14 Days to go...

The clock is ticking and we're now a mere two weeks from the departure date.  This is leading into the last real push for training, four days, 6-12 hrs each coming up.  I've now scaled back the risk factor, no more climbing or high mountaineering, just plain biking and hiking.  Why?  Because it would be the perfect lead in to a country and western song to get injured right now and have to cancel the trip...

The last week was on the intense side as well.  A long hot bike ride, two days at a mountain hut climbing, more climbing, then more climbing, followed by a couple of days off.

One of my standard rides, Col des Montet, Barrage de Emosson, Col de la Forclaz, generally 3 1/2 to 4 hours for me.  I think due to a bit of jetlag and having a week off, I felt like I had a piano tied to my ass while I was riding.  Actually started to worry me.  Even more the next day, we walked into the Envers des Aiguilles hut, about a 3 hr hike, and I had to go take a nap after lunch.  It all started to come together after that nap though.

Saturday afternoon, La Peige, a short route, about 250 m vertical only about 5 mins from the hut, rated as 6a+ and pure granite.  The view from the top is always fantastic.  To add to this, there were ice/rock slides non-stop across the valley from the Tacul.  Funny about the huts, the food is never fantastic, but I can never get enough.  Envers is at about 2500 m, slept like a baby, well with the exception of about 20 mins where my neighbour jumped on me and then someone was snoring so loud they woke everyone in the room up...

Crack of dawn, literally, and we were fed, watered and on our way to La Fleur du Mal, a slightly longer route in the area.  What was incredible was the heat at this time of day, even at 2500 m, 6 am, it must have been 20 C.  It's 500 m vertical, mostly in cracks and again, pure granite climbing.  Up to 3000 m at the Deuxieme Point de Nantillons.  Quite a bit more physical than the previous day but we were still down in about 5 hours, just in time for lunch and a leisurely stroll back to Montenvers to catch the train down.

Feeling a bit tired, I thought something in Italy would be a nice change.  It was also so hot up there that it was becoming a bit dangerous so I was off with my friend Benji for a day there.  We left Cham at 7 am, thinking that a 3-4 hour climb would have us back at the car for noon.  Couldn't have been more wrong.  The route we chose was not only hard, but wet, making some sections close to impossible.  It was a long corner route and several sections had water running freely.  To boot, once we were out of the shade, it was about 34 C, probably more in the direct sun.  The bar owner thought we were crazy when we finally got down and found a place for a drink; two cokes, a large bottle of water, two ice creams and whatever else you can give us.  We couldn't stop laughing at the old italians in a card tournament there, constantly yelling at each other, I wish my italian was better.

The last day of the push was the Arete des Papillons, straight above Chamonix.  Luckily, this is north face and we were in the shade the entire morning.  Aside from some obnoxious American guide, the route was fantastic.

So there you have it, time is going so fast now, I'm still looking for the best pair of mitts to take as well.  All in the details right?

D







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