Day 4: Sun 2nd July 2006
Ride: Heudicourt to Chamonix - 339 miles
Today our destination was Chamonix Mont-Blanc and another long hot day lay ahead of us. Yesterday the weather was sweltering but today was going to be even hotter. We all felt surprisingly sharp this morning in spite of the time spent in the saddle yesterday, and all the beer and wine that was consumed last night.
The first order of the day was fuel and it being Sunday nowhere was open and all the unmanned pumps that we came across only accepted French bank cards. Refuelling was a recurring problem for the SV throughout the trip and its fuel light had been on for almost 20 miles. The Fireblade was also getting desperate for fuel before a solution finally presented itself. We managed to catch a French motorist fuelling up at an unmanned pump and offered him cash in exchange for him filling our bikes up on his card. Result.
Fully fuelled we left Heudicourt and headed back through Toul and Epinal. We stayed on the E23/N57 until past Remiremont where we picked up the N66 to St Maurice de Moselle. From there we turned onto the D465 which takes you up the Col du Ballon d'Alsace. The road has the potential to be good but heavy overbanding on many of the corners means that you have to take it very carefully around the hairpins. We all had the front or rear wheel, or both, slide at some point on the ascent.
The view was worth it though and here are a series of photos that were taken at the top.
Arriving at the top of the Col du Ballon d'Alsace (L) and one of the restaurants at the top - there's a few (R)
Phil and Kyle with Belfort in the distance (L) and a view of a very representative sweeper from the top (R)
The descending road towards Belfort also had to be taken with care because it runs down through heavy woods and the dappled light playing on the surface made it difficult to pick out imperfections in the surface - of which there were many. We were also warned by both cars and bikers of the presence of a Swiss police speed trap at the bottom approaching Delemont, where we again cut off through the Gorges de Pichoux referred to earlier.
Through the Gorges we were reminded of the advantage of local knowledge when we saw a rider on an old K1100 flying brick by the side of the road. He followed us and quickly swept past all of us at a speed which seemed barely credible. Good on him.
We then rode on to Biel and decided that we need to pick the pace up if we were to get to Chamonix at a decent time, so headed for Bern and the Autoroute A12 past Fribourg and Montreux to Martigny where we headed up the Col de la Forclaz for a well deserved beer.
Top of the Col de la Forclaz
Below is a group shot taken by Phil. We're outside the cafe at the top of Forclaz, a very popular stop off for bikers. It became a regular stopping off point for us too whenever we passed on our way back to Chamonix after a ride out.
(L-R) Chris P (bending over), Gaz, Chris B and Kyle
From the top of the Forclaz it's only a short hop to the Swiss-French border. The border post is usually unmanned but take your passport regardless because you're bound to get caught out the one time it is manned. From the border the road twists its way down through Vallorcine and over the Col des Montets and into Argentiere. From there it's pretty much a straight run down the valley and into Chamonix. We finally rolled up at Chalet Le Bois Rond at 5.00pm, hot and very clammy, and it had indeed been a very hot day.
Below are a couple more group shots, this time that Gaz took. We're relaxing - and looking a little tired - on the front balcony before we headed into town for dinner.
Chalet Le Bois Rond: (L-R) Chris P, Kyle, Phil and Chris B
