Ready to Rock and Roll

Spent this morning packing. After the last attempt at packing and forgetting all sorts of important things, I wrote a check list and got my mum to check it all off

She was a teacher for the best part of 20 years, so she was in her element with the red pen checking things off. So we all are pretty sure we have everything we need.This is all my kit. Seems a little bit on the 'I must have forgotten something' side. But I have a sleeping bag and a tent and my wallet, so I am sure I will survive.

So we are off first thing tomorrow morning, we will not be near telephone or email for 3 weeks so there will be no updates or checking of email. We will both let people know we are alive as soon as we get near a phone at the other end. So until then, hope you all have fun and expect a picture bombardment when we get back!

अलविदा और आप सब को फिर से तीन सप्ताह में बात

Nervous excitement

How the hell did that happen! Suddenly we are two days away from going to India. I know I have been saying we have been doing stuff in preparation but we have not really been thinking about it. We woke up this morning and it hit us like a stone. None of us have been over there, or done anything like this so we are all very excited, but with that excitement there is a certain amount of nervousness. 'Will my bike last?', 'Will I get AMS?', ' Will we be eaten alive by wild cannibals?' (last one only flashed through my mind once).

This morning Scott and I went to the pharmacy to get all the medical supplies for our first aid kit; we bought most of the the French supply of imodium. I had slight difficulties with the bloke behind the desk, he was one of those French people who can not understand you unless you pronounce it just like a local. So we asked for imodium in my best french accent - he looked back at me blankly.

Ee-mo-dee-um s'il vous plait - another blank face.

So with embarrassment I resorted to hand gestures that made the women next to me blush, the bloke behind the desk went - aaaaaah ee-mo-dee-um. Bloody frogs.

Apart from that today has been spent drawing on maps:

Lara spent most of the day writing her book. Yes she is writing a book! But shhh I never said that. Tonight we are doing some more preparation for India, Scott is cooking for us. So if we don't get the shits tomorrow we shall be ok for the whole trip!

We all tied together (again)

Keen to try and get as much altitude in us before we go to India, we decided it was time to go and try the big one next to us. The Barre Des Ecrins is the largest lump in the Ecrins, it stands 4102m in height an is the most southerly 4000m mountain in the Alps.

So we drove to Ailefroide and started the walk in. From previous experience we decided that walking up in mountain boots wrecks the feet so we decided to carry the boots and walk in in trainers

Scott and I starting the walk in, and yes I do have a bit of climbing tape on my conk ( I slightly burnt it the day before biking). Our packs were heavy and the weather was hot.Arriving at the snout of Glacier Blanc. We walked up to the right of it, and kept on the rock as long as we could. We then changed out of trainers and put on our mountain boots and roped up and got onto the glacier. The weather forecast was for storms in the afternoon and it was coming up to 5pm, and the weather was closing in, so we hot footed it up the glacier. Our aim was our sleeping place for the night the Refuge Des EcrinsA great Mountain refuge built over 80 years ago. It sits high up on a rock ledge and as the glacier has receded it has got higher and higher so the final bit to get to the refuge was a steep scree slope. The Barre Des Ecrins can be seen in the back left.Scott and Lara climbing up the last few rocky bits to the refuge. Once there, we were shown to our dormitory by the guardian and then went and joined the rest of the people staying there in the main room. Everyone sits on long bench tables and eats together. We got talking to a Romanian climber and had a few beers. Lights out in this refuge is at 9pm, it is a bit like having jet lag. For those of you who have stayed in a refuge you will know what the dormitories are like; basic and comfortable, but cramped. Imagine a room with 2 mezzanines in it sleeping around 30 smelly climbers. It is like an international snore off competition, and those who do not fair well in this comp, usually do well in the international smelly socks comp. Ear plugs and a few beers to aid sleep are essential!

We got up at 3am to get ready for the climb, this is a god awful time , eating is hard, bowels are usually paralysed and the world is generally a hazy fuzzy place. After getting our stuff ready we set off at 4am

Lara and Scott leaving the refuge, it is not the best picture but I believe it relays the way we were feeling rather well.

Walking down onto the glacier from the refuge. Because of the popularity of the route there were about 20 people attempting the same peak of us. Most of them ahead of us due to our mountain jet lag (as I call it). So the sun is not due to rise for another 2 hours, the snow is hard and getting along the glacier is easy (ish) Lara at the bottom of the climb, the dark sky is starting to get lighter, but it was still rather cold as we are now at about 3100m.Looking up where we are going is rather a cool view, from this bad photo (it is very hard taking pictures in this light with no tripod!) you can see the head torches of the people in front of us. So we set off. The wind picked up and the temperature plummeted due to the wind chill, at least we were walking up hill to keep us warm.Yours truly looking a bit like a gimp, with the sky getting brighter. The going is easy with only a few major cravasses to negotiate. The sun rise brought brilliant colours and a bit of much appreciated warmth.

Unfortunately we saw a climbers fall and take the other 4 who were tied to him off after climbing up the steep wall at the top and they all fell into the Bergshrund, it resulted in a helicopter shipping them off, speaking the guide who was close to them and called the helicopter, thankfully they were not too hurt and will live to tell the tale.So making sure everything we had was correct and with sure foots steps we set off again, we got to the Col were we had a small rock step to get up onto the ridge to get to the top and the wind was blowing a gale and it was freezing. After very short talks we decided not to attempt the ridge and join the other 5 in the helicopter. We went the other way up the neighbouring mountain which offered us more shelter and an easier option ,the Dome de Niege which stands at 4018m.

From where we were it was only 30 minutes to the top. We were greeted by some incredible views and still a good sense of acheivement. The wind was still strong and ice cold on top here, so

We grabbed a quick few pictures and hot footed it (or cold footed it) back down. The walk down was going to be long, as we decided to go all the way back down to the valley to the car in one go.Coming back off the Dome De Neige with the Ridge of the Barre Des Ecrins in the background (left for another day).Me back down and back onto the glacier (I have drawn our route in red). From here it took about 5 hours to get back to the car. I have never walked so far down hill in all my life. it was just over 2250m from the top to the car. By the time we got down we were pretty finished and with our last bit of energy we ate ice creams and rubbed our extremely sore feet! A great few days, with some lovely mountains and climbing. I love this place.

Not how to do it!

Scott's bike fully loaded and ready to go, we took all the stuff we are taking to India.

So off we went, I forgot a very important piece of the bike when I built it, which made it unrideable, Scott's seatpsot was too short and I forgot all the tools to adjust the bikes as we went along.

This equalled me having to get the train home from Briancon and Scott and Lara riding back by them selves. Must try harder.

Still, better here than finding out in the middle of nowhere in India! I am off to the garage to fix my wrongs and then write a check list so I can stop forgetting stuff.

Off for a test run

The initial plan for today was to meet up with Matt and Emma again and go up into the hills again and climb, the weather had different ideas for us. Tomorrow is forecast for storms with 120kph winds, so we decided to think again.

So, instead we are going off on a short cycle tour to test out all our stuff for the himilayas and make sure it all works and that we are not carrying too much gear or too little.

So off tonight and shall be back tomorrow. Be ready for some red faced pictures!

Move up higher.

So having been based in Guillestre it was time to move to La Grave to get a bit of altitude in us In preparation for India.

Whilst in the Alps best way to get up high is to take the lift! So early start to get the first lift, (almost got it , but someone who will remain unnamed forgot there socks and had to run back to the campsite to get them) . Our goal for the day was to be the 'Pic De la Grave' Lara setting off up the glacier. We went as two parties, me and wife roped together, and Scott Emma and Matt roped together. The first part of the walk was fairly flat on the glacier, a certain huffing and puffing coming from behind us as certain people had not been at altitude and poor Matt was a little worn from his run to the campsite (whoops did that slip! :) sorry Matt).

Lara crossing over the bergshrund on the Glacier De La Girose, a definite don't look down and run moment.Scott contemplating his turn to cross it as well. didn't know he could move so fast.Matt and Emma safely over the big hole and on way up the snow slope. From here it was fairly straight forward for a whileLooking back down to M,E & S on there way up. We had a little bit of difficulty getting up a icy pitch as a french guy on the way down had lost his crampon and was making all sorts of issues and blocking the way, so having to climb around him was "interesting"Once we got to the Col it was just a little rock step to get to the top. Above is Lara moving up to be the hero she is by reaching the top.Lara standing on the Summit of the Pic De La Grave at 3672m high. We were greeted with some incredible views of the Ecrin, over to Italy, Mont Blanc Massive and all of the Vallouise regionThe obligatory cheesy photo of us!Scott and Lara Walking off from the small rock step from the top.Matt and Emma did a brilliant job getting up, especially as it was Emma's first alpine route. She was rightly happy with herself, and soon got over her initial fear and 'female emotional outlet' of earlier on.

We decided that the icy pitch at the top was too steep to down climb, so abseiled down it, and then had a walk back down

Then the last difficulty was to just get back over the bergschrund and back onto the glacier where it was a simple walk back down to the telepherique and back down for a beer.A great day with the only issues being we all ended up with burnt noses even with lots of factor 30 being applied. I think i might invest in some of the Ozzy cricketers zinc nose paint!

We are now back in Gap to sort some bits and pieces out before we go to India. Only ten days to go now until we are off, getting very excited and worried for my poor bowels!!!!!

Weeeeeee Splash

After checking the forecast the evening before and seeing that it was going to be bad weather again the next day, we decided to go for another water based activity. Having swam down a river a few days before that we decided it was time for something new. So Canyoning it was. To those who have no idea what it is - you put on a wet suit, a harness and a helmet and swim/jump/squeeze your way down a steep gorge in the river.

I decided it s time to finally pull my finger out and use my Xmas present from Lara - my helmet cam. So above is a quick edit of the video I took. No music just a quick hash so people can get an idea of what it involves. I shall make an effort to take more video and spend some time editting them to a higher level next time.

Matt from the outset decided it was not for him as he is not to keen on water. Lara and Emma where nervous, Lara not being keen or comfortable in water did brilliantly jumping of every thing, Pulling some hilarious faces in the cold water. Emma was a hero and jumped off everything and squeezed though everything. Scott and I both loved it and are keen to go and try bigger and harder canyons. We have been told we shall be doing it alone......

Meeting up with Matt and Emma

After running home and dumping all our dirty bike clothes, we re packed the van with other bits and pieces and ran off to the Querya's to Meet up with Matt and Emma. We had a few beers over the evening catching up on each other's news and making plans for the next day. We decided to go climbing. On waking up in the morning the sky was a threatening colour but we decided to go for it any way. Half way there it started to piss it down. So a change of attack was needed. What best to do if it is raining than to swim down a river. So we all swam down the durance again. I don't think i will ever get bored of swimming down white water! No pictures i am afraid as water is not kind to cameras.

Next morning we decided to try and have another go at the climb we wanted to do. This time the weather was on our side and we had a beautiful sunny day. So we walked up into the hills to do

It is an 8 pitch mountain route. Lara had decided that she was still tired from racing so decided it was a day by the pool for her and I was to climb with Scott and Matt and Emma climbed together.Above the route can be seen by the red line I have drawn on the picture and the offenders that swore their way up it. The climbing was great with some great moves up this huge slab.Me on the 2nd pitch before crossing the snow, the snow was rather hard and we had to use "tiger claw" as demonstrated below to safe guard ourselves
The next 2 pitches got a little more interesting with the crux of the climb being an overhangMatt at the top of pitch 5 happy that he conquered the crux, We then were on a grassy ledge were we sat and had lunch an admired the view. From here the climbing was easy again and was just lovely movement up easy rock in a great surroundingMe belaying Scott on pitch 7 just below the top of the climb.Scott at the top "me mountain man" pose. He wanted to run off and build a fire and find meat to eat , but we had a long walk down again so he had to be restrained....... A great day's climbing.

Off to get high

So we are off again, we are going to go do some alpine climbing. trying to get high in the mountains and stay there fir a while to try and get some altitude in our bodies before we go to India.

So expect billions of photos over the weekend when we return.

The Mega

Didn't have any time to write the blog over there, as I was either tearing down a hill gripped on for dear life, or asleep trying to recover from the previously mentioned activity.

First off though was my birthday. We all went out on mass for dinner

Birthday boy on the night. Lainie decided because it was my birthday that she was going to freak me out by pulling funny faces and scaring me.... and it worked.I thought i would definitely put a picture of her up here as a sort of pay back!As the evening progressed things got gradually worse ( as can be seen from above) - the rest is a fuzzy mess that is best left unrepeated and unwritten.

So onto the practicing of the race courses. We had two races to do, the qualifier and the main race. The qualifier track was a shorter course but faster and more DH bike orientated. The race course started up at 3350m on the snow and ice and we had to ride across a glacier then through the rock field into the alpine meadows and then down into the tree line to a small village called Allemont at 730m. Killer.

Come the day of the qualifiers we are all feeling a little nervous and excited of what is to come, a few of us less than others having previously raced this race 2 years ago. Frank at the start line of the qualifier. It is a Mass start of 200 riders all going hell for leather for a small line into a bend. Very scary and fun at the same time if that is possible. To cut a long story short we all did rather well in the qualifiers, all placed well and no one had any major spills. Below is the video of Frank's and Euan's Start of the Qualifier..... see it for yourself and imagine being in that!

Lara just coming through the finishing line. She did amazingly and I was very proud of her as she only had got her DH bike about 8 months ago and flew down the course!

So all done with the qualifiers. We all felt a little beat up and tired. Onto the Main race. For those of you who ride bikes I am sure they will have heard of this race and it's reputation. I can confirm to you it is totally justified and correct. It is 100% crazy, not in a extreme mental sort of way, but more a 'who the hell came up with the stupid idea' sort of way.

So here we are at the top of Pic Blanc (3300m) at 6:45am freezing our proverbial tits off. Due to the volume of people taking part in the race you have to go up very early to get the snow on the glacier as hard as possible, great. It was at this point that Lara's fear really kicked in. The idea of lining up with 90 other women and riding down a glacier as fast as possible seemed to loose its appeal. Scott being the good friend he is kindly offered to take her place and race with the women. hmmm, good try Scott. So they all lined up and the starter gun went off and all the girls went hammering off down the hill.
The lady at the front is 10 times Downhill mountain biking world champion and Gold medalist at BMX'ing, so you can see the pedigree of the women there.

It was at this point it was time for all us men to get wobbly knees as it was getting close to our turn. we all sat there and said we were fine, but truth be told we were all bricking it!

we all lined up and as soon as the gun went all nerves went, it was race time! it is all a bit of a blur, but all i can say it that is was blur of sweat , pain, breathing out of ones arse and complete and utter brilliant fun for around and hour and a half.

Me at the finish. Not sure of the results yet as they are not out, but we all did ourselves proud. Non of us near winning but the world's best are here doing it so we were never going to win. We do know Lara's result. She came 38th out of 80 women, Seeing that just under half of these women are seasoned racers or sponsored racers with teams looking after then and there own websites etc... she did amazingly well. better than all us blokes really. shhhh but we don't like to give her a big head!

The finishers. Scott was there as well but he was that broken he was lying at our feet!

The big question is ..... what is next, how do we top the Mega Avalanche!