What I Did On My Summer Vacation...
 

...i went to the french alps last week. this was the week of my life. monday i climbed the madeleine. tuesday i climbed up to the top of the petit st bernard and watched the tour cross it. wednesday we saw the start of the stage, then rode the roselend behind the tour, and slid off into albertville to drink and watch the end of the stage on tv. thursday i climbed the galibier (mon dieu, what a day). friday i set my time on alpe d'huez (no, don't ask; it wasn't pretty). and saturday i climbed the ventoux, then came about a third of the way down, drank and sang with a bunch of loonie dutch, and watched the tour. as soon as i can get the pix organized i'll post 'em on flickr and anybody that's interested can look

this was one of the coolest things i've ever done in my life

I hate you........(joke)

fml

that sounds amazing.

how did you get your bike over there? or do you live in Europe?

flew the bike over on fedex. then the TGV to the alps. it was great to have my own bike to do these climbs, but it was such a logistical hassle that i won't take it again; i'll rent something once i get there

Sounds amazing.

i want pics now!
you are such a tease.

smoke might kill me for doing this (and i have a feeling i would not be his first), but...

http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/4439/smokey.jpg

Botto,
Is that you?
If so very cool and if not still cool to whom ever.:thumb:

it's smoke.

smoke knows botto in real life?

Tell us. Is botto the devil?

I guess the recession is over! Also OP ever heard of capitalizing when writing a sentence?

Very cool! I plan to do something like this either for the 2010 tour or 2011. I agree about the bicycle transit logistics. At least you didn't have it as luggage like I did this summer!

no, but the two are first cousins...

yes, i've heard of it. anything else?

How did you get back down ventoux? I would think a good round of day-drinking could make that a hell of a ride!

Smoke.... I have been thinking about going over and riding the Alpe D'Huez. Got a few questions for you. Do you know french, and if you dont how hard it is to communicate and get around over there? Can you just go out whenever and ride up the D'Huez or do you have to go with a group or pay (this could be a silly question)? Thanks alot.

Another request for pics, please.

did you bump into suferbruce at ventoux?

How about them pics

jealous much?

Smoke, photos snel, snell, rapidamente please.

Also, I rode Alpe d'Huez, 20 years and 20 kilos ago. It almost killed me then, although I did make it to the top non-stop. How does it compare with Ventoux?

coasted down. hundred of thousands of people made it hard to get up to speed for anything longer than maybe a hundred yards. plus, after climbing to the top and coming back down, i was on the hill for another 6-7 hours. plenty of time to sweat out some beers

answered by p.m.