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Classic skiing with the Norwegian maestro

Skied with Stein from Norway who really knows what he is doing and can easily maintain 3min/km on classic, a lot faster than me.
2021-08-30 16:49:18

Le Vernay from le Cheylas, Belledonne, France

I'd not ridden on the road much of late, bad back in July and lack of time in August.
2021-08-29 16:32:20

PR on the climb

Finally broke my PR on the Berger climb: 9m45, 20 seconds quicker than 2013 and I was an a lighter hardtail back then.
2021-08-28 10:36:54

Afternoon Ride

We climbed (raced really) with a running group on the climb.
2021-08-26 16:33:21

Lunch Sk.8

A PR on the N -> S leg of 10m15, now to see if I can improve on that on rollerskis.Some nice sensations on inline skates in terms of balance and breaking.
2021-08-26 11:06:10

Descent from Prapoutel, Les 7 Laux, Belledonne, French Alps

We took the bus from Crolles to les 7 Laux for 1 euro, bike included. Not bad value.
2021-08-20 11:18:19

Superloop on skating

Back to largely double poling in an anticlockwise loop. Having recently done quite a bit of skating with no poles balance is definitely better. Not too many people as it is August.
2021-08-17 11:09:04

Manival single with Croix Trousset

We'd not been up on the coteaux for a while, since the start of June probably. So a return to our favourite singles. It felt tiring but we climb the Manival trail in record time, Tot 1 minute ahead.
2021-08-16 16:41:16

l'Alpe d'Huez, Alps, France

Official RouteFrom Bourg d'Oisans to l'Alpe d'Huez. 21 hair pins. 13.2km. Start at 744m, Summit 1815m. Average gradient 8.1%, sections of 12% over 100 meters.
2021-08-10 09:10:32

Sunday Skate

Loop but in the reverse direction. Average of 4.01/km but skates felt very slow in the muggy air. I was taking it easy as I had a bad back for a month and wanted to test things out. All okay now.
2021-07-25 08:24:40

No poles due to bad back

A short skate along the boardwalk mainly working on balance as I had no poles as my back is still hurting
2021-07-22 10:37:37

Col du Pré Long

Very hard climb due to bad back and a top gear that didn't engage properly. The road to the power station has been resurfaced for some reason, very smooth now.
2021-07-10 10:49:28

Testing slow wheels

Testing some Decathlon slow wheels, boy are they sloooowwww. Probably quite good for training and exercises as they don't tend to run away but you need a lot of effort to get them moving.
2021-07-08 21:44:01

Mottarone from lake Orta, Italy

It has been 7 years since I rode up this side of Mount Mottarone. This time I was just doing a return trip from Orta.
2021-07-03 10:41:32

Alpe Loccia, Lake Orta, Italy

Back to see if I could get a bit further up the road. In the end I made it to the top section although didn't have time to ride over to the village, next time. There is a segment of 17% over 0.5km.
2021-07-02 07:20:35

Coiromonte / Pisa

This is effectively a rest day. A little ride up to Coiromonte via the hair pins. Riding out of Pettenasco is hard - a series of steep ramps at 15% but by the Coiromonte climb I was warmed up a bit.
2021-06-30 14:12:42

Alpe Busca / Inuggio - Lake Orta, Italy

The idea was to take the road above Luzzogno towards Alpe Busca as far as it is surfaced. But I was unsure of the route above Luzzogno so took the Inuggio road instead.
2021-06-29 07:08:14

Cassano

Relaxing the legs after the drive over from France. Managed not to miss the short cut turn back to Orta this time.
2021-06-27 14:44:52

Col du Rousset South, Belledonne, French Alps

The Col du Rousset is just of the Freydieres climb but the lack of surface on the north side means it is rarely visited by bike. Just two other riders on Strava, both on MTBs.
2021-06-21 17:18:03

Tour across the Plateau des Petites Roches

A "before work" but more importantly a "before it gets too hot" tour, Almost exactly the same date as last year and same time and power, more or less.
2021-06-14 07:03:20

Rollerski Col de la Croix des Adrets, Belledonne, French Alps

I'd been thinking about this climb and the logistics. In the end I drove over the col and left a bike then parked at Tencin and climbed up on classic rollerskis.
2021-06-12 10:00:45

Gresy gravel

A new way to the Col des Ayes for me, Via les Hurtieres (pretty climb with almost no cars) then in the village via the Col de la Croix de Theys and a 2km gravel section to rejoin les Berts and the col
2021-06-10 10:37:15

le Frènet

The number of times I've ridden past this little dead end climb I finally decided to see where it goes. In fact the hamlet of le Frènet is quite extensive with some cute chalets etc.
2021-06-06 16:14:27

Croix Tousset

Tour with the neighbours, we were after something dryish after the recent storms and the rocky Manival seemed like a good choice followed by a return on the Croix Trousset (which can be wet).
2021-06-05 16:27:22

Col de Pré via Arêches, Beaufortain, French Alps

I was surprised to see that the main road is the one that goes to the lac St Guerin and the climb to the Col de Pré is just a backroad.
2021-06-03 10:44:57

Cormet de Roselend Nordic Skiing

Ok it is well known that a number of mountain passes in Europe are suitable for late season nordic skiing or crust skiing as it is sometime called.
2021-06-03 07:40:14

Evening Activity

First time properly on inline skates for a long time.
2021-06-02 17:01:59

Lunch Skate

A quick 45 minute lunch skate along the Isere cyclepath. Not many people around. Tired legs from yesterday so really just taking it easy.
2021-05-31 10:35:33

Sunday Lauteret Feeling

Rebooting my cycling career with another climb across the valley, apart from the danger of being squashed by a speeding driver crossing over the valley it is much closer than the right bank for climbs
2021-05-30 15:05:01

Col de Mouilles, first serious climb of the year

I've got the summer road bike fixed and working so decided to take it out for a spin. first real climbing this year and a return to an old favourite.
2021-05-28 11:47:12

Col Dulong de Rosnay by the col de la Combe

RouteFrom the col du Glandon (1922m) climb west to the Col de la Combe which is visible from the car park.
2021-05-26 11:33:58

Classic ski tour at Pipay

I was on classic skis. The sand layer is still omnipresent below 2000m, the second it warms up the new snow melts. For all the talk of "endless winter" and great conditions it is not as good as 2019.
2021-05-25 09:37:31

Tour of the Roche Noire

Zero portage, not bad for a 20th May at 1600 meters! I basically did a tour of the Roche Noire, a lot of km for not much vertical.
2021-05-20 10:35:20

l'Aulp du Seuil between the rain showers

A quick trip to get some air between the rain storms and see where the snowline is.
2021-05-16 15:03:41

Flood

I guess with all the rain recently it was no surprise that the Bourget lake path was flooded. Still this didn't put off most of Chambery and Aix les Bains going for a walk, or paddle.
2021-05-13 13:58:04

Der de der avec tot

Almost certainly the last ski tour for Tot this season. He climbed on boots to the summit on more or less solid snow.
2021-05-09 10:22:26

First rollerski of the year

First rollerski of the year, felt a bit like bambi for the first km on the skinny wheels but soon got back into the stride. No PRs but not a bad overall pace of 3m40/km, about 10-15% off fastest pace.
2021-05-04 16:20:35

Croix de l'Alpe - Crust Skiing

I was surprised to see half a dozen cars in the Pre Orcel car park above le Touvet when I arrived. I guess it was going to be a busy Sunday.
2021-04-25 08:49:15

Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France

Pretty loop in the Bois du Boulogne park to the West of Paris. No dangerous descents but can be busy on Sunday afternoons with young kids learning to ride bikes.
2021-04-25 04:13:08

l'Oursiere

Back to Pipay but we are a bit restricted by the lockdown.
2021-04-24 11:05:06

Grand Rocher, Crust Skiing from PIpay

It snowed a couple of days ago but with a strong refeeze conditions seemed good to try some crust skiing and cross over to the Grand Rocher from Pipay.
2021-04-23 09:25:28

Dome d'Oudis with Totster

Tot was busy in the morning so we went out right after lunch. It had snowed 5-7cm. There were a lot of purges some of which had crossed the ski runs.
2021-04-22 13:57:46

Livigno, Col de Bernina Tour - Crust Skiing. Italy

Route DescriptionThis is an idea from British and Czeck team skiers James Clugnet and Kateřina JanatováFrom Livigno ski to the head of the Valle dela Forcola, continue on road to pt 2099 then take a v
2021-04-22 10:30:30

Voie verte Volesvres to Digoin (pont canal), Saône et Loire, France

The route forms part of the "71" cycle network maintained by the departmental of the Saône et Loire.
2021-04-19 15:01:46

Habert d'Aiguebelle

A short ski tour with tot to get some exercise before lunch. Excellent skiing conditions in the border cross with the fresh snow. Lots of people from all over the place despite the lockdown.
2021-04-17 11:18:22

After ski ride

A quick MTB through the singles behind the house before the grey weather arrived. A lot of walkers about but we saw no-one (for a change) on our singles except the Croix de Troussait.
2021-04-15 13:06:59

Dent du Pra

Arriving in the Venetiers we were not at all surprised to see that it was wall to wall breakable crust. The wind had blown full hooligan and the sun and low cloud had done its work.
2021-04-15 09:54:14

Chamechaude - Breche Arnaud and Pas du Lapins

Return to the scene of the crime with Luc but this time with around 15cm of fresh snow that fell the night before.
2021-04-13 07:26:49

Chamechaude via the Pas du lapin

It has been very cold this week, even if the car thermometer showed 17C in the afternoon the cold north wind has kept the snow hard at altitude.
2021-04-08 15:57:30

Grand Replomb, North East Face, Belledonne, Alps, France

DangersThe North East slope is suspended above high cliffs.
2021-04-05 10:48:52

Dome des Oudis with tot

Tot had bad memories of this climb from earlier in the season but with lockdown imminent I didn't fancy going elsewhere.
2021-04-03 10:21:34

Hauts Plateaux du Vercors

End of season crust skiing destination. Wait for a solid refreeze in spring or use wider nordic skis or snow shoes.
2021-04-02 22:14:21

Champagny en Vanoise Nordic Ski Area

Cross Country Ski AreaThe cross country ski area has 23km of prepared cross country trails. This may seem small but there is no doubling up of runs as you get in some resorts.
2021-04-01 10:47:46

Aulp du Seuil, and why not?

The clocks have changed so it is difficult to find the right timing for a before work.
2021-03-29 07:20:00

Collet d'Allevard under the noon day sun

A little trip back to the Collet d'Allevard for a Sunday tour. It was pretty hot - t-shirt weather for climbing. A lot of people doing the same as us and enjoying the mountains.
2021-03-28 13:27:03

Stage Day 11 - Snowby

Rugby on snow? Whatever next? Games are a regular part of Cross Country Skiing because they get you doing stuff you wouldn't normally do, work your balance and coordination and you tend to forget abou
2021-03-27 10:01:45

la Feclaz

I had to drop junior off at 9am so not much time so I thought la Feclaz would be an idea. In the end 10am was a bit late.
2021-03-26 12:44:17

Al Dente

It's been a long time since I've skied from the summit of the Dent, 2015 was the last time I think but maybe I lost the appetite for NFZ (no fall zones) as the Americans call them.
2021-03-25 12:02:05

Les Saisies Nordic Ski Area, Beaufortain, French Alps

Les Saisies is one of France's largest cross country ski areas claiming around 120km of ski runs between 1550 meters at Lachat (summit of the Crest Voland pistes) and 1850 meters at the top of the Mon
2021-03-24 22:35:22

Sticky Saisies, pushing up daisies

I've never nordic skied at les Saisies but we alpine skied here a few years ago and it was very flat so seemed ideal for cross country.
2021-03-24 12:06:52

Desert d'Entremonts closing day

It has snowed a lot during the week, about a meter in total although this has compacted down a bit now.
2021-03-21 10:45:20