Stage 3 La Condamine to Barge

The Bargesi throw a party.

At breakfast it throws it down! It's not looking good as we line up to start in the pouring rain at 7'C, and so 20 riders decide not to start today.

The stage started as a long 20 km grey climb that lasted for ever, I met Paul at the CP and where everything suddenly got better. A switch to narrow singletrack with a huge drop to the left and then some stupid steep rocky descents where I was able to overtake lots of people who were walking. Some hikers went past in the opposite direction and I said 'Good morning' and one said "are you English? We're walking to the Med."....bonkers!

At the next CP it was blisteringly hot and Paul sat in a van, before we attacked the Col de Longet. A lot of this was a very difficult carry, sometimes climbing and the dragging the bike up after or helping other riders to pull their bikes up. As the col opened out it revealed beautiful lakes and huge grassy prairees. Then up 15 km's to the Colle del Prete and back into Italy for 20 km's of very technical downhill, culminating in some woodsy singletrack to Barge. My feet are sore!!!!

Barge is a special town for the Ironbike and the Bargesi put on a special party in our honour. In the large sports hall of today's campo base (pron. bazzay), rows of tables had been laid with bread, wine and water. Center stage was the local crooner singing along to backing tracks. The songs were performed in Italian, but were almost recognisable British pop songs. A few notes would ring a bell and you'd think 'I know this one!' and then it would slip back into a soupy euro schmaltzy croon:-) ...absolutely fabulous!

I retired to bed early to catch up on some sleep. The Bargesi had other ideas. Half an hour later there was a loud bang, the ground shook and the sky lit up! The fireworks!! I'd forgotten about them and they were directly above. I lay, trying to ignore them for a while, but then got paranoid that sparks might set my tent alight.

Paul was outside enjoying the spectacle, as were the locals. Who'd lined up chairs in an orderly fashion to sit and watch the show. It looked like a night at the opera as everyone sat, clapped and applauded each individual battery of fireworks. Until the grand finale when everyone cheered to a standing ovation. This seemed to be how it was done. Each time there was a show the locals would sit in a quite restrained manner to be entertained, and then show their appreciation with rousing applause. L'Italia è bella :-)

distance 116 km

Today I took 11.00 and Paul 11.30