June 11, 2011

The mountains around the camp-site look a bit like a scene from ‘The Lost World’ with their peaks all shrouded in cloud.  For the first time since the start of the tour, I´m really not in the mood for cycling – my knees are set solid and now my wrist hurts as well.  Not a good start to a day that will include a climb up the Col de Porte in the Massif de Chartreuse, a Category 1 climb in the Tour de France.

The first 20 or so kilometres are easy enough.  As I warm up the knees stop hurting and I start to feel a bit better.  The serious climb starts in St Laurent-du-Pont, which is some 20 km from the top of the pass.  The climb is relentless, through a wooded mountainside with tantalizing glimpses through the trees of the valley below.  It is hard work, but nevertheless, a really enjoyable ride and we feel pleased with ourselves when we reach the marker board for the top of the pass – we started out at 400 or so metres altitude and have reached 1326 metres.  We have been passed many times by cyclists on racing bikes and we feel envious of their speed given we are like Hannibal’s elephants lumbering up the pass.  We decide that we are going to come back with our racing bikes some time and give them a run for their money!

Just after the summit we come across a beautiful Auberge with fantastic views over the mountains – we decide to treat ourselves to a comfortable bed for the night and at least tomorrow we know we will start the day with a downhill run.