Le Freney: Alpe d'Huez

This is the scene that greeted our eyes yesterday (Thursday) morning as we ascended the Alpe d'Huez, one of the classic Tour de France routes.  The weather was spectacular, probably in the high 60's in the valley and not much cooler up top because of the strong sun.

There are 21 switchbacks on the route d'Alpe d'Huez, which I liked because, psychologically, it's easier to make it to the next switchback than to climb a long, long direct ascent.

I'm not surprised that my Dutch brother-in-law was interested in hearing about this ride.  There were Dutch slogans painted on the road all the way to the top, and there were Dutch cyclists everywhere - not only on this route but elsewhere.  Today (Friday) we rode up to the Col du Galibier, and a Dutch cyclist took a picture of Mark and me (see tomorrow's post).  When Mark asked him how they trained for the mountains, the cyclist said, "Our country is flat.  We train by riding into the wind."  He laughed.

On the way down from Le Freney to Bourg d'Oisans in the valley

Moi

Moi encore

The route wasn't as bad as I thought it might be.  Apparently, as I've commented before, this ride is very similar in length and grade to the ride up Little Cottonwood Canyon, back in Salt Lake.  But, again, what makes this ride more "palatable" psychologically, are the switchbacks ... and the gorgeous views down into the valley below.

My man

A shot of the road below, with the switchbacks

The clock tower of the church in the above picture dates to the 11th century.  That blew me away.  Like I said to Mark on the way up the hill, it's one thing to see the Coliseum and Roman Forum in Rome, which are far older - one expects to see such antiquities in Rome.  But to see a clock tower in the mountains above Bourg d'Oisans that is 1000 years old ... it just struck me as amazing.

Mark told me that this church figured in history that is a little closer to us in time, i.e., 11 years ago in the Tour de France.  It was apparently at this point, with the resort of Alpe d'Huez in view, that Lance Armstrong took off from his rival, Jahn Ulrich.   Cool.

After a bit more struggling (actually, more than a bit), we reached the ski resort of Alpe d'Huez and stopped at the cafe "Indiana" (with the cafe L'Alaska just down the street) for a respite and a bite of food.  I ordered Croque Monsieurs (grilled ham and Emmental cheese on American-style bread) for both Mark and me.  This was probably the only time we will order such sandwiches because they are SO rich.  (Mark just said, "You really think they were too rich?  I loved them!"  I'm writing this as we sit outside the Hotel Cassini on Friday evening.  He is sitting next to me, writing on his computer as I write on mine.)

After leaving Alpe d'Huez, we headed on up to the Col de Sarenne.  This was a very pleasant ride until we reached the last ascent to the summit.  O la la.   It was a long slog.  And after the young Dutch cyclist zipped by us (I think he had a third chainring), I was a bit disheartened. Mainly because it was a long slog up to the Col (or pass).  But, I made it.  

A gorge on the way to the Col de Sarenne

At the Col (Pass) de Sarenne, taken by - you guessed it - a Dutch cyclist

The road down from the Col de Sarenne

Moi

Moi encore, coming down from the Col de Sarenne

On the way down to Le Freney

On the way down to Le Freney

So, we had arrived, on our way down to Le Freney, at the village of Mizoen, not far from our hotel.  We took the above picture.  Then, in the village itself, Mark stopped to take the following picture:

I stopped, too, at the bottom of a street that led up from where we were.  I reached up to zip down my jersey, and alas, lost my balance, and down I went.  I couldn't manage to release my binding of my left foot.  Mark tried to pick me up, but I still couldn't manage to release my left foot from my pedal.  There was an old French man sitting about six feet to the right of the sign in the above picture, sitting on a bench with his hands on his cane.  He must have been really enjoying the sight. 

Finally, I decided to lay back down, all the way down, and then release my foot.  And that worked.  Thus the show ended for the old man as well as the middle-aged man and woman down on the corner, just out of the frame of the above picture.  I could have chosen to be extremely embarrassed, but I actually wasn't.  First blood had been shed.  I was baptized by fire.  I was ready for the next time I fell standing still.