We took a train from Milan to the French Alps to see Stage 16 of the 2004 Tour de France. Our roadside campsite had a fantastic view of the race route (not to mention a pretty nice view of the surrounding mountains), and we thoroughly enjoyed being part of the 1,000,000-person crowd that lined the entire 15-kilometer course. With 21 hairpin turns, the climb to Alpe d'Huez is one of the toughest in France. We're proud to say we walked 9.5 kilometers carrying backpacks and a tent, and it only took us 2 hours! Lance Armstrong, who won the race, covered the same portion of the race route in approximately 23 minutes.