We are together

OberGruppenFuhrer has arrived in his fully absolved state.  After riding a touring bike to Santiago di Compostela for the Camino pilgrimage he has arrived with all past sins forgiven and his way to the sacred heart of Jesus paved with a million virgins etc etc.
Anyway, don't fly Easyjet.
Grenoble was shut on Sunday afternoon and the locals were busy setting of firecrackers and doing burnouts down the central boulevarde. We went up a cable car and sat in a perspex ball to get to a fortress overlooking the city.

Had a beer had a few laughs jumped another descending ball then walked back to the Gare Central and there he is; a holy glow surmounting his radiant dome.

Note the CERN nuclear research facility

Supermodel drove us back into Bourg D'Oisins, but I was very busy watching Frodo in case he lunged at an errant limb he was so hangry.

A calzone for mine, pizzas, lasagne, couple of veal escallopes and a couple of bottles of Les Faggottes. The waitress had not opened a bottle with a cork before, so we gave her extra practice.

Good nights sleep. Woke at 5am, immediately searched for Game Of Thrones torrents, found it for episode ten and watched it barrel down the intertubes at a massive rate that if replicated in Australia might re-elect #TurnbullMalcolm by a landslide. He might get back anyhow, so that makes him cleverer than me.

Ride was back up Alpe D'Huez again in honour of Supermodel. His day didnt go so well, first incline he mashed the chain into the spokes and locked it tight. He had to walk the 2km back to a bike mechanic in town to have it fixed and then after a wait he spun to the top.

It was a much cooler day and I knew what to expect with the gradient, the corners, the views and the clear skies, cool air and the beginnings of climbing legs meant I got to the top nine minutes quicker than Saturday. We waited for Paul to arrive with a round of noisettes (macchiatos) and I bought a t-shirt, and got some good ride advice.

Everyone was feeling better about the climb and we then headed east to the Col de Sarenne at 2000m. A wondrous scenery, so seemingly far from the ugliness of Alpe D'Huez and Grenoble.

There was some serious descending to do, only unclipped for one corner when I saw gravel on my line as I entered too hot. As we rode on we came to Clavans le Bas, I think Kransky Klown stopped when he saw the sign for an Auberge doing lunches. One item on the food menu, omelettes, its 14.30 and Frodo is hangry again. Out they came, delicious mounds of egg, roast potato, cheese and jambon. Washed down with Perrier. Got some good advice from a friendly Dane "The climb along the D211a is 8%, watch a couple of corners, nice views"

Heart pounding descents, hot wheels from constant braking and we have our first puncture, possibly from heat, maybe from gravel. Then we turn at the D221a, 8% my arse. Its a constant 10-12% grind, thankfully with shade on some sections, its getting warmer, I force water down, but I'm feeling ok.

Then we start levelling off, then a bit of gentle descending, then this opens up in front of us to the sound of an eagle scree-ing.

Descending on gravel strewn roads with a precipitous drop isn't popular among us and I'm gingerly picking my way through the drifts.

Then all of a sudden we're smashing down Alpe D'Huez again.
Now we are off to dinner somewhere.