Training Log Archive: Carbons Offset

14.9

C • Welcome home! 4

Canmore Trail Culture group run
Went with the Caffeinated group. Only about 7 of us. As we left the parking lot, I quickly noticed that the caffeinated group is now "Triple Shot Espresso" with a couple of sponsored elite racers who are knocking off FKTs set by Adam Campbell etc, plus a few other runners who keep up with these elites. I haven't been to the Tuesday night runs in a long time and the fast group has morphed to an even higher level. Oh well, I came to get worked tonight, so... try to hang on. I also wasn't sure how tired I might be from the bike trip and whether I would run out of gas after 15 minutes.
Along the powerline to the far west ascent to Highline. The group was super fast but I decided to hang on and see if the pace might come down just a little after some time. Breathing hard all the way up the ascent; this time I got to be the guy listening to others talk and realizing I couldn't talk at this pace. Then across to the Peaks of Grassi descent. Back along Three Sisters trail where the pace turned into a fast flat run but I was holding on well and now keeping up with the others fully, and finished with a little more kick toward the end while others were slowing just a little.
It felt great to get worked like that. I'm glad I was able to hold on.
Headed to the Wood where they have a $10 Tuesday steak special that was great, and my meal was even paid for by some sugar mama single mom whose kid is away.
Still wasn't tired despite the jet lag, pretty pumped on endorphins after the hard run. Cranked the stereo and drove home too fast.

C • A pace that 'shuts up' CO..... 1

A three-col loop to finish off the trip. From the house in Jausiers, headed to Barcelonnette, then Col de Cayolle, Col de Champs and Col de Allos. More good scenery, different again. Some really nice green forests, black coal seams, lots of really dramatic folds in the rock stratigraphy, waterfalls, etc.
Got some good applause from a big hiking group that had parked just before the first Col.
Just beginning the second climb, saw two guys walking their very old mother and they asked where we came from. When I said "Canada", I then wasn't sure if they were asking where we started our ride from. He did reply "that's very far!".
The last climb past a big ski resort had a big stack of switchbacks that went on and on.
Got to ride with the supergirls for a lot of the day; good fun.
In total, we rode 5 of the 7 cols that exit the Ubaye valley, and drove the 6th one (Col de Larche).

Drove up to Larche Col, got to see the section that we were considering riding but is prohibited for cyclists because of potential rockfall. Cloudy and cold (8C) up high. Drove back down a little and had better visibility and warmer temperatures. Did a swift hike that gained elevation quickly, got up to the col in about 1:15. The trail was often just distinguished by grass that had been pushed down but not worn down to dirt; this trail does not get a lot of use. Still, there were a few signs or posts to mark the trail. Had a snack on a little sub peak while looking out at the views. Just below us was a tiny cabin that was either a backcountry hut or maybe used by sheep herders? The terrain and vegetation up here are very much like the Canadian Rockies around Lake Louise, and looked very similar to a lot of spots we have backcountry skied in Canada. Several of us were noticing the nice glades and good slope angles. I wonder if they get enough snow?... Back down the other side of the col to complete a lollipop loop and rejoin the first bit of trail. Down to the van in about 45 minutes. Weather held on fine despite some chance of precipitation in the forecast that had us deciding not to ride today (and nice to have a day off the bikes and mix it up, especially before a big day tomorrow).

La Bonette, altitude 2802 metres, the highest pass in Europe, and Col de la Moutière (2444 m).
The girls took a head start and I tried hard to close the gap so they wouldn’t be waiting and getting bored or cold somewhere. I figured I might be able to make up 25 minutes but had a 40 minute challenge in front of me. I tried but failed, and also couldn’t resist taking a couple of photo stops on the way up. This valley and the climb were really pretty. As I was climbing the last couple hundred metres to Col de la Bonette, the girls were coming down because they were cold from waiting so long. Sorry :(
Waited a long time to get a photo of the marker stone at the top of Bonette because a large motorcycle group was quite proud of their accomplishment and taking many permutations and combinations of photos alone, in pairs, in groups. I waited patiently like a polite Canadian and one guy eventually noticed and even offered to take my picture. Continued past the snowbank to complete the loop around the peak even though it was closed. A bit of minor gravel and small stones but totally rideable.
Then down the other side of the col with some nice swoopy road. A racy looking couple passed me and proceeded to pass the motorbikes that were railing around the corners. Met up with the group at a coffee stop they had lower down, refilled bottles at the fontaine, and began our climb up to Col de la Moutière. This climb felt more like a back road climbing up through forest. The grade got steeper than the previous climb, especially toward the end. Granny gear and standing up. After passing the col, we were soon into a few km of gravel that we expected (“you put road pedals on your road bike?? What were you thinking?” ;) ). Such is road touring with adventure racers. Managed to ride a bunch of it but got thwarted by some snow covered sections and had to walk the bike past those. Regrouped at the end, I fussed with cleaning the grit and gunk off my rims and brake pads, and then had a fantastic descent. Really beautiful. Even though it was a lollipop loop, the long section of repeat looked and rode entirely different in the other direction (obviously).
A fun adventure going up and over and into the next valley, and some epic type 2 fun on the gravel and snow ;)