Friday, August 24, 2012

Day 4 running the French Alps

The route for the next two days is called Route des Grandes Alps. Started the day we a great sun rise and no cars. We soon caught up with a log truck. Same size as our log trucks wit logs hanging way past the rear supports. Hopefully we have a photo I can post. Doesn't sound very interesting until you hear he was using the entire road from corner to corner wall to guard rail and he was moving. The rear axle on the tows wheels were turning some how, like the super long fire rigs. We could not figure who was steering. We soon came to a tunnel where he slowed almost to a stop....I backed off really quick, he did not fit. He lined up for the very center and pulled the logs through with the tops dragging almost the entire way....I think they have done this before. If there were cars on the road we would have been waiting for them to negotiate who was backing up.

Once we got around the log truck, which proved to be very difficult, the scenery opened up. The roads and views were so pristine we were having trouble taking it all in. Waterfalls, green rolling hills, rock walls, mountains and old buildings were calling the cameras. So far the French portion of the alps has been a favorite. Last night we had fresh farm cheese and butter with our bread and cured ham. We all ate too much. Even though this sounds wrong the local cheese was so good dipped in the farm churned butter. We were told the cheese was made by a farmer up the road. He has a special basement he cures it in. The brown crusty cheese was my favorite. I think we literally ate 2 lbs of cheese and a lot of the serrano ham and bread. .......got to come back here.

We had some great car free roads today. We climbed 5 passes 6-8,000 foot elevation each with nice cool temperatures. Every time we passed a herd of milk cows we could only wonder who and where are they milking all these animals. The roads were all narrow and the blind corners scary. We have had so many close calls with the big bags hanging off the back, it is getting to be second nature to hear a horn or comments from the peanut gallery...the passengers. We are thinking the roads are not quite wide enough two race to karts side by side safely and we are blowing by cars and vans...oh and motor homes....crazy europeans.

We ended the day in a small valley village with a very old castle...dates to King Jean (france). We drove up to the Chateau and could not read the sign so we hiked up and walked in. Lisa always wanted to go inside one. It is perched up on a hill way above the town. We are sitting here eating dinner enjoying the view of the castle.</p>
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