I posted this to another list but thought maybe some of you might be thinking of going to the TdF this year. Incidentally, I was planning on doing the trip on some way vintage bike but didn't at the last minute only because I was worried about lose and establishing a replacement value with an insurance company. I rode a brand new bike instead so there wouldn't be any question about replacement value. I did wear my Daniel Rebour drawings of TdF winner's bikes jersey I had made by Castelli especially for the trip though <grin>.
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Hafner, Karl J. wrote:
> Hi all - I'm considering Graham Baxter for a tour - desired level
> of support
> is minimal - I want someone to pick a route, rent hotels, carry my
> stuff,
> and feed me edible food per agreement. I'm a competent bike
> mechanic, but
> would like a ride if I break something irreparably or get caught in
> the
> storm of the century. Experiences? direct or otherwise
>
> Thanks,
> Karl
Karl,
I went on a Graham Baxter's Sporting Tours trip to the Tour de France in 1995 (Miguel Indurain's fifth and last victory). The trip started in London with a tour bus trip across France to Stage 9 La Plagne, the first mountain stage. We were doing from Stage 9 to the end in Paris. Did a lot of the famous climbs: L'Alpe d'Huez, Tourmalet, Cormet de Roselend to La Plagne, Col de Soulor to Aubisque, etc. Got caught in a storm on the Guzet-Neige stage that Pantani won; that was actually fun!
Highly recommended! I was a chunky 52 years old and didn't have any trouble doing all the climbs with a 39x22. Doing it again at age 63 I'd guess that I'd take a 39x24 or 26.
I don't know what has changed with Graham's trip in the past ten plus years, but back then you either rode from the town you'd stayed in overnight, did the climbs and then met up with the tour bus, or they'd drop you off some miles from the foot of the day's climbs and you'd ride to the next town you'd be staying at. The trip was about one-third the price of Breaking Away Tours trip.
I've heard from friends that there is a lot of hand holding with Breaking Away Tours. They drive you half way up the climbs... they use a bunch of vans so it's broken up into groups... you stay in real nice expensive hotels.
I figured I'd be riding all day so I'd wasn't going to be spending much time at a hotel. So yeah with Graham Baxter, you and your buds were on your own to get to the next town or meeting place on your own. No cell phones when I went in 1995 so it would be way easier now with cell phone to keep connected. I think there were 40 on the tour bus. Mega fun!
L'Alpe d'Huez with its numbered switchbacks is amazing because you've seen so many pictures and videos of it but there you are riding it. And you're going up it three or four hours before the pros so the crowds already huge and everyone is offering you wine to drink as you climb the road. And Tourmalet seems to go on forever... I figured when I reached the ski town that that must be the top, but I was so wrong. And then when you do reach the top there is that stone cafe that has been there for a hundred years and you've seen in all those sepia photos from decades ago... my eyes teared up. And that was just two days of many on the bike on the TdF route.
Everyone should do it once in their life. Chuck Schmidt ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Chuck Schmidt
South Pasadena, CA USA
http://www.velo-retro.com (reprints, t-shirts & timelines)