stage 1 geneva to Megave

Sunday was the start of the main event--Haute Route, riding 450 miles from Geneva to Nice through the French Alps.  Day one:  we started out with 300+ riders together, with lead cars and motorcycles.  The first part took us through the city and suburbs of Geneva so the racing did not start for over an hour.  Then it was a matter of climbing up and over two mountain passes- col de Columbier and Col de Arries; a total of about 7000 feet of climbing and 70 miles. Priscilla rode in the Granfondo van while I rode; they met us at the top of each pass but the organization also had food and drinks at the tops.  We arrived at megave, a nice ski resort town.