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Stuey's Travel
Forecast was for another warm day, 26deg and sunny in the afternoon but cloudy again in the morning.
I was up early again this morning, 5:30am, not quite adjusted to the time difference yet.
Headed off down the street to the closest Artisanal Boulongerie to get some fresh croissants for breakfast. Ultimately a great choice....the croissants were excellent (with a little butter and peach jam).
Only plan I had for today was to get out on the bike again, ride around the lake and have a crack at Mont du Chat...legs permitting. Mont du Chat is the really steep road that Richie Porte came to grief on during this years TdF.
Rolled the bike out about 10:30 and off to lake. I started at what they call "Petit Port", a marina surrounded by cafes and restaurants, a beautiful spot for lunch I reckon. Took a couple of photos and then struck off around the lake anticlockwise along the bike path. Plenty of people out on the lake this morning, sunbathing, swimming and boating.
I only got about 20kms when I hit a problem, the road rises above the lake and heads into a tunnel for a 100m. Apparently the tunnel had suffered some damage and was closed for repair, so I took the detour road. I did see this big yellow sign saying the road was "Interdit pour cyclists" - closed for bikes. I wasn't going to let that stop me so I pedalled on. About 400m up the road a car came past slowly blasting his horn.........then another and another, a woman driver wound her window down and cried out......"STUPIDO!" . OK, I got the message, I turned around and headed down the hill.
The circumnavigation of the lake was b*****ed, so next option is have a crack at the Mont du Chat.
The climb was not that far away from me so I headed that way. Legs weren't as good as I would have liked and the road was much steeper than I expected so it was super hard work to make progress. I did make it to the spot where Richie Porte came off - took a couple of snaps. Time to turn around and descend that same road. Now I understand what all the fuss was about. The bitumen surface was excellent but the corners were so sharp with dips and off camber sections which made the descent really scary at speed.
The brakes got a fair work over...good job I put new pads in before leaving.
Headed back to Aix Les Bains for a ham & cheese baguette for lunch.
Time for some local art culture!
Late afternoon I had a stroll around to the Musee Faure to check out their large collection of Rodin sculptures plus a solid collection of Impressionist paintings.
Dinner tonight at Le Comptoir Carnot, in the square just off the main street. Enjoyable meal.
I was up early again this morning, 5:30am, not quite adjusted to the time difference yet.
Headed off down the street to the closest Artisanal Boulongerie to get some fresh croissants for breakfast. Ultimately a great choice....the croissants were excellent (with a little butter and peach jam).
Only plan I had for today was to get out on the bike again, ride around the lake and have a crack at Mont du Chat...legs permitting. Mont du Chat is the really steep road that Richie Porte came to grief on during this years TdF.
Rolled the bike out about 10:30 and off to lake. I started at what they call "Petit Port", a marina surrounded by cafes and restaurants, a beautiful spot for lunch I reckon. Took a couple of photos and then struck off around the lake anticlockwise along the bike path. Plenty of people out on the lake this morning, sunbathing, swimming and boating.
I only got about 20kms when I hit a problem, the road rises above the lake and heads into a tunnel for a 100m. Apparently the tunnel had suffered some damage and was closed for repair, so I took the detour road. I did see this big yellow sign saying the road was "Interdit pour cyclists" - closed for bikes. I wasn't going to let that stop me so I pedalled on. About 400m up the road a car came past slowly blasting his horn.........then another and another, a woman driver wound her window down and cried out......"STUPIDO!" . OK, I got the message, I turned around and headed down the hill.
The circumnavigation of the lake was b*****ed, so next option is have a crack at the Mont du Chat.
The climb was not that far away from me so I headed that way. Legs weren't as good as I would have liked and the road was much steeper than I expected so it was super hard work to make progress. I did make it to the spot where Richie Porte came off - took a couple of snaps. Time to turn around and descend that same road. Now I understand what all the fuss was about. The bitumen surface was excellent but the corners were so sharp with dips and off camber sections which made the descent really scary at speed.
The brakes got a fair work over...good job I put new pads in before leaving.
Headed back to Aix Les Bains for a ham & cheese baguette for lunch.
Time for some local art culture!
Late afternoon I had a stroll around to the Musee Faure to check out their large collection of Rodin sculptures plus a solid collection of Impressionist paintings.
Dinner tonight at Le Comptoir Carnot, in the square just off the main street. Enjoyable meal.
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