Charmette

I've been struggling with a bit of knee pain this week -- I was in pain after my standard double col lunchtime loop. I guess it serves me right for ignoring my age and doing that Chartreuse slog last week. Since then, I've been playing with cleat positioning and wanted to test things out today on my local HC climb: Col de la Charmette. I've done it so many times now, it would be routine if it were not so damn difficult every time. It's like a shorter (in length, not elevation gain) Alpe D'Huez with about 14 fewer switchbacks and a tiny bit less gain. It's a good way to build up the stamina you need for the bigger cols, and it's basically in my back yard! I was happy to have much less knee pain on this ride, but man was it hot.. at least for a Bay Area native like me. The first part is fully exposed to the sun, so the second part, under a canopy of leaves next to an unseen but appreciated river feels like an oasis. The change is almost enough to take your mind off the steep and relentless grade. No video for this one. Can't spare the extra weight Pictures below though