Training Log Archive: coach ld

I had agreed to drive to Geneva airport to pick up Phatty and Leanimal this afternoon - with help. Phatty had asked an American friend who had to pick up his family at the airport at about the same time if I could follow him. But I had to get to his house first. Given my recent efforts a trying to read road signs here I decided Id try biking, when there was very little traffic, to find the place so that I could stop and look for the not-very-obvious street names at the roundabouts. It's impossible in a car. I did pretty well on the bike and did find the place:). Then I biked on the lake trail. It was lovely as always. Pretty hard not to smile when the sun rises up over the peaks, illuminating the mist on the mountains, and warming the pretty garden plots, while hot air balloons drift lazily up, up, up and the lake shimmers turquoise blue below. Magical as Hermes would say.

C • Magical 1

Nice evening swim at the Petit Port as the sun was setting behind the mountains, after a welcome-home dinner for Leanimal and Phatty. Their kids were very happy to have them back.

C • The Heroes are Home! 2

Not a lot of pop in th legs this morning so I just walked on the lakeside trail. Another beautiful early morning in paradise:). Early in Annecy is anytime before about 10. Except the cheese store I passed which opened at 7:30. It was gorgeous in there. Dairy art. So I spent some money.

After playing at the beach with Wee and E I did a good swim while they basked on the warm rocks - with Grandma of course. It was lovely.

Thunderstorms were forecast for this afternoon so I headed futon the bike early to beat the rain. I wanted to get a picture of the castle in Bluffy so I rode that way and then when I saw a sign that said 10km to Col de la Forclaz I thought "I can ride 10 km more". The next 3 kms were hilly but doable an dit was a gorgeous morning. The sun was just rising behind the Veyrier and the turquoise lake below was shimmering. I turned up the road to Col de la Forclaz and that's when i saw a sign that said "6%/7km". There was a helpful and encouraging sign that said 6% grade every km after that, but it started feeling like 16% at the 3km-left mark. Then it felt like 60% for the last couple. I'm pretty sure I've never done as long and steep a climb as that. I had to stop 3 times in the final km and rest. But I did make it to the village at close to 1500m and the view was worth it:). Coming down was almost worse. My hands were cramping trying to brake and I may have worn out Leanimal's brakes. They were certainly starting to squeak loudly! I was about 1/2 hour faster coming back.
And Wee and E and GG were pretty stoked to wake up and discover Phatty and Leanimal had finished the Nordic Islands AR - in 9th!! Wow.

Another spectacular summer day! Rode south along the lake on the rail trail, and then on to Balmettes. A quiet town still in the valley, surrounded by farm fields ringed with mountains. Even saw a snow-capped one. Stopped for a cafe then turned around and rode back. So nice.

Quick km after a picnic lunch on the boardwalk at Petit Port:)

I headed up to the Talabar intending to go up further but ended up going further across, then down into Veyrier du Lac. It was an awesome afternoon with some pretty views of the turquoise lake, and a continuous parade of pretty parapents drifting and dropping down the valley. I ran back from Veyrier on the lake trail and then jumped in the lake for another swim before stopping at the boulangerie for a croissant amande:)
Then Wee, E, and GG had another adventure with me driving them to Bluffy for dinner at Jayne's. What a beautiful house on the side of the mountain. Lovely dinner, and finished off with a cheese plate that would've made Goose drool. So much rich creamy cheese. One even had truffles in it. Who needs dessert when you have a million calories worth of expensive cheese after dinner?

Spent the morning with Leanimal's Canadian friend Jayne and her kids at a kids' park up in the mountains,"Ferme de les Epouvantails" (Scarecrow Farm). It was pretty fun but hot and I took a beating in the pillow fight house. Not only was I the target for Wee and Big E, and Jayne's 2 kids but complete strangers' children had no hesitation at all in pummelling me and jumping on me - while their parents sat in comfy chairs on the outside watching. I think they may have thought I worked there.
I snuck in a swim at the lake afterward. I missed the 83rd annual Lac Annecy swim across-the-lake event today. If I had known about it before this morning I would have entered. Gorgeous day to be in the water and why on a Wednesday? Because today is a national holiday for some sort of "Assomption" or other.) and everyone was happily playing, swimming, SUPing, kayaking, renting "Pedalos" (pedal boats with a slide on top), doing yoga, sailing, parapenting, biking around it etc. Such a classic summer day at a lake - in Europe. Not a Jetski in sight, and only a very few motorboats or water-skiers. So nice. Everyone shares the lake nicely. Not Muskoka.

Wee and I did our morning ride in the other direction along the lake. She did well but there were actually several hills and no playgrounds so she wasn't that impressed. I went that direction later and rode all the way around the lake. There's some trail on the east side but there are lots of sections with no trail, on a narrow winding road, tight up against a mountainside. The difference from riding in Canada is that here bikes are respected and given space. Drivers do not hank at you, or give you the finger. They do swing out at least 1.5 metres to go around, and if there is no room to do that they slow down and follow until there is room. And there full families with small children riding and elderly people, and women in flowery dresses, and bikes with trailers and wagons, and middle-aged men and women with briefcases or purses riding push scooters, all manner of rolling devices and sizes and shapes of riders and no one is stressed about getting anywhere faster. Everyone stays on their side of the line. Slower people let faster people pass. Faster people patiently wait until it's clear to pass. And there are hundreds of people on the bike path at any given time. And hundreds more on the separate walking path. SOOOO civilized!! And then, you just jump in the lake for a swim to cool off:) Love it. On a completely different note Leanimal and Phatty, Harps and JY are not short-coursed, they seem to be doing rather well in 11th on the swim-run!

A soggy day. Heavy rain early then some clearing so Wee and I rode along the lake to the bird pen, playground, city vegetable garden etc. before it rained again. She's doing great on her bike. I spent a few frustrating but also hilarious hours trying to drive the Mueller-Camernon standard VW through the narrow and confusing streets of Annecy. Almost went down several one-ways, stalled at practically every roundabout, and never did find the way to the sports store to get Ewen a new helmet. I gave up and tried walking with him to a nearby bike shop. Nope - rentals only. Got back in the car with written directions form Google - nope couldn't find any of the streets. Luckily Ewen was so excited to be getting a new "Jet" helmet he patiently sat and waited for me to find the tourist office and get parked in a parking garage (another comedy). There was a sports store right beside the tourist office. After about 3 hours of driving, walking, driving some more in circles, it took about 30 seconds to find the perfect helmet to make Ewen go really fast.
After that long day, once the rain stopped I went for a trail hike/run to the Talabar again and then down to the lake for a bit. Nice evening:)
Unfortunately Leanimal and Phatty i think are now short-coursed in Sweden/Finland. The kayak leg had to be cancelled due to 2 metre breaking waves and crazy winds on the Baltic Sea s there have been some adjustments.

A soggy day. Heavy rain early then some clearing so Wee and I rode along the lake to the bird pen, playground, city vegetable garden etc. before it rained again. She's doing great on her bike. I spent a few frustrating but also hilarious hours trying to drive the Mueller-Camernon standard VW through the narrow and confusing streets of Annecy. Almost went down several one-ways, stalled at practically every roundabout, and never did find the way to the sports store to get Ewen a new helmet. I gave up and tried walking with him to a nearby bike shop. Nope - rentals only. Got back in the car with written directions form Google - nope couldn't find any of the streets. Luckily Ewen was so excited to be getting a new "Jet" helmet he patiently sat and waited for me to find the tourist office and get parked in a parking garage (another comedy). There was a sports store right beside the tourist office. After about 3 hours of driving, walking, driving some more in circles, it took about 30 seconds to find the perfect helmet to make Ewen go really fast.
After that long day, once the rain stopped I went for a trail hike/run to the Talabar again and then down to the lake for a bit. Nice evening:)
Unfortunately Leanimal and Phatty i think are now short-coursed in Sweden/Finland. The kayak leg had to be cancelled due to 2 metre breaking waves and crazy winds on the Baltic Sea s there have been some adjustments.