I somehow managed to persuade my family to go and camp in the Alps this summer - Bourg D'Oisans, at the foot of the Alpe D'Huez. Needless to say an ascent was on the cards.
Day one - pitch tent and settle into campsite. Swimming pool handy, bar nearby, all well.
Day two - all four on bikes into Bourg. Bit off shopping and a coffee in the town centre.
Me: "Shall we go and have a look at the first couple of bends....see what its like?"
It was hot by the way..........very hot.
By bend two number one son was sweating buckets, Beautiful Wife Jo was appalled by the first bend, not to mention the second, but number two son Ollie was still with me, despite being the only one riding a heavy duty mountain bike with monster tyres - bless him.
So we beat a hasty retreat and squelched back to the campsite, the pool and the bar.
Two days later we got up early, had porridge, cycled to Bourg, hired Ollie a Giant Defy road bike and we rode the Alpe (because you can use the 'familiar' when you've ridden it) It took three and a half hours. Slow but fabulous. (Much quicker for Jonny and Ollie ...... "Do you mind if we go on......It's a bit boring waiting for you......No offense!)
So......my parents give me a chunk of cash to spend on a meaningful gift for my fiftieth birthday. What to buy? What have I always desired but never been able to justify?
And then I remembered Rob Penn's brilliant book, 'It's all about the bike', telling the tale of his quest for the perfect parts to assemble the machine of his dreams.
A Brooks saddle then - it had to be.
Rob Penn chose the Brooks Team Professional. Onto the Brooks website then and ..... there it was. The Brooks Team Professional Alpe D'Huez Special edition. Contour lines of the Alpe imprinted into the shiny black leather.
I'm a Geography teacher. I love maps. I climbed the Alpe with my family.
It had to be.
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