devashish_paul wrote:
nslckevin wrote:
jenschaf wrote:
NUFCrichard wrote:
anything is better than climbing the mortirolo!
never ending 12-20% road going though thick forest, I can see why people would climb the Gavia and Stelvio multiple times, but the Mortirolo? no way!
The hard core guys in our group all climbed it and I think it was solely for the bragging rights.
The Mortirolo is one tough beast. I'd do it again though just so I could do the Mortirolo, Gavia loop. We had intended to do that, but a pretty cold rain started and we turned around as we didn't want to get stuck on the other side of a 9,000' pass (Gavia) due to snow or have to do a Hampsten to get back to Bormio. I'd also like to go back and do the Stelvio, Stelvio loop.
Okay, basically if I had my way I'd spend all of next summer going up and down passes in the Dolomites, Alps and Pyrenees. Maybe I should start a gofundme. :-)
I am thinking that a good way to spend a week would be 3 days in Bormio with double Gavia and double Stelvio loops, then make your way across to Bourg d'Oisans and cram in as much riding on Col de Ferm, Glandon, Mollard, Galibier and les deux alps and then end the week with the Alp d'Huez tri where you get to do Ornon and Alpe d'Huez. Might be nice to do Alp d'Huez standalone on a single day just to be able to time it.
Dev
The idea that anybody would ride up Alpe d'Huez at anything other than full gas to compare yourself to the pro's seems crazy. Like going into a guitar store and not playing the opening riff of Stairway to Heaven on that sunburst Les Paul. Like going into a Krispy Kreme to just order coffee.
It is your DUTY.
I'm just saying...
Before Strava there was timtoo.fr. You could rent a transponder at the tourist office in Bourg D'Oisains to carry in your pocket and it would automatically time you. Afterwards you could go back to the tourist office and get a printed "Diplome, La Montee de l'Alpe d'Huez" to hang on your cube wall at work. Of course with the advent of Strava and a gazillion people riding the mountain in La Marmotte and what all, the timtoo list is kind of thin compared to Strava. But Strava doesn't give you the diploma to hang on your wall! Only one Euro. Well worth the trouble.
http://www.timtoo.fr/chronos_list/7 BTW, we stayed one night in a nice little hotel in Le Freney d'Oisans when our car broke down. My wife was checking the hotels in Bourg d'Oisans and was not happy with what she found. The tow driver's garage was in Le Freney just down the street from this place so he took us there. Worth checking out. Hotel Le Cassini
Kevin
http://kevinmetcalfe.dreamhosters.com My Strava