Aussois to Auris Station

64 mi (103 km), 10,000 ft vertical (3,050 m)

Timothy prepares to shove off.

Passing through the town of Modane on the way to the base of the climb up to the Col du Télégraphe (5,151 ft / 1,570 m).

Shortly after leaving this town Timothy mistakenly led the a group up on to a superhighway (no bicycles allowed!) which very shortly became a tunnel of several kilometers. The group breezed through it at a surprisingly fast clip with huge trucks blowing past, horns tooting. Craig described it as being “in a blow gun, with air blasting us through it.” As soon as they exited a tunnel worker flagged them down and held them by the roadside to wait for vans with flashing lights to come escort them off the highway. They looked down on the road just below—the one they should have taken—and saw a group that had been ahead of them streak past. Alas, Timothy’s group was frustratingly delayed and the last to start up the Col du Télégraphe.

No photos of the climb. Here the group meets up at the top.

Next up, the Col du Galibier (8,684 ft / 2,647 m).

Marcy and Pam.

Descending off the Col du Télégraphe it rained. Ted, Timothy and Rich waited the rain out in the town of Valliore while others rode on. Here Ted continues on again towards the Col du Galibier on wet roads.

The route follows a long valley for some time.

Plenty of other riders out on this road. Lots of Americans, all in the area to see something of the Tour de France.

Few trees, mostly just rock and turf.

The road turns onto the side of a mountain. It’s mostly switchbacks the rest of the way to the top.

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