Photos!

OK, as promised, more photos -

Our Hotel Regina, Paris

Our room the first night.

Our refuge in the Alps, "Solneige"

Our room at Solneige.

The first day, Anne went hiking...

while I went biking, in the cold rain.

Day 2, Anne went "Hot Dogging" in a rubber canoe on the rapids...

...while I rode up this.  L'Alp d'Huez.  this is taken from about 1/3 the way up.

At the top.  What a workout.

We all just flopped on this low roof top, warmed by the  sun.  It was very cold up there.  6,102 feet above sea level.  Keep in mind, I'm used to training at about 75 feet above sea level.

Just a view from the back side of the Col du Calibier, our third day climb.  Nope, don't know this guy, just another of the thousands of cyclists on the road that day.  (Yes, snow in the background.)

Pro bikers make their way up the Col du Calibier.

Cadel Evans, (AUS) the eventual winner, races up the hill, current Yellow Jersey leader Thomas Voeckler close behind.

HTC Highroad is in the house.  Favored Andy Schleck of Leopard Trek went on to win this stage.

Next day - Alp d'Huez.  Alberto Contador follows an unknown rider as they near the top where I stood just two days prior.

The current leader, Thomas Voeckler, in the Yellow Jersey, makes his way toward the summit.

American Christian VandeVelde makes his way.

From the bus, headed for Grenoble and the Individual Time Trial.

American George Hincapie outbound in the Time Trial.

George Hincapie inbound.  Look at the muscles in his legs and arms, and notice he's foaming at the mouth.

Australian Cadel Evans getting  ready in the staging area.  (No, I don't have a thing for the BMC team, just got good shots of them.)

Frank Schleck, of team Leopard Trek.

Andy Schleck took the leaders Yellow Jersey at the finish of the Alp d'Huez stage the day before.  Things would change again by the end of the day.

Cadel Evans took the leaders Yellow Jersey in the Time trial the day before he races along the Champs Elysees in Paris.

The head of the Peloton approaches.  Cadel Evans took the overall win, with Andy Schleck in second and his older brother Frank Schleck in third.  A VERY historic Tour de France.

While in Paris the second time.  The lobby of the Hotel Regina.

Our room for the last two nights in Paris.

And the bathroom.

Anne and I on a "Fat Tire" tour under the Eiffel Tower.

Anne and I on our "Fat Tire" tour along the Champs Elysees.

And in front of the Eiffel Tower.  (Yes, I changed my jersey.)

We had dinner in the Eiffel Tower on our last night.  Left to right - Vicky, our guide.  Ken, Judy and Anne.

Leaving the Eiffel Tower after dinner.  We left for home the next morning and got home with no trouble.

Homeward Bound

07/25/11

We are on the bus to Portland.  We managed to get through customs at Boston MUCH quicker than expected, so we were able to catch the bus leaving a full hour sooner.  Something in our favor for once.  I was not able to blob over the last couple of days because of our schedule.  I promise I’ll upload all my best action shots in the next day or so if you are at all interested.

Hard to find time...

Busy, Busy, Busy.

We have been early up and out and late back, so keeping this updated has been much more difficult than I expected.  I have also had a problem getting the best pictures of the trip out of my digital camera.  For some reason my new laptop will not speak to me Canon camera.  I’ve got some great action shots, honest, but I just can’t get them off the camera and uploaded to here.  I’ll keep trying.

On Thursday we rode our bikes up the back side of the Col de Calibier.  I was doing OK until I went through a 100 yard tunnel full of exhaust fumes, UP HILL.  I took a short stint in the sag wagon to get some air in my lungs.  After a couple of kilometers I got back on my bike.  I rode through a mountain valley over slight down hills and long, tedious grades that seemed to plod on forever.  I found myself on a stretch that was just slightly up hill and I was struggling a bit.  I looked down to check what gear I was in and I was in my lowest gear.  At that point I knew I would have trouble with the coming climb.  I waved down the sag wagon and with my head hung low, climbed aboard.  Over the next 6 or 8 kilometers we leap-frogged the other two riders who were with me.  I took pictures of them and cheered them on as we went on.  Just before a long section of switchbacks we stopped and waited for the two riders.  The other riders and I discussed the rest of the ride and how the road is now closed to traffic about 8 kilometers from the summit.  The other two riders decided to climb aboard and save themselves for the last 8 kilometers.  When we got the road block the police stopped us and we had to remount our steeds.  The other two took off ahead of me and I waited for our guide.  We rolled out and of course, up.  I plodded along in a pretty good gear and made it to the top, to the reserved restaurant, and to Anne, who I soon learned had to walk up the 8 kilometers with everyone else.  They had just got there themselves.

We had lunch and then headed further up the hill to watch the race.  What a circus.  It is even more dynamic then what you see on TV.  We found a great place to wait whith a French family and a fine old Scottish gentleman.  The caravan of sponsors soon came and tossed out tons of junk trinkets for everyone.  It was a mad scramble by old and young alike.  We soon saw the low press helicopter sweeping up the valley, following the racers.  There was a breakaway with Andy Schleck, (Anne’s favorite) and a rider from Team Astana.  We could see them coming up the switchbacks as they approached.  The crowd would come alive with noise as the riders rolled passed them, It was magical and exciting.  The road in front of us was filled with people that who screamed and waved until the motorcycles plowed through and parted them like water.  Andy Schelck came up the hill like a rocket, the Astana rider close behind.  The team cars flew by at least 20 miles per hour.  That’s 20 miles per hour up a steep grade, and he was about half way up a good 16 kilometer hill.  The peloton blew through about 3 minutes later and the crowd went wild again.  After they went through the crowd began to break up.  We filtered our way back down the hill to meet at the restaurant meeting place.  We all regrouped and began the long slow trudge down the 8 kilometer walk to the bus.  Hundreds of thousands of people, all walking to their cars or buses to go home, or to the next stage.  It was one of the coolest days I had ever experienced.  I'll up date when I have time about watching the Alpe d'Huez stage.  That was pretty cool too!

Bitter-Sweet

07/20/11
Well, I got schooled again.  The plan for today was to go some 62 miles, over 3 hard climbs.  Lets just say, the second climb was closed due to new snow, so we didn't do that one.
We left our hotel and descended into the valley again and rode for about 6 miles to the start of the Alpe d'Huez.  We began the climb and it was much harder than I expected, right from the start.
Here's a shot from about 1/3 of the way up -  It's a tough climb.  Eight (8) miles, only up.  My goal was to get up the climb in one shot, and in less than an hour.  What a moron!  I ended up having to stop at just about every other turn.  (There's 22 of them, by the way.)  I decided to stop at the odd numbered turns.  21, 19, 17, etc.  (The turns are numbered from the bottom in a count down, as you go up. (?)  I was actually doing pretty well, but after about half way my lungs and legs began to argue with me.  I kept on, driven by the tourists who were already lined up along the climb, cheering me on.  The festival has already begun.  At one turn, where I planned to stop, a photographer was in the middle of the road snapping pictures.  I tried to get around her as she handed me a pamphlet of some kind.  In the confusion, she just about caused me to crash.  I was angry.  I threw the paper back at her and told her to keep it.  She hesitated as if to ask if I was OK, but then just walked away.  I rested for a while to get air back in my blood.  I nice man with a great Scottish accent stopped in his walk up the hill and asked if I needed a push to get started.  I said "No Thanks, what I really need is air."  "You need air?" he asked.  Then he laughed and continued his walk.  I eventually started out and passed him on the climb.  I continued to force my way further and further up the hill.  At one stop I had to use my inhaler for my asthma.  I'm not sure if it really helped, but it was something I had to try.  I was determined to finish this.  This is the premier climb in the Tour de France and I was rolling in the wheel marks of the great riders.  I had to finish this.  This climb is one of the main reasons I signed up to come on this trip.  When I made the turn at number one switchback, I knew I was close.  A few more minutes of hard pushing and I'd have it.  The trick is, there is a false summit.  When you get up into the Alpe d'Huez village you are not done.  The main street was packed with people milling about, shopping and eating.  A continuous line of bikers snaked there way through the mass of bodies trying not to hit anyone, or get hit and knocked over.  The rider in front of me and I both un-clipped one of our peddles to prepare for the inevitable knock over.  Some how we made it through the village and under a large banner proclaiming we had arrived.  But that was the secret.  The Alpe d'Huez climb goes on for about another kilometer, before you get to the "official" finish.  I met up with one of our tour members and we set out to find the sky.  Through a tunnel and up some more, through a "Round-about", or traffic circle and across a flat section.  A wonderful flat section.  Make a left turn and go up for 300 more meters and there is is.  Very unassuming, very low key. Just a signpost proclaiming the top, the official finish to the Alpe d'Huez climb.  The fancy banner for the finish had not been put up yet.  I found this polka dot banner and stood under it.  The polka dot jersey is the jersey of the best hill climber in the Tour de France.  I ended up with about an hour and a half fort he climb.  Not too bad, but somewhat humbling.
Anne spent the day doing some more things outside her comfort zone.  Her first adventure was to be Canyoning, but it was cancelled.  She went "Hot Dogging" instead.  I guess they put you in a small rubber boat with one other tourist, and someone who knows what they are doing.  Then they send you down a rapid river to get wet.  I have not seen her this after noon so I'm not sure how she did.  I'll add that to the next update.

Alp d'Huez! 62 miles.

0720/11 AM

Rainy.  Chilly.  Through the breaks in the clouds we can see snow on the higher peaks.  The higher peaks where we'll be riding today.
I'll update later.

YES! We made it! ...and then some.

07/19/11 AM

OK, it’s been an interesting trip so far.  I have not been able to get online, so the blog is not updates regularly.  I apologize for that, and I’ll try to do better.  It doesn’t help that the hotel server was down.

When we got on the bus in Portland the driver, Wally, toild us he had just come North from Boston and the traffic was backed up in the Southbound lane for several miles around Saco.  We fretted about being late but I hoped I had built in enough fluff time.  Luckily Saco was clear.  The York toll booth on the other hand was a different story.  And the Pisacataqua River bridge was backed up too.  Wally was telling us, and we agreed, “It just takes one.”  One to slow down to admire the view.  One to be on the phone and slow down, (not that they’re distracted.) and the whole ballet gets out of synch.

We managed to get to Boston on time.  We checked in through Security.  Anne was chosen for the full body x-ray, I was not.  We both got right through.  I was delayed because I forgot to remove a half-finished soda from my bag.  The officer asked if I wanted to go back out so I could finish it.  “Are you kidding?  Pitch it”  He laughed and did just that.  He had to run my bag back through the x-ray and returned it to me, broken.  One of the wheels and snagged in the machine and been pulled off.  I now had a very heavy purse with my camera and lenses and this laptop and a host of other gadgets.  Oh well.  I really didn’t want to upset the nice TSA man, so I just looked at him disgusted, and went on my way.

We were late departing by about an hour for some reason.  The plane was not full so we had an empty seat next to us, and we were able to move up to the exit doors where you have a lot more leg room.  Anne was soon out but I could not get comfortable.  I barely slept 3 hours.  Usually I konk out as soon as I hear the engine drone, but not this time.  I watched the move and subconsciously kept track of the number of times everyone went to the bathroom.  It was nice when I did manage to get to sleep.

We touched down in Paris where I had made arrangements to be picked up by a shuttle service called SuperShuttle.  Since we were late, they were not there.  Anne called them and they soon zipped in to pick us up.  They took us directly to our hotel from the airport, smooth and easy.  HIGHLY recommended.  (I use them most often when I travel on business too.)

We were, overall, very pleased with the hotel.  The description we got was that it was a little worn, but comfortable.  Accurate.  The staff however, was just perfect.  Real, old school customer service.

We got there a bit before check in time but they held our bags for us and Anne and I went out for a walk.   We stayed in the area of the hotel and discovered all the touristy junk shops.  We did buy lunch at a street vendor, and the sandwiches were very good. We went back to the hotel and we were allowed to check in early because our room was ready.  Then we went for another little walk.  Five hours of walking.  Those of you who know Paris, we walked from our hotel, right next to the Louvre, to the Eiffel Tower, and over to the Champs-Elysees, then to L’Arch de Triomphe, then all the way back to our hotel, next to the Louvre.  For those of you who don’t know Paris, there’s Google Earth.

Oddly enough, we had dinner at a great Japanese restaurant.  (I know, I know!)

Edited – deleted – stuff I can’t tell you.  But here’s a picture of the room before we messed it up.  While Anne was sleeping I tried for two hours to get on line with the hotel server.  I visited the desk a couple of times to help them trouble shoot it.  Turns out one of their servers was down and they didn’t know what to do.  (I didn’t offer.)  I just eventually went to bed.

In the morning we paid way too much for breakfast, but I had to eat.  I had made arrangements, while at the front desk last night, to have a taxi come for us at 8:30 to take us to the train station.  The taxi came late, but everything was OK because again, I built in extra time for this.  I had shown the “Concierge” our tickets and he told the driver where to take us.  We got in the cab and the cab driver blurted out something and Anne and I both said “Oui!”  Well, after a 10 minute drive we got out at the station.  We went inside to check in.  We couldn’t quite figure it out so Anne asked at an information booth.  Opps!  Wrong station!  And you can’t step out into the street in Paris to hail a cab.  We tried that.  The driver sternly told us we had to go around to the other side of the building and get in the que   Man, was I pissed.  So we went around the building and waited in the que.  Behind what had to be 30 people.  I never even looked at my watch.  I didn’t want to know how late we were going to be.  We finally got a cab and I showed the driver our tickets directly.  He repeated and we were off.  After hitting every red light in Paris, we finally made it.  We ran inside where we were supposed to get our tickets stamped.  Where?  The little yellow machines.  WHERE?  We found one, all by itself between two ATM like machines.  A nice young man helped us and showed us how to do it.  /he then pointed us in the general direction of the correct platform, of course, miles away.  After much stress and running with luggage, we found the platform and a train.  Of course my first question was – Is this the right train?  We boarded and stowed our luggage.  Anne went outside to confirm the train.  In the meantime I overheard the family in the seats in front of us speaking English.  I asked them if they could confirm the train destination as Grenoble.  They said they could confirm it, because they had to ask.  Anne came back in and said this is the right train.  I told her I knew and that the nice people in the next seats had confirmed it too. 

A little later I was looking at the tour package information folder and the wife of the family noticed the logo.  She asked if we were part of the Spyns tour, and I confirmed that we are.  She said they were too.  Here we sit, blazing though the French countryside on our way to spending way too much money to torture myself while on vacation in France.  The TGV reminds me of the Bullet Train in Japan.  Fast, comfortable with plenty of large windows.  Time to stop writing so I can look out them for a few kilometers.  So here I sit, on a train for 3 hours, and no Wi-Fi connection.

07/19/11  PM

What a ride today.  Now, I’m not one of the “Great Ones” or anything, but I think I’m a pretty good hill climber on my bike.  I got schooled today.  We, 20 of us, went on what was called a “Warm Up Ride” today.  We went DOWN into the valley below.  (Keep in mind, we’re up in the French Alps, and then we came back UP.  We went about 35 kilometers with a killer hill climb back up to the hotel at the end.  I learned a little about myself, and it wasn’t all bad.  I took video from my helmet cam and I’ll try to get some of it loaded into the blog as soon as I can.  (Gotta figure it out.)

Anne went for a hike today to a real pretty waterfall.  She ad some good company and maybe made some new friends.  She had a good time and took some good pictures.  I'll get some loaded her soon.  

Now that I have an internet connection, I've run out of day.  It's 10:30 right now and I gotta get to bed.  Big ride tomorrow.  Alp d'Huez.  I'll post an update.

First Post!

Bonjour!  Regardez-le.
Nope, I don't speak french. I had to look it all up.
This will be our travelogue/blog page for our trip to France this summer, and for any place else we visit.
For this trip we're leaving on the 17th of July, (Brandon is house sitting.) and we return on the 26th.
I will be trying to post comments and pictures here as regular as I can, so after the 17th, keep checking back.
Messy Buckets!