A Grand Tour with a Grand End

I can think of no other way I would have wanted our Tour of the Tour to end than the way it all played out last Sunday on the Champs-Élysées. It combined all of the best parts of the trip: old friends and new friends, great athletes and champions, some cancer kicking and the beauty of Paris.

It all started at 6:30 a.m. with the sound of the alarm. Dave, Anne and I dragged ourselves up and out of our beds, through breakfast and out the door on our way to Paris by 7:30 a.m.

We were some of the first to arrive that morning on the Champs. But we weren’t “the” first. That award goes to Livestrong Volunteer Superstars Jerry and Angie Kelly from Alabama.



When it comes to following the Tour de France, watching the final day on the Champs and supporting Livestrong – Jerry and Angie wrote the book. Jerry is a cancer survivor and a longtime supporter of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. He and Angie were out there raising awareness about the fight against cancer and supporting the foundation long before LAF coined the term Livestrong and launched the yellow bracelets. And each year they continue to impress with their fundraising efforts, raising thousands of dollars and being honored at the annual Ride for the Roses event in Austin.

Dave and I have had the privilege of meeting the power duo several times over the years: at Ride for the Roses in 2007, at the One Voice Against Cancer D.C. Lobby Day in 2008 and at the Livestrong Summit in Columbus in 2008. We have also followed their efforts through social media and by following their blogs of their Tour de France adventures (part of the inspiration for writing our own blog for the trip). They have also met Lance on many occasions and are close friends with the Lance Armstrong Foundation staff.

A few weeks before our departure, I e-mailed Jerry to ask some advice on following the Tour. I knew he was a busy guy, and wasn’t sure if he’d have time to respond. Well, I should have known better. Within 30 mins, I received a wonderful, long response, packed with advice for our adventure. And also an invitation to join them on the Champs for the close of the Tour in the un-official, official Livestrong cheer section. We were honored.

So Sunday morning, when Anne, Dave and I arrived in Paris at 8, Jerry and Angie were already there – setting up – since 5 a.m. Impressive.



They cordoned off a large section of prime real estate. Without a doubt the BEST spot on the Champs for Tour viewing purposes (you’ll find out why later). They also “borrowed” a few extra barricades and hid them under flags, so when no one was looking, they could create a “pen” for us there and protect our area from the swarms of people to come.

They also strung up from the tree over our head a giant vinyl banner of Lance that says “HOPE RIDES AGAIN” that has had many TV cameos on Versus throughout the last two years of Tour coverage. Along the barriers they hung American flags, LIVESTRONG banners and a banner commemorating Jerry and Angie’s fundraising campaign “The Peloton Project.” There was no mistaking it, this was Livestrong headquarters.






Over the next few hours, we made a lot of great new friends as we began the long wait for the riders to arrive.

There were Dan and Margot Fowkes from Oregon. And their children, Jimmy and Molly. Jimmy is a 17-year-old brain cancer survivor who is currently battling the disease for the third time since he was 13. Jimmy got the attention of Lance and the foundation when he was first diagnosed and at 13 was one of the top fundraisers for the organization. He and his family actually attended the same Ride for the Roses as I did that year. Jimmy and Lance formed a strong relationship since then. The two of them keep in contact. According to Jimmy’s Dad, Lance has been a huge supporter of Jimmy and would move mountains for him. Lance will call Jimmy and send him encouraging text messages and has told him, that he can reach out to him whenever he needs him, 24 hours a day, no questions asked. A few days earlier, Jimmy even got a personal Tour of the Radio Shack team bus. There is no doubt that Jimmy (who will be attending his first year of Standford next year) is a very special young man and his family is amazing. What an honor to get to know their story and to share a fun day with them.



We also met 25-year-old Steven from Ireland. He was fantastic and a fast new friend of ours. Steven is currently living in Cambridge, England and traveled across the channel to connect with the Livestrong group and see the close of the Tour. He spent eight years as a bass player in a band in Ireland until he became disillusioned with music. For the past two years he has been working at a Red Cross Thrift Store in Cambridge and has decided that he wants to find a job where he can give back and help people in need. Getting to know the Livestrong crowd is a great first step. He’s a huge cycling fan and supporter of the Foundation.



Other new friends: Crawford and Emily from Scotland; Mike and Terry from Toronto; brothers Bixby, Happy and Will – and their Dad, from Greenwich, CT – to name a few. All friends that Jerry and Angie have made over the years either through Foundation work or through their seven Tour experiences. We also re-found our new friends from the Top of Tourmalet – who are founding members of the Livestrong fundraising event “24 Hours of Booty” (that has already raised 7.5 million for the Foundation). We had suggested that they come find us, and they did! And they spent the day with us as well. What a wonderful, passionate group of cancer fighters and cycling fanatics! We were ready to cheer on Lance and the Tour.



Later in the day, we got visits from Livestrong Staff who knew Jerry and Angie would be there. Chris Brewer, a senior manager for development and communications at LAF, came by and delivered really great Livestrong retractable banners for us (along with two bottles of Champagne) and Renee Nichols, a cancer survivor and director of development for the Foundation – who is also close with Angie and Jerry, spent most of the afternoon with us. Renee also used to head up all of the Livestrong Challenges.



When Chris came by, he shared with us that Lance and Radio Shack (who would be awarded first place in the Team competition) had a plan to wear special Livestrong Jerseys on the final ride on the Champs. They were black jerseys with the number 28 on the back – representing the 28 million people in the world battling cancer. However, we later found out that Tour officials made them take off the jerseys on the road! They later put them back on for the award presentation and team photos. The good news is that the fact that they were ordered removed caused worldwide news coverage and in the end probably ended up bringing a lot more attention to the Foundation.

By now, the crowds were growing, and the natives were getting restless. The rows of people outside our barricades did not appreciate the amount of space that we had been hoarding – even though our group had been there since 5 a.m. and the newcomers had only just rolled in around 2 p.m. Nevertheless, a few bad apples got pushy and started pushing at the barricades (no lie) they asked for our “official papers” and threatened to call the police. Things were getting unnecessarily mean (Jerry and Angie said that in all their years, this had never happened). So they relented and took down the barricades. But before they did that, we all spread out and lined up along the front of the barricades and held tight to our prime spots. Despite some continued pushiness and arguments (with help from our French speaker Anne) we held our ground and kept our places in the front row.



Then the famous caravan arrived! Our old friends from across France! The rubber duck on wheels! The pole dancers! The giant chicken! We hadn’t seen them since the Pyrenees. What fun to see them rolling around at top speed, blaring their horns on the Champs!




And then the hour-wait between the caravan and the arrival. It felt like it was lasting forever. Anne’s brother Steven had joined us, and he was very helpful – calling home to get updates on when the riders would appear. The countdown had begun, the kilometers between us and them were dropping quickly.

The flashing lights of the lead motos appeared on the Champs. The peloton was here! Oh how exciting it was to see them speed in circles around the cobbles. We were at the top of the Champs, right by the Arc on the edge of the turn as they came back down the loop. We saw them speeding toward us and racing around the corner to head back down the main drag. The gears crunching, the carbon wheels wooshing and the bikes bumping across the stones. They raced around Paris eight times and we cheered them like mad each time they came around! The Radio Shack team car knew right where we were and Johan honked like mad at us each time he made the circle. Allez! Alllez!





Over the loud speakers, we heard that Cavendish had taken the stage win (but not the Green Jersey). As we had all expected. The podium presentations were at the other far end of the Champs, and we could barely hear what was happening on the load speakers. But that was just fine. We knew from Angie and Jerry that we still had the best seats in the house.

And that was confirmed minutes later as the first team rolled slowly down the Champs toward us for their team picture only a few feet away! It was great. One by one, each team arrived and stopped in front of the media for their photo. And when they were done, we cheered and cheered and called their names and they headed straight for us to say hello, shake our hands and sign autographs. Dave and I had brief encounters with riders like: Carlos Sastre; a signature from Ivan Basso, handshakes with Cadel Evans, Ryder Hesjedal and George Hincapie. A brief conversation with Canadian Michael Barry and Irishman Nicholas Roche. And even a congratulatory hand shake and good wishes to the unstoppable (and adorable) Andy Schleck.












But life really got exciting when Team Radio Shack arrived. The crowds went absolutely nuts for Lance and his crew. It was great to see Johan (team director) riding down the champs next to Lance on his bike too. It was also very emotional, knowing that this would be Lance’s last appearance at the Tour de France (at least as one of the riders).

As soon as their photo was done we yelled like crazy. But there was no need. Lance knew exactly where the Livestrong crew was stationed. It was surreal. He had his sights set and started walking directly toward us. The media was all clustered in front of him, blocking his path. He gave them such a stern hard look and brushed his arms aside, and they all parted for him. He walked through the crowds straight to our barricade. And then when he reached us, he turned around to face the cameras. We crowded around him and thanked him for everything he has done and dozens of cameras clicked and flashed like mad. And the cameras all had lights on them, so the entire scene was lit up with a white glow. At one point, Lance reached over and grabbed Renee (director of development for the Foundation) and hugged her tightly. The cameras flashed. And standing right by his side, as it should have been, was Jimmy and his family. It was his tribute to the work of the volunteers. He didn’t speak or steal the limelight, he just stood there and made sure that the volunteers who always stood behind him had their time in the spotlight. Thank you Lance!




(Later that night, I searched the internet for photos of that moment and came across the following photos from the Associated Press and Reuters. How fun!)





And like that, it was over. The last riders disappeared, the crowds began to disperse. And all of a sudden, I realized that our Tour was coming to an end. We spent some time hugging all of our new friends and passionate cancer fighters from across the globe –exchanging contact information. I really do hope that all of our lives do cross paths again. The Livestrong Community is so inspiring and I am very proud to have been a part of it for all of these years.

Anne and I made a quick trip into a nearby store to pick up some decadent macaroons for dessert for later that night and then the three of us trudged back to the car after our 12-hour day on the Champs-Élysées. Twelve hours and it was worth every second.



That night, we had a lovely dinner with Anne’s family. We shared stories, ate good food and enjoyed the nice weather in their backyard. We had her mom’s meatloaf, polenta and delicious grilled vegetables. Dinner was followed by fromage of course. And then a dessert that was a perfect ending to our culinary travels: fresh and colorful macaroons from Paris, perfectly ripe green plums and café.

Then it was off to pack and then to bed – with visions of the Tour and meeting Lance circling in our heads. We were sad, for certain, but also content that our trip was a huge success. We had a grand tour of an amazing country that came to a grand end on the cobblestones of the Champs-Élysées. A fitting conclusion to our adventure of a lifetime.

Soaking Up the French Life

We were back in Paris on Saturday and had a day to spend with a dear friend and her family. As much as I didn’t want to bring our adventure to a fall circle, I had been looking forward to returning to Paris and spending a day seeing it through Anne’s eyes.

We hadn’t arrived at the Fajon’s house until the early hours of the morning on Saturday, so we decided to take our time and sleep in that morning. It was relaxing for us to approach a day without a plan. I had already told Anne that we were “done” with sightseeing – but would definitely like to spend the day absorbing Paris and the French life. So that’s exactly what we did.

It was lovely to see Anne’s family that morning. Anne’s mom, dad and brother Steven joined us as we finished breakfast. We shared a few stories from our adventure, with the promise of more to come over dinner. We also gave Anne and her mom some small gifts from Provence as a thank you for all of their kindness as hosts. They really helped make this trip perfect.

Dave and I cleaned out our little rental car from 4000 kms of travel, looking under seats and in the trunk to make sure we got everything out. Then we piled into the car with Anne and headed to Paris for the day.

It was definitely cooler than when we left the city two weeks before and the sun was out, which was a nice change from the dreary weather in the Pyrenees. We dropped off the car and headed out on foot for a day of aimless exploring.

Our first stop was one of Anne’s favorite locations in the city – The Shakespeare & Co book store near Notre Dame. The quaint bookstore had been in business for more than 50 years and has become a Parisian icon. We walked along the Seine until we reached the corner shop. And then we spent some time browsing the books in the little store. The place was teaming with books on every table and every crowded nook. It was the kind of book store where you are bound to happen upon little treasures that remind you of the joy of reading. I found Dave tucked in a back corner of the store examining a 1962 paperback on the science of thunderstorms, while I was flipping through a Keats poetry anthology looking up a favorite sonnet I memorized in high school.



Next we decided to enjoy another famous Paris icon (which Anne hadn’t known about, and so was new and fun for all of us): Angelina’s Patisserie, famous for its hot chocolate rich enough to keep a spoon upright. We metroed and walked down to the famous tea shop along Rue de Rivoli. It was a beautiful place in the ground floor of a luxurious hotel. The three of us treated ourselves to a wonderful lunch. I had a croque madame, a yummy hot ham and cheese sandwich with a fried egg on top. Dave had an omelet with mixed greens and Anne had a tomato gazpacho over a thin layer of avocado cream.

After lunch we treated ourselves to a chocolate, raspberry, cream tartlet and the three of us shared one of the hot chocolates with whipped cream. It was so rich, wonderful and thick that the three of us could barely get through one.



After our decadent lunch, we metroed over to Gare de L’Est to walk around the Canal Saint-Martin and browse some quirky shops. Anne thought it would be a fun, and different, neighborhood for us to explore. We wandered in and out of some colorful stores and some design and photography book stores. And we just took in the feeling of the neighborhood, the music, cafes and young people sitting along the canal enjoying the afternoon sun. It was a wonderful way to enjoy our last full, free day in the city.



In the early evening, we met up with Anne’s father in the city (he had to go into work that day) and he drove us back to the house. Anne’s mom and brother had already started the aperitifs, and we joined in. I had my second kir of the trip. And then we all sat outside in their back garden and were treated to a yummy dinner of grilled pork, fresh bread and a light potato and cucumber salad. The meal was followed by fresh cheeses, a blueberry tart and café.

The conversation with family was great and the whole day was lovely. It was a good relaxing precursor for the whirlwind of a day that we had ahead of us on Sunday watching the Tour de France roll into Paris.

A Day of Epic Proportions

Three days ago, Lance Armstrong showed the world that he still has a fight in him – plowing up the East side of the Col du Tourmalet and reminding the young riders how once upon a time he made winning seven Tours look easy. Today, I had the fight in me and I finally accomplished what I set out a year ago to do: I conquered Tourmalet on those same roads. Done and done.

The word epic is thrown around loosely these days. But relative to my own life and my own accomplishments, today’s ride was, indeed, epic. One hour, 36 minutes. 10.5 miles. 4,300 feet of elevation gain. Average grade 9%. Average speed 6.5 mph. Stoppage time, none. I did it. I conquered Tourmalet.

We set out this morning from Luchon, after hugs and kisses to Nicole and Daniel – who so graciously hosted us for five days – and drove up over the mountains to the base of Tourmalet. The rain had finally stopped, but the clouds still hung low over the mountains. There was no chance of having any views today. But, to get to the top, all I needed to see was the road ahead of me – so the challenge was still a go.



Dave and I had hatched a plan the night before. Descending these twisty, narrow, steep roads is not my strong point – especially in a cold wet fog. So the plan was that Dave would drive up to the top, park and then have a chance for a fun descent to come meet me at the base. I hung out at the bottom and waited for him, letting my nerves keep me company. Sure, I had biked up Port de Bales a few days before, but something about Tourmalet made my heart race and my doubts seep in. I watched a lot of very fit riders take off for the climb and wondered if I was in over my head.

But no time for second guessing, because Dave rolled up. He was bundled up and cold, but smiling from ear to ear after that fun descent. It took him 30 minutes at an average speed of 30mph to ride down what would take almost 2 hours to ride back up. He now claims that going down steep, winding roads at high speeds is his new favorite thing to do – and would be even more fun if the roads weren’t wet and the fog allowed him to see more than 15 feet in front of him!

We each had one more banana for the road, chugged some water and clipped in to our pedals. We were off. And from the first minute on our bikes the road went up and up. We started at the base on the East side of the mountain – the side that Lance road up on Tuesday, not the side where Andy and Contador battled on Thursday (that side is next on my to-do list). And there’s not much to say except that the road went up. It started out at about an 6% average for the first few miles and just started to get steeper and steeper as the ride went on.

The nice thing about this ride is that the pitch gradually got steeper the entire way, so your body had the ability to dig into a rhythm. Once your heart rate has a chance to settle down, you just choose a cadence that works for you and let that take you up the hill. And when the road pitches up, you just push a little harder and keep up that cadence. It’s a rhythmic battle and if you have enough strength in your legs, it can get you up the mountain.

At about 10 kilometers into the ride, we hit the cloud level, and from that point on – it was just you and the road. It provided a good opportunity to read all of the painted names and cheers on the road for the Tour: “Allez Andy” “Contador!” “Thank you Lance” it was fun to see. But to be honest, they were just a passing thought. Anything that distracted me from my rhythm was out of the question.

We were really out in the clouds now and I knew that one side of the road dropped off; and I knew from the pictures that the view was incredible. But not today. Today it was white and thick. Just me and the road. We rode under a few avalanche guards, and came across the random wandering cow (you could always hear the cow bells off in the fog). And on the way up, we made some friends. Other riders that we would pass, or that would pass us. There were a lot of Americans up the hill. Once nice guy took our flip camera and filmed the two of us working our way up. Once we’re home, I will figure out a way to share that!

As we worked our way up through the clouds, the damn road just kept getting steeper and steeper. My legs were screaming at me and my lungs were bursting. But quitting was not an option.

We finally rolled into La Mongie, it’s a small ski town about 4 kms from the summit. I’m sure it was very nice, but all I saw were buildings hidden by fog and an uptick in vehicles that all threatened to disturb my rhythm. I was in a place where I knew if I had to stop, my legs may not let me start again.

I can barely remember those last 4 km to the top. My body felt like it was starting to break down. I think there were a few tears, I know there was a lot of pain. The only solace is that the fog prevented me from seeing how many switchbacks I still had to go. All I could see was the road beneath me and Dave steady in front of me. It hurt, hurt, hurt. I didn’t think I would make it, but somewhere deep inside, I knew that very soon I would be standing at the top.

The final switchback….man, that was a steep turn. I remember it well. I pushed hard up that road. I vaguely remember Dave cheering me on, telling me that we were there. But until I saw the famous sign and the large statue of the bicyclist up in the hill, I wasn’t there yet. Then, through the fog, it appeared – the summit. My legs were shaking, tears were flowing. I had a mission. I powered all the way up to the sign and unclipped out of my bike. Dave was there to hold me up, and I put my head down on my handlebars and sobbed. I did it! I was on top of the world!





But you’d never know you were even five feet above sea level, the fog was so thick! Dave and I took the mandatory pictures at the summit (which I’ve posted here). We also met up with our new American friends and found out that they would be in Paris to see the final of the Tour, so we invited them to find us with the rest of the Livestrong crew (more on that to come).

I was done. It’s like finishing a marathon or something similar, you just smile and look around and wonder where your band of triumphant trumpet players are standing and why a parade isn’t being thrown in your honor. But what I did see were dozens of cyclists that all had that same smirk on their faces. We had all joined a special club that climbed the toughest road in the Pyrenees.

Dave went to get the car and had another little adventure. Apparently, when he got there, llamas had surrounded the car. Yes, llamas. I guess they like climbing Tourmalet too. I was wondering what was taking him so long as I was shivering in the fog…the llamas wouldn’t let him move. It was a standoff.





Then we were off, and over the top of the mountain, and down the other side. The side of Thursday’s Tour stage. (where we had planned to be standing, but reconfirmed that we would have been freezing and miserable). The fog had cleared and the views coming down that side were out of this world. I assume that the views on the side we climbed up would have been similar, if we hadn’t been socked in. The two sides are very similar climbs, but the West side is slightly longer.







And then pretty soon, we had driven our way out of the Pyrenees, and the climb seemed like something out of a dream. In the car, I just had to keep pinching myself and saying….I climbed the Col du Tourmalet today! Woo!

And now we are on a drive of epic proportions. I won’t go into details here, but a miscalculation on the atlas set us back about two hours on our loooong drive back to Paris. So we are rolling along right now, currently north of Bordeaux, and we expect to arrive at Anne’s house close to 2 a.m. Tomorrow, a relaxing day in Paris with a dear friend.

But for now, those trumpet players are still blaring Chariots of Fire in my head and somewhere on the top of Tourmalet, a parade continues to roll in my honor. I accomplished something great that I will never forget. I challenged myself to achieve something that I never thought possible. I trained hard. And then I got on my bike and I did it. And there’s no better feeling than that.

A Real Rest Day

No pictures today, no real stories to share. Dave and I just relaxed. After giving up on Tourmalet this morning, we slept in. Then we headed into town around 11 and had some crepes for breakfast. I learned that ham and cheese crepes are really messy, but taste really good.

Then we wandered back to the hotel just in time to turn on the start of today's stage...and proceeded to stay in the room for the next six hours watching the Tour and listening to the rain continue to pour outside. I fell asleep now and then. It was perfect. In the beginning, we questioned our decision a bit, but once we saw the riders on Tourmalet and the dense fog, we knew that we made the right decision.

We were both glued to the set watching the epic battle play out between Andy and Contador. Andy kept accelerating, but couldnt shake Contador. We were frustrated for Andy, but excited to watch the duel play out. Cycling at its finest.

Once the stage was over, we headed out on the road for about an hour and drove around. Crossed over into Spain, checked out a few villages, but the clouds were just so low and dense that we couldnt see anything.

Back in town, we headed out for dinner and had a wonderful time. We found a fondue place and stuffed ourselves silly with yummy beef, sauces, frites, salad, ice cream, wine and cafe. Then we rolled home through the empty, wet streets of downtown Luchon.

Now, as I write, the thunder is rolling in again. I really do hope that this system passes over night. But whether it does or not...Tourmalet looms in the morning. I will finally have my chance to attack the mountain. Wish me luck!

Downpours, Thunder and Tough Decisions

It's miserable weather in the Pyrenees. We are socked in, and storm after storm keeps rolling in. It's almost as if Tourmalet knew that I wanted to conquer it today. Well, I will conquer it - but not today. Epic stage finish or not, it wasn't worth the cold two hour climb in the pouring rain, waiting eight hours with half a million of your closest friends, shivering in wet clothes, and then decsending on wet slick roads with the cold wind seeping into your bones. No, when we woke up at 6 a.m. this morning, bed seemed like a better choice. Sigh.

So here's the plan. Today, staying put and watching the stage on TV (and routing for Andy to make his big break! C'mon man, pull out a miracle today!). We'll find something fun to do on this rainy, rainy day.

And then then tomorrow morning, no matter what the weather. We are climbing Tourmalet. It's what I came to France to do and I won't go home empty handed. At least if it's raining tomorrow, we dont have to stay at the top for more than a few minutes and the descent down will be solo and not with all of those people and cars.

And then the long drive back to Paris and Anne's house after that.

So yes, tough - but smart- choices. And now, back under the covers!

UPDATE: We've been checking Twitter for people commenting up on Tourmalet. Apparently it's freezing and raining cats and dogs. People are bundled and shivering. As disappointed as we are, we made the right choice. Now, off for breakfast somewhere warm and dry!

Lake OOooomg I'm So Tired

This post will be short and sweet because we have to get up in 6 hours to cycle up a crazy steep mountain in the rain and I need my beauty sleep. But that's okay, because the last day and a half should be shared more in pictures anyway.

Yesterday, after we watched the Tour leave Luchon, Dave went on an epic ride the long way around Port de Bales. I am so proud of him. It was an amazing climb and the entire ride took about 3-4 hours. He took some great video of his journey that I have been trying to post on this blog, but I'm not having luck. Hopefully I will get that working at some point.

Anyway, while he was pedaling like mad, I went for a 5.5 mile run on the flatest road I could find around here - surrounded by beautiful mountain views.

We reconverged around 5 and decided to milk the fact that it stays light until 10 and pack a picnic dinner and go for a hike. So, on the advice of our innkeeper, we picked up some yummy paninis and fresh fruit from town and drove out to the trail head for Lac Oo. Which is a few km from, you guessed it, the town of Oo. Which is very famous around here.

Poor Dave had some sore legs, and I had really pushed myself on my run - so we were a little tired. But we were determined to take advantage of the beautiful night and see the famous Lake Oo. Well, I was determined - Dave humored me. He was one tired guy.

The view from the parking lot alone was amazing. And we looked up into the canyon and realized that the only way to get to this lake was up and up and up (kind of like everything around here). So we set out around 7:30 and proceeded up into the mountains.



And the trail got steepier and rockier and steeper. And started turning, switch back after switchback. I got a sudden burst of energy (the kind that only my friend Jon White would understand...if he's reading this). Dave said, if we dont reach this lake in 10 mins, we're heading back. So I took off running up the trail. I figured, I'd have a better chance of reaching it in 10 mins if I ran - and plus, I'd be out of earshot of Dave saying let's turn back!

Up and up we continued to go. And a little over an hour into the hike, the trees parted in the canyon and we reached the amazing Lake Oo. It was paradise up there - and according to the tired Dave, really worth the hike up. The place was massive. Deep blue gem-colored water, towering peaks and giant cascades feeding down the mountains into the lake - including a huge waterfall right in the middle of it all. The sun was still shinning into the canyon, and the moon was already out. We sat on a rock overlooking the lake and ate our paninis and took it all in. (on a side note, like everywhere in France, there was a restaurant up there. Apparently, they bring everything up by ATV. It's a tiny tiny place and there were only a couple people up there in the middle of nowhere. But when we sat down at one of the picnic tables, we were instructed very sternly that it was a restaurant and unless we were buying, we had to sit on the rocks. No problem)





After our dinner and some long looks at the lake, we headed back down to the car. We arrived at 9:45...and yes, still light out. Back to town for some ice cream and then bed!

Today was an off day for the tour (and for Dave's legs). We woke up in the middle of the night with some crazy loud thunder and lightening that almost seemed like a dream. And then, unfortunately, at breakfast time - the place was socked in with clouds and rain. Weather reports are calling for it to linger a few days. Nevertheless, we wanted to make the most of our rest day - and scouted out places to explore in the Pyrenees national park.

We drove about an hour away to go visit Lac Cap d'Long - another huge lake in the park. When we got there, there were some patches of sun and we were able to take in some amazing views. The drive up was incredible. We parked, crossed over the dam edge and decided to hike (climb, scramble) up the side of the mountain to get better views of the lake. It was a tough, technical hike - but we made it up a ways and the views were spectacular.










But, we were exhausted and needed to rest badly. So we headed back to the hotel and collapsed and took a nap. And then dragged ourselves out to nice dinner with lots of protein. Now, it's lights out. The alarm will sound at 5:30 a.m. and we're off to conquer Tourmalet. In the cloudy, cold, rain. Game on.