Arrived in France - Le Tour 2009

Bonjour mon ami,

Yes, despite innumerable setbacks, I arrived here in France 48 hours ago. After being swindled by Dutch pirates at the airport ($400 to check by bike one-way on Royal Dutch Airlines) I flew to Amsterdam, then to Paris. On my second flight I traded iPods with a French college girl and listened to new music the whole way.

In Paris I boarded a train bound for Grenoble; however, severe jetlag induced a coma and I missed my stop. Regrettable. I approached the conductor, looking as pathetic, sleepless, and incompetent as possible. She researched the logistics of a re-routing to Grenoble, which would involve two additional train rides and a bus. I asked “will I need to buy another ticket?” which she considered briefly, then took to writing a long letter on the back of an envelope. She told me to present the letter wherever I encountered hassles and that my first ticket would cover the rest of my trip. I had to show the letter to a conductor in Nines and again to the bus driver in Valence; in both cases the man read the letter, looked at me with pity, and ushered me inside the coach. I haven’t translated the letter, but I imagine it reads:

“The American standing before you suffers from severe incompetence or mental retardation – which is unclear. He purchased a ticket to Grenoble, but refused to exit my train at the appropriate time. Doubting that he can pay for return fare, I authorize you to deliver him to his destination without further charge. Sincerely, HP346 J.

Anyway, I got to Grenoble, met my dad and good family friend Kurt Hoppe, and we drove to a rural alpine town where the hotels have no shower curtains, the cheese is local and abundant, and the mountains are intimidating enormous. We rode the famous Col Du Madelena today, which is steeper than any road I’ve ever seen in the states. The 11 mile ride took an hour and a half (dad took two and a quarter). Atop the pass we found something quite conventional in France – excellent food in unsuspecting and remote locations. Pizza, beer, coffee, orangina, chocolate baguettes, then off we went, sailing back down the hair-pinning descent. The rain began just as we arrived at our van, which we drove to a warm hotel and meal of salmon, cheeses, and kir (a white wine mixed with fruity crème).

Tomorrow, weather permitting, we tackle the infamous Telegraphique and Galibier – a pair of passes renowned for shattering professional cycling pelotons and inducing tears from lesser men (such as myself). My next message should have pictures from Le Tour De France 2009. Watch for me on TV too – I’ll be the one wearing a Colorado flag as a cape and running alongside Lance up Mont Ventoux! Wish us luck and good luck to you too.

Santé,

Cully