Things We Learned in the French Alps

1. Snow melts late on the Galibier.  Think July.

2.  If you order the Menu du Jour at a nice French restaurant, start with the dessert. Else you will be forced to choose between dessert and sleep.

3.  There’s more gelato in Annecy than in the Dolomite region of Italy.

4.  You get food fast in Switzerland--but do you want to eat it???

5.  In business, the saying goes, there is price, quality and service--pick any two.  In a French restaurant, we say, there is price, quality and service--pick one.

6. Don’t make cycling decisions based on the weather report.  You can almost always get in a decent ride.

7.  You can focus more easily on cycling if you stay in a place more than one night.

8.  Don’t bet on Dad’s credit card working in the ATM.

9.  It’s hard to out-pedal someone 1/3 your age….if you’re over 50.

10.  If you can survive Nel’s warmup ride, you’re probably good for the rest of the itinerary.

11.  2 roommates with 2 cellphones and 2 computers and 2 iPods can survive on 1 receptacle.

12.  In Europe, Garmins and TomToms are not the all-knowing swamis they would like to be.

13.  Even Markham gets tired.  But 2 DNS’s???

14.  Cyclist’s choice:  French fries + beer or foie gras + wine?  Hmm, that's a no-brainer.

15.  How do ProTour riders cross 4 passes in a day?  Bring me a blood bag!