All good things must come to an end I suppose. Sunday we left Le Rivier d’Ornon around 4 AM and drove to the Geneva airport, a 2.5 hour drive. We managed to load the bags on two carts and check in. Larry departed on a flight to Franfurt and then had a direct flight to Denver. Chris and I flew direct Geneva – Newark. Chris had a connecting flight to Denver.
Entering the USA was eased by having signed up for the Global Entry program of the US Customs and Border Patrol Agency. You fill out a form online, pay a $200 fee for 5 years, and after your application is approved you go to an airport for an interview. They take your photos and fingerprints and ask you some more questions. A few weeks later you get an ID card and you are registered. This allows you expedited entry through immigration and customs at many international airports. You go to an automated kiosk and scan your passport and give your fingerprints (all electronic.) Even better – it qualifies you for the domestic TSA Pre-Check program which gets you access to an expedited security screening line with easier procedures. No taking off your shoes – yippee!
After getting home I was able to download my GPS data and have posted it to Strava and Garmin Connect.
My totals for the two weeks were:
- 10 rides
- 414.59 miles
- 61, 302 vertical feet climbed
- 43 hours in the saddle
- 9.6 mph average speed (how embarrassing)
when I told my wife Lisa those stats she told me how she had spent the past 2 weeks without me…..
- 10 horseback rides
- 414.59 books read
- 61,302 calories consumed
- 43 gallons alcohol consumed
- avg speed: very relaxed
the GPS tracks can be found here:
- Alpe d’Huez, Col du Sarenne, Col d’Ornon
- Col du Glandon, Col de la Croix de Fer
- Lacets de Montvernier, Col du Chauussy
- Alpe d’Huez back route and lakes
- Villard Notre-Dame, Villard Reymond
- Col du Telegraphe, Col du Galibier
- La Berarde, cut short by weather
- Oulles and Col d’Ornon
- Shelf roads around le Bourg d’Oisans
- Col de la Croix de Fer, NE side