Near Col de l'Izoard
Day 4 I didn't write a blog. Day off. 7th anniversary of my Appalachian Trail thru-hike summit! Wahoo!!
And since I was in a big town I decided I'd splurge and get a room in the old section of town...my favorite. In Briancon, the old section is way up on the hill. The old guys really liked to put their villages and castles on the top of steep climbs. Just before the big climb I decided to get out of my warm pants. It was cold when the day started and I didn't do my usual shorts underneath my pants so all I have to do is pull them off. No. I've got to take off one and put on the other. In town. I'm getting good at this! Voila! Now I can handle the climb. Up and up I grind. I don't mind climbing too often. Well some days I'm not in the mood. But luckily in the Alps, I'm up for it. I go up and find the entrance to the old village.
No cars allowed...but bikes are okay! So I head in through the old gates and slowly cycle around taking in the view. Stop. Dismount. Go look over the edge. Amazing how these things are constructed. Go to take a photo...and...no fanny pack! NOOOOOO!!! I can't lose that. OMG!!! I think I'm gonna throw up! No time for that. You took it off when you changed into shorts. Ya, but I put it on the bike seat so I wouldn't lose it. I had to have put it on. Oh, this can't be happening!!!! This is worse than the frame breaking! I think I'm gonna be sick. Get yourself together. It's not here? No. Then you'll have to ride back down. It was a quiet spot where you changed. It's probably still there. Oh, I think I'm gonna be sick! This is the worst thing EVER! Ok. Back on Blaze. Calm down. You'll be ok. What's that up ahead? Could it be? Just 50 ft from where I stopped? YES! It fell off? How did that happen? Who cares! Everything's okay. Whew! Gotta double check the buckle I guess.
So I pedaled until I found a small hotel in the narrow streets of the old village. How sweet. Just what I want. 89€. Ouch! Come on. After 6 + months on the road you can afford this. It's just what you wanted. Ok. I'll take it. Got a place for my bike? Yup. In the cellar. Sorry Blaze. And a bathtub. And two windows opening into the street. Great.
When I pay that much for a room I feel like I should just hang out in it:). But I didn't. I went wandering. I love old buildings. Just wandering is my favorite thing. Up one street. Down another. And this is a steep walking town. Lots of steps.
But one night was all I could afford. So this morning I took off. With new plans to head south over two passes into Italy. I can thank Guilluame my Warmshowers host for the idea. He heard how much I loved Col de Lautaret! I said ok after I checked the grading of them.
So today after getting resupplied I headed out into the most glorious Indian summer day. Pedal. Pedal. Up and up.
What's that noise? No! The back wheel is grinding. Still? On what? My weight forces the suspension down and the tire is scraping the rack. Not again. I'm tired of problems!! The new red suspension elastomer that sits in a wedge is collapsing down to half it's size. The old one didn't do that. And it's worse when climbing because of how my weight presses against it. A quick email to ICE but they aren't going to know what to do. I've gotta figure this out. I need more stuff in that wedge to hold it open. What do I have that would be spongy? Hmm. Pedal. Scrape. Pedal. Scrape. This is bad. What if I put a folded inner tube in there? It's spongy. It would keep it more open and then off the wheel. When I stopped for the night I chatted a guy on the road up to see if he thought it would work. Maybe. So I put it in there.
What do ya think? Then out walking tonight I found an old sneaker. Hmm? Maybe the insole folded would be better.
That's better. I think my weight will keep it there. It's all pretty tight. Love it when I figure out a fix. This may be permanent!
Oh and here's tonight's campsite.
Looks more dramatic in person.
Livin' the life,
BagLady
Facebook: Kathryn Mossbrook Zimmerman
