LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE, OR IT’S NOTHING...

Since I moved to Chamonix, I always wanted to ride this route (mostly on tarmac). I already rode the TMB on mtb and that was an epic solo adventure so I wanted to replicate and recreate the same kind of adventure. 

I think I got what I asked for.

Departure day / Friday 11:00am

Taking the advantage of the two good weather days I spotted on the forecast I packed my bike the day before (Thu) so I was able to get and go on Fri morning..BUT..it kind of didn’t go as planned. I overslept and woke up at 8:30am and by the time I was ready to roll it was already 10am / then..doubts started to creep in! Fear; indecisions; apprehensions..you know..the same creep really! 

I spent 30mins sitting by my ready to roll bike, wearing the helmet and all stuff..just thinking if I was ready or not. 

So..from Chamonix to Martigny was quite straight forward..then I took the train from Martigny to Orsiere just to avoid a dull section of the a main road. From Orsiere I knew it going to be hard: 100% of exposure in the Sun on a very hot day wasn’t ideal but I knew that from Bourg St Pierre the tunnel began so at least I was going to enjoy some shade. 

The last 6km are the real deal: steep; sketchy and tough. But the views are incredible. Not many other people around at that time of the day (late afternoon).

Once at the top a mandatory Col sign picture was on the cards and I got to chat with a guy. He thought my bike was electric. He was shocked to know it wasn’t and how heavy it actually was. 

The descent from the Col into Aosta is fast, smooth and on Fri, super hot..the kind of hot that chefs and firefighters know about! It was like been inside of a industrial oven 😲

Luckily, at every village there is at least a fountain, so I took advantage of that 👍🏻

I knew the ride from Aosta to Courmayeur was going to be a long uphill slog and under this heat, it was going to be hell! So, I devised a plan. 

Ride to Aosta coach station, buy a ticket to Courmayeur and ride from there to La Thuille, stop for something to eat then ride to the Petit Saint Bernard pass and spend the night there.

Simple eh?! 

Well..yes! It was that simple 😂

On my arrival at the coach station I walk in (bike on my side) and ask the clerk “how much is it for a single ticket plus bike to Courmayeur, please?” 

He tells me “no charge, free rides. Only thing is we only accept 22 people on board so, first come - first served”. I thought..”this is sweet 🙌🏻 / I will get a chance to rest my legs before the next climb and I’ll travel for free :-)”

So, the plan was set.

#lifebehindbars #cycling #cyclingphotos #MarkYourWay #mypursuit #bikepacking #cyclingpictures

PART 2

The coach ride took more than an hour. We arrived in Courmayeur at 7:50pm and as soon as I grabbed my bike I was already flying downhill towards the junction for La Thuille.

The climb to the ski resort is characterised by a series of 180 degree switchbacks (6 of them..) going up very gently. A part a few very brief sections, the climb isn’t that challenging..

Just before reaching the village of La Thuille there is a 1km tunnel. It is this very tunnel that in the ‘60s was in the opening scenes of The Italian Job..a classic British movie about the English mob organising a robbery in Turin using Mini’s as gateway cars and then drive a coach loaded with the gold stolen over the Alps. The opening scenes is quite epic..I am not going to describe it otherwise I will spoil it for you..so..give it a watch..the soundtrack too is pure class 👍🏻

In La Thuille now and looking for a pizzeria. I noticed one pizzeria with no free tables so I carry on up the road and boom..found another one. I sit down, order, eat, drink, pay and go. It’s now 9:30pm and still quite warm. I set off, front and rear lights on, to the surprise of passers by..

My plan all along was to arrive at the top and sleep up there, somewhere. I wanted to avoid riding the climb in the morning..so I thought “I better get up there today..it doesn’t matter if I get up there at midnight”.

The climb starts really nice and easy..zig zagging up the mountain crossing path with the ancient Roman road (yes, Roman..) still there and used by hikers and mtbikers (quite amazing eh?!). 

It must have been the medium coke I had earlier but suddenly I have a deep in blood sugar level. I have to stop, search for some sugary treats I know I have somewhere. I find a chestnut pure sachet..the You unscrew and suck :-) / it is super sweet and delicious. Within seconds my shaky crazy mind settles down. Drink some water then I am off again. 

I focus on the front light beam..I always look 15/20 mt ahead of me. The light I use is a Hope 4+ (4 batterie cells), extremely powerful and bright. Using just on low mode the beam is wide and bright enough to ride uphill. 

There are a few cars driving past me. Luckily I know the road well as I have ridden this very climb last year in May on re-opening day (only difference is that back then there was a lot more snow..something like snow walls of about 4 - 5 mt high..) so in a way, I was all too aware of what was coming. 

I keep pushing at an easy and agile pace. Almost at the top I noticed a new hotel. I slow down to admire the building and the beautify of the interior bar / restaurant and it was at that point that the waitress noticed me..I waved, she smiled, I smiled and carried on. I should have probably stopped there for the night but I dei ed to push on because I wanted to get to the summit.

Less than 2km to go and now the road is almost flat..

After arriving at the top of the pass at 11:0pm to much of the surprising and amused looks of all the drivers that saw me cycling the col at night, I was on the lookout for a quite and wind sheltered spot to deploy my mattress and sleeping bag. 

Found a place / set up camp / quickly “wash up” using a few shower whipes and go to bed.

Easier said than done. The night sky was so beautiful and clear I was able to see the Milky Way and a gazillion of stars in it. I laid there, into my snug sea to summit spark 0 sleeping bag, eyes wide open just looking at the stars..

And then..out of the blue..bang..shooting star..then another and another one..the third one was so big that the burning flaming trail was quite long and bright..felt like watching a Soyuz capsule re entering the atmosphere..

4:30am and I had a sort of good night sleep..I decided to get up, pack up and make a move..

As I cycled into France I approached the Hospice and..the door was open..(as it is custom, layer I discovered). So I got in and used the facilities. Hot water, paper towel to dry up and..luckily for me I had my MSR pocket rocket cooking system and a Lyofood porridge sachet so..breakfast was on the cards. 

It is amazing to think that this pass and traces of a human settlement have been present since the Romans and earlier..

It was such a luxury to wash up with hot water :-)

After breaky..the long descent to Bourg Saint Maurice began..a long, gentle gradient decent. Costant speed of around 45km/h..half the climb with a new layer of tarmac and half of it in terrible state 😂

Once in BSM I scoured for a bakery to load up on pain au choc, juice and a massive sandwich. 

I had no idea about how the climb to Cornet de Roselend was going to be..the bottom part that is. I knew the last 6km were quite spectacular. 

Let me tell you something: the First Lady of the climb is a mother fu.....ng bitch!!! Relentless, narrow, humid, into the forest, twisty..and then..and then it flattens up! I was cursing it all the way up. Not fun to ride on a loaded bike! Not cool man! #adventure #bikepacking #solotrip

PART 3

The second part of the climb, the last 6km from Le Chappieux is a straight forward alpine climb / road. Wider carriages makes it more pleasant to pedal uphill without been “caressed” by cars and motorbikes..

Steep in some sections, it also has some flat-ish sections to just relax a bit. 

One thing I noticed: no fountains. Nothing at all. I wouldn’t drink water from streams because the whole area is summer pasture for cows.

You’ll have to make sure you have at least two full water bottles. Once at the top, there is a kiosk selling drinks and food 👍🏻

The last 1km was a bit hard and I imagined myself pulling a wheelie to commemorate the moment 🤘🏻 / that off course didn’t happen. What I really really wanted was a couple of sugary drinks and to eat my massive tuna and egg sandwich :-)

It was actually quite nice to sit on the road side eating, drinking and chatting to fellow cyclists and seeing even more cyclists rode up to the col / pass sign to take pictures 👍🏻

I knew the descent to Beaufort well as I rode it a few times..so, I’ll skip this part..

Once down in Beaufort, I stopped for even more food and drinks: an americano, an orangina, a strawberry tart and a coffee eclaire..all gone in 5mins 😂🤦🏻‍♂️

Now. The tricky part. Almost lunchtime, scorching hot and one last big climb. I never rode it, I only drove it (well, as a passenger). 

You know that..a climb doesn’t feel the same when you drive it?! Yes, it’s true 😂🤦🏻‍♂️

Climbing to Col de Seissie isn’t a walk in the park..and in a loaded bike, under the sun, it only adds to the challenge. 

I stopped a few times to dry my face from the pouring sweat..sip from the water bottle and hoping to find a fountain..again..nothing available! France..for fuck s..e, seriously? Put more fountains on the side of the busy cycling routes..daaaahhhhh!!! 😂

15km long with an elevation gain of about 800mt I was in for a treat.

I knew that as a tourists destination, Les Seissie offered shops and bars etc so I knew I was able to drink and eat once at the top..but to get there wasn’t going to be that easy.

A few road cyclists passed me..one of them cheering me saying “bon courage” - French for “good luck”..to which I replied to him laughing 😂

The promise of a cold coke..that’s what kept my legs spinning, not the good luck :-)

The summit was approaching and I got passed by a family of 4 all in e-bikes! Just to add to the insult! They were happily pedalling away assisted by an electric motor without breaking a sweat (literally). As much as I appreciate technological improvements and I can’t hide the fact that if e-bikes haven’t been invented, the same family of 4 would have never attempted to ride this climb! What does it say about cycling (in general and as a sport / recreational activity) in a broader way?! I leave this question for you to answer.

Once at the top I was on the lookout for A) a fountain to freshen up and B ) a supermarket. I only managed to find option B

Again..no sign of a fountain. I even asked the cute girl working at the supermarket but she said “sorry, there are no fountains”. Luckily she was very kind to allow me to use a tap in the supermarket to fill up my water bottle.

1 coke; 1 tropical fruit drink; 1 citrus Schweppes; 1 nectarine; 1 small bag of chips

All gone in less than 10 mins 😂

As I was busy drinking and eating a middle aged couple walks towards me and the ladies says to me something in French..which..I couldn’t quite understand as she was wearing a mask..I looked at her with a blank expression on my face then I said “sorry but I don’t understand what you just said”..she then start speaking in English and quickly translate what she just said “wow, it’s amazing you are riding your heavy bike in these beautiful mountains and in this heat..you must be super fit and strong..” to which I replied “..or crazy :-) “.

From then on I knew the road to Megeve and St Gervais was going to be easy so..I saddled up and carried on enjoying long fast descents and the occasional “flat bit”

It was still hot as f..k and the gentle climb to Megeve felt like been grilled on a bbq 😂😲

I stopped at a fountain where an elderly cyclist was also enjoying the fresh and cold water..we started to chat..he was curious about my set up and where I was going etc..

I told him I was riding the TMB, started the day before and so on.. He looked at me a bit 😲 and buffled. Then I turned the same question to him. He rode from Geneva..wanting to end his ride in Les Saissie..(where I just came from). It turned out he was Italian..migrated to Geneva some 50 years ago from the south of Italy..he told me how he still feels Italian at heart after so many years abroad. I said to him “I know how you feel. I myself have been living abroad for 20 years..”

We said goodbye and as I was pedalling away I shouted “Italia” waving goodbye..

The descent towards St Gervais - Le Fayet was incredibly hot. It felt like been in front on a massive industrial convection oven with the doors open and hot air blasting in your face. 

My sweat dried almost instantly..my eyes, lips, nostrils completely scorched my the heat. 

I just wanted to make it to the train station, jump on the train and relax in the air conditioned carriages. Ohhhhh was I so wrong! Turned out, the 15:28 train did not have air con on board! Still..I was happy to be sitting legs up rather then having to cycle back to Chamonix.

Life is an adventure, or is nothing.

Mario Presi.