Solude

I had been telling Hank for a while about the road up to Solude and the unbelievable gravel traverse over to Villard Reymond ever since I rode it last year.  It is spectacular, and a hidden gem among the famous climbs of the area like Alpe d'huez, Glandon etc.  It was a suitable last ride to what had been an amazing set of rides with Hank and Mat, and I was glad to be able to show Hank something he had not seen before.  It was another fantastic ride, and we stopped at the excellent cafe in Villard Reymond for beers. The beer turned out to be Luc Alphand beer, which I can highly recommend.  The cafe also has an unbelievable view of the surrounding mountains.  They sell Genepi from plants grown just above the village.  I could not resist buying some home made raspberry jam.  The descent was a blast: fast and technical.  For once Hank was not waiting for me!