July 19th - more about our first day on the Backroads Bicycling tour.

After meeting our group at the train station in Oulx, Italy, we took a short drive across the border into France - to the town of Montgenevre. There we saw the obelisk erected by Napoleon to designate the border - which Italy has since moved several kilometers back.

Tomorrow the Tour De France will race through town.  Riders will climb up the hill  from Briancon, through Montgenevre past our hotel, then up and over several more climbs before their day is done. Since our ride today started in the afternoon, we "only" rode about 40 kilometers (24 miles - up and down hill - no flats!).