Grand Ballon ride

Way back in 2011 I did Alpe d'Huez in torrential rain and have never forgotten the experience, virtually hypothermic by the time I got back down. This was similar, albeit not as bad because I packed more sensibly. I camped a little way up the climb itself above Uffoltz, and there was a big thunderstorm in the early evening. I felt it was unlikely that I'd be able to do it the next day, but when I woke there seemed to be an early weather window - and since I was in position before 7am I went for it. It's a fairly big climb which the Tour is taking in two weeks time. Relatively kind gradients initially, as the wooded slopes weave up to a gentle section at the Hartmannswillerkopf, sight of a major WWI battle. Then comes a descent to the Col Amic, a tad annoying, and the weather was beginning to look threatening. Big views open out in all directions, with black clouds gathering to the south. There was no time to waste but the climb gets steeper after the col and even has a couple of cobbled sections. All good though, like a mini-Ventoux in a way, such a notable and isolated mountain. I got to the summit just as the rain started and by the time I'd descended back to the Col Amic it was torrential. I obviously had to climb back out of the other side and quickly became soaked, rendering the rest pretty unpleasant - in these conditions you'll get cold whatever you do, and I was shivering by the time I got back to the van.