followed our journeys this summer!

We left St. Jean and headed over to ride Alpe d’Huez on our way to Ventoux. 

There were so many cyclists on the road that morning up to Alpe.  It felt like we were either all on a pilgrimage to some important place (that can only be reached by bike) or salmon swimming upstream.  At the top is a busy town – and the finish is more touristy than any other place we had been.  Not that I was afraid to get up on the platform and pose!  We did not have much time that morning – we were on a mission to go find a perch on Ventoux.

KOM, baby...

On July 18, we picked up the camper car and headed to St. Jean de Maurienne.  Our plan was to hook up with my teammate, Kristen, and her gang that were travelling in the area.  Thankfully, our camping site had a signpost that let us know we were in the ballpark (as if the big mountains were not enough of a giveaway).

Camping car in the Alps

 

So many cols...so little time

The first day out of St. Jean, Sperry and I rode the Col de la Croix de Fer.  We were prepared for the climbs in the Alps to be longer – and this one was – and pretty tough – and this one was that, too!  After cresting Croix de Fer – we cruised over to Col du Glandon – then descended home to the camper.

Sperry keeps leaving bike behind. I think he wants someone to steal it so he won't have to climb anymore!

The next day we met up with Kristen to go ride Telegraphe and Galibier.  I am always so impressed with Kristen’s amazing climbing ability – but let me tell you – she rocked the house on these climbs!  I am so proud to be her teammate! 

Galibier is a beast - no doubt about it!  It is VERY long – and the Telegraphe is just enough that your legs are a little tired getting ready to get up Galibier.  We had a nasty headwind for the last part of the climb – but the view from the top makes it all worth it!  

Telegraph

 

Chilly at the top!

It was a great day! I am sure that Sperry will tell you all about it from his point of view (which will probably involve many expletives) – but don’t let him fool you – he climbed like a mountain goat again!

We have had a wonderful week in the Pyrenees!!  For our last three nights, we were able to stay with Heather and Russell and Henry and Louis at the Chateau de la Lanette.  What an AMAZING place!  It is my new dream wedding and honeymoon spot – but it is also the perfect place to base for riding all of the cols as well.  Here is a link to their website: http://www.lalanette.com/roomsfrench.html so you can see just how beautiful the property is.  Sperry took many pictures too – so we will post those later.  Thank you Heather and Russell for such wonderful hospitality!

We climbed Col d’Aspin on Thursday.  The climb is long – but all of the views are incredible!  It was a great ride.

View from Aspin

We are heading to pick up the camping car this morning….(insert expletive here)…so we are likely to go a little dark on the blog.  We will try to update as best we can – but I am not sure where we will be staying the night!  We are excited about this last phase of the adventure – so wish us bon voyage as we roll off!

Talk to you soon!

On Sunday we headed out for another tour stage adventure.  We drove over to a neighboring town and met up with the folks that run PyrActif.  They had offered to shuttle us and our bikes over to Tourmalet along with their guests.  (If you guys want a place to stay in the Pyrenees that is bike-centric, PyrActif is the place to check out!)

We loaded up and drove to a town about 12k from St. Marie Campan – the town that is the start of the climb for the Tourmalet.  Even 12k out from the start of the climb – the roads were crowded with cars and people on foot and bikes.  You had to be on high alert the whole time for opening car doors – and swerving pedestrians!

View from our perch on Tourmalet

The climb to the top only got crazier and more crowded the further up we went!  The sides of the roads were crowded with Basque wearing their trademark orange t-shirts and cheering for all of the passing cyclists.  With about 2k to go to the top – the roads were almost impassable they were so clogged with people.  It as a real challenge to keep pedaling (up a VERY HARD climb) while worrying about running over a pedestrian (who would probably be intoxicated and wearing a wig and/or a cape and/or a flag as a cape and/or a speedo and/or a viking helmet and/or carrying a musical instrument)!

We all made it to the top – and found a good perch to watch the riders come by.  If you watched the live coverage – we were in the last switchback before the top – right by the big pack of Norwegians wearing viking helmets!  The riders look so strong when they come by – it is amazing!

Recognize anyone?

 

the colorful insanity

The descent down the Col was even crazier than the ride up.  It was a mass exodus of cars, camper vans, pedestrians and bicycles – all fighting for space on two lanes of road.  Talk about a nail biter (not that you could ever let off the brakes!)  It was an experience I was glad to put in my rear-view mirror!

On Monday, we took Kelly out for a recovery ride.  We pedaled into Spain and climbed the Col de Portillon – only 8k and 7.5% …that counts as recovery, right?  The climb took us back into France – we had lunch in Luchon – then headed back to get Kelly packed up to head home.  We hope he had as good of a time as we did! 

GB split between France and Spain!

Friday we rolled up to Toulouse to pick up Kelly Lowry from the airport.  Fresh off the GB victory in London – we were super excited to have him with us!  We all headed to the town of St. Beat to settle into our new digs.

Kelly

Kelly’s rental wheels were waiting on him so we headed out for an easy warm up ride – that just happened to include 1700 feet of climbing.  Welcome to the Pyrenees, Kelly!

Saturday, we packed the bikes to head to St. Girons to ride – and to catch the stage finish.  To get there, we drove over Col de Mente and Port d’Aspet.  The latter is where we saw Casartelli’s memorial from his crash in the 1995 tour. 

Memorial

From St. Girons - Sperry hooked us up on a great ride over the Col de la Core – a seldom ridden 14k climb through some spectacular places!  After the descent – we hit the jackpot.  We popped out almost right on the tour course at 15k to go.  We were able to ride on the course – all the way to the 1k banner!!!  Sperry has video of Kelly cruising solo under the 1k banner – we will find a way to post.  It was SO MUCH fun.  People were cheering for us the whole way.  Too cool!

View from Col de la Core

 

I almost had him at 5k...at least I was ahead of Sperry!

Afterwards – we cleaned up and waited for the riders.  I may have a crush on somebody that I met that day.  Take a look at his pic – and let me know what you think…I may get to see him on Ventoux…

EB hearts Yeti 4ever

Thursday was our tourist day.  We needed a break from the tour madness – so we headed from Perpignan out to see some sites.  Our first stop was Peyrepertuse – a castle dating from 1070.  It was so amazing – perched so high up on the hillside.

Peyrepertuse

We toured the castle ruins and got lucky to see a very cool demonstration of falconeering (probably not the correct word – but…).  The guys had an owl as well as an eagle.  The eagle was incredible – the pictures will speak for themselves!

I've got my eye on you...

We left the castle and drove to Carcassonne – a walled city – where we had supper and stayed the night.  The city was restored in the 1800s – and is charming – but very touristy.  A bit too crowded for us…but little did we know how crowded things would get in a few days!

Carcassonne

All in all a very good rest and sightseeing day!  Back on the tour train on Friday – and we have company coming!!

Congratulations to Globalbike for winning the Beyond Sport Award today in London!!  We could not be more proud of you guys – and the wonderful work that the group does.  We have been so excited to wear our GB duds over here in Italy and France!  We know that there are only more good things to come!

On Wednesday, we set out for the French coutryside to watch stage 5 from the feed zone.  As always, we are so impressed with the sheer numbers of people that show up so early to get spots to watch the race (or maybe it is just for caravan swag…).  We were planning on riding – but the wind was fierce and I hate wind – so I begged for a pass and offered to walk to the next town for beer and ice for the cooler.  We have gotten really good at this tailgating for bike races thing!

chase group at the feed zone

We waited for the riders – then headed to Perpignan where we were staying the night. In a stroke of luck (or a pain in the butt – depending on how you look at it) the route to our hotel was blocked by the finish of the stage.  We got there just in time to wait for Voeckler to come flying past us – followed closely by the peleton.  An unitended double dip of a day!

The winner

Thursday is tourist day – we will have a report soon – more to see this evening!

Today was the team time trial.  We were still a little late to the party - five hours before the first team started, the sides of the roads were already crowded with cars of people tailgating and waiting.  We found a spot in a vineyard at the 2nd time check (can you feel Sperry telling me what to write….).  We were prepared with a cooler of beer – and our lunches (PB&J – oh yeah!).

We only got to ride a little bit – just enough to see that the course was going to be tough in our section - not flat – and some sharp turns.  We headed back to the car and waited….

As usual – the caravan rolled through (we have lots of swag to share when we get home!) – the big yellow guy that has been following us went by - then the action started.

Our spot was great – we hung out and chatted with some very nice French folks all day (my french to english dictionary is very helpful) – Sperry got pictures of all of the teams as they came through.  We are just posting a few – if you have a favorite team let us know and we will email a photo to you. 

Saxo

 

Columbia-HTC

 

Garmin

 

Astana

Tomorrow we are heading to hang out at the feed zone for stage 5.  Should be fun!

For Stage 2, we decided that we wanted to ride a bit of the course – so Sperry found us a sweet little spot on the race course about 10k out of Brignoles (in the shade, thank you!) and we parked the car – changed – and headed out. 

We backtracked about 25k along the course – around the lake – and through a few of the small towns.  At this point, we were five hours ahead of even the caravan passing through – we thought we were early – were we wrong!  The sides of the road were filled with people pulled over and tailgating!!  It was better than any college football weekend.  It is a total party atmosphere.  Most people have flags and signs – and they cheer for anyone riding by on a bike!  We had a great ride – then went back to the car and hung out and waited for the riders (who pass by in the blink of an eye when you are on flat ground!).  

Brignoles welcomes the Tour

 

why won't this guy stop following us?

 

All aboard...the Cavendish express is leaving the station

We overnighted in Marseille – then headed to La Grande-Motte for the finish of Stage 3 today (Sperry predicted a second Cavendish win – but did not see the field split in his crystal ball).  We found a spot with 120 meters to go – and watched the action on the big screen for a bit.  When the riders turned the last corner and came  by us – the sprint was on our side of the road – and Sperry missed getting a picture.  They were moving so quickly – I am not sure he could have gotten one anyways!  A hot day – but a good result.

We are in Montpellier for the team time trial and will do some more riding tomorrow before the action starts.  Should be a good day!  Au revoir for now!