Well, I've done L'Etape Du Tour and it was incredibly hard. I was talking to someone after the race and I said I think I should have trained for another year. 18 months wasn't enough. He said, wisely, that all the time in the world is not enough to train for Ventoux.

I am still raising money for Macmillan until this page closes in October. I am grateful for even a small donation for this worthy cause. A heartfelt Thank You to all donors.

I took the guide's advice and stopped for a moment at the top for the wondrous view- I could see all the way to the Alps. I'd never been to that part of France before and it was a fantastic sight. I shed a tear for my friend and then made my way down the mountain. It was time to move on...