Bourg St. Maurice
Today was almost all climbing, the first a 10 mile climb to 5,300 ft to the Col des Saisies, then a roaring descent back to almost sea level to the town of Beaufort, where I was looking at a vertical wall of mountains, with no apparent way out. My map told me otherwise, though. It was a 13 mile climb up a 12% grade to the spectacular Cormet de Roselend at 7,000 ft, the last 3 miles above the tree line. The entire day's ride was part of a Tour de France stage that finished at Bourg St. Maurice, you could see the names of Riis, Ullrich, Virenque and the big stars sprayed on the road. Then a really steep 12 mile downhill to Bourg St. Maurice, where the hostel was thankfully easy to find.

This was without a doubt the hardest climbing ever with an average speed of just over 6 miles an hour, even including the downhills. The scenery was unbelievable and pretty hard to describe, with many vertical mountainsides. So I'll leave it there.
My outbox is still constipated.