Charmant Som

A hard climb

lunchtime ride

Climbing with Chloe at Balme Etrange

Chloe crushed! I was crushed

Col du Mont Noir

One of my favorites! With Vero, past the site of German atrocities during the war

Commute

My commute, extended because of the beautiful weather

A new car

I vowed never to buy a minivan, but well... we bought a used minivan. The lab auctioned off it's car, and in anticipation of Jon and sue coming, we thought it would be a good idea

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A hike with the kids

Ezy

Hard as nails

The kids have started climbing lessons!

The drill was to run to to any part of the wall and hang on. Zoe went straight for the 7a. I'm a proud papa.

Fall

Madeleine, the best way

There is a little known way to get to Madeleine via the South. Little known because it requires a little riding in the dirt, which many are loathe to do on their road bikes. Hank and I, however are no encumbered by such pragmatism, and so we got to enjoy one of the the most beautiful rides in the Maurienne.





Always a pleasure riding with Hank!

Tour de Chartreuse

My college buddy Micah came up for a little (ok a big) ride through the Chartreuse. Placette->St. Laurent->St Pierre d'Entremont->Granier->return via the plateau. It's a stunning ride, and we both felt pretty studly because it was raining for a good bit of the ride!




We stopped at Hank's at St. Pancrasse, and eventually made it back to our place. What a great ride.

Sad

Many nice beans, all incinerated in typical "French Roast" style. Maybe someone can explain what the upside of dark roasting is?

Karen and Fran here!

Hopefully the kids will not attack them too much

Climbing @ Balme Etrange with chloe!

Montaud

this stuff

Is awesome

and so is this stuff

and this too -- fromage magique!

Hanging out with Ben and Terry!

Great as usual! We went to two breweries in Marin, and I enjoyed hoppy beer

Then back to mom's place where we sampled some Medronho, and broke out the turn of the century, pre-ban Absinthe