It's official! I'm a "Nut".

http://www.clubcinglesventoux.org/index.php?pcr=3&PHPSESSID=787cdaf21a6561211beaaa17cd095964

(If my name doesn't readily appear after clicking the link, then click on "laureats" on the left margin, then click on "date" arrow twice to sort by date--first click sorts by oldest to newest, 2nd click sorts from newest to oldest. The scan the pages looking for #3081, 13 June 2010).

I've been welcomed into the Club des Cingles du Mont Ventoux (Nuts of the Ventoux)!

#3081, 13 June, 2010.

So what comes with the honor?

#1, my name on the Internet!! (Look at all the Dutch!!)

#2: this fine medallion:

Front

Back (note 3081 matches my listing on the website)!

And #3 this letter signed by the president and founder of Club des Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Christian PIC (click on images for larger view):



I don't have an exact translation, but it says something welcoming me to the club for having made three trips up the "Mythical Mountain". Bravo and congratulations. Together with this letter is your well-deserved medallion of Nuts of Mont Ventoux.

I'd had the medallion and the letter for some time, the listing on the website just occurred today.

Is it still a "medallion" if it's plastic?

Is it worth 15 euros? I don't know. Mr. PIC didn't have to do any of this stuff. One of the Bedoin bike shops poo-pooed the deal because it's easy to cheat. The controls are very loose and completely on the honor system. You have to have it signed at each of the three starting points--Bedoin, Malaucene, and Sault--but you could as easily (more easily) drive to each location as ride your bike. No one checks. And you have to have the summit stamp done just once.

Do people drive it and not ride it? I don't know. Probably. But Mr. PIC's put together a cool little deal, maintains it on his own--probably compensated more than just his costs, but I don't know that. How much does it cost to maintain the website? The letter and medallion don't cost much. I think it's fun, he does a good job and he's well-meaning.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/269742

So what's next?? How about this?

http://www.felesducolombier.fr/Anglais.index.html

Confrerie des Feles du Grand Colombier!! "Feles" means "cracked", so I guess this means something like, the Cracked Brotherhood of the Grand Colombier" (I'm detecting a theme here).

Grand Colombier's not too far from Lyon, about 2 1/2 hours drive south of Bourg d'Oisans. The Wife says okay! Looks like it'll have to be 2012, though. The guy running this show, Michel Pelissier, charges only 7 euros, but you get just the certificate and your name added to brotherhood (on the Internet!!). For 8 euros more, you can buy a metallic medallion, and/or 13 more euros gets you a t-shirt.

Four ways to summit Grand Colombier: 138 kms (about 86 miles--43 up, 43 down), 15,643 feet of climbing. Same distance as Ventoux's 3 main roads, but a little bit more climbing, but on 4 approaches. Piece of cake.