Mountain adventures

Despite our small 'erreur' of not checking the terrain after leaving sunny Provence we have loved the mountain experience. We managed to get to Gap which is essentially a winter ski resort and soon recovered from the hail and rain drenching in a cosy hotel and a hot shower. It was actually very crazy on that autoroute in that weather with huge spray from the cars which for the first time we have ever seen....actually slowed down for the conditions. In hindsight we were lucky for two reasons....it was a Sunday so almost no trucks at all and half way to Gap along the twisty mountain road we had decided to go on the motorway as it was so slow and getting late.
We would have been in trouble on that road in that storm as we later found out in the 'salon' of the hotel....Having a (few) drinks! a white faced English couple arrived who were so relieved to get to hotel after driving the mountain road in their BMW. She was flabbergasted we had been out there on a motorbike, said she had been really scared and cold in the car...thought they were going to be washed off the road. Her husband was very complimentary of what NZers do...hmmm...that was a one off believe me!
Next day was magnifique so headed to Geneva via Grenoble and Annecy.

NB: to bike riders...the Route Napolean from Grenoble to Nice is a must do in your lifetime. Several hundred kms of mountains either side, huge views, fantastic road surfaces and long windy stretches, pretty villages and stop off points.
Saw more bikes than cars.

o