Trains, Planes, Buses and Automobiles

Payments and deposits have been made and the schedule is finally set.

I enjoy the planning for trips: imagining the possibilities, checking options, reading reviews and stories, discovering new things all accompanied by anticipation mixed with a tiny bit of apprehension. The Internet makes this more fun and a potentially endless process. Eventually, though, I just want to have the travel arrangements made and know (or think I know) where I'll be, when I'll be there and how I will get there. Finally when Lufthansa said they would fly me to Paris for under $900 I could wait no longer and took their offer. With the flights set, everything else was arranged in a flurry of clicks and keyboard entries. The results:

Sept 16 - Trip begins in the afternoon

• By car to Dulles Airport
• By plane to Paris
  

Sept 17 - A day in transit

• Arrive in Paris
• By bus from airport to Gare de Lyon train station
• By TGV train to Grenoble
• By Local bus to Bourg d'Oisans
• To Ecrins Mountain Lodge by car with owner

Assuming everything goes as scheduled, the trip to the French Alps should be about 24 hours from home until arrival at the Lodge.

Sept 18-21 - Biking, photography and relaxing at the Lodge
Sept 22 - Back to Paris

• Bus to Grenoble
• TGV to Paris
• Walk from Gare de Lyon to B&B Daumesnil

Sept 23 - One day in Paris - Activities TBD but expect lots of walking, a Metro (subway) ride or two and just maybe some biking.
Sept 24 - Time to return home...walk to station then:

• By bus to airport
• Return to Dulles by plane
• By car and home

And of course there will be lots of walking in and around the airports and train stations. Have enough modes of transportation been included?

The Adventure Begins....

My long awaited trip to ride the famous Tour de France climb up Alpe d'Huez is going to finally happen in September. Early in September, I'll begin posting here so friends and family can follow the journey

-Jim