Warm up ride on Alpe D’Huez

 Today we took a taxi to the top of Alp D’Huez where we will begin our ride tomorrow.  It was fun being in a car with the AC blasting watching the bikers outside going up it...that will be us tomorrow! Even though I’ve climbed this Col before in 2017..it was surprising to see how relentless the steep gradient is even in a car.  21 hairpins of road....Oh boy! 

David and Susan helped fix up our bikes and we went for a little spin down the Alpe.   Only 3K down and back up ...but it was hot, and the Alpe let us know who was boss!  Watched the end of Stage 9 Tour and dined with the whole group here at Hotel Le Pic Blanc.  It’s so picturesque sitting on the top of the Alpe by the ski station and it’s full of cyclists ready to attempt the climb! We also met the two new riders to join us for the week,  both from Australia Amos and Paul.   Time to get some shut eye and pray to the Alpe D’Huez gods for a good climb tomorrow.   

View from the Taxi going up Alp D’Huez

Dinner at Hotel Le Pic Blanc

View from Hotel window

B with the Tour winners of Alp D’Huez!


Assembling the bikes

Peter putting together his mean machine!

On our warm up ride down the Alp. David fixing Dad’s handlebars.

Peter assembling 

My sweet ride for this week!

Before the warm up ride




David with Tour winners

View after dinner





Comments

  1. GuntherJuly 9, 2023 at 1:50 PM

    Chris asked me at dinner what was the hardest climb that I have done over the 13 years that I have been coming to cycle in France. I told him it is the Alped’Huez, and today’s short warmup ride was a reminder of the grind that will be coming tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  2. barron.mary@gmail.comJuly 9, 2023 at 1:53 PM

    Riding a taxi up the mountain with air conditioning blasting is the way to climb the Alp!
    Hope you can sleep tonight and feel good in the morning! Be careful! Take plenty of water!
    Love you!!

    ReplyDelete

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