Col du Tourmalet in the French Pyrenees

18 kilometers/11+ miles of non-stop pedaling was my goal and I am happy to say I achieved it even though at one point I came to a crawl to wend my way through a herd of cattle and goats. The 6% average grade belies the difficulty of this giant of a climb. There are numerous 9% sections and the final kilometer is 10%. As I neared the top the Tourmalet was socked in with thick fog. What a climb. A dream come true for this touring cyclist. I have a feeling I will climb it again.

Col du Aubisque in the French Pyrenees

Look carefully and you see the tunnel the narrow roadway winds through as you transistion downward off the Col du Soulor to begin the ascent of the Col d' Aubisque.

L' Alpe D' Huez

This is one of the many awesome views you see while climbing L' Alpe D' Huez. Bourg D' Oisans, where I camped, is the village at the base of the L' Alpe D'Huez. The climb is truly mythic, starting out at 12% grade, it goes up relentlessly for over 8 miles, passing through a couple villages before arriving at the ski village at the top.