Monday the Second of September

Monday the Second of September - 02/09/13

Snell sports in Chamonix Centre had its first 'window' of ski equipment on show this weekend and very nice it looks too. The new range of modern free-touring ski's from dynafit & their accompanying boots.

Its only just turned September however, temperatures are in the 20's still and my tomato plants are still fruiting. Vallorcine's lift closed this weekend, and every weekend for the rest of this month a lift will close. Panic lift riding as Graham called it on his blog. But Cham valley is bike ban free now so thats great news.

Last year we rode into mid November so it can happen if the weather treats us well. We were also ski touring by the end of November!

We'll see what happens...

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What guides do between work in the peak of July

Summer is here, and after fantastic spring riding in Southern France and then all over Valais, Aosta and Haute Savoie with good friends it's been time to get back to summer guiding, taking hikers around the Tour du Mont Blanc circuit. There's much worse things to do, but with three weeks off the bike I was itching to get back on some trails. With a carefully planned week between tours I was excited and made some plans to hit up some classic lines, and some new stuff too. It's mid July now, so in Chamonix valley you have to think carefully about where to go to miss the crowds, and to avoid going on the bike ban trails (July & August). Luckily it's still easy to find quiet trails in nearby resorts, or to simply drop round the back of a hill away from the frontside lifts. It went a little like this: Day 1- La Thuile with Wayne of newly qualified French legal mountain bike guiding service Chamonixmtb.com . Enduro race venue at it's best, rough and raw. ...

Aosta-venturing

Everything a good day should have: Thanks to Mael for most of the photo's Not too early a start Bread (French) Coffee (Italian) Road climb to gain some height efficiently Trail riding in a super scenic valley Hike a bike Lunch stop with a view Snow crossing River crossing A high altitude hamlet Alpine flowers bursting with colour Near death, non riding related A Virgin Mary statue A puncture with jizzing tyre sealant (not a good day for 27.5 PLUS tyres) Incredibly tight switchbacks Pine needle smooth singletrack (One of the best sections I've ever ridden this year!) A snake on the trail Sitting in a beautiful old town square by an old church Gelato More coffee More tasty snacks Cold beer Supermarket shop for local goodies A German lady expressing her desire for queuing efficiency at the Mont Blanc Tunnel Can you spot team green?

Tour du Mont Blanc: Voie Toller- INTRO

Introduction: Jo Toller is my skiing touring partner. He has been cycle touring for many years all over Europe, and last Autumn he cycled across America aboard is "ultimate touring setup" with 700cc wheels, Rholoff internal gear hub, Ortleib panniers and silly shaped handlebars. He also climbs and walks alot around Cham valley during the summers. For a couple of years now he has had this hybrid TMB route in mind. Last year when I went to watch the Downhill World Cup in Val d'Isere I picked him up from Courmayeur on my return over the Petit St Bernard. He'd left Cham and in 7 hours had reached Courmayeur. He hadn't gone the road cycling route via the Grand St.B & Aosta, no, near Verbier he'd headed up the Swiss Val Ferret Valley as far as the road went past La Fouly and then pushed his bike over the Grand Col de Ferret and descended all the Italian Val Ferret Valley to Courmayeur town. Having walked the TMB in the same, non classical, c...

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