Day 10 Friday 7-22-2011 Ride Alpe d’Huez

Day 10  Friday    7-22-2011       Ride  Alpe d’Huez      

Day / date / Location: 

Miles on bike:    Time of ride today     2 hr  10 min               Elevation gain:  4083

                               

                                Total miles today:  16.6             Total miles for trip:  358.97

$ toward Pledges at 0.026 per foot gained:   21,298 x 0.026 =  $553.75

Highlights:  Thru the eyes of Tim sharing about the day:

Yes I made it up 21 killer switchbacks to Alp D’huez!  To be honest, it wasn’t the toughest ride, but it was definitely challenging.  The switchbacks were also nice for picture breaks/I’m tired and want to stop breaks.  But I can actually say that I had fun doing it, and I feel really accomplished.  The average grade, for those who care, is 8%, which is pretty steep.  It also hit 11% in some areas too!  In the back of my mind, I knew I had to finish since our support van couldn’t accompany us because of so many fans and bikers on the road (there were so many people it was crazy!).  I also thought of the girl from Soul Surfer, which I watched on the plane ride over, such a good movie.  Anyways, if she can win a surfing competition with one arm, I can bike up this thing!  “I don’t want easy, just possible” is a quote I remember, and it really helped me to encourage myself that it was possible for me to do this.  Since we are staying on top of Alp D’huez, we had to ride down the hill first, so I kind of knew what to expect as well.  Plus, they had signs counting the switchbacks.  I made it up way quicker than I had expected too, and I was even able to catch the end of breakfast at our hotel, an added bonus!  This was our last ride, and it was a great way to end the biking part of this trip.  Everyone is our group made it up as well, so we were all in high spirits today as we awaited the Tour riders.   

Around 6pm, the Tour riders rode up this same course and finished in Alp D’huez, where we are now.  They rode right by our hotel, and the finish line was just around the corner from where they passed by.  We could stand out on our balconies and cheer on the riders, which was super cool.  And we could always pop back inside the room to see on TV who would be coming up next.  It was kind of unreal, to be right in the middle of the action!  Today’s stage was a real thriller too.  Andy Schleck captured the yellow jersey, but Cadel Evans is only 57 seconds behind him.  I’m pulling for Cadel tomorrow in the individual time trial stage in Grenoble.  Our Aussie friends on the tour (Cadel is Australian) are so excited right now, and they are confident that Cadel can overtake first place tomorrow.  Anyways, aside from the Tour, Alp D’huez is so great.  This is seriously the coolest little ski town!  Most of the hotels have the wooden ski chalet theme, and the whole town itself is just so picturesque surrounded by the Alps.  And with the Tour in town, there is a lot of excitement and an all around party atmosphere in the air.  Last night and this morning, people were painting flags and messages on the streets for the rider’s so see as they rode. 

The town also has a lot of fun activities like an alpine slide, which I went on a couple times yesterday.  They have a big heated pool too, but you are required to wear speedos there, no board shorts allowed (I guess that’s a French thing).  Needless to say, I don’t own a speedo, so I couldn’t swim there.  The town also has miles of mountain biking trails, which are a pretty big attraction here in the summer.  Some of the lifts and gondolas are still open in the summer, so my dad and I rode one up to the top of Pic Blanc.  The views were beautiful, and the scenery totally reminded of The Sound of Music.  We could see a lot of the ski runs too.  There are so many runs that you could probably be here a couple days and never have to ride a run twice!  Unbelievably cool.

Tonight is our last night in Alp D’huez, and we will be spending the night in Paris tomorrow after we watch the time trial in Grenoble.  By the time they are finished in Grenoble, we should know who won.  They do have a final stage in Paris, but I guess that traditionally no one makes a move then, and the results are pretty much set before going into Paris.  However, there have been a couple exceptions.  The team winner could still be up for grabs though. 

I really enjoyed today; it was probably my favorite day so far.  Everything about it was just so cool.  One of our tour companions even described it as magical.  Although I don’t think it beats Disney in the magical department, today was definitely up there!

Day 9 Thursday 7-21-2011 Rest day in L’Alpe d’Huez

Day 9  Thursday    7-21-2011       Rest day in L’Alpe d’Huez     

Day / date / Location:                                                                                 Pictures will be added later

Miles on bike:    NO bike ride today     0 hr  0 mim               Elevation gain:  0

                               

                                Total miles today:  0             Total miles for trip:  342.37

$ toward Pledges at 0.026 per foot gained:   17,215 x 0.026 =  $447.59

Highlights:

Sleeping at elevation with cool weather equates into the best sleep of the trip. 9+ hours.  Another great breakfast and off to the laundramat to drop off some clothes to be cleaned.  How nice.  Then check off what we did for the day:

Shopping for Alpe d’Huez gear

                Ride the gondolas down to Heuz

                Take pictures

                Ride the Alpine Slide

                Explore to side streets

                Buy a unique lunch

                Watch the tour on live TV in the comfort of our room while eating sweets (carbo loading)

                Swim in the large heated public pool

                Do internet projects

                Psyche up for tomorrows ride up the famous 21 switchbacks

Dinner 7:30 – 9;  sleep somewhat early…

                               

Success tomorrow!

Day 8 Wednesday 7-20-2011 Col d'Ornon to Alpe d'Huez

Day 8  Wednesday    7-20-2011       Col d'Ornon to Alpe d'Huez     

Day / date / Location: 

Miles on bike:    Col d'Ornon     1 hr 40 mim           Elevation gain:  2240

                               

                                Total miles today:  18.39      Total miles for trip:  342.37

$ toward Pledges at 0.026 per foot gained:   17,215 x 0.026 =  $447.59

Highlights:

After checking out of the hotel, we made it back by bus to GAP to be in the VIP starting area before the race began.

Tim and I went back to the internet café first for 1 hour, then back to the start area and view bikes and riders.  Good pictures taken and I scored an autograph from George Hincape (big George) who is the elder statesman doing his 16^th tour.  His bike has a gold # ‘16’ engraved on it.

 

Sunny today and windy.  Then a 2 hr bus ride to our bike start up Col d’Ornon.  Tim made it to the top; he outrode me.  2 in our group rode all the way up to Alpe d’Huez by a brutal route which totally wasted them.  Tim and I took the bus up the famous 21 switchbacks. 

On Friday we will ride our bike up those 21 turns.  I almost wish I hadn’t seen it.  It looks VERY intimidating.

We checking into the hotel which is tucked into the mountain side at 6400 foot elevation and the most stunning view of mountains I have ever seen.  Rick, one in our tour who lives in the Colorado Rockies, says there is nothing this stunning back home.  We are all truly grateful to be here.  The fresh snow on all the peaks adds to the beauty.

Our room has a balcony over looking the TDF final ½ mile.  All the riders will pass right below us in two days.  How cool is that.   AND this hotel has very good internet connections.  What a praise!

Another good 3 course dinner;  I’m gaining weight!   And early to bed for a change.

Till tomorrow…

Day 7 Tuesday 7-19-2011 Day in GAP (no riding today)

Day 7   Tuesday    7-19-2011   Day in GAP (no riding today)  

Day / date / Location: 

Miles on bike:    No bike ride today    0 hr 0 mim                 Elevation gain:  0

                               

                                Total miles today:  0.00      Total miles for trip:  323.98

$ toward Pledges at 0.026 per foot gained:   14,975 x 0.026 =  $389.35

Highlights:

The weather deteriorated quickly to a downpour so no riding today.  We still got soaked walking around GAP.   Our main goal was to find a Laundromat and/or an internet café.  Eventually I purchased an umbrella and a poncho, both far too late.  There was no Laundromat in town.   Although Tim and I had a good time alone just talking for a change over lunch.

And we did not find a functioning internet café (the only one in town too)( a town of 40k population)  until 4 hours of searching went by. 

Pure heaven once we logged in.  Fast, private connection, sure, place not crowded, and nice people.  That allowed 3 hours of speed internet work.   It made the day.  I tipped them 15 Euros just for being there.   Tim loved getting on also, plus we watched the TDF on TV.  Then an hour bus ride back to the hotel.

Of course a very nice dinner from 7 PM till 9:15 PM;  Nice meaning food was great; but we were ready to leave after 1 hr 30 min.  We are tired. 

A tough ride is tomorrow after another morning with VIP passes for the start of the TDF.    Maybe we will get some autographs. 

We still are thankful for the events of the day. 

Our group includes Rick, Zach, Kevin and Vicky, Sherri, Shelly, Mark and Amanda, Ton, Jim, and Bob / Tim with 3 guides and a bus driver.  Thomas, Nicho, Whim, and Christian

Day 6 Monday 7-18-2011 Mont Ventoux

Day 6  Monday    7-18-2011   Mont Ventoux  

Day / date / Location: 

Miles on bike:    Up Mont Ventoux!         4 hr 30 mim              Elevation gain:   6235

                               

                                Total miles today:  40.00      Total miles for trip:  323.98

$ toward Pledges at 0.026 per foot gained:   14,975 x 0.026 =  $389.35

Highlights:

Mt. Ventoux.  Difficulty index of 164; 7.1 average gradient; 14.1 miles UP; 6000+ feet of elevation gain, the 2^nd most difficult ride in the French Alps. 

We checked out of the hotel at 8.  Drove to the ride start and had to ride 20k just to get to Mont Ventoux.  Why we did that we did not know.  We did know that this was a perfect climb day.  Not hot, no wind really (by Ventoux standards) (Ventoux means windy) and good company.  We estimated between 4000 and 5000 riders will go up to the summit today alone. 

Oh Brother.  Now we know what the difficulty index means.    14.1 miles of uphill, half at over 9% gradients. With 1k at 10.5% and a short burst right at the top to finish at 14%.   Ufff….

I only stopped once in the uphill portion.  That was 2hrs 45min of climbing.  So, other age 60+ riders passed me and we all determined that dementia has set in, that is why we do this stuff.

Tim had a personal best by making it to the tree line and Chalet.  That means he handled 8 kilometers of the 9.5% and 10.5% slopes.  Way to go Tim!  It was a personal best for me to; so I rewarded all of us with a mega-purchase of chocolate from the very smart person who had long tables of sweets for sale at the top.

It was really cold at the top, so we all layered up for the 20k downhill; WOW – the view and ride was breathtaking and totally spectacular; indescribable. 

We piled back into the van (now 8 of us) for a drive around mountains on tiny roads with a crazy driver who was determined for us to arrive in record time.  It was whiplash time.  But we arrived safe at 7.  Checked in, had dinner in record time (1 ½ hrs), and determined that there was no internet as usual.  Why expect anything else?

Sleep at 11:30 for an early start tomorrow.  That sounds familiar.

Day 5 Sunday 7-17-2011 Carcassonne to TDF VIP starting and staging area in Limoux

Day 5  Sunday    7-17-2011   Carcassonne to TDF VIP starting and staging area in Limoux

Day / date / Location: 

Miles on bike:    NO bike ride today     hr 0 mim                   Elevation gain:   0

                               

                                Total miles today:  0.00      Total miles for trip:  323.98

$ toward Pledges at 0.026 per foot gained:   14,975 x 0.026 =  $389.35

Highlights:

Breakfast at 7:30; packed, checked out and gone by 9AM.  Arrived in Limoux at 10. 

We had VIP access into the staging area, team buses, sponsor tents, and starting area.  Let’s call this a mingle morning. 

We went to all team buses, pictures of riders, coaches, free food (good too) coffee (yes!) and millimeters away from all the famous bikes.  Contador’s; Cavandish, Evans, Hincape, Andy and Frank Shleck’s, and the yellow bike of Voekller;

All the others of course. 

Displays were up in the sponsor area; old photos, past winners; just a variety of stuff.  Did I say free food and coffee?   The sweet and meats and  coffee were excellent. 

Poor Tim, he had his photo taken with Miss France.  And he was inches from Contador as they got ready to ride.  One rider had many stitches on his face and road rash from a crash; lots of bandages on the riders. 

Then on to Poulzilhac near the Pont du Gard/Avignon a good 120 miles away on crowded roads.  A long 6+ hour bus ride because of all the TDF traffic.  That was hard and boy did I have muscles tighten up. 

One night at Hotel La Closeraie.

We all thought this was a very good day, so cool to be with teams and riders.  Tomorrow is early again…..  Why?

It is a killer day.  Mt. Ventoux.  Difficulty index of 164; 7.1 average gradient; 14.1 miles UP; 5322+ feet of elevation gain, the 2^nd most difficult ride in the French Alps. 

We ate at 8:30PM and got to sleep at 11:30.

Day 4: Saturday 7-16-2011 Pyrenees Mnts: Col de Latrape

Day 4:  Saturday    7-16-2011   Pyrenees Mnts:   Col de Latrape

Day / date / Location: 

Miles on bike:    Up the Col de Latrape; Difficulty index 67; Cat 2;  7.2% gradient;     2hr 22 min       Elevation gain:  3794      

                               

                                Total miles today:  25.63      Total miles for trip:  323.98

$ toward Pledges at 0.026 per foot gained:   14,975 x 0.026 =  $389.35

Highlights:  Depart quant Beaudean at 8 AM;  ride at 9:30

We need to be at the viewing point by 1:30 before caravan closes the road.   The whole group (13) followed the tour route along a picturesque mnt river in a valley for about 10 miles.  Then up the Col de Latrape; Difficulty index 67; Cat 2;  7.2% gradient; 5.6 kilometers,  Today is sunny and hot.  Tim made it up the whole way to the summit!  Good for him!

Again riding on closed roads is SO nice.  And the downhill from Latrape was excellent, meaning fast. 

Our picnic & view point wss 1.5k up Col d’Agnes (8.2%) from 1:45 - 3:15PM;  So Tim had his second flat (rear this time) at the bottom of d’Agnes so he got out of riding up.   He wasn’t sad.  Great picnic location; satellite TV, food, good uphill viewing location for the race…

The TDF caravan threw us lots of goodies, and the racers were inches away from us going uphill. They do work hard.   Of course the photos are great.  Our group got a discarded Thor Husvald water bottle and a Thomas Voekler’s ear piece.  He is the TDF race leader.  We then got on the bikes for the short downhill to the bus and the LONG ride to Carcassonne. 

We arrived at the hotel 8:00; dinner was 9 – 11:30 in the Carcassonne Castle (built in 1032) at a high class restaurant.  Amazing!   It was another satisfying day.

Back at the hotel at midnight; one quick email and to bed! 

Tomorrow is early again…..

Day 3: Friday 7-15-2011 Pyrenees Mnts: (Col d'Aubisque) - Col de Soulor

Day 3: Friday    7-15-2011   Pyrenees Mnts:   (Col d'Aubisque) - Col de Soulor

Day / date / Location: 

Miles on bike:    From the top of Col d’Aubisque to Lourdes;    1 hr 41 mim             Elevation gain:   1801

                               

                                Total miles: 85.35

$ toward Pledges at 0.026 per foot gained:  11,181 x 0.026 =  $290.71

Highlights:  Leave hotel on bus at 8, Riders started at 10 at the bottom of the d’Aubisque.

I and Tim rode the bus to the top of d’Aubisque; my legs were not ready for a Cat 1 or HC; its difficulty index is 120.  The Tourmalet I did yesterday was 133; and the reason I bonked on Luz-Aridien was it is a 111 right after the Tourmalet.  Oh well.

Great pictures and views at the summit.  So Tim and I started down on our bikes from the top of the Col d’Aubisque.

The heart rate elevator today was when one guy a bit ahead of me stopped to be with his friend and pulled his bike horizontal on the road right in front of me.  I and a girl behind were yelling NO! N O! NO! and when I veered to the right of him my left foot blasted into his rear tire.  Fortunately I stayed upright and continued down with no other issues. 

After the short ascent of Col de Soulor (difficulty index of 28), a totally incredible downhill.  Let me repeat that. 

What a fantastic downhill ride; the road was closed to cars and just an occasional walker going up to a viewpoint. 

Here Tim had a flat on his front wheel heading down at a good clip.   No wipeouts when slowing and the sag wagon was 1 min away; a quick fix and he was off.  Only 25 k to go and we have to beat the Caravan.  Time to go fast!  Tim set a personal speed best for 10k and even did time in the pace line.  I stayed tucked in on the back.

Then for the last 15 kilometers, our group were the only riders out there meaning the whole road was ours!.  Sweet!

Is this cool?  Going thru old town Lourdes filled with spectators yelling and clapping for us was 10 times better than any IRONMAN finishers ending crowd.    And Tim and I riding together thru the town was a real highlight moment.

Then on to the VIP viewing area, free food, T V, upper deck viewing from 150 meters from the finish line, not crowded and porta-potties.   Proof that this was a VIP area.. 

We are enjoying every min of this. 

Back to Beaudean at 7; dinner at 8:30; work on pics and posts;  sleep at 1AM

Tomorrow is early again…..

Day 2: Thursday 7-14-2011 Pyrenees Mnts: Col du Tourmalet AND Luz Ardiden

Day 2: Thursday 7-14-2011   Pyrenees Mnts:   Col du Tourmalet  AND  Luz Ardiden

Day / date / Location: 

Miles on bike:    15.35 to top of Tourmalet;  2 hr 40 min up             Elevation gain:  5008      

                                 11.44 to 8 k from the top of Luz Ardiden               Elevation gain: 1255

 I bonked and rode the van up

Biked down thru the crowd and cars to bus 11 miles          

                                Total miles: 57.79

$ toward Pledges at 0.026 per foot gained:  3117 x 0.026 =  $243.88

Highlights:

Start the ride at 7:15 AM;  cloudy, cool, mountain in the clouds; lots of crowds; one bus of Gendarmes crowded me off the road for a slow fall into mud, pride hurt, but I smiled at them, Unending 9+ gradient, very hard,  I loved it. 

Tim road the van to the top of Tourmalet and started down with me from there.  Incredible downhill; seemed like 20 miles and brutally fast if one let it.  We didn’t.  I had a front wheel flat while going very fast down but no problem stopping; changed it and then remembered to start the Garmin again.  Tim and I stopped frequently to take pictures.  WOW

Tim went on ahead of me and missed the turn to Luz Ardiden and has a very interesting tale of how he figured out a way to reconnect with us at 11 PM back at the hotel.  He watched the tour on TV at a distant town while we had our pictures taken on the Podium and viewing the finish right at the finish line in the stands.  Self-rescue in a foreign land.

Tim loved every min of it. 

Luz Ardiden is a BRUTAL climb.  We had an official escort over the finish line, podium pictures, VIP seating was too cool;

We also had to ride the bikes going down thru the crowd, cars, vans, other bikes and motorcycles with hairpin turns and no shoulder; 13+ kilometers! oh my! That was intense, arm and hand cramping, insane, never want to do that again, but I loved it…

Ferdando, one in our group, lost it on a turn down Tourmalet and ended up in a boulder strewn embankment; we saw him surrounded by medics but didn’t know who it was.  They medi-helicoptered him out; bruised vertebrae, mild concussion, he came back tonight in a brace and in good spirits.  He flies home tomorrow.  

We ate at 11 PM and got to sleep at 12:30

Tomorrow is early again…..

 Pics from today:

                                         TDF Podium

Day 1: Wed 7-13-2001 Pyrenees Mnts Col d’Aspin

TDF Daily report

Wed    7-13-2001   Pyrenees Mnts   Col d’Aspin

Day / date / Location: 

Miles on bike:    25 miles               Elevation gain:  3117                          

$ toward Pledges at 0.026 per foot gained:  3117 x 0.026 =  $81.042

Depart Holiday Inn Express Toulouse at 9:30 AM

Meet Custom Getaways at airport at 10 AM.  Peter, Giell, Thomas are the guides.   16 in our group.

4 + hrs to hotel;  outfit the bikes

Didn’t start the ride till 5 PM;  very rainy, windy, cold, 40 MPH gusts at the top, headwind back.  I loved every min of it. 

Tim rode 1/4 of the way.  Rain is not his favorite.

Profile:

Gradient:

On a nice day:

 

Seemuth's travel to the 2011 Tour de France - Preamble

Bob and Tim Seemuth (NFORGE trained) travel to the 2011 Tour de France - Preamble

7-1-2011  Friday  -  Background info

Commencing Wed July13th till the end in Paris on July 24^th two NFORGE trained (beta subjects?) (Sufferers?) will test their fitness on some of the TDF’s toughest mountain stages.  Bob Seemuth (age 63) and son Tim (age 20) accepted the challenge to have as much fun as possible. 

6 months agoCoach Paul came along side and said suffer NOW before the TDF and enjoy it later to the max.    We will prove him right.  To be honest, he said it with a smile, encouragement always, and in the context of a smart plan of action… but still suffer if possible.  J

(picture of Bob and Coach Paul back to back at Timberline)

FYI - Bob won the VERSUS 2010 TDF grand prize last year which provided the seed money to engage Custom Getaways for riding the Pyrenees and the Alps.   

CUSTOM GETAWAYS IS THE ONLY NORTH AMERICAN TOUR OPERATOR RECOGNIZED BY THE TOUR DE FRANCE and they have a nice package planned integrated with the TDF stages.    No other Tour Operator in the world takes more people behind the scenes at the TDF than Custom Getaways does.  We will see.  

Riding 10 straight days; 350 miles and 50,000 elevation gain will prove to be enough.  Imagine this:  *Col d'Aspin, *Col du Tourmalet + Luz Ardiden; *Col d'Aubisque; *Col de la Core,  Col de latrape,  Col de la Agnes; *Mont Ventoux; *Col du Noyer then to Gap; *col d'Ornon to Alpe d'Huez; *col du Lautaret; *Col de la Sarenne and up the 21 switchbacks of Alpe d'Huez.

 

Plus watch the time trial in Grenoble and handle a day in Paris.  Tough duty…

Tim is smarter, he will do the shorter rides each day, be the photographer and interview a wide variety of people.

Stay tuned.  If we can get internet connections in some of the mountain locations, we will report with short stories and pics.  It might even be interesting!  Expect to see the NFORGE logo well represented.



Tim’s final TDF training day

Tim’s final TDF training day:  For years he said “exercise gets in the way of enjoying life”.  Yah – he is 20. 

HA!  How times have changed.  Only 3 months ago he got his first road bike and learned how to clip in and get street wise.  

What did he do?  Larch Mnt summit ride; 14.3 miles uphill; 4.3% ave gradient; probably a cat 3 although Mapmyride has it as a cat 1 with wrong stats.  I trust my Garmin.  3739 foot elevation gain and the best view of the Columbia River and Mnts that is close to Portland.  2 hrs and20 min going uphill.  Good for him!   

Here is a quick picture tour:

Fresh at the start  

 

                                                                Do I really want to do this?

This is what he sees – 14 miles uphill

                                                Go for it..                                                            

 This is on the back of his jersey

He needed determination today!

                                                        He found snow..                                                  

and made it to the parking area

Oh brother!  The top is a ¼ mile hike up!

But it was worth it!

 

                                                                Mt Hood 

                                                                             Columbia River

Mt Adams

He let me come along for the ride

I tried to pull a “Coach Paul” at the top of Timberline the week before

Imagine!  Ordering a pizza and beer as recovery food at the top at Timberline!

I just couldn’t do it…..

(just kidding Coach)