Another level!

It's finally stopped raining over here and there's a feel of summer in the air. Still pretty cool but sunny and the temps are climbing slowly upwards.

I've been getting out on my bike quite a bit lately, had a real hard day on Sunday when I felt like I was going to pass out when ever the road started to climb. I pushed on through figuring no pain no gain and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Not sure if these are good maxims but it got me though.

I had a day off and then went out with a friend of mine on Tuesday to hit the col du Saisies from Passy, quite a climb and my friend usually really pushes me on the climbs so I was ready for more pain but was quite surprised to be feeling in good form and pretty strong all day even having to slow down and wait every now and then.

Wednesday was to be the big test then, out with the Bracey again (suspected to be by many the fittest man on the planet) and Jonnie Baird, another of those light weight uphill climbing cheating types now sporting a full carbon set up. Jonnie gave me a real work out last time we were out and Bracey we usually see only when we get to the top as he's laid out having a kip waiting for us. However, with my new found form I managed to keep the Bracey in my grasp all the way up to the top of the Col du Aravis and was pleased to see him panting as we neared the top with the Baird a couple of hairpin bends behind. I felt strong in my legs all day, my breathing is still a little strained but I definitely feel I've upped a level and am no longer right down on the bottom rung!

Feels great! I love it!!

I'm riding with the GPM10 guys at the weekend doing a little cycle guiding/windbreak work with a Chamonix to Annecy ride which should be good fun (kind of).

I've been trying to keep my summer guiding work to a minimum as I've been overloading my calendar in past summers and so haven't had time to do anything but work and this summer I want to really get into the cycling and see what I can do.
Unfortunately, the van (service) just cost another big wad of cash so it looks like I'll have to fit another Mont Blanc summit into my schedule before to long. I'm also getting quite a lot of Backcountry snowboarders looking to try their hands at a wee spot of mountaineering, which is great! There's heaps of really good fun Intro to Mountaineering climbing around the peaks here, more fun than climbing Mont Blanc too so if you're up for it give us a shout.

The winter calendar went on line a week or so ago and I kid you not, Ruth started penciling names onto her planner less than an hour after it was officially on line and its starting to look pretty busy already. The new split board weeks are proving to be popular, one of them has only 1 space left already and the Tech and Off piste Clinics are booking up pretty well, which is good to see as this means more people are starting to understand that good technique is the key to the higher levels.

There's good snow up high here at the moment, a lot of the big North faces have been skied over the last few days but its starting to hot up a little now and you can see lots of sluff slides trails down everything now and you know that underneath all of this new snow the old rotten layers are still evident. Its got to be good for the glaciers up high though as the winter snow depth must have doubled over the past 2 weeks of snowfall.

Anyway, hope you're all going well and getting out and about now that summer is on its way. If you need any info on courses summer or winter then let me know or give Ruth an e-mail and we'll help out all we can.

Out on the bike again tomorrow, I know Bracey will be training 24/7 now, I shouldn't have pushed so hard as now he'll be mad for it and kick my butt next time out. No pain no gain!

Here we go again.

Neil.