Video diary - 2007 Brevet de Randonneur des Alpes - cousin to the Marmotte

Hi all,

Yesterday, I rode the 225 km Brevet de Randonneur des Alpes. It's an
event that is held every two years and that's similar to the Marmotte
with the Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Mollard, Col du Telegraphe and
the Col du Galibier, and adds up to over 4,600 metres of climbing.
Unlike the Marmotte, there is no Alpe d'Huez at the end, but you need
to descend into the headwind back to Vizille from Bourg d'Oisans.

The event starts in Vizille at 2:00am, 3:00am and 5:30am depending on
when you want to start. I left with a few hundred at 5:30am. Cloudy
on Croix de Fer, and it warmed up with sunshine on the Galibier.

Here's a link to a video diary from part of the nine hours 57 minutes
it took to get around the circuit. I thought it was a little
different than taking photos.

http://video.google.fr/videoplay?doc...63656030&hl=fr

Now we just need a few more foreigners to come and take part as I only
saw two other Brits.

Cheers, Russell
www.grenoblecycling.com

Thanks a lot, Russell -- I liked your video even better than a sequence of
nice photos.

Last time I was at the Col du Galibier I was on skis, and the last time I
was at Croix de Fer I was on inline skates -- but in a few weeks I hope to
visit both of them on my bicycle.

Now we just need a few more foreigners to come

I'll be happy to show up and ride those cols. I just don't see the need to
do it as part of some organized event. (And I surely do not feel the need of
starting down in Vizille, or of adding the Mollard climb). I'm not any sort
of racer, so I suspect there's a greater probabity of _finishing_ enjoyably
if I choose the day and the starting time and pacing that's most suitable
for me -- rather than the presence of other riders tempting me to go too
fast early. It's not like there's a lack of places to get drink and food
along the way.

And thanks for your most helpful website at www.grenoblecycling.com

Ken

On Jul 23, 3:49 am, wrote:


....snip...

Now we just need a few more foreigners to come and take part as I only
saw two other Brits.

Cheers, Russellwww.grenoblecycling.com

Russell, I really enjoy your Grenoble web site. Your BRA warm blog was
tres bien.

I rode along with TdF in 94 and am gettting the bug to hop the pond
again, http://groups.google.com/group/rec.b...dbe32eb0d08df8

Grenoble sounds like the ticket for base camp to do the French Alps.

BTW Breaking Away Tours used Alp d'Huez as base camp this year.

Cheers,
Jim, CO USA

Jim wrote:
Breaking Away Tours used Alp d'Huez as base camp this year.

I think the higher I sleep, the faster I acclimatize to altitude. I don't
acclimatize fast, so in addition to taking acetazolamide, usually the first
night or two I try to sleep high, like near the top of a high col.

Grenoble sounds like the ticket for base camp to do the French Alps.

Another idea is at or near St Michel de Maurienne -- which is in range of
four high + pretty places: Col du Galibier, Col de la Croix de Fer, Col de
l'Iseran (by way of the quiet Haute Maurienne valley), and Mont Cenis with
its lake. And it's on the Marmotte route.

Ken

On Jul 24, 9:07 pm, "Ken Roberts"
wrote:
Jim wrote:
Breaking Away Tours used Alp d'Huez as base camp this year.

I think the higher I sleep, the faster I acclimatize to altitude. I don't
acclimatize fast, so in addition to taking acetazolamide, usually the first
night or two I try to sleep high, like near the top of a high col.

Altitude is not really an issue for me, I live in foothills of the
Rockies. So doing
Alp d'Huez is only a 1k climb for me

BTW the Mt. Evans climb was last weekend, sommett 14k feet.

Back in 94 I was living in Dallas so mountain stages would have been a
killer.

Cheers,
Jim

On Jul 23, 5:49 pm, wrote:
Hi all,

Yesterday, I rode the 225 km Brevet de Randonneur des Alpes. It's an
event that is held every two years and that's similar to the Marmotte
with the Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Mollard, Col du Telegraphe and
the Col du Galibier, and adds up to over 4,600 metres of climbing.
Unlike the Marmotte, there is no Alpe d'Huez at the end, but you need
to descend into the headwind back to Vizille from Bourg d'Oisans.

The event starts in Vizille at 2:00am, 3:00am and 5:30am depending on
when you want to start. I left with a few hundred at 5:30am. Cloudy
on Croix de Fer, and it warmed up with sunshine on the Galibier.

Here's a link to a video diary from part of the nine hours 57 minutes
it took to get around the circuit. I thought it was a little
different than taking photos.

http://video.google.fr/videoplay?doc...63656030&hl=fr

Now we just need a few more foreigners to come and take part as I only
saw two other Brits.

Cheers, Russellwww.grenoblecycling.com

Damn it! I hate this report. It makes me want to go there. Hmmm....

On Jul 23, 7:45 pm, "Ken Roberts"
wrote:

Last time I was at the Col du Galibier I was on skis, and the last time I
was at Croix de Fer I was on inline skates -- but in a few weeks I hope to
visit both of them on my bicycle.

... let us know if you come farther south.
I am just back from the Dolomites; be sure that when I was at Rifugio
Auronzo I did think about you (on skies).

Sergio
Pisa

Sergio wrote
I am just back from the Dolomites; be sure that when
I was at Rifugio Auronzo I did think about you (on skis).

Getting up to Auronzo on a bicycle is pretty steep, isn't it?

If you're around in late August / early September, I'm thinking of Col d
Nivolet (2612m) -- perhaps then after I get to the highest point on the
road, leave my bike and hike on the trail to the big view on the summit of M
Taou Blanc (3438m). (But if you're riding up to Auronzo, I doubt I could
keep up with you).

I'd also like to try riding up some of the cols + climbs around M Viso, like
Sampeyre, d'Esischie, Faunaria / dei Morti, or Piano d Rey. (I'm thinking
Agnello is too hard for me, unless I walk some sections). Any advice on
which ones are most interesting?

I'm also open to suggestions about single-day rides combining seaside +
hills around Imperia + Savona.

Another strange idea I'm considering is to ride _around_ Gran Paradiso. A
loop in the clockwise direction, like start from Aosta, climb south to Pont
on the west side of GP, then hike and roll (and carry?) my bike up to Col d
Nivolet (about 500 vertical meters), then mount my bike and ride from
Nivolet down southeast to Cuorgne. Then around the east side of GP thru
Ivrea back to my start. Anyone know how hiking with bike from Pont up to
Nivolet compares with the southeast side of Col du Grand Ferret or Col de la
Seigne?

Ken

Per i lettori di it.sport.ciclismo

Ken Roberts e' uno statunitense di Newark, che ha abitato anche in
Italia e conosce le nostre montagne benissimo. Alpinista, sciatore,
pattinatore, ciclista e fotografo, se ho ben capito bene ha
l'abitudine di venire sulle Alpi un paio di volte all'anno. Credo di
essere stato io di fargli venire la voglia di salire al Nivolet e,
ovviamente, ora vuole fare il loop proprio come ha fatto Al Gancio.

----------------------------------------------------------

On 9 Ago, 03:54, "Ken Roberts"
wrote:

A lot of inspiring comments and questions.
So, here we go.

In fact, I did not ride up to Rifugio Auronzo (I have once in my
lifetime, and that was enough!) although I did several good rides in
the area, which I know quite well.

I shall certainly be around from late august on and if you let me know
when you are coming I shall join you in Piemonte, or Valle d'Aosta for
that matter.

A friend of mine from Rivarolo has done that counterclockwise loop
hitting Nivolet this spring as a one day outing. The hike is about a
couple of hours long.

This may, just when the Giro was going over Agenllo, I had taken up
to the greater Fauniera area. I did go up from Boves to Valcavera. The
weather was truly horrible and I could not proceed any further. Else,
I would have gone down the other side, to finally arrive to
Pontechianale and attack the Agnello (not on the same day, of course).
My whole vacation was screwed up and I would be most happy to hit that
corner of Italy, virtually unknown to me and to most of my countrymen,
first time I have the chance to.

Finally, a couple of months ago I tried to put you in contact with
some friends I have up there, strong cyclists and mountain climbers as
well. Evidently my message did not reach your mailbox.

So, I take the liberty of publishing this message to the italian
newsgroup it.sport.ciclismo.
Although it is vacation season, I am confident that this message won't
go unnoticed.

Sergio
Pisa

On 9 Ago, 07:10, sergio wrote:

Ah!

Credo di
essere stato io di fargli venire la voglia
a

Sergio
Pisa