Biking in the Alps

Photo: Pob

For the first time since 1998 I have been on holiday abroad without taking my boat. It was fantastic! I spent a week in the French Alps with 15 friends, all of whom were once boaters (Reading uni canoe club cling-ons - ex-members/associates, most still living in Reading), but no longer. They have now relegated their boats to the shed/e-bay and replaced them with shiny new and mainly expensive full suspension mountain bikes. Except for me, my boat is still fully functional and my bike, is still borrowed! I felt a little underdressed as the others were all kitted up in body armour and full-face helmets, I borrowed a pair of gloves and later borrowed some shin-pads and elbow pads. It's not that I don't enjoy biking enough to spend money on it, it's more that at the moment boating takes up too much of my time to get my moneys-worth out of biking.

During the week I discovered what I like about biking - downhills, and what I don't like so much - uphills. Fortunately this was the place for the downhills: lifts to the top, followed by a variety of single-track trails back to the chalet. Nice. During our first long rocky technical ride I took an entertaining slow-motion dismount over the handlebars, and onto my knees (note to self: arse back, don't hold on the brakes). This prompted me to go and spend some money on proper shin/knee pads.

Mid-week we had an adventure! It started by getting the lift to the highest possible place (actually, I think it started with a guidebook that was written more than 10 years ago, by people who like uphill!) followed by a cycle/push up so far that we were walking over snow and ice and past a glacier. This was followed by some very steep, loose, rocky downhill. A high-speed dismount from me (I was grateful for that leg protection, note to self: arse back don't hold on the brakes, keep feet on pedals). Some single-track and then the most heinous of uphill pushes, through overgrown bush, up a stream, over big rocks, and a river-crossing on a rickety, sketchy (to say the least) bridge. Due to the size of the group and the fact we were all totally knackered we had to abort the mission before we'd even reached the best part of the downhill section! We were all more than ready for our steak and frites that night.

Fish gets ready for the downhill - yes that is snow and ice!


Unfortunately for the last few days it rained, in fact it snowed on us when we were on the lift! This left us with a certain amount of apathy and produced some muddy slippery trails which led to some more entertaining dismounts (once again, I was grateful for the leg protection, note to self: arse back, don't hold on the brakes - especially on the steep slippery stuff!) Thankfully no one got broken during the week, and some of us (especially us weaker riders of the group) learnt a lot during the trip (including arse back, don't hold onto the brakes - I just need to put it into practice now!). My confidence increased a huge amount (especially with the leg armour!), and I successfully rode (and sometimes spectacularly dismounted) the steepest and most technical terrain I have been on - I even managed to go round corners!

I am already looking forward to the Alps biking trip 2007. In the meantime Bracknell forest trails are going to seem extremely tame (kind of like getting back from the White Nile and paddling Hurley!), but will be a good place to practice all those techniques for next year.

Unfortunately I'm not going to be on a bike until October as I'm off, on the 21st August, to Canada/America for the World Cup then Gauley fest. However, I may well take advantage of the Pound/Dollar exchange rate and keep a lookout for a bike (I'll have to work out how to wangle bike and boat on the plane home though).