Raid Alps 2024: Prologue

"Cycle the “Raid Alps” and enter into cycling legend and tradition . . .  as you climb mythical cols of the Tour de France such as the Galibier, the Glandon, or the Alpe d’Huez. The Raid Alps cycling challenge will take you from Thonons-les-Bains to Nice." 

Last year in the immediate run-up to my 70th birthday, I rode the Raid Pyrenees, an epic cycling tour and an epic life event. I wrote in some detail about the trip in this blog (you can find it by googling John's Raid Pyrenees Adventure), but it truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For months after my return from France and Spain where that adventure unfolded, whenever I looked at photos or reread my blog entries, I got choked up remembering what a wonderful time it was. 

My last entry from that trip included the question, "could I do a tour like the Raid in another year? Three years, or five? I can't know, but I do know that I hope I am fit and healthy enough to have the option. And I don't know if a repeat would feel the same as this week." I had also said, in gratitude for the adventure, "it is enough," because it truly was exceptional and singular, and satisfying. So why would I consider doing something like it again? Don't I risk being disappointed if it doesn't measure up to my time in the Pyrenees? I'm willing to take that risk, for even it's only 90%, or 80%, as gratifying as last year's Raid, I think it would be worth it. And so on September 1 we'll fly to France to begin a 2nd epic cycling adventure, this one the Raid Alps-- with a significant twist. Read on-- 

Within four months of our return from the Pyrenees a couple of my fellow Raiders from Madison began to talk about doing another tour, and since we'd had such a wonderful experience with Echappee Cycling Tours as guides and outfitters, looked to their catalog of planned trips, and decided that the Alps was the place to go next, IF the tour company could contract with the same pair of guides who rode along and supported us last fall in the Pyrenees. 

And once Xavier, the owner of Echappee, confirmed that Ewa and Constantin could again be our guides, the guys starting signing on. 

I raised the possibility with Carrie while we were in Tucson last winter, because the tour slots started to fill up, saying, "how would you feel about me going back to France to bike with my Raid mates?" After first replying--quickly, I'll add--that she certainly wouldn't want keep me from going again, she paused and said, "do you think I could go along?" What an idea! Her qualifier: only if she wouldn't have to do the biking. A few emails back-and-forth with Xavier, and not only was Carrie welcome to join our group (Xavier: "we can get her an e-bike." Carrie: "no! The point is I don't WANT to bike!") he offered her a discounted fee, AND she won't have to do all that work on a bike! Carrie can ride along in the "sag wagon" (support vehicle) that shadows the riders to provide food, water, change of clothing, and mechanical help as needed, or ride with the vehicle that transports our luggage to the next town, where she can explore the area at her leisure while we crank out the kilometers on our bikes. 

An aside to recall a favorite clip from The Simpsons: Homer, in response to Bart's complaint, "girls ruin everything!" "Now Bart, you say that now, but when you're older, you'll only THINK that." Of course, I would never say that Carrie's presence will ruin everything. I was constantly, last year, wanting Carrie to know what I was experiencing, and how I was feeling--in fact, wanting to share my experience with her was the first reason for writing daily blog entries--and having her there with me will make it easier for Carrie to know what it's about. And she was envious of all the good food and drink I told her about, and lovely hotels we stayed in, which this year she'll experience with me. I did tell her, when she asked, that I'd have to talk to Murray, because we'd already planned to be roommates again. 

So six weeks out we have our flights booked, travel insurance purchased, we cleared our calendars, and I'm starting to list what I'll need to pack--easier this time, because I know better what to expect. And also six weeks out a near-miss with a possible trip-canceller: while on a solo ride a few days ago I had a collision with a car. I'll call it a no-fault, as both the driver of the vehicle I collided with and I could have done differently to avoid it. I slammed sideways into a small SUV that had entered a bike trail crossing at the same time as I did, and I landed tailbone-first on the pavement. 

The sensation of hitting a large, barely-movable mass is unusual and very impressive, not something most people do often. Once will be enough for me. I was fortunate that it was side-on rather than grill-first, I did not hit my head on the car or the pavement, and had no broken bones nor obvious internal injuries, but I felt pretty shaken up, once the adrenaline wore off. I also had some pretty impressive bruising on the dark side of my moon, if you get my meaning.

[Note from the police report: driver of the vehicle said the cyclist "struck her vehicle at a high rate of speed, estimated 30 mph." She must have mistook me for a pro rider, OR she hasn't ridden a bicycle recently.]

Three days post-crash I carefully tried a short ride--my bike suffered no permanent damage--and found that the bumps felt . . . bumpy, jarring the sore spots on my torso, but the riding position and effort felt okay. I spent most of the following week riding on my indoor trainer where the scenery is more boring but the road much smoother. I've gotten into such good shape, subjectively better than I was at this time last year, and had plans to take it up another notch. But if all I do is recover and heal, and get back to where I left off physically, I'll be pleased. 

Also in prep I've been following the Tour de France, which has been more fun than ever because I've watched the tour on routes that we rode last fall, and some that we'll do this next fall. On Saturday July 14 the Tour climbed the Col du Tourmalet, one of the most famous stretches on the Tour, and the next day the Col de Peyresourde, the Cold de Mente, and the Col de Portet-d'Aspet, all of which we rode in the Pyrenees. As I watched the video replays I would stop the action, then pull up my photos (like the one below) of me and my group in the same location, remembering the terrain, the scenery and landmarks, and the exhileration of completing each climb.

My hopes for this 2024 Raid? 

--to complete the ride, whether sagging or not; 

--to enjoy the spectacular scenery as I ride; 

--to stay healthy and safe throughout; 

--to try to balance calories in with calories out, and appreciate the glorious opportunities for each side of the equation; 

--to share the experience with Carrie IRL; 

--to enjoy and bond with my cycling mates and guides;

--to give you blog readers a sense of what the experience is like for me. 

Thanks for riding along. Allez! Allez!