Essex (and Rest of World) peoples in the Alps - June 2023

[Oscar's dad]

On the evening of Friday 13th June (what could possibly go wrong    ) myself, delthebike, Huggy and Tomsk will be squeezing ourselves into my car with bikes atop and a trailer full of camping kit behind, bound for Le Bourg-d'Oisans deep in the Alps of French France.  We are there for 7 nights with the intention of hurling ourselves up some of the iconic Tour de France climbs close by.  The trip is part of my 50th birthday celebrations.

The story has already started HERE when I hijacked Hummer's thread of 4 years ago.  The rest of the story will no doubt unfold below ...

[delthebike]

Squeezing?  No one mentioned squeezing!  As the smallest* of the Krew!, read not too lanky, I shall be luxuriating myself into your car while being chauffeured to and from the Alps. I hope you've got a peaked cap to wear. 

*possibly

ETA: just got a text from EE, nee T-Mobile, that forrin calls and texts will be cheaper from June 23! We'll be back in Blighty then!

[trekker12]

Wow, enjoy your trip. I'm heading off to do some Tour de France climbing with some friends the same weekend although in the opposite direction as we are heading up t'Yorkshire

Lots of photos please

[Auntie Helen]

Have a lovely trip chaps, don't forget to refuel with some cake.

Del, don't get lost too!

[Oscar's dad]

Squeezing?  No one mentioned squeezing!  As the smallest* of the Krew!, read not too lanky, I shall be luxuriating myself into your car while being chauffeured to and from the Alps. I hope you've got a peaked cap to wear. 

*possibly

ETA: just got a text from EE, nee T-Mobile, that forrin calls and texts will be cheaper from June 23! We'll be back in Blighty then!

You may not be driving but after sensibly suggesting we take a spare car key in case we lose the main one you can be Guardian Of The Spare Key and Official Photographer - trekker12 wants to see lots as do we all.

We can benefit from cheaper phone calls when we do the PBP next year.

[Little Jim]

Enjoy the trip, although I hope the others know what they've let themselves in for.  Will you be wearing that dead reindeer for the alpine ascents? - You will need something to keep you warm on the downhill bits.

D-T-B: Has it occured to you that he will insist on stopping at a French hypermarket on the way back, so you will be expected to spend the last leg of the journey with two crates of cheap french lager and a case of wine on your lap?

[Oscar's dad]

Have a lovely trip chaps, don't forget to refuel with some cake.

Del, don't get lost too!

Thanks for the good wishes.  We will be keeping a close eye on Del, he is very easy to loose!

Enjoy the trip, although I hope the others know what they've let themselves in for.  Will you be wearing that dead reindeer for the alpine ascents? - You will need something to keep you warm on the downhill bits.

D-T-B: Has it occurred to you that he will insist on stopping at a French hypermarket on the way back, so you will be expected to spend the last leg of the journey with two crates of cheap french lager and a case of wine on your lap?

We did discuss taking The Musky Reindeer Pelt of Destiny but I think that's a step too far.  The UK's relationship with the EU is perilous enough without such high jinks.

I doubt much booze will be brought back as space is at a premium, plus the car will be pretty heavy as it is.  However I need to keep my Good Lady happy, she would like a bottle or two of Leffe Ruby which we have never managed to source at home.

[delthebike]

D-T-B: Has it occured to you that he will insist on stopping at a French hypermarket on the way back, so you will be expected to spend the last leg of the journey with two crates of cheap french lager and a case of wine on your lap?

He'll quickly find that his bike and my panniers will be able to carry that lot home. The wine will numb the pain of cycling from Dover to home. 
A couple of bottles of Leffe Ruby will be okay! 

[Oaky]

Have you had your spray tans done yet?

Is anybody packing pickled eggs?

[tippers_kiwi]

Hope you all have fun guys. I should have taken the 5th seat in the car....that would have been.....cosy!

[Oscar's dad]

Have you had your spray tans done yet?

Is anybody packing pickled eggs?

Spray tans are for the PBP next year.

There are EU regulations about importing le oeufs pickled into France.  If customs in Calais catch you they'll burn your car 

[Pingu]

To answer your question from the previous thread: yes, the road to Lac Besson is doable on a road bike.

[Pingu]

Pics from our trip to Bd'O in 2011

[Oscar's dad]

To answer your question from the previous thread: yes, the road to Lac Besson is doable on a road bike.

Nice!

[Oscar's dad]

Pics from our trip to Bd'O in 2011

Oh my goodness, it brings it all back. What time of year did you go?

[Pingu]

Last week in August, so the afternoons were really hot.

Here's the routes we did:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2587917
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2587919
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2587924
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2587921
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2587922
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2587925

[αdαmsκι]

I hope OD won't be navigating for the trip......

[Wowbagger]

He's only doing alpine passes that lead to pubs in the latest Good Beer Guide.

[Oscar's dad]

Last week in August, so the afternoons were really hot.

Here's the routes we did:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2587917
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2587919
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2587924
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2587921
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2587922
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2587925

Thanks Pingu, really useful stuff.  What was riding along the D1091 to La Grave like?  I've heard it can be quite busy.  Galiber and Telegraphe are on our list but I was wondering about driving the bikes to La Grave and riding from there.

Adamski - my navigational skills are peerless when compared with those of another member of our party!

Wow - en France drinking establishments are known as le pub.  And my experience of French beer is that it's perfectly drinkable but wouldn't qualify for any sort of Good Beer Guide.

[delthebike]

my navigational skills are peerless when compared with those of another member of our party!

Point of order, my navigational skills are 1337! I picked the wrong pub to attend and I got there without difficulty. 

Got Euro's.

Fatbloke would like this trip as Le Pub's are sure to serve Stella.

[TimC]

You lucky barstewards! Have a great time. Picture of all forrin pickled egg substitutes plz. Plus full details of any drunken adventures.

[Oscar's dad]

You lucky barstewards! Have a great time. Picture of all forrin pickled egg substitutes plz. Plus full details of any drunken adventures.

I'm sorry to disappoint but I'm not sure there will be many drunken adventures cos (a) the hard drinking members of the mid-Essex yacf chapter aren't coming (identities withheld to protect the guilty) and (b) we'll probably be too knackered and want to go to bed early!

But we will look out for pickled egg substitutes and perhaps bring a few home.

[Pingu]

Thanks Pingu, really useful stuff.  What was riding along the D1091 to La Grave like?  I've heard it can be quite busy.  Galiber and Telegraphe are on our list but I was wondering about driving the bikes to La Grave and riding from there.

I'd also read that that the D1091 could be quite busy with trucks, but I don't remember there being very much traffic at all (it was a Tuesday when we did it). I think driving to La Grave would be a good plan though as it is a long, slow, not very interesting drag up from Bd'O and it'd leave you more time to go over the Galibier and come back up again.

[bobb]

Sounds like an awesome trip 

I'm sorry to disappoint but I'm not sure there will be many drunken adventures

Yeah, right! 

[huggy]

Looking good for next week, must remember to pack the sun block