TMB in September
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- gairym
- Posts: 3151
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:05 am
- Location: Chamonix, France (but a Yorkshire lad).
Re: TMB in September
Definitely up for a beer (I love beer!) but.....
Mrs Gairy's away from Saturday for 10 days.
You still around after that (the following Monday)?
If overpriced French fizzy watery lager is what you're after in a pint then the whole Chamonix is your oyster but.....if you like nice beer then head for either MBC (brewpub with loads of choice and a nice burger) or the Bighorn (Chamonix Sud, American place which has great food and a lovely US IPA on tap).
Enjoy.....
Mrs Gairy's away from Saturday for 10 days.
You still around after that (the following Monday)?
If overpriced French fizzy watery lager is what you're after in a pint then the whole Chamonix is your oyster but.....if you like nice beer then head for either MBC (brewpub with loads of choice and a nice burger) or the Bighorn (Chamonix Sud, American place which has great food and a lovely US IPA on tap).
Enjoy.....
Re: TMB in September
Those pictures look good. I might have to chuck my mountain bike over into the field behind my house and pack my road bike instead ;-)
Let's see how I feel after the TMB. If the weather's good and I'm not too slaughtered then that sounds like a good 'un
A few quick questions....
1. Do you have a GPX of the TMB I can peruse, and transcribe onto my paper maps?
2. Do you know where I can buy meths (or solid fuel) in Chamonix on a Sunday?
3. What temperature rating sleeping bag might I get away with for TMB bivis at this time of year? I think I already know the answer to this one, but am trying to travel as light as possible without sacrificing a good night's kip.
Cheers.
Thinking of doing the second half of the TMB (offroad version)....... if you are up for it Mr Slugwash (get a lift through the tunnel to Italy and then ride the TMB route in reverse to St Gervais before getting the train back up to Chamonix).
Let's see how I feel after the TMB. If the weather's good and I'm not too slaughtered then that sounds like a good 'un

A few quick questions....
1. Do you have a GPX of the TMB I can peruse, and transcribe onto my paper maps?
2. Do you know where I can buy meths (or solid fuel) in Chamonix on a Sunday?
3. What temperature rating sleeping bag might I get away with for TMB bivis at this time of year? I think I already know the answer to this one, but am trying to travel as light as possible without sacrificing a good night's kip.
Cheers.
Re: TMB in September
gairym wrote:Definitely up for a beer (I love beer!) but.....
Mrs Gairy's away from Saturday for 10 days.
You still around after that (the following Monday)?
If overpriced French fizzy watery lager is what you're after in a pint then the whole Chamonix is your oyster but.....if you like nice beer then head for either MBC (brewpub with loads of choice and a nice burger) or the Bighorn (Chamonix Sud, American place which has great food and a lovely US IPA on tap).
Enjoy.....
I'm over until the 25th :)
Avoiding fizzy crap by drinking wine/Congac is also an option.

- gairym
- Posts: 3151
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:05 am
- Location: Chamonix, France (but a Yorkshire lad).
Re: TMB in September
Huzzah! How about Tuesday the 22nd?GregMay wrote:I'm over until the 25th :)
Never heard of either of those beers???GregMay wrote:Avoiding fizzy crap by drinking wine/Congac is also an option.
- gairym
- Posts: 3151
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:05 am
- Location: Chamonix, France (but a Yorkshire lad).
Re: TMB in September
Knackered so gonna be quick but.....slugwash wrote:Let's see how I feel after the TMB. If the weather's good and I'm not too slaughtered then that sounds like a good 'un
A few quick questions....
1. Do you have a GPX of the TMB I can peruse, and transcribe onto my paper maps?
2. Do you know where I can buy meths (or solid fuel) in Chamonix on a Sunday?
3. What temperature rating sleeping bag might I get away with for TMB bivis at this time of year? I think I already know the answer to this one, but am trying to travel as light as possible without sacrificing a good night's kip.
Cool, yes but I'll have to find it (tomorrow OK?), you'll be lucky on a Sunday but I've got some if you can't find any and I'd pack for down to zero as it's been 4°c some nights and that's only at 1000m alt.
- gairym
- Posts: 3151
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:05 am
- Location: Chamonix, France (but a Yorkshire lad).
Re: TMB in September
Oh dear!
Slugwash and company are still out on their TMB and last night it snowed down to about 1600m.
I'm guessing that they're somewhere in Switzerland (as they were hoping to finish today or tomorrow) which means that they should be able to take road diversions to avoid the snow but if they've been delayed and haven't yet passed the Col De Ferret then they're in for a bit of an adventure!
Good luck fellas!
Slugwash and company are still out on their TMB and last night it snowed down to about 1600m.
I'm guessing that they're somewhere in Switzerland (as they were hoping to finish today or tomorrow) which means that they should be able to take road diversions to avoid the snow but if they've been delayed and haven't yet passed the Col De Ferret then they're in for a bit of an adventure!
Good luck fellas!
Re: TMB in September
Yes we're in Switzerland & have crossed Ferret. do you think we should take roa diversions then Gairy? We were going to hit Bovine & Col de Balme today.
- gairym
- Posts: 3151
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:05 am
- Location: Chamonix, France (but a Yorkshire lad).
Re: TMB in September
I know Balme has snow on it. It's not a lot, it's going to warm up and it's not massively technical and so it's up to you.
Looking at the webcams (http://www.chamonix.com/webcam,12,en.html) it's already going and so it'll likely be fine.
It'll probably just bit a bit of slushy fun and good story-fodder but I'm only offering my best guess!
Glad you'd passed Ferret as that would've been a different kettle of fish in the snow.
You should be back in town by tonight, no?
Think I'm going to meet Greg(May) for a pint if you've got it in you.
Looking at the webcams (http://www.chamonix.com/webcam,12,en.html) it's already going and so it'll likely be fine.
It'll probably just bit a bit of slushy fun and good story-fodder but I'm only offering my best guess!
Glad you'd passed Ferret as that would've been a different kettle of fish in the snow.
You should be back in town by tonight, no?
Think I'm going to meet Greg(May) for a pint if you've got it in you.
Re: TMB in September
We'll give it a go then. Where R U meeting up? We're staying just along the road from that Canadian micro brewery if that's any good?
Re: TMB in September
Finished it yesterday so off to redo half of it in the opposite direction with Gairy & zerodarkbivi. I've just bought an extra pair of thermal longjohns 'cos my sleeping bag is a bit too meagre for the recent drop in nightime temperature 

- gairym
- Posts: 3151
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:05 am
- Location: Chamonix, France (but a Yorkshire lad).
Re: TMB in September
Yeah, am just getting my sh*t together.
I've yet to ever pack gear without having at least twice as much as I can carry on my first attempt.
It's hard not to pack for full on winter when the temps are forecast close to zero and we're hitting 2450m alt.
Many much kudos to you two for finishing, having only one day of rest and then just doing it again!
Hoping we're back in town for kickoff of the England match on Saturday evening at my favourite micro brewery pub.
(There's a train from St Gervais if we're short on time)
I've yet to ever pack gear without having at least twice as much as I can carry on my first attempt.
It's hard not to pack for full on winter when the temps are forecast close to zero and we're hitting 2450m alt.
Many much kudos to you two for finishing, having only one day of rest and then just doing it again!
Hoping we're back in town for kickoff of the England match on Saturday evening at my favourite micro brewery pub.
(There's a train from St Gervais if we're short on time)