After nine straight days of riding, time for a day off. I've got three cycling days left, starting tomorrow with my final HC climb: l'Alpe d'Huez. I didn't feel like climbing the Col du Lauteret twice in two days, so instead took the train to Grenoble, which will make for a seventy or so mile round trip to the climb.
Grenoble itself is something of a disappointment. It's large and noisy and kind of dirty. But it's a big University town, and the place is crawling with college kids, which may explain a lot about the other conditions. But getting settled in for two nights, there are plenty of great places to eat, and it's a pretty friendly city for its size. I think maybe I've just been staying in a number of smaller, quieter, well-appointed towns so it is something of a shock to be back in a real city again. Tonight I walked the somewhat complicated bike route out of town, and tomorrow morning I will be very glad I did.
