Title: Autumn Vibes 2
Date: 23/09/2011
I'm half way around Mont Blanc at the moment in Pre St Didier after just finishing day 2 of a 4 day ride around Mont Blanc for GPM10. This is my 2nd trip around the mountain in the last week but in contrast to last the last trip this time we are experiencing perfect Autumn conditions!
Last weeks trip in contrast we had full on winter conditions with snow down to 1500m on the cols and driving rain for 3 of the 4 days!
Not the best conditions I've ever ridden in! Character building stuff though I'm sure!
So far this trip has been great, Chamonix to Champex by the col du Montets, Col du Forclaz and then the big steep climb up to the lac d' champex from Martigny completes day 1 with somewhere around 2000m of ascent.
Day 2 is the big 30K climb up the col du Grand St Bernard, a 30k descent into Aosta and then up the valley to Pre St Didier.
Tomorrow we hit the Col du Petit St Bernard, descend to Bourg St Maurice and then climb the Cornet de Rosaline and finish half way up the col du Saisses. A big day, 100k with around 2500m of climbing.
The final day sees us head back to Chamonix via the Saisses, the col d'Aravis, the Col du Columbiere and the col du Vaudagne, another massive day and a great finale to the trip.
Last weeks trip was plagued by the tail end of the hurricane that has been sweeping across from the States. We had proper snowfall and full on winter conditions. Chamonix had snow down into the tree line when we arrived back in town and the mountains looked amazing on the Monday when everything cleared.
Looks like I'm in for a busy winter again, most of the free periods that I had saved for recovery and leisure time have now been booked up and so I'll be riding November through to May straight!
Lets hope the conditions are good this season!!
I've been scoping out lots of new possible lines to ride with the Splitboards whilst riding around Mont Blanc, there's just so much amazing looking terrain out there so I've been trying to look at how accessible things might be once the snow has come in. I was up overt the Col du Grand St Bernard today, this is where we did a great couple of days touring on the Splitboards last winter and I'm hoping to get back up there again this season, it looks great!
Most of the courses are now either full or nearly full, contact Ruth for availability!
Ok, That's about it for now, this is a great time of year out here, very beautiful and great cycling conditions with quiet roads, crisp air and amazing Autumn colours so from now until winter I'll be out on my bike!
Just got offered another 2 MB ascents the other day though so maybe I'll be up the hill for a few days too!
All is good!
Neil.
Last weeks trip in contrast we had full on winter conditions with snow down to 1500m on the cols and driving rain for 3 of the 4 days!
Not the best conditions I've ever ridden in! Character building stuff though I'm sure!
So far this trip has been great, Chamonix to Champex by the col du Montets, Col du Forclaz and then the big steep climb up to the lac d' champex from Martigny completes day 1 with somewhere around 2000m of ascent.
Day 2 is the big 30K climb up the col du Grand St Bernard, a 30k descent into Aosta and then up the valley to Pre St Didier.
Tomorrow we hit the Col du Petit St Bernard, descend to Bourg St Maurice and then climb the Cornet de Rosaline and finish half way up the col du Saisses. A big day, 100k with around 2500m of climbing.
The final day sees us head back to Chamonix via the Saisses, the col d'Aravis, the Col du Columbiere and the col du Vaudagne, another massive day and a great finale to the trip.
Last weeks trip was plagued by the tail end of the hurricane that has been sweeping across from the States. We had proper snowfall and full on winter conditions. Chamonix had snow down into the tree line when we arrived back in town and the mountains looked amazing on the Monday when everything cleared.
Looks like I'm in for a busy winter again, most of the free periods that I had saved for recovery and leisure time have now been booked up and so I'll be riding November through to May straight!
Lets hope the conditions are good this season!!
I've been scoping out lots of new possible lines to ride with the Splitboards whilst riding around Mont Blanc, there's just so much amazing looking terrain out there so I've been trying to look at how accessible things might be once the snow has come in. I was up overt the Col du Grand St Bernard today, this is where we did a great couple of days touring on the Splitboards last winter and I'm hoping to get back up there again this season, it looks great!
Most of the courses are now either full or nearly full, contact Ruth for availability!
Ok, That's about it for now, this is a great time of year out here, very beautiful and great cycling conditions with quiet roads, crisp air and amazing Autumn colours so from now until winter I'll be out on my bike!
Just got offered another 2 MB ascents the other day though so maybe I'll be up the hill for a few days too!
All is good!
Neil.
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