Saint Gervais - Thonon

This was planned as a big day and so it proved in more ways than one.

Departure a bit late but we rolled about  8.45 heading for the hills. The first rise from Saint Gervais had a couple screaming that their heart rates were rising. I must admit I knew the road and i'm sure it made it easier for me on the front.

Descending through Megève we picked ip a local 62 yr old frenchman who accompanied us to the bottom of the Aravis climb where we said good bye.

Aravis is nice easy climb with a 6 way crossing of the line for Agnes.

Down through La Clusaz and  Saint-Jean-de-Sixt and into the valley of Le Grand-Bournand

Left at the bike shop and onto the climb of Col de la Colombière. (1613 m) This is the easy side and it is only a short climb from Le Grand-Bournand  (12kms) on mostly easy grades. Of course made harder by strong pressure from the lads.

Dave & Phil on the front with Wayne and then Geoff  bit further back. I managed to stay within a km of the front so a good day climbing for me so far. Colombière is topped and the boys ogle a couple girls before we drop off the back side. It is a free drop at about 12% with easy corners and  we flow comfortably down towards the town of La Reposer. Just as we are about to enter town phil finds a road divot while only one hand on the wheel.

From Dave's front road seat - Phil flies free of the bike making a small slow somersault before landing on right elbow, left shoulder, right shoulder and then some brake dancing while sliding on his back before leaping to his feet ready to go.  Well not quite.

Damage all round and soon the face is chalk white. We escort Phil into the small town and search for some 'help' - but there is nothing except a small shop with some plasters. But the monsieur is helpful and finds a pad and some bandages and I wrap the arm (it will need stitches) - clean the leg an we roll on plan b.

Down to the town of La Cluses where our faithful driver is waiting to assist Phil to hospital
That takes the rest of the day and we don’t see them for the rest of the day.  We plow on - after a lunch in La Cluses..

A 36degree hot hill climb over to Taninges before climbing through Col Les Gets  heading for Morzine (the mtn bike capital of the region)

A relaxed stop watching some tour de france, eating sorbet and drinking while Al searched for a shop to help sort his headset. No luck but a bit looser.

So for the big climb of the day to Avoriaz 1803m. This was first ridden in the Tour de France in 1975 and Bernard Hinault still holds the record of 33mins.

A group ride up the hill through flowing corners while mountain bikers descend after their day playing in the sun on the dirt (chairlft assisted)

A uphill mtn biker provides some incentive over the last 4 kms and we actually aren’t catching him until the boys decided that it really is time - and Dave charges up to him with Simon on his wheel but the American mtn bike does not sucome easy and it takes Dave at full noise to actually drop him and that is only in the last few meters. Very impressive.

A small tourism tour for a few minutes and we descend down to the turn to Lac de Montriond.  This proves a great find as a small tar road descends via ski fiield chair stations and through ‘goat town’ and finally out onto the main drag to Thonon.
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Stop lights hold up the traffic and gives us a free ride down the valley. It’s team time trial time, and we set (for me a personal record) of 40kms in a hr but it includes the descent from goat town. Probably descending the valley at 45-50kms in TTT lineup.

A fantastic way to finish a week or so in the alps - bring on the Pyrenees

166.1km    7:26:36 riding time    3,314m of ascending

https://www.strava.com/activities/347545993