Beautiful day. Martin and I did a big loop around Lake Annecy via Col de l’Epine, Col du Marais and Col de Bluffy.

No matter how much you cycle in the Alps, there are always new climbs to explore. Today’s ride took me past 5 Cols, only one of which i knew (and four that were not in my cycling bible).

Today was a good example of a […]

That funny white thing with wings is a giant monument to the French Resistance.

Glieres was a major base in WW2 for the Maquis.

Pré means meadow in French - so Col des Prés clumsily translated means “mountain pass of the meadows.”

My wife likes to laugh at me and my “exhausted” photos

Many people don’t realize there is a lot more to do than just climbing the usual Tour de France route.

Col de Solaison seems only to be there for the pleasure of tourists, and amateur climbing cyclists in particular.”

- Atlas des Cols des Alpes

One of the fun parts of riding in the Alps is reading the cycling graffiti on the roads.

Today’s route still has remnants of 2004 Tour de France Graffiti - including several artistic polka dot tributes to French hero Richard Virenque.

Up top there was about a foot of snow, but it was hard and seemed rideable so I continued on.

This photo of the Alps in the distance gives a pretty good idea of what I mean when I say “getting above the clouds.”