No ride the bike course

Managed to sleep until 7:40am local, so not too bad. Breakfast (which is included) was actually quite nice. Lots of familiar stuff and some solid french offerings. I suspect after 6 mornings we will tire and perhaps think it is then just OK.

Today had two key events:
1-race registration and package pickup
2-bike course familiarization

We assembled as team and walked over to the race registration site (which also will house the opening and closing ceremony galas. The line moved slow and after about 1.5 hrs we were done.

We stopped at a bakery on the way back to hotel and grabbed a couple of hot quiches for lunch as the team was to head for bike course tour soon.

Initially the bus was to take us and our bikes around the course and we could get out do the ballon d'Alsace climb and descent. The weather was not cooperating so we were informed no bike just bus tour. The climb is a good one. about a 4 mile stretch where it is relentless, drastic switch backs and narrow. This climb has been on the Tour de France multiple times. See links to the right for couple of clips. For the Victoria folks, it is like 3-4 observatory stacked onto one another. The descent takes a different path down. Road is wider and the switch backs less drastic but if wet extreme caution will be required. Today the summit was very foggy and wet, it did snow up there yesterday but we seen no traces.

I did not have Sharon's camera so you have to believe me.

Crepes for dinner. Yep, when in France. They were not what we expected, nothing was rolled up. They were brownish, flat and stuffed with toppings (grilled Mediterranean veggies for ex). And yes we had a desert one. And once again no camera.

Tomorrow up early to hopefully ride our bikes to race site (8km) then swim for the brave ones and run some of the run course). There remains significant risk of the swim being impacted as tonights low is forecasted for 4 degrees.

This video is one of a race up the climb. Not real exciting but will show that it is not easy.