Witnessing yesterdays mountain top finish on Alpe d'Huez was nothing short of amazing. I had a front row seat at switchback 2 (they count down from 21), so I was right near the top just before the 3k to go sign. I will upload a few shots that I snagged from my phone, but the best photos are on my camera, which I'll have to upload later.
Yesterday was my rest day. I woke up at 5 again, which seems to be the time zone my body is sticking to. I had breakfast and the chilled in the room for a while. Our hotel is at the top of the ski resort here, so I walked around town and caught a glimpse of the finish. The town was already buzzing. Our guides had organized massages, so I swung back to the hotel and melted on the massage table.
Afterwards I got a small pack together and hiked down the mountain to locate my cheering spot. Keep in mind, many people have been here for days. Somehow I managed to find this little spot on a steep section. Perfect! I stood next to a South African couple and a couple from France that had a golden retriever. Like I said, perfect! We waited for about two hours for the caravans to arrive. This included course officials, VIPs, and lots of funky looking cars featuring sponsors of the race. I caught a video of them rolling by, which I'll upload later. The caravans would hand out free stuff. People went crazy for samples of dishwasher soap and salami! After they passed through, I could hear the helicopters in the canyon, which meant the boys were close. We heard reports that Carlos Sastre attacked at the base of Alpe d'Huez and had a lead of 30 seconds. Carlos would later go on to win the stage by two minutes, catapulting him into the yellow jersey going into the final time trial.
As if the days events were not enough, we finished the evening at Le Restaurant de l'Altiport. It was a very rustic place that served raclette (sp?), which are large cheese wheels cut in half. You would melt the cheese and when it started to bubble, you would scrape the cheese onto your plate and eat it with small boiled potatoes and salami. It was actually quite good. As always, good wine carried us through the end of the evening.
Today we make our final descent down Alpe d'Huez into the town of Bourg d'Oisans to watch the boys head out for their next stage. After they leave, we'll take off and ride the two climbs the men did before they climbed Alpe d'Huez in yesterdays stage. The climbs are Col du Glandon and Col de la Croix de Fer.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Aloha Kimmie:
You and your "gol-dar"! Sounds like a great day.
What? You're not doing the Galibier too? Slacker. ;)
Keep the rubber side down. Thanks for all the updates.
JR
I get goose bumps thinking about you being able to watch the guys come up the climb. I can't wait to see your pic's. It is so beautiful there, I know I have said that before. We will have to have a get together so you can share all you stories and photos.
Love ya Kimmy
Wikie
Hey Kimmy,
Raclette is so swiss! If you develop a taste there was a restaurant in downtown Menlo Park that served raclette, but it has been years since I was there.
Sounds like a tough life: climb some hills, get a massage, watch the tour, eat. Actually sounds like fun. Enjoy it to the fullest, as I am sure you will.
I sent your blog link to Miss Sheree. She wrote me back and said that you need to quit your day job and write for outdoor magazines!!!
I check everyday for your updates. It is the highlight on my day!
M
Kimmie,
I'm so much enjoying reading about your adventures. I can tell you're having an amazing time. I hope you'll enjoy climbing the Croix de Fer. It's actually one of my favorite climbs in the Alps. It's steep in the beginning, but once you've passed the little village halfway the view is amazing. Be careful descending the Glandon. It has lots of switchbacks and when I did the Marmotte (1 day ride including the Croix de Fer, Glandon, Telegraphe, Galibier, and Alpe d' Huez) a guy died after hitting his head on a rock. We want you back in one piece!!! Have fun, girl. Love ya!
Anna
Post a Comment