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Alps (2005)
There seems to be a resurgence of magnificent touring so I thought
this ride report might inspire others to see these place. http://www.trentobike.org/Countries/...the_Alps/2005/ Jobst Brandt |
#2
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Alps (2005)
wrote
There seems to be a resurgence of magnificent touring so I thought this ride report might inspire others to see these place. http://www.trentobike.org/Countries/...the_Alps/2005/ That one starts encouragingly, but finishes in disappointment. I was cheering all the way to Lago Maggiore and Orta and Biella, but then the riding -- and your health -- declined. Are you sure that's the link you intended to give us? I liked this one better: http://www.trentobike.org/Countries/...the_Alps/2004/ I like so many of your route ideas and detailed info, but one big strategic point in both reports I do not understand: Why do you ride all the way south thru Italy down to Tende and then ride thru the southern Alps in France? There's so many uninteresting kilometers on both sides. I think the northern French alps are way better (or else further south to the Moynenne corniche road and the hills a little north from Nice). Why not cross some pass further north, like Colle dell'Agnello, or Maddalena / Larche (which is kinda pretty and interesting on the Italian side) -- and get more directly to the prettier riding in the Alpes du Nord? And along the way south thru western Italy, how could you _not_ climb up Val Savaranche and across the Col del Nivolet, instead of all that flat riding? Ken |
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Alps (2005)
Col del Nivolet clarification:
There is no complete paved road over Nivolet (to the west of Gran Paradiso, the highest summit whose base lies completely within Italy). As far as I know there is a section between the village Pont at the upper (southern) end of the Valsavaranche road which requires using a hiking trail -- also several kilometers which are a paved road are closed to normal vehicle use. So . . . I'm not suggesting here that anybody else should consider trying to cross with a bicycle between Col del Nivolet and the Valsavaranche road - (many of the best views can be obtained by riding up-and-back the south side on a paved road). But since Jobst in the last couple of days has vigorously recommended three other pass crossings that lack paved roads (whether paved or unpaved), I'm wondering what he thinks about that crossing. Ken |
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Alps (2005)
Ken Roberts wrote:
There seems to be a resurgence of magnificent touring so I thought this ride report might inspire others to see these place. http://www.trentobike.org/Countries/...the_Alps/2005/ That one starts encouragingly, but finishes in disappointment. I was cheering all the way to Lago Maggiore and Orta and Biella, but then the riding -- and your health -- declined. Are you sure that's the link you intended to give us? I liked this one better: http://www.trentobike.org/Countries/...the_Alps/2004/ I like so many of your route ideas and detailed info, but one big strategic point in both reports I do not understand: Why do you ride all the way south thru Italy down to Tende and then ride thru the southern Alps in France? There's so many uninteresting kilometers on both sides. I think the northern French alps are way better (or else further south to the Moynenne corniche road and the hills a little north from Nice). Why not cross some pass further north, like Colle dell'Agnello, or Maddalena / Larche (which is kinda pretty and interesting on the Italian side) -- and get more directly to the prettier riding in the Alpes du Nord? And along the way south thru western Italy, how could you _not_ climb up Val Savaranche and across the Col del Nivolet, instead of all that flat riding? There are folks along that southern route that I like to see again but then I've cut across on the Colle dell'Agnello, or Maddalena, Larche or Porta di Lombarda and descended through Isola2000 the ugliest of ski damage to the alps. Those are in ride reports that were lost before modern wrec.bike.rides got going. Jobst Brandt |
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Alps (2005)
On 22 Ott, 16:47, wrote:
and descended through Isola2000 the ugliest of ski damage to the alps. Those are in ride reports that were lost before modern wrec.bike.rides got going. Although I have never seen Isola2000, I have no pleasant memory of the nearby region along my ride up frpm Nice to Briancon. Talking about ugly places, is Isola2000 even uglier than Col des Saisies? Sergio Pisa |
#6
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Alps (2005)
Sergio Servadio wrote:
... and descended through Isola2000 the ugliest of ski damage to the alps. Those are in ride reports that were lost before modern wrec.bike.rides got going. Although I have never seen Isola2000, I have no pleasant memory of the nearby region along my ride up from Nice to Briancon. It's up the hill from Isola and to make sure the skiers can drive their luxury cars up to 2000m elevation, an autoroute like highway was built up both sides of the canyon, the south side being more stable but holding more snow while the north side has avalanches with heavy snow. Gotta get there at all costs! As I have often mentioned to my riding companion, "I smell ski" when a road in the mountains becomes unusually wide and well cared for in spite of no traffic. We have such roads here in California, where for instance west-east Hwy4 is unusually wide but just up to Mount Reba JCT where, of all things, a short Interstate Hwy I207 makes the connection to the ski area while Hwy4 (Ebbetts Pass) returns to the forested mountain road that it formerly was. Talking about ugly places, is Isola2000 even uglier than Col des Saisies? Similar but "no cigar" (no prize). There was a town Saisies there but ISOLA200 is completely artificial and dead except in ski season. It has huge almost black steel tall hotels clustered around parking lots. Jobst Brandt |
#7
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Alps (2005)
wrote
There are folks along that southern route that I like to see again That fits perfectly. I've cut across on the Colle dell'Agnello, or Maddalena, Larche or Porta di Lombarda and descended through Isola2000 the ugliest of ski damage to the alps. You did not see me ask about Lombarda / Lombarde as a possible crossing. Riding over it once was enough for me. I guess it could imagine riding there as an up-and-back ride only on the Italian side, and finishing at that chapel instead of the pass. Ken |
#8
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Alps (2005)
On Oct 20, 4:43*pm, wrote:
There seems to be a resurgence of magnificent touring so I thought this ride report might inspire others to see these place. *http://www.trentobike.org/Countries/.../Tour_of_the_A.... Jobst Brandt I'm organizing a group of 10 friends for a ride through some of the roads of the French Alps. We're going to stay in Moutiers for 4 nights before heading towards Alpe d'Huez, and then back over the Col de la Croix de Fer and south over Col du Galibier. It looks like some good riding on the maps, though I've never been there before. But we're going to end our ride in Nice (We're all flying in and out of Nice), and I'm trying to find someone who can recommend a route south from Briancon to Nice. Can you help me there?? Thanks, BC Rimbeaux |
#10
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Alps (2005)
Tim McNamara wrote
the better choices for riding into Nice are relatively indirect . . . Here's my experiences in this part of the Alps: http://www2.bitstream.net/~timmcn/alps2002-1.html Looks like you toured lots of pretty roads and some worthy accomplishments. Reading your report for Day 8, I can see your concern for finding "indirect" better choices for riding into Nice -- after your experience trying a more direct approach. Ken |
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