Getting back on it in Aosta

Dry trails, and even dryer bread. 1600metre+ descent days back to back

Up to the last week in July I had only ridden my bike about 4 times.  My International Mountain Leader work had taken me around the Massif du Mont Blanc and along the edge of the Fiz.  I hadn't missed my bike at all and I knew I was going to have an overload at the end of the month.

The Beaufort guides from last year were re-grouping for reconnaissance, and general banter missions. And where were we going? Italy of course and the wonderful Aosta Valley to escape the hoards of Chamonix.

*Day -1- Dorenaz adventuring with the Dutchies

*Day 0- Le Tour laps into Switzerland with the Dutchies before bottles of Duvel with the crew.

Day 1- La Thuile

Hardcore!

The venue for the recent Enduro World Series race was unbelievable.  The tracks were destroyed and tiring.  The odd time I managed to stick out a fast line it felt great, but with lines all over the place and plenty of gnar (large rock gardens, large root gardens) it was tough!  Of course being Brit's (plus a token Netherlander) we wanted to get our money's worth and we rode 90% of the bike park. By the last run, I couldn't pedal uphill, I had to push a short sharp uphill in the middle of the descent, even though I had my hands on the bars pushing the bike, it was still a rest from the constant feature's the trail was littered with.  Huge respect to the EWS racers!

Day 2- La Salle

Re-visiting this route  I did a month or two ago.  It was super hot and some of the boys struggled with the up and down nature of the ride before the big technical descent.  However one of the lads had recently walked in the area with his visiting girlfriend and found a fantastic final variation, a trail full of deep dusty loam that rarely see's more than a few hikers and mule's.

Day 3- Becca France

After last year's mission up here with Rob I wanted to see how it felt if we drove as far up the hillside as possible to cut the climbing to just 600 metres.  How do you think?  Superb! With energy to enjoy the descent from the high alpine down through loamy forests and finally onto the mega rock flow trail we were all buzzing at the bottom.

We were trying to keep costs low for the week staying on campsites, but we had to check out the local pizzeria that night.  Huge salads were followed by great sized pizza's that satisfied even the most Italian sceptical eater, "the pizza's are cheap, that's all".  Still the bakery round the corner didn't hold much hope for the following day.  How can Italians do such great food, but not bread?

Day 4- Shuttle day north of Aosta town

Even though we'd cheated yesterday, with the temperature's hovering around 30.c we decided to check out some trails and take it in turn to be the shuttle driver.

All the trails were superb bar one which turned out to be a fast wooded fireroad.  But you can't win them all, even in Aosta Valley.  This area is full of great shuttle-able trails of good length, all with classic Aosta flow interspersed with technical challenges and of course great views.

Day 5- Chatilgne

With a bit of strategic car driving we managed to cut the climb to just 1000 metres.  However whilst the car's were being dropped the two other lads were left in a small village with only one tiny shop.  They had no choice but to buy the driest bread of the the whole trip for about €6.  With crumbs all over the grass at our lunch spot 800 metres up the climb we slung the bikes over our shoulders for the last section of hike-a-bike to the ridgeline summit high above Aosta town.  It was dry, hot and as we dropped in the dust kicked up along the ridge. As we entered the tree's the orange singletrack twisted through knee high lush grass with perfect fun angled corners.  Lower down it became rocky before kicking us out above Aosta where our next search began, gelato!

Day 6- Grand St. Bernard - Sembrancher (Verbier)- 2200 metres down

We left Italy and headed over the boarder into Switzerland with a grand finale in store.

What I thought would be a long gentle approach to Col de Mille was in part steep bike carrying, part lovely traversing singletrack and steady fireroad climbs finished with a hike a bike just when the legs thought you were almost there.  Having left Italy and cheap food behind we didn't visit the Swiss refuge at Col de Mille (read my next blog post coming soon about the best 5CHF coke's I've ever had) and instead ate the last of our moisture-less bread and prepared for 2200 metres of descending as the storm approached from the Massif.
"That was the best ridgeline I've ever ridden" said one of the boys. Fun and classic Verbier magazine cover-shot trail riding.  Into the tree's we sped hoping small roots and trying to rail the steep banked corners as fast the Canyon team would. Tried, but we all loved it none the less.  Another trail with everything!

We got back to Chamonix before the rain started. Exhausted and hungry.  We all slept well before we all began our next adventure's.  One driving back to England, One riding back to Beaufort, and two with their eye's on more Swiss delights.