The Tradition Continues (72km)

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With today being a layover day, I decided to take advantage of the fact that I didn't need to have my stuff packed and ready by 8:00 to sleep in as best I could - all the way to 7:30. That would have been quite luxurious (my body is still quite confused about what is going on, given my erratic sleep/wake times and eating cycles) were it not for the fact that I got to sleep (vs. to bed) late due to the rather sonorous slumber of my fellow traveller.

Having had a reasonably hard day yesterday, and not wanting to revisit areas I have seen before, I ignored our suggested routes and opted instead to investigate Deux Alpes, a moderate climb on the other side of the valley from Alpe d'Huez. The climb itself was mildly challenging but otherwise unremarkable, and after descending it seemed too short a day to simply return to Bourg d'Oisans, so I spontaneously decided to go up Col du Lautaret, since I was already part way there; had I made this decision at the outset, I suspect my day would've turned out quite different.

The forecast had called for afternoon rain,so I had been mindful of the clouds as I rode. Descending Deux Alpes there had been a few light sun sprinkles so fine that they didn't warrant concern, but as I trudged along towards the Col I noticed the wind picking up and the skies becoming more overcast. About 13km from the summit the first large drops started to fall, and I chose to pull a U-turn and high-tail it back to the hotel rather than endure what I presumed to be the inevitable. Indeed, as I zoomed back towards town I could see nastiness brewing behind me. Fortunately, gravity provided an assist (I had forgotten how much I had climbed at such a low grade) and I outran the weather handily and got to enjoy the ensuing storm from the comfort of my hotel room. Others were not so lucky.

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Photos

deux-alpes
(hey-it's-a-ski-station)