Today we got up determined to go high and avoid the traffic from yesterday's ride, so we headed up the D110 to col de Mollard and found little traffic and a shady road winding through the forest! It was a great 15km ascent from 500m to 1600m!
At the top we met an interesting British couple from Houston Texas!
After pictures, off we went first on a 7km down where we then joined up with the traditional Col de Croix Fer ascent (our route avoided the tunnels - 3 and one at 500m). The going got steep as we went through the little tourist town of St Sorlin d'Arves. After a pause on a 10+% grade, some hikers took pity on us and told us the slope gets much easier around the corner after the restaurant .. and it did!
We found a crowd of cyclists at the top (2067m), took pictures and passed on a second lunch and then headed down to the col du Glandon (1924m). Met a Scottish couple just coming up to the col .. took each other's pics and we headed down the north rd. This is a very steep section and we felt sorry for the cyclists coming up .. and glad we took the route we did .. Although someday we will have to do Glandon in the traditional 'tough' direction .. But our descent was fabulous .. With lots of braking on the hairpin turns!
All and all a fabulous day! 71km 2200m of ascent.
Now we are pooped and not sure if we will make it to 8:30pm before slipping into bed .. Oh .. there goes Marion!
Tomorrow we plan on a late start and if weather permits do a short climb .. perhaps col de Chaussy .. British couple said it was a very nice one!
