Ate the simple breakfast and walked out. Couldn’t see the point of checking out as I hadn’t actually checked in.
Jumped on the Ten and set off Southeast towards the Cols.
Drove about 2 hours and promptly turned off the main road into the wrong village, Saint Jean du Maurienne, instead if Saint Michel du Maurienne, and subsequently up the wrong mountain. Fortunately I have a 6th sense about getting things wrong (I am very good at realising when I have done something wrong which is good because it happens a lot) and add to that the fact that the sun was from the wrong direction so I went back and wasted only about 30 mins, but hey, the riding was good.
I eventually found the correct road, D902, towards Col du Galibier.
What an awesome road. Started out, left right left etc, straightened out then left right left – you get the picture. Eventually ending up at Galibier.

41 43 45 Some of the views





46 The top – almost.


52 Large old person makes it to the top without zimmer or parachute but has to rest as a result.


62 Just the other side is a caf�/shop where I met a Fin (person – not fish tail) on a red BMW (far right). Bad picture but he, Jan, is above my tail bag in the picture.


Jan, who is about 50 years old, is on a 4 week tour of the Alps and Med to escape the depression of the awful Finnish weather. He has 53,000km on the bike and regularly clocks up 30,000km a year but only in the summer due the harsh winters in Finland. A very knowledgeable man on bikes and a damn nice chap too.
Once past the Col I turned left onto the D1091 and on to Briancon, then East to La Vachette where I headed North for Col de 'l Echelle.

71 72 73 Before getting there I stopped for grub (again) and took some piccys

The effects of the altitude on my grub is interesting. Taken at 6� 38.446'E, 45� 0.956'N.

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We are now retired....so....... lots of this and this and no more of this or this