Author: Will

The Cret d’Eau is one of the highest peaks in the Jura Mountains, about 50 metres lower than the highest – the neighbouring Cret de Neige, and we can see it from our driveway. It’s about 20 kms away as the crow flies. From Bellegarde there is a super route on mainly wide, deserted roads up to just under 1,400 metres, 250 metres or so lower than the peak. If it wasn’t so cold up high I might have hiked up further once the road ended – next year maybe. The last 4 kilometres is on a tiny — badly…

My friends call my Chilly. This is a picture from a couple of years back. It had been a while so today I figured a route from our new home to get back to Chilly. Very hilly ride (over 1,000 metres vertical) on nice quiet roads.

My little Vineyard Originally uploaded by will_davies. In the two weeks since returning from Canada I haven’t done any huge rides but have done a fair bit or riding near home. My grapes are just about ready to harvest . One vine has 5 bunches and the other vine has one bunch – not too impressive – but this small success means I’ll add more vines next year. .

Me and my tie-dyed buddies Originally uploaded by will_davies. Megan, Rachel, Andrew, Molly and Ryan. The frogs were relieved to hear we were going home.

Family Portrait Originally uploaded by will_davies. I spent two weeks in August visiting my family. A great Muskoka Vacation. This is our first family portrait in a while. Jonny is wearing a wig.

Tuesday, I complained about Col du Granier not being as good as expected. Well this was the opposite. What a fantastic ride. Just north of Thonon-Les-Bains, south of Lake Geneva, turning of a busy road, suddenly there is a well-paved,tiny road with absolutely no traffic. It hairpins up a the side of a mountain,leading to great views in all directions of mountain lakes, lake geneva,other mountains, etc. The Col is only 6 kms along the route – which starts out quite steep. But at the Col there is another 4.5 kms up to Treschauffex, and a signed viewing point. I…

This climb is most famous as the last climb on the 1958 Tour de France stage when Charlie Gaul took back 12 minutes on the leaders and went on to win the Tour. Nicknamed Monsieur Pipi because he “invented” taking a pee while continuing to ride.

Another ride of small climbs south of Lake geneva. But if you do enough smallish climbs it becomes a big one. And today was a fairly big ride. Col de Cou was the lowest rated ride in my book so I wasn’t expecting much, but instead of the main way I found a very nice small steep road up. Over the other side a quick visit to the nearby Col des Moises then down through the lovely Vallé Verte region. Then the small Col de Saxel. But a turn left at the top and there is a great 6 km…

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Tres Mont

What a trip. Our most ambitious cycling vacation ever. Our first visit to the Southern French Alps. Eight big climbs in 8 days. Every one a legendary Tour de France route. Hard work but really fun. it was a dream of mine to climb Bonette (the highest road in Europe) and Izoard (scene of so many epic Tour de France days. Luckily Doreen was supportive and allowed me to indulge a little). And she biked 5 days and climbed Izoard and the equally amazing Galibier. I knew Bonette and Izoard would be awe inspiring but what a nice surprise…