Not much has been written in this blog since the Haute Route, it really did leave me speechless in a blog style way and still my write up of the event is far from comprehensive, most likely it never will be.Even now, I feel like I am beginning to prepare for next years event, this time it will be the Pyrenees from Med to Atlantic.The idea is just to keep up long weekend rides through the winter, for as long as my fingers stay warm.
Today had no such problems, I was returning to the Vosges with a start/finish in Colmar like we rode a few weeks ago with KC, Arthur and Falk in t shirt and shorts weather.
Climbing up to Trois Epis was magnificent as the cloud level was low, and once out in the open sunshine it felt warm over the tops and on to Col du Linge, which saw a fair amount of fighting in the first world war. There's a short section of preserved trenches from this period when the French/German border was up in the hills and not down along the Rhine. Just one week late for remembrance day, but this site is open throughout the year as a memorial to all those who lost their lives in these battlefields/battlehills.I had a flat from a small piece of glass at the base of Route du lac du Corbeaux, so replaced quickly with CO2 and continued on. Then on the first hairpin bend when I stood up to accelerate the tyre blew again, this time around the valve and one for the bin. Did I over inflate? I guess the freezing cold CO2 must expand some more once you start riding, so that could have done it. Or do inner tubes suffer damage from freezing gas?
Because of this I limped down to la Bresse to find a bike shop for more spares as I was still a long way from Colmar. Of course the shops are closed from 12-2pm, so I had to rest in a boulangerie for half an hour. I was cold at this stage, so it was good timing in the end. But here I was tempted by the "Vosgiflette" - a bit like a heavy duty tarte flambee, and a slice of quiche lorraine as well. Both tasty snacks, but both together with still 2 big climbs and a lot of riding to do was not so wise. I was very close to seeing the whole Vosgiflettes several times on the long, long climb from Lac du Wildenstein up to le Markstein.
Once on the route des cretes, with the hikers, bikers, parachuters, and road-skiers the massive 2700m of climbing for the day was just about over. Didn't even feel cold on the way down to Munster, but was disappointed to find my favourite fromagerie is now closed for good.
Its always a great ride in the Vosges, such a nice finish from Munster via Gunsbach to Turkheim through the small towns and vineyards back to Colmar.
So many cols - even minor bumps have signs:
Trois Epis - Col du Linge - Col du Wettstein - Col du Calvaire - Col du Louschbuch - Col du Bonhomme - le Collet Schlucht - Col des Faignes sous Valogne - Col du Bramant - le Markstein - le Breitfirst- Col du Platzerwaesel
