And Then I Got High

I’ve just realised I’ve been living in Nice for almost 2 months now doing some amazing roads and climbs...and haven’t blogged about it. I know! Big oversight on my part. Anyway, I’ll avoid all the ‘filler stuff’ and skip straight to the big one. Today I did the Col de la Bonette. The highest paved road in Europe at 2,715m (8,907ft). Oh wait, what’s that? The Stelvio Pass is 2,757m? Balls. Ok well it’s actually a little loop of road at the top of the Col de la Bonette called the Cime de la Bonette (2,802m) that’s the highest paved road in Europe (the French basically decided to build a little loop just to get one over on the Italians. Good on ‘em), however much to my dismay (ignoring all logic with all the snow around) that was still blocked! So unfortunately I can’t say I’ve ridden the highest paved road in Europe today (but I’ll probably see if I can get away with it until I can go back when the Cime is open...)

Either way it’s a cracking climb. 17 miles and about 5,000ft of ascent (sorry for switching back to imperial-I’m programmed!). I was a little apprehensive of the whole altitude thing, as I’d never gone over 2,000m before and that’s apparently where ‘funny stuff’ starts to happen, so I paced it slightly conservatively. Which actually isn’t entirely true. I paced it over conservatively on the lower sections in anticipation of getting my ass kicked once I passed the 2kM mark (I genuinely had this image of there being a line painted on the road with something like ‘start suffocating now’)-I still wanted to do a decent time! As it happens it wasn’t too bad, maybe I’m one of the those people who don’t feel the effects quite so badly. Although having said that, I did try to lift the pace in the last mile or two and was strangely lacking oomph...altitude or just 1hr 15 climbing in my legs? We’ll never know. I did however pick up a couple of KOMs for the last couple of miles, which I’m pretty chuffed about. Although that is always an accidental thing right ;)

The descent was awesome as well, as I’m sure you can imagine, half an hour of sweeping good quality fast roads. Heaven! I also saw some random Beaver-ish mammals that turned out to be Marmot. I must have seemed quite the ignoramus not knowing they were Marmots, but hey-I live in Wales for half the year normally so give me a sheep and 9/10 I'll correctly identify it.  Apparently it’s actually quite rare to see them (Marmots not sheep); not if you ask me though, I saw about 10 on my way up and down!

I’ll leave you with a few pictures, they speak better than words...

Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée. The bottom.

Going up.

Going up but looking backwards just to keep you on your toes.

Going up and looking forwards but in the 'backwards' direction. Switchbacks see.

I've lost track. 

Getting close to the ass-kickin line.

The top! In the distance.

Had to resist the urge to 'melt' my name into that. If you get me.

The view from the top (Col top) back down where we'd come.

The elusive Cime. I'll be back for you Monsieur!

To the rest of the Alps.

Pro photo bomber.

Mountains. Can't beat em!

Although this came close. Officially Best Ever Pizza. Honestly! Recovery food innit.

Getting out of the car in an alpine downpour to test a prototype. Dedication!

So to sum up: rode a big climb, loved it, got a headache and a cough from the altitude, achieved inner nirvana on the descent, had a massive Reco Pizza (TM), came home. Not a bad day way to use a public holiday!

Ciao.