Mostly Bikes ⨯ Me

Col du Galibier & Alpe d’Huez.

2026-07-31

Galibier before breakfast, with the subrise, before the traffic and while the marmots were still squeaking. Three marmots on the way up, another two on the way down. They prefer to perch on boulders, so they’re pretty easy to spot. Alpe d’Huez was just an easy bonus, since it was actually a descent from col du Sarenne, which we had to ride anyway on the way to Grenoble to catch the train home. Maybe we’ll come back and do it from the other side some day.

Preview image for Col du Galibier & Alpe d’Huez.

Col du Lautaret

2026-07-30

A series of decommissioned tunnels provided a welcome respite from sun on the climb to the col. We’re at the Hotel du Glacier, which of a very different time. That time has clearly passed.

No train? Train? No train. Train! Train?

2026-07-29

Skipping the hot flat stuff and swinging through Turin via rail. Three trains became six. Of those six, one went as expected The first train rolled out of the 1940s, and kicked off all the bikes The second, a 20km ride south, said it was cancelled. It wasn’t, but indicated it was going the other way. It wasn’t, which was good. The third left on time and arrived on time The forth never left at all The fifth, midway, kicked everyone off to a sixth The sixth train was imaginary The fifth train re-boarded an hour later, after a crash on the rails had been cleared, and arrived in Turin rather delayed.