In relation to Guy's last post on the blog, I too had my cross country ski race debut the Sunday before (18th January). I did not document it on the blog as it's taken me this long to get over it! The event was the 'Foulee Blanche' (http://www.lafouleeblanche.com/), a pretty well established event in its' 31st year and attracting around 2,500 entrants on the Sunday, not to mention the events for schools and clubs that take place on the Thursday and Friday before.

I opted for the 20km version, the 42km being strictly for the big boys and pros (Agritubel [formerly AG2R] rider, Sylvain Calzati was there proving that this is the winter sport chosen by cyclists).

The 20km choice was the 'fun run' version - loads of people of all different ages and abilities taking part. The circuit was on the plateau of the 'Vercors' mountains and hence only had 100 metres of height gain so was really gentle. The route took skiers through fields, villages and along some roads where snow had been carted in to cover the tarmac for the day!

Once I got out of the starting area without bringing down the other 2,499 competitors like dominoes, my nervousness left me and I really started to enjoy the event. The atmosphere, great marshals and fantastic organisation bore more than a passing resemblance to many cyclosportive events that I have taken part in.

All in all it was a great day out. Even the 'also-rans' like me were made to feel like skiing stars surrounded by an Olympic standard start line and finishing straight, 'Ski Sunday' type bib numbers were issued (see photo top left - very proud!) and your name and time flashed up on a big screen as you crossed the line.

Glutton for punishment, Guy and I are off for more of the same this coming Sunday. We and a group of neighbours are heading to the 'Valguade Blanche', a 30km event in a valley (so hopefully quite flat!) that we have ridden before but never seen in the snow.

Ski Sunday here we come!

Helyn
www.kingofthemountains.co.uk
http://www.winter.kingofthemountains.co.uk/

I did my first XC ski race today.  The Traversee de Chartreuse.  It was very hard.  I did not fall down but my my lungs were going in and out a lot and it was a cold at the start and foggy in the middle and slippery at the end. And 28km long.  The first hill was 12km long.  I had to stop a lot and pretend to look at the view so the big boys didn't think I was soft or anything.  Next time I will find an easier one.   Guy  (class 2R)

Happy new year!

Without leaving the house yesterday evening we managed to celebrate 3 new year's eves, not a bad effort really! 

All a bit tired from a day ski-ing and a big meal, we and our guests were flagging at around 10:30pm. Realising that we were unlikely to hold out until midnight we did some research and found a country whose time zone suited us, that just happened to be Finland, one hour ahead of France. So, at 11pm our time, midnight in Helsinki, we popped a bottle of champagne and let off a few very tame fireworks to see in 2009 (celebration number 1). Nick became out 'tall dark stranger' and performed the 'first footing' ritual, being the first person crossing our threshold with offerings of flour, firewood, salt and a coin - hopefully bestowing good fortune on us for 2009... 

I doubt it was the excitement of the fireworks, but after that we all got second wind and did in fact manage to stay awake for that extra hour and celebration number 2 at midnight French time, even mustering a rendition of Auld Lang Syne.

By the time Guy and I had cleared away the glasses and done a bit of washing up, it was nearly 1am UK time. I called my Mum and shared the excitable noises of Uckfield in East Sussex seeing in the new year; fireworks, church bells and singing (slurring?) revelers who seemed to have much more energy (and booze by the sounds of it!) than us here in France!

Waking up on the 1st was pretty grey and misty here in Le Rivier d'Ornon, but by 11:30am the mist had lifted and we had a beautiful bright day, not a cloud in the skies. 

According to our neighbour, Yves, a very keen cyclist, the tradition on the first day of the year is to dust down the bike and ride. He tells us that all good/keen cyclist in France do this. It's like opening up your kilometre account for 2009 having set all bike computers to zero (for an expalantion of this habit see 'Bourne Again Cyclist' blog from Dec 2006 click here). I thought it debatable that many people would be donning lycra on a day when the maximum temperature was 5 degrees C, but, to be honest, any excuse to get back on the saddle was fine by me!

Guy sensibly stayed at home, as seemingly did all other cyclists in France - we did not see another soul on the road carrying out this supposedly common ritual ride. 

Despite the temperature, they should have made the effort as it was a glorious day and a beautiful circuit. We took the snowy sting out of the start of the trip by driving over the Col d'Ornon, heading south of all the ski resorts and to an area obviously having had less snow and more melt than us. Given that we still have a good metre of snow outside our door, I was amazed to see grass again just 20km from here. 

Halfway through the ride we stopped above a beautiful aqua marine lake, Monteynard, (see photo top left) to take in the view. If I hadn't know that it was the 1st January, I would have struggled to tell you what season it was; the trees direclty around us were still holding on to the last of their orange/brown autumn leaves, the fields in front of us were grassy and deep green, the lake below us reflecting back the blue sky and sun and all of this backdropped by huge, pure white, snowy mountains. 4 seasons in one view.

We only rode 52km but it was enough to make me feel very energised and excited about being back on the bike again after nearly 2 months and although I was sceptical about this particular French cycling tradition, I did not regret my participation one bit!

We wish you all a happy 2009 full of lots of great riding!

Helyn & Guy
www.kingofthemountains.co.uk
www.winter.kingofthemountains.co.uk