This years Epic Summer trip

[barryd]

And as if by magic after a very long gap of seven years here we are back in France!

Its been a hectic start with a lot of miles but its time to chill now in the Vosges mountains (Lorraine and Alsace).

We started the tour as we often did on Tuesday with a bit of "War" where we paid our respects to "Easy Company" (Band of Brothers) and found their memorial and the actual woods where they held out against the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge around Foy (near Bastogne).

What then followed was a frantic dash through Luxembourg worrying how many "Rappels" I as doing (Credit Pusser RIP) and down to the Vosges where I had ear marked a cracking little motorhome site right on Lac de Longermer. £12 including hookup!

Finally "We have arrived". Blast up the mountains on the bike, swimming, kayaking (hopefully), chilled Leffe last night and the Brie de Meaux at a nice warm summer temperature where its crawling off on its own! Smashing!

Few pics of the War stuff and where we are now.

 

[barryd]

Cheers. Its a bit cooler today so the Kayak has been deployed. A fabulous couple of hours around the lake followed by a refreshing swim. Booked a couple of extra nights here until Tuesday.

Off out on the bike shortly.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Looks and sounds brilliant, enjoy! (I’m not envious, honest! )

Like your mini skirt btw Barry, is that your new holiday look for this year?

 

[barryd]

Looks and sounds brilliant, enjoy! (I’m not envious, honest! )

Like your mini skirt btw Barry, is that your new holiday look for this year?

LOL! Yeah I need to dig out some better fitting shorts and T shirts, they are a bit tent like. with all the activities (which are endless) I should be like a racing snake at the end of this trip. Then again, the food is fabulous of course.

 

[gabby82]

Green with envy but I suppose it’s good to go green.

 

[Robmac]

LOL! Yeah I need to dig out some better fitting shorts and T shirts, they are a bit tent like. with all the activities (which are endless) I should be like a racing snake at the end of this trip. Then again, the food is fabulous of course.

I thought it was a reflection of Demis Roussos for a minute Barry.

 

[barryd]

This is the plan today. Well we might go a bit further depending on how knackering and hot Colmar is. It include the col de la schlucht which is just shy of 4000ft I think.

 

[trevskoda]

Brill pics, keep em coming.

 

[barryd]

More later Trev and I think the cracking ride out thread as well. Doing the Alsace chocolate box villages right now. I've bailed out. Once you have seen one you have seen them all. Lovely little cool bar. I suspect Michelle will be joining me soon. It's bloody hot!

The mountains though coming across were fantastic. Can't wait to get back up there.

 

[mark61]

Make sure to go see the source of the Moselle, ain't too far away.

Not that there's much there, I just like river sources.
Especially the moselle because we got one ere in north London too, not quite the same though

 

[barryd]

Brilliant ride out today. Wearing the right gear takes some figuring out though. I didn't expect the temperatures to be so different as the mountains here only rise to about 4000-5000ft and the Col de la Schlucht we did over to the Alsace was just shy of 4000ft. Im glad I put a fleece top on though as late morning in the forests up there it was pretty cool. That soon changed though as we dropped down into Alsace so off came the fleece. The roads and scenery are just fabulous. When we eventually got down to Colmar it was boiling.

We did the usual Chocolate box villages but soon got bored of them and then headed back a different route over the Col du Bomhomme where I eventually at random picked up a superb road back through the mountains to the van and Lac de Longdemer. That stretch was about 20+ KM and completely empty. Loads of bikes out and about but all of them riding sensibly.

I took a load of video with the helmet cam but sadly I had it set too low so will need to adjust that. About 90 miles in total I think

Just recovering before heading out again to another lake and a walk to a waterfall apparently.

Oh and I forgot to put sun cream on my toes. The downside of flip flops!

Few pics and a very short clip

 

[caledonia]

It’s no Arran but I’m pleased you having fun

 

[trevskoda]

twisted toes, winkle picker rock got shoes cause that, fab pics.

 

[barryd]

Well quite the day. Pretty exhausting but great fun. Just seemed like 12 hours of constant activity. Well it literally was 12 hours of constant activity. After Kayaking and hiking early morning we managed to fit in a brief breakfast of toast with lovely French bread before taking off up the mountains again. Off to the Grand Ballon which is the highest mountain in the Vosges. We both did it in 2013 (Well the last bit, you can drive up most of it) but sadly there was no chance of me getting up it today but Michelle did.

More mountain riding and we did most of the route des cretes but there was a cycle race today and they never closed the roads so for a while I was camera man Tour de France style on the scooter racing behind the bikes. It seemed like organised chaos but as far as I can tell nobody died.

For once in France a disappointing early evening meal as all the good restaurants were closed oddly so we ended up eating at a lake side shack type place. Poor for France.

Back at the lake it was like Bastille day. Bonkers. More swimming and the Lilos got an airing. Finally back at the van trying to stay cool with a few cold ones.

I Did another short video but the upload speed is crap so it might take a while. Im just going to sit in the lake tomorrow all day.

 

[runnach]

We did both sides of the Route De Cretes last week, I wonder if same one?

 

[barryd]

We did both sides of the Route De Cretes last week, I wonder if same one?

There are a a few I think. This one is the edge of Lorraine and the Alsace in the Vosges which goes past the highest mountain the Grand Ballon

Video finally loaded.

 

[runnach]

Ah ok, I was referring to the Dordon Gorges Crete, which was squeaky bum time for much of it

 

[barryd]

Ah ok, I was referring to the Dordon Gorges Crete, which was squeaky bum time for much of it

This is just a warm up. There is the Alps to come, The "balcony roads" (Wait until you see them) and then the Pyrenees.

 

[runnach]

This is just a warm up. There is the Alps to come, The "balcony roads" (Wait until you see them) and then the Pyrenees.

The scooter is a definite bonus tool for getting around, our Cretes route was interesting, with over 800 metre drops, with no barriers along most of the route

 

[barryd]

The scooter is a definite bonus tool for getting around, our Cretes route was interesting, with over 800 metre drops, with no barriers along most of the route

Which ones do you mean. I googled Dordon Gorges but it didn't come up with anything. Do you mean the Verdon Gorges? Done them many times. They are on the list for this year also.