-
- On Mount Ventoux, 4km from the summit.
-
- Brianna did some research and found a little known access road to L’Alpe d’Huez. We parked our rental car and set up our tent less than a foot from the edge of a cliff. For cyclists, L’Alpe d’Huez has always rewarded the bold; as campers, we took this pattern to heart.
-
- I drove through this tunnel in January of 2008. I was dying to show Brianna, and we found it!
-
- This is a lesser channel of the Verdon Gorge. The full gorge is second in size only to the Grand Canyon.
-
- Cassis is a small town 30km to the east of Marseille. People come here to enjoy the Calanques. Personally, I enjoyed driving within the labyrinth of oneway streets at a 20% gradient.
-
- Sisteron, France.
-
- View from our hotel room in Marseille. On this trip, we learned that we’re not city folk. Marseille was nice, but the countryside is where we belong.
-
- Race leader, Chris Froome. When he passed us at a frantic pace, it was clear that he was willing to push harder than any of the other riders. The seriousness with which he approached the climb left me in awe.
-
- Race leader, Chris Froome. When he passed us at a frantic pace, it was clear that he was willing to push harder than any of the other riders. The seriousness with which he approached the climb left me in awe.
-
- Race leader, Chris Froome. When he passed us at a frantic pace, it was clear that he was willing to push harder than any of the other riders. The seriousness with which he approached the climb left me in awe.
-
- Neutral service vehicle.
-
- Helicopters everywhere!
-
- Mount Ventoux isn’t the Tour’s most famous climb, but it is regarded as the most psychologically demanding.
-
- French cycling hero, Thomas Voeckler
-
- Two riders share a soda.
-
- Mount Ventoux
-
- Outside of La Ciotat. I had wanted to propose to Brianna here, but Peaks Island turned out to be a better option.
-
- Between La Ciotat and Cassis
-
- Between La Ciotat and Cassis
-
- Between La Ciotat and Cassis
-
- Verdon Gorge.
-
- The Bridge of Artuby.
-
- Bungee jumping
-
- The Bridge of Artuby.
-
- Toyota Auris.
-
- Verdon Gorge.
-
- Verdon Gorge.
-
- Endless fields of lavender in the French countryside.
-
- Endless fields of lavender in the French countryside.
-
- Endless fields of lavender in the French countryside.
-
- Rally car.
-
- Sunflowers!
-
- Rock climbers in Sisteron, France
-
- Sisteron, France
-
- You gotta keep your devices charged, and your body hydrated.
-
- You gotta keep your devices charged, and your body hydrated.
-
- My favorite night of the trip was spent camping on the edge of a cliff in the Alps and drinking local Rosé. I was slightly concerned that the ground would cave under the car’s weight (passers by shared this concern), but Brianna kept saying it would be fine (it was).
-
- My favorite night of the trip was spent camping on the edge of a cliff in the Alps and drinking local Rosé. I was slightly concerned that the ground would cave under the car’s weight (passers by shared this concern), but Brianna kept saying it would be fine (it was).
-
- My favorite night of the trip was spent camping on the edge of a cliff in the Alps and drinking local Rosé. I was slightly concerned that the ground would cave under the car’s weight (passers by shared this concern), but Brianna kept saying it would be fine (it was).
-
- L’Alpe d’Huez is the Tour’s most famous climb because its summit is the most civilized. There’s a small village up there! Hotels, stores, restaurants, you name it.
-
- This guy was an expert painter.
-
- We had a nice view of our campsite from the race course.
-
- Chewy! The US is grossly underrepresented at the Tour de France. To put it in perspective, both the Norwegians and the Dutch have ten times as many fans present. Fortunately, the two craziest outfits were worn by fellow Americans.
-
- Chewy! The US is grossly underrepresented at the Tour de France. To put it in perspective, both the Norwegians and the Dutch have ten times as many fans present. Fortunately, the two craziest outfits were worn by fellow Americans.
-
- There was a TV in side of this camper, and it was playing live video of the Tour.
-
- In the past few years, smoke bombs have become much more popular.
-
- Brianna’s reaction to the peloton passing.
-
- Young American rider, Tejay van Garderen made an unsuccessful break for the win.
-
- Young American rider, Tejay van Garderen made an unsuccessful break for the win.
-
- Young American rider, Tejay van Garderen made an unsuccessful break for the win.
-
- The always stoic Andy Schleck lost it on this stage and was clearly hurting.
-
- Peter Sagan (left), Slovak sprinting star.
-
- This rider’s slight smile was the most interaction we saw between fans and competitors.
-
- Annecy, France. 30 minutes south of Switzerland and 1 hour west of Italy.
-
- Race officials have tried every advanced technology on the market, and a chalkboard is still the best way to share splits with riders.
-
- Annecy, France
-
- The beaches in Cassis were great, and free.
-
- The beaches in Cassis were great, and free.
-
- The calanques in Cassis
-
- The calanques in Cassis
-
- The calanques in Cassis
-
- Cassis
-
- Cassis
-
- Cassis
-
- Cliff jumping!
-
- The calanques in Cassis
-
- The calanques in Cassis
-
- The calanques in Cassis
-
- Hiding!
-
- Hiding!
-
- French band playing old time American music. Good stuff.
-
- Verdon
-
- Verdon
-
- Verdon
-
- You really need to pay attention to the road closures. When a road closes, you can get stuck out, or in. We experienced both.
-
- Mount Ventoux
-
- The barren summit of Mount Ventoux
-
- Mount Ventoux
-
- Our “camp site” on Mount Ventoux. We woke up at 5 am, parked at 8 am, and arrived (via foot) on the course by 10 am.
-
- Taken moments before Chris Froome blew by.
-
- Sisteron, France
-
- Dutch corner. The English and Norwegians could make some noise, but the Dutch fans blew them out of the water.
-
- Old school biker.
-
- L’Alpe d’Huez.
-
- Custom made bike?
-
- Super old school bike. Check out the front break.
-
- Damn.
-
- Market day!
-
- We killed an hour at a local bar in Annecy watching the Tour on TV.
-
- We saw these Norwegian guys on two mountain stages. Crazy.
-
- In France, you drink café after dinner. Ask for it before, and you’re in trouble.
-
- Vieux-Port de Marseille
-
- Vieux-Port de Marseille
-
- Vieux-Port de Marseille
-
- Vieux-Port de Marseille
-
- Waaay too tired to hike up there.
