Final thoughts.

A very long journey home (34 hours) left me too tired last night to even think of finishing off this blog, but after about an hour back at my desk this morning I am in serious need of distraction therapy. On the last night, with 16 of the 20 members of the group suffering the after effects of the D&V bug, the hotel produced huge vats of shell fish for dinner - most of which went back to the kitchen untouched! Such a waste of food, but with nearly 20 hours in a coach ahead of some of us it seemed like an unnecessary risk........

Sunday morning dawned calm with hazy sunshine, so we got our obligatory photos with the Med as background and then started to go our separate ways. 10 of us rode up to the pick-up point for the European Bike Express and the hung around an industrial estate until it arrived more or less on time at 15.00. It is a very clever means of transport, with the bikes safely racked up in the trailer and only the handlebars needing to be turned. The panniers wedge in round the wheels and they are ordered for ease of removal at the various drop-off points in the UK. Then followed 20 hours on the coach, laughingly described as 'luxury, club class, air conditioned accommodation for cyclists' - basically a coach with insufficient room, a toilet that required advanced gymnastic skills to enter or leave (we didn't try as there were enough breaks and we were still dehydrated from the ride) and an air con/ heating system that froze you overnight and left you to boil to death during the day.

There was a problem with the gears and we just missed a ferry in Calais, so it was 3 hours behind schedule when it got to Dover. We decided to bail out there and start 6.5 hour trek back to Bristol. Bikes reloaded we set off for Dover station just as the heavens opened, so were saturated by the time we got to Dover Priory - just as the train to Victoria pulled out of the station. Rather than wait an hour in  sodden gear we hopped on a train to Charing Cross, which was mercifully quiet so we were able to keep the panniers on the bike and hang our jackets up to dry. It was 2 hours to Charing X during which it hardly rained, but as soon as we pushed the bikes out on to the Strand the next downpour began. Then followed a mad dash across central London, with the Mechanic hanging on to my back wheel so he didn't get lost (obviously that last statement should not be taken too literally or I would be in the cells and he would be in hospital).

Were too late for the last really cheap train to Bristol, but with seconds to spare and still dripping wet, we got the bikes on the 15.15 train and were back in Bristol at 16.45, with just the final ride home, the mountain of post 16 messages on the answer machine. We didn't even try to unpack!

So overall 1,500 miles traveled, around 80,000 ft of ascent, 2 punctures both on the Mechanics bike, a failed rear wheel on mine, the Pyrenean Traverse completed, several squillion calories consumed and even more used- we have both lost around 6 lbs in weight. 

Shower technology in south-west France needs some input and why on earth are they still using bolsters instead of pillows. Nearly all the later hotels had nasty narrow bolsters ( not as deep as your head) some of which appeared to have been filled with rocks from the nearby hills. However the showers remain a mystery. Why would you create an en suite bathroom with no bath, just a shower cubicle, and then equip the shower cubicle with a hand held shower? The added problem was that some of the cubicles were so small that using a hand held shower us only for the truly acrobatic. Even better was the hotel that having installed the shower cubicle and found a shower with a fitting to attach the shower to the wall, the welded the wall fitting to the taps!!  Finally we had the rooms which had obviously managed with just a bath for years, but had fitted a shower over it - without a shower curtain - thereby ensuring that he first person having their shower flooded he bathroom, soaked all the towels and most of their own clothes. Happy Days!!!!

Anyway I'm signing off now and starting to plan the next adventure. Thanks for following the ups and downs(!!!!!) of our trip and hope to see at least some of you soon. A last few photos appear below

Just to prove we did it!

Main post below

We reach the Med!

An 'easier' day today, 60 miles with just 5,000ft of ascent, taking in 4 cols and finally arriving here at St Cyprien Plage on a windswept afternoon with torrential rain (of which more later). Last night's hotel had 3 cycling groups in so things were a bit manic at breakfast. Having managed a modest amount of food last night I was then awake most of the night with stomach cramps as my stomach tried to decide what to do with this unexpected invasion. Just a small amount for breakfast all round, but the sickness has stopped and no doubt by the time we get home all will be back to normal.

We decided to ride with the main group for most of the day as the navigation got progressively more tricky as we approached the coast. Thunderstorms were forecast for the early afternoon and if we had been on our own we might have just made a dash for it - but of course the chances are we would still be out there trying to find the place. The first climb of the day was the only really major one, but it did go on for ages and there were a lot of tired legs in the group, partly due to illness, partly due to the cumulative effect of 11 days hard riding (plus the previous 900 miles in our case). Plenty of photo stops to get a breather, but it was dull and overcast so the shots were a bit ordinary. Several amazing hill villages on route that I can't see the Tesco wagon wanting to deliver to. 

Over the first three cols and our leader made a run for the little village of Oms, where there is a shop/ cafe open until midday only. She arrived just before they shut and, with considerable difficulty, managed to persuade them to stay open until the rest of us arrived. This place was hilarious, no matter what you ordered you received Cafe au Lait, and since they only had 4 cups and there were 16 of us this was a slow process. A few people just had a soft drink to speed things up. For each cup they boiled the coffee and milk together (one cupful) and the shuffled out and poured the coffee from the saucepan into your cup at the table. We can only assume that they don't often have customers.... Anyway we were obviously getting in the way of the obligatory 4 hour lunch break and were unceremoniously thrown out!

Over the last col, which was so insignificant that it didn't even have a sign and then the run in to the sea, using a network of minor roads, which would have been virtually impossible to follow on our own. About 1 mile from the hotel, as we rode along the seafront, the heavens opened to give us the first rain since we paddled in the Atlantic back at the start of the Pyrennean section of our trip. We were trying to get to the hotel without waterproofs when one of the riders went down, his bike skidding out on a white line (greasy after loads of dry weather and then rain). No sooner had we started again than a second chap went down for the same reason, just a different white line. Finally got here more or less in one piece, but any idea of a paddle in the Med has been forgotten as the rain has poured down ever since and the road outside is flooded.

After final celebratory meal tonight we go our separate ways, although about half of us are travelling back on the bike bus from Perpignan tomorrow. As this will take the best part of a day I plan to write some closing thoughts about this, that and the French approach to shower technology (I mean really how hard can it be???)

Pictures include three of the cols today, a view of the Med from our window, some views and the team relaxing as they catch up with the Archers omnibus edition!

5 of our riders are missing!

After a good, long, sleep I woke up feeling a lot better but not ready to face food. I staggered down to breakfast where the two of us managed a small handful of cornflakes and a glass of water. It was then obvious that there were more victims of the bug - 5 people decided that they couldn't ride, unfortunately including the Mechanic, and only 3 people out of 20 are completely symptom free, so it was a sorry looking crew that set off this morning. The reason people decided not to ride ( apart from feeling horrible) was the fact that about 200 yds from the hotel you turned right uphill for 12 miles ascending 4,200 ft to the top of the Col de Pailheres. Surprisingly I felt quite good on this one as it was much cooler and overcast today. Just as I approached to top I heard a cyclist behind me, not one of our group, accelerating to pass me before the top, so ( and I still can't quite figure out why) I got out of the saddle and raced him to the top - beating him by a short head. He then turned and congratulated me in a broad northern accent!

Without my wingman I teamed up with 2 other blokes as the navigation was a bit tricky today and I didn't want to get lost on my own. I was faster up the cols, but they had garmins so we stayed well on track all day. The next two cols were much lower and shorter ( the Col de Pailheres is over 6,500ft) but the fourth was 'a col too far'. This on paper wasn't too bad although it does top out at 5000ft, but in reality it was 7 miles of relentless uphill pedaling with no food all day and a lot of miles in the legs. I was very relieved to get to the top and enjoy a 15 mile screaming descent ( me doing the screaming you understand) to get to our hotel in Prades. We were the first to arrive by over an hour, but the rooms were ready and I just collapsed into ours. I realised that I needed food but my stomach is still cramping if you try to persuade it to digest anything solid or healthy. I have to admit to sneaking out and making the most of our rather noisy hotel on a main road, across the road to MacDonalds and a supermarket. 2 coffee eclairs and a caramel sundae later I felt almost human and my stomach hasn't made a fuss yet.

Having texted the Mechanic from the top of every col and from the hotel to tell him I was OK and to enquire if the train journey was going to plan, I wasn't totally surprised to hear nothing (the Mechanic and text messaging are not words you often hear in the same sentence). However he has just turned up, 3 hours after me, feeling much better. Luckily one of the non riders has lived in France for 21 years so was able to sort out the train changes, bikes, tickets etc - otherwise he might be in Paris by now.

Didn't take many photos today as was too concerned with surviving. We both ride to the end tomorrow come what may.

Flying bugs and stomach bugs

Apologies that this did not get posted yesterday, but if you read on you will discover why. On Wednesday night we had the worst meal of the trip with lukewarm, undercooked meat slammed on the table by the same woman who shouted at me to go and sit down when I tried to order a drink. When we got back to our room we discovered that, having left the window open, we had a vast selection of winged beasties in residence. Shutting the window The Mechanic then committed mass murder with an oily bike rag- so hopefully nobody will look at the ceiling for a few days until we have made good our escape! 

I woke up Thursday morning with a grumbling stomach and couldn't face much breakfast, which was probably as well since I lost that and dinner shortly afterwards. I just thought it was the food but it appears to be a virus sweeping through the group. About 5 of us including the leader felt bad that morning and one had to be transported in the van. Luckily it was only a short day of 35 miles with 4,200 ft of ascent and I thought I would be OK. It was steaming hot and I was slower than normal up the Pas de Solumbrie, but then half way up the Col de Marmare the Mechanic started to feel bad and was soon throwing up by the side of the road. We took it very slowly, but when we reached the rest of the group at the top of the final col one of the two drivers was also ill and it became obvious that it was a virus spreading through the group (according to our resident Doctor).

We made it down to the hotel by 2.00pm and the Mechanic spent the next 14 hours in bed apart from the occasional dash to the bathroom. We managed a cup of tea each, but I lost that in spectacular fashion shortly after. We both missed dinner and slept for another 10 hours, disturbed only by the sounds of people being ill.

By the time of the route briefing at 7.15 pm, which I nobly staggered down to for both of us, it was obvious that the problem was growing and plans were being made for what to do if people couldn't cycle in the morning.  Suddenly needing to ensure that absolutely nothing remained in my stomach to annoy me overnight I had to leave hurriedly.............

So nothing much to report and I simply didn't have the energy to post, and I also suspect there was no wi-fi!  Pictures include cols and scenery, although sadly not a photo of the biggest talcum powder mine and processing plant in the world ( handles 10% of worldwide production) so now you know where to go for Aunt Doris's Christmas present.  Finally a shot of a visitor at the cafe where we met the others at the top of the third col - trying to keep cool 

Fabulous views and ferocious heat.

So here we are again, another day older and with legs asking to be taken into care. It was supposed to be an easier day, just 45 miles and 5,500ft of ascent and to be fair there was nothing very steep, but of the three climbs, 2 were long and (a different) two were very hot and exposed to the sun. We got a slightly longer warm up this morning before hitting Col de Latrape, a mere 1,111metres. From there we dropped to the village designated as the coffee stop and we were glad we had headed off the col first as we managed to buy the last two Pain au Chocolat in the village. It was already so hot that you had to sit in the shade where possible so we were not looking forward to the much longer climb to Col d'Agnes at 1,579 metres. It was hot, the road was rough stone chip and there was virtually no shade, so it was another case of grit your teeth and go for it. We then descended to a little lake for lunch before tackling the last climb of the day - the Port de Lers - which at 1,517 m was mercifully short and gentle. The ride ended with a screaming descent where you hit speeds of over 30 mph while avoiding cow pats, rocks, other vehicles, gravel and negotiating steep hair pin bends. We are rubbish at descending and I sometimes wonder if I would be better just to shut my eyes, scream loudly and go. Perhaps fortunately I haven't tried this yet.

I have always thought that the French are the absolute masters of rudeness ( the man serving in the shop where we bought the Pain au Chocolat being a perfect example). However I am pleased to report that the English are learning fast, no doubt one of the promised benefits of continued EU membership. Last night a posh English woman (home counties at a guess) came up to our table at dinner and without preamble said 'Are you cycling up the Col d'Agnes tomorrow. We said that indeed we were, expecting her to say how nice the route was or similar, instead of which she launched into a tirade about cyclists and how they shouldn't be allowed on the road and she would have to take a different route. Apparently she can deal with other cars and cows in the road but not cyclists. We were all so taken aback that she flounced off ( perhaps fortunately) before anyone responded.

At the risk of being rude I should tell you to beware of the dangers of not being careful enough when washing your cycling shorts. It is common to use shower gel on the pads and if not rinsed out thoroughly it leads to frothing at the rear when the wearer starts to sweat the next time they wear them. We tramp ours in the shower like grapes, so haven't suffered this embarrassment yet - but you heard it here first.

Finally I thought you would like to know that the French have taken my drinking problem in hand. After the hotel which was so affronted at the suggestion that anyone might want white wine, I went to the bar tonight and waited to order a drink. The old trout behind the bar just glared at me and shouted at me to go and sit down and then proceeded to ignore me for the rest of the evening! Not great business sense but I suppose she felt I needed help

Pictures include the usual col posing and some views, both on route and from our hotel rooms

The hills are alive with the sound of panting

It was hot today (very hot) and it was hilly, around 7,000 ft of ascent taking in 3 cols.  After our 'interesting' night last night we weren't sorry to see the back of the prison camp we had been staying in ( perhaps a slight exaggeration but let's just say I won't be rushing to book another stay there). We had only done two miles when we started up the first hill - the Col de Mente, at 1,349 metres. It was still cool and the sun was only just coming up over the col, so after the first steep bit we just ground it out to the top, around a 6 mile climb. It was lovely on top, calm and clear with enough of interest to keep you occupied while the others came up. It was promising to be a very hot day, so the two of us left the col before most of the others and lost what seemed to be a vast amount of height before reaching the bottom of the second col - The Col de Portet Aspet, at a mere 1,069 metres. It appeared on the schedule to be the easy climb of the day, but it was also the steepest with an average gradient over the 2.5 mile climb of 10% and a maximum of around 20% on one section according to the various garmins. It is known primarily as the col where, in 1995, Fabio Casterelli was killed descending the col on the TdF. This would be a noted event in any case, but the fact that he was the 1992 Olympic champion made it even more significant. We stopped at the memorial, which was at the bottom and then gritted our teeth to the top. 

By the time we were at the top of the second col it was obvious that the day was going to be very hot indeed, with cloudless blue skies and no wind, so again we made a break for it and did the long descent and the ride along the valley before stopping for a quick bite to eat before heading up the final col of the day - the Col de Core at 1,395 metres. If it hadn't been for the heat (by now over 30 degrees) and lack of shade it would have been a relatively easy ascent, if long at 9 miles. However a combination of tired legs and heat made it seem like hard work and there was no shade at the top so we didn't wait for everyone else to get up, but dropped down to the village of Seix for ice cream and cold drinks before regrouping to ride the last couple of miles to the hotel.

This place is palatial compared to the last two nights and we have a balcony for drying the washing, so once the kit had arrived ( the van was late as one of the group was very slow today and they had to wait for him to get over the last col before they could bring the bags down) we quickly showered and changed, then draped all the stuff over the balcony rail. Looking right and left you could see that everyone had done the same thing!  We are making the most of our portable kettle although milk supplies can be a problem. Tomorrow is, supposedly, a relatively easy day - but the weather is forecast to get even hotter so nothing can be taken for granted.

Can't believe we only have 4 days riding left, this time next week we will be back at work :(

Pictures include the usual Col shots including the Mechanic on his last legs at the top of the third col, an unusual piece of wildlife and some scenery

Fawlty Towers a la France

Before I get to today, let me tell you about the hotel last night! It was a family run place and when we arrived they insisted we were the Marmot cycling holiday group who only required 6 rooms rather than the CTC group who required 11 rooms. Finally sorted although this was definitely a hotel that had seen better days ( or at least you would hope it had). However ignoring peculiarities like doors that didn't close properly, it was the people who were the Fawlty Towers element. Madam was an old crone who looked like a bottle of sour milk and she appeared to run the place with only the help of her aged parents, her mother on a crutch trying to carry trays of glasses and her father who had severe difficulty counting out 5 euros in change. Anyway our first attempt was to buy 2 soft drinks, at the extortionate price of €4.40. I stupidly gave the grandfather a 10 euro note and then waited for about 10 minutes while he handed me 60 cents from the till and then went round all the other members of his family trying to scrounge 5 euros, which I eventually got in small change from a variety of sources.

Later, to celebrate our trip up the Tourmalet, we decided to order one beer and a glass of white wine. When I asked for 'une verre de vin blanc' she looked totally horrified and said in a loud voice 'blanc! Blanc!'and gave a very Gallic shrug before she said loudly, 'rose!' in a tone of voice that brooked no argument..... I said I would just have the beer, but she was adamant I had to have two beers. The only way round that was to hand her the exact money for one beer and stand my ground. She served the meal herself and all the plates were deposited with force - but against all the odds the meal was tremendous, course after course of home cooked food, soup, melon, jambon de pays, pork with cheesy pasta, blueberry tart and more cheese. Everyone was hungry to start, but not at the end of that!

Today we had a shorter day, just 45 miles, 2 cols and 5,500 ft of ascent. There were two cols, one straight out from the hotel - the Col de Peyresourde - and the Col de Portillon later on. There was a possible extra ascent today before the Peyresourde, the Peyregaude, which of course the Mechanic and I did as the road had virtually no traffic and the views in the clear morning air were tremendous. It got hot and humid going up the second col and we were glad to get up before we had lunch - most of the others had lunch in the valley and then struggled a bit getting up.

The place we are staying tonight is 'interesting', despite all the rooms on the trip supposedly being en suite we are sharing a shower and a loo with another couple, with the interesting addition of none of the doors closing, apart from the loo where the door closes and locks - but then cannot be opened by the occupant. We thought we might have to cut the Mechanic out!  We do have a sink in our room, but the plug is jammed in and no water comes out of the taps........

Meant to add about last night's place that when the leader went to pay this morning the card machine didn't work and the insisted on €880 in cash. We were about to have a whip round, but in the end she went down the road to the nearby town and managed to get the cash out on her credit card.

Pictures tonight are en route and the cyclists washing line at the end of the day

Triumph on the Tourmalet

Well we were certainly pleased! Today was a tough one, only 55 miles but over 8,900 ft of climbing. We started with a short flat section on a bike path out of town and the started a gradual climb through the Gorges de Luz. Unfortunately it was early and the sun hadn't got up far enough to reach the gorge so it didn't look as spectacular as it potentially was. We got to the town at the bottom of the Tourmalet climb and set off for 12 miles of steady uphill - over 4,000 ft in one go to add to the near 1,500 we had done just to get to the bottom. In an earlier post I think I said that road we were meant to take up from the west side was closed due to a wash- out and we were going to have to cycle round and approach from the other side. Luckily they have done some temporary repairs and the road has been open at weekends only for July and August, but closes again for more permanent repairs tomorrow!  The flood damage was amazing, half houses were hanging over the river and there were twisted piles of metal where things had just been buckled by the force of the water.

Everyone talks about the Tourmalet as some great climb, but to be honest it is just long! The gradient, apart from the very last pull up to the top is just steady - although after 12 miles and 4,000 ft it starts to feel hard work. 9km from the top there is a route for cyclists on the old road called 'The Laurent Fignon Route'. It is traffic free and although the surface isn't as smooth as the new vehicle route it gives spectacular views and it is easy to stop and take pictures ( you have been warned!)  At the top we had the obligatory photos with the Col sign, cycled over the finish line and purchased Tourmalet bike shirts, which cost an arm and a leg, but are worth it.

It was really cold on top. But after yesterday's experience on the Aubisque we were better prepared today. The top was crowded with cyclists, motor bikers and people driving enormous camper vans which were a real hazard on the narrow roads. We descended to the next valley for lunch, but didn't stay too long to avoid our legs seizing up. Then it was back uphill to the Col d'Aspin. Tourmalet is just a few feet short of 7,000 ft whereas the Aspin is only around  4,900 ft, so it wasn't as long a climb, even less steep and not as cold on top. If you did it at home you would really think you had done a good climb, but it felt almost trivial after what had gone before.

Tonight's accommodation could best be described as 'basic' so we are hoping dinner is at least substantial. One thing we have noticed ( off on a tangent now) is that the ski resorts over here, at least in summer, look like a cross between Colditz and a tenement block in the 1950's. we can only hope they look better when covered with snow........

Knackered and need food, so will leave you with a selection of pictures from today. Tomorrow we make a short excursion into Spain. 

Pictures are the team on the two cols

Some local residents staging a sit- in protest on the cycle only route to the Tourmalet

Various views

Hills, more hills and then a climb!

Today is billed as the hardest day of the tour (just). 60 miles and over 8,600 ft of ascent with two real 'biggies'. We started with a 10 mile ride out to the Col de Marie Blanc, which at around 1,330 metres didn't look too scary - which just goes to show how wrong you can be. It started off at a gentle gradient but the last few miles were steep and unremitting. It was also the first day of climbing on legs that had been doing a significant amount of climb the day before. It turned out to be the hardest of the day, although the Aubisque is a lot higher and nearly twice as long ( 9.5 km cf 16km). The top of the MB had a lot of cattle wandering aimlessly around, which made for some interesting situations as motorists, cyclists and motor bikers came over the brow of the hill to find 3 or 4 cows just hanging out in the middle of the road.

Jackets on and a great descent followed, not too twisty so a good speed could be worked up. Then some fast roads along a valley to reach the extremely busy town of Laruns where we needed to top up with food and drink before tackling the Col d'Aubisque. The latter was 10 miles of climbing with an overall height gain of around 4,000ft. It was actually not too bad, just a long grind, but the clouds started to roll in so that by the time we got to the top there wasn't much in the way of views and it was really cold with wind blowing strongly.  We grabbed something to eat from our packs and headed down pretty quickly ( in more than one sense!). We had only brought wind proof jackets which really weren't enough and I was so cold on the way down I was shaking violently and the bike was therefore also shaking. I hadn't really considered the fact that we would be climbing to nearly 6,000 ft, so tomorrow I will have a lot more stuff with me!

The descent was spectacular even with the views being rather less than hoped for. Once we had dropped over 1,000ft we started up the next col - the Col de Soulor - but after what had gone before it was just a minor pimple!  The roads were fairly quiet probably because the French holiday season ends about now and the weather wasn't clear. We finished the day with an exhilarating 20 mile downhill plunge to the valley and the town of Argele-Gazost. The hotel here is run by a cyclist and caters mainly for cyclists. They have a massive underground storage area for bikes, with tool, pumps etc available and in the evening they serve pasta at 7.30pm followed by a 3 course meal. Hungry as we are I'm not sure we will manage all that.

Glad to report that the new wheel was fine, shame about the legs! We are trying to go for a walk every evening to use some different muscles, but when we had to walk down a hill to get back to the hotel our quads nearly went on strike.

Some differences we have noticed between American tours and a UK led one (with mainly UK participants)

The bike shirts are much more subdued and uninteresting - we stick out like sore thumbs

There are more eccentrics

About half of the participants carried their luggage and rode at least part of the way here - we never met anyone in the US who had independently toured

Nobody minds if you go off on your own, provided you let the leaders know what you are doing

Everyone has been riding for at least 10 years and is a regular - some of the Americans just rocked up to ride across the country with a few weeks training and a bike that didn't fit properly. 

Photos today include your heroes on the big cols, the bike store and some views