My favorite bike rides

A nice list of great bike rides - as a farewell

My Top Twenty cycling climbs in France (published 6/30/2014): We all have our favorites, these are mine (content below)

Three Sides of Mont Ventoux (published 6/4/2013): When a mountain is too good to only climb it one way

All things Alpe d'Huez (published 7/24/2015): Alpe d'Huez - yes you can

The very best bike climbs in Colorado with all the facts (published 3/11/15): The very best bike climbs in Colorado with all the facts

So you want to tour Colorado on a bicycle? (published 05/01/15): The best week-long or multi-day bike tours of Colorado

Cycling in Colorado: Pedal Dancer Guide page

Cycling Climbs of Colorado: Pedal Dancer List of Bike climbs Guide Page

Pedal Dancer® rides Summit County, Colorado: Summit County rides and climbs Guide Page

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We all have our favorites, these are my favorite rides in France (reprinted)

Since 2003, I have been fortunate to ride a bike frequently in France. I want you to know I actually wrote out five other posts in route to mapping out and writing this one simple post about my favorite climbs in France. You would think it easy, but any time I think of climbs, I think of scenery, I think of traveling to the climbs, I think of the Tour de France .. and I generally get very distracted.

Oh, I like so many things ...

So here it is in all it's simple glory - my favorite top twenty climbs (*top 10) in France: Link to google map of climb locations

Alpe d’Huez *
Col d'Agnes
Col des Aravis *
Col d’Aspin
Col d’Aubisque *
Col de la Columbiére *
Col du Galibier *
Col d'Ichère
Col d'Izoard
Col de Marie Blanque *
Col de Murs
Col de Peyresourde
Col d’Portillon
Col du Soulor *
Col de Tamié
Col de Télégraphe
Col du Tourmalet *
Hautacam
La Hourquette d’Ancizan *
Mont Ventoux *

My favorite, you ask? Well I just have this thing for the Col d'Aubisque to Cirque du Litor to Col du Solour route. The Tourmalet is a must ride. I also love Mont Ventoux in all it's boisterous glory. 

Map of my favorite climbs in France https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zF3Mdi_RS4EA.khPsCpthHhgk

ALPS

My favorite climbs in the Alps: Col de la Colimbiere, Col des Aravis, Col de Tamie, Alpe d'Huez, Col de Telegraphe, Col de Galibier, Col d'Izoard.

PROVENCE

My favorite climbs in Provence (granted I don't know much about Languedoc, which has many good reported rides and climbs): Col de Murs, Mont Ventoux

PYRENEES

My favorite climbs scattered across the Pyrenees are: Col de Agnes, Col du Portillon, Col de Peyresourde, Hourquette d'Ancizan, Col d'Aspin, Col du Tourmalet, Hatuacam, Col du Soulor, Col d'Aubisque, Col de Marie Blanque, Col d'Ichere.

This year, of my favorite climbs, the Col d'Izoard, Col d'Portillon, Col de Peyresourde, Col du Tourmalet and Hautacam will be featured in the 2014 Tour de France.

My favorite areas to travel and ride a bike in France are the Pyrenees, Le Grand-Bornand/Haute-Savoie region of the Alps, and the general areas of Provence and department Vaucluse. I also enjoy riding the foothills of the Pyrenees Atlantique and Haute-Pyrenees. The Dordogne is a fabulous place to visit. Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse are the preferred smaller airports to fly into with a bike in France.

You can see more of the climbs I have ridden in France on my About page, so many are good, but these are better. Now onto posting those other five posts I wrote on my way to finally mapping out my favorite climbs in France ......

If it's July, it must be France

Let's travel to France!

How can one watch the Tour de France in July and not dream of riding those same roads or traveling through those same small villages seen on TV. The answer is - you can't and shouldn't even try. Just the sight of the road furniture, landscape, stone villages, and sweeping vistas sends me to a place of awe and memory.

Once you have ridden the roads in France you will be a changed cyclist.

Your world will expand, you will be drawn to greater heights and greater distances. You will want to take your bike and travel to new challenges and new experiences. I have seen it happen. I am not talking only about myself, I have seen others catch the bug and accomplish incredible feats or create life changing moments. Whether it is riding the Haute Route, taking a trip with their son or daughter, making their first trip ever to Europe or their tenth trip, the beautiful combination of travel and challenge constantly inspires.

I believe the best part of travel comes from being courageous and flexible enough to be spontaneous. Spontaneity is best based on a solid foundation of knowledge. Courage is just confidence. The memories we most remember will be unexpected, the impact on our lives unknown; and that is the true gift of travel.

France has it all, just waiting for your arrival

I am frequently asked to help others with their travel plans. This is a tremendous joy for me, and an honor. I want them to LOVE it, to feel the passion and inspiration, to want more. I help by offering tips and shortcuts, so that they can concentrate on the experiences. Their questions are solid and when they depart I think of them fondly. In the months of June and July, a few of my mentored travelers launched their journeys. Oh how it makes me yearn to be in France.

From one such fellow email traveler: "Wow! Karen Thank you so much for this information. We are planning on being there for stage 8. Your experience will likely save me much effort and stress. Thank you again!  You should sell such quality information....."

I will try to write up my tips about seeing a stage of the Tour de France as a spectator this month as I sit and watch the race coverage live!

The more you know, the more you will enjoy

I thought I would offer a synopsis of various travel posts I have written over the years. A shortcut to the posts that would be most helpful in planning your trip to France. Even if you go with a guided service (which I fully condone if you have less time to plan and more money to spend), I believe the more you know, the more you will enjoy.

If you are anything like me, pre trip planning is a bit crazed as I attempt to wrap up all work and home projects in one miraculous perfect departure. It's crazy. I don't have it down yet, and I still make mistakes, but then again that is how I have learned so much and can offer advice you will not likely read in guide books or easily find online. My hope is that your trip will cultivate a life-long interest after your journey to France.

Ride somewhere different

Create a simple itinerary

Number one rule for traveling - keep it simple! It's tough to plan a perfect trip on your own, so use the knowledge of bloggers (moi), locals or guides. It is fine to reach out and ask questions to others online. You will have deeper experiences in the process and perhaps make a few new friends for life. But first it is important to know your own priorities and expectations.

I chose three big must-dos for each trip and try to not plan more than three things a day for the length of my trip. I greatly prefer to go to one place for two to four days, and explore or ride out from that one base location.

A sample travel itinerary: Day, Date, TDF stage (optional) and whether attending, travel plans and times, activities, city, hotel & contact information, notes and web links.

When planning my itinerary, I consider drive times, hotel check-out and check-in times. If I really want to do a particular climb, I add in one additional "weather" day. I usually look up several options in one location and decide while I am there, what I will do on the day depending on weather, mood, unplanned events, and energy level. If you are not enjoying where you are at or what you are doing - change it! It is a vacation.

I have a strong preference not to travel too far away from my arrival city on the day of my arrival. Staying nearby for one night lessens the panic if a bike is lost or damaged in transport. You will have time to make corrections before meeting your tour group, friends, or planned big activity. You can use the time to adjust to a new time-zone, be a tourist locally, or find any needed supplies. I also like to stay close to my departure airport the night before I return home.

I try hard to pack with thought, and as light as possible. To make travel preparation easier, I now have a travel drawer at home where I keep all those small must take traveling items. I prepare all my finances (credit cards), phone, cords and chargers, GPS and bike maintenance weeks in advance. I leave contact lists and itineraries at home with airline codes and a credit card, just in case plans need to be changed. I am smart about safety and learn about tollroads, parking, driving, shopping and restaurant etiquette.

A collection of my old posts for encouragement, all by Pedal Dancer:

Getting Ready for Travel

Packing Tips for Cyclists
Travel Lists for Cyclists

My brother Michael and I. So many roads to ride and mountains to climb.

Traveling in France

Understanding road signs in France
Understanding Autoroutes and Toll Booths in Franc
Getting around in France with ease Tips for Traveling in France - Part I
More tips on traveling to France with a bike Tips for Traveling in France - Part II
Also see my guide page: Recommendations and Resources

Being a Tourist in France

Most Popular Tourist Sites in France
How to order a coffee in France
Recommended Reading: Wines of the 2013 Tour de France<
Travel to Provence, France  (best villages in Provence)
The Baguette
Lunch Time in France
Also see my guide page: FRANCE TRAVEL

Cycling In France

My Top Twenty Climbs in France
So You Want to Ride in Europe? 
The Valleys of the Pyrenees in Pictures a visual trip from west to east
The Valleys of the Pyrenees Where are the best bike rides in France?
Recommended Reading: All About Col Signs
The Climbs of the 2014 Tour de France
Best Sportives and Gran Fondos

For the individual mountain climbs in France, please see the climbs and rides listed on this page: FRANCE CYCLING

Recommended Bike Tour Guide Companies in France: Take a Tour - bike tour companies in France

Chances are even if you join a guided tour, you will have travel days on your own before or after you meet up with your group.

Where are you?: Learn this map well, it is very important to understand regions when making reservations in France.

The regions of France

Dream big! And then go get it done.

Epic mountains!

Best coffee spots!

Delicious food!

Great cycling roads!

Quaint towns!

Grand vistas!

Did I mention the wine?

All photos in the post by Karen or Mike & Suz for Pedal Dancer

2014 Paris-Roubaix

La Reine or Queen of the Classics, the Hell of the North or l’enfer du nord,

How to watch the Paris-Roubaix

In person. Really there is no better way, but for those of us located 1/4 to 1/2 way around the road from northern France, we'll have to resort to traditional methods - online. Remember how last week I recommended waking up early to watch the Tour of Flanders, well this Sunday plan to wake even earlier.

Carrefour de l'arbre  Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

When it comes to the Paris-Roubaix you can count on crashes, and riders who woke up fully intending to finish the race and instead find themselves left behind in the dust of a cobbled path in France. All this happens well before the sleepy-heads in America wake up. So don't miss out - wake up early and check the usual suspects for links:

Where to watch the race:

• CyclingFans.com/Paris-Roubaix (live links provided)
• Steephill.TV/Paris-Roubaix  (select a Eurosport link for English coverage)
• Cycling.TV (paid $29.99 for 3 months) 
• NBC Sports (Cale TV - United States; Live online at 7am) 
• A.S.O. Live ticker (text updates) 

You can also pay via Cycling.TV, but I usually watch the free links. I like to juggle between two open browsers and play ping-pong x'ing out the ads so I don't miss any coverage during commercial breaks. I also read text updates for breakaway time gaps and placement of riders. I don't read Twitter anymore, annoys the heck out of me with the same people tweeting the same news, I would much rather watch the scenery and real race action.

Parcours of 2014 Paris-Roubaix

When to watch the race:

• Start time: Sunday April 13 10:15 CET (2:15:00 AM MDT)
• Earliest live video: 12:50 CET (4:50:00 AM MDT)
• Approximate finish: 16:50 CET (8:50:00 AM MDT)

Race Facts:

• April 13, 2014, (1 week before Easter Sunday this year)
• 112th edition
• 25 teams, 8 riders each, 200 riders
• Compeigne to Roubaix in France
• 257 kilometers
• 5,886,720 cobblestones
• The 3rd of 5 monuments in the classics season

Race details:

• Paris-Roubaix map, timetable, profile, cobble secteurs
• The leaders should be on the secteur pavé de la Trouée d'Arenberg at 14h15 CEST (08:15 EDT, 06:15 MDT)
• The race leaders should Entrée du vélodrome at 16h31 CEST (10:31 EDT, 08:31 MDT)
• Rider Startlist & teams at ProCycling Stats

Race Previews Paris-Roubaix 2014:

• C-Cyling
• Pez Cycling
• Team SKY Guide to the Paris-Roubix

Route marker   Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

Podium in 2013:

Fabian Cancellara (SUI) RLT
Sep Vanmarcke (BEL) BLA
Niki Terpstra (NED) OPQ

Previous Winners:

2013 Fabian CANCELLARA
2012 Tom BOONEN
2011 Johan VANSUMMEREN
2010 Fabian CANCELLARA
2009 Tom BOONEN
2008 Tom BOONEN
2007 Stuart O’GRADY
2006 Fabian CANCELLARA
2005 Tom BOONEN

Interest:

Teams reconned the course on Thursday (video: French, 03:13)
Best Of Paris-Roubaix 2013 (video: English, 03:02)
Organizers rate 28 cobbled sectors of Paris-Roubaix, By VeloNews
How to pronounce Compeigne Pronunciation

Bikes:

Bike Modifications for Paris-Roubaix, By Cycling Tips 
Interview: Scott Sunderland on Roubaix tech of the past decade, By Bike Radar

Walking into the Arenberg Forest on race day. Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

This race is guaranteed excitement!

Time to revisit my post from 2012 (story and photos) when I took a long anticipated trip to see the Paris-Roubaix in person: I was a fan at the Paris-Roubaix (including driving instructions on how to get to the Arenberg Forest and Carrefour de l'Abre). It is times like this that I am so happy I write a blog so that I can go back and read what happened that day, strange how memories fade overtime. It sure sounds like I had a blast being a fan in the Arenberg forest and Le Carrefour de l'Arbre, more at: Stories from Belgium. Also see: I went to Belgium and took pictures of cobbles (photos from Le Carefour de l'Abre). Or A Brief History of the Paris-Roubaix

This year I thought I would share photos from the day I visited the Roubaix Velodrome:

All photos below by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

When you know you are on the route of the Paris-Roubaix

This is the final sector of pave before the Roubaix Velodrome. I can't imagine the thrill for the first rider hitting this section.

As you walk along the cobbles, commemorative pave stones to past victors have been inserted

The inserted stones are a virtual walk of fame

I hope the year '2012' has been added to Tom's stone by now

After the last cobbled sector, the riders take a sharp right onto this last paved section leading into the velodrome ahead.

They race past this sign on the left to the famed Velodrome Club House

Leaving the Club House behind and all it's occupants at the bar

This is what every rider has dreamed of seeing first (without the car and rider of course). This is the entrance to the Roubaix Velodrome.

The roar of the crowd is now deafening as they make the right sweeping corner into the Roubaix Velodrome

Around the track they go

Making history on this surface

Using everything they have

Towards the bleachers and beyond

Across the new coat of paint and the fans standing on the hillside

It seems huge and yet so small

Looping around the green grass of the outdoor velodrome

The goal is that line, in front of all the fans

This line; where dreams are realized.

Then they will get their name on the wall above the bar in the Club House de Roubaix (and one of those nice paving stones with their name on it)

They will get a smaller version of this as a trophy.

And a well-deserved shower.

And their friends will buy their beer for the rest of their life (this one is inside the Club House)

See more of my photos from I was a fan at the Paris-Roubaix in the Arenberg forest. More info on the Pedal Dancer Page: SPRING CLASSICS

I was there!

If you go to a bike race in France in spring - be sure to bring a flag. I love this photo I found on Cycling Tips from 2012. This is the mood of the Paris-Roubaix:

And this one presented by Cycling Tips in a collection of photos: Paris-Roubaix: Moments in History

Sunday's race should be dry without rain and mud, which means dust!