Every time I go to leave this fabulous place Pat and Claire come up with new tempting offers of excitement and challenges. Thus time its cycling the Tourmalet loop a 100 km ride. The last time I rode this mountain (a HC climb) was on my birthday in 2010 just after riding the Etape. An organised ride to celebrate the 100 th year of the tour in the Pyrenees. Started at the Loren Fignon centre - sadly he has now passed away and the centre is closed as is the restaurant beside it. But rode up the climb with 3 former tour legends.
Today with Claire and her friend Erin from Fernie in BC, where I started the Trans Rockies race in 2006, would be quite different. However unlike the last time I've not had much time in the saddle recently, it's going to hurt...!
Up at 6.30 am and called Liz over breakfast it was great to catch up with her news. Offer of editing my blog made me realise a few grammatical errors- but you get the picture.
The first 15 km went ok, then as the road began to rise the gap between myself and the girls also widened...
At La Mongie the Ski Centre wild alpaca and cows roamed across the road. By now Claire knows me well and suggested a coffee - what a nice idea, a break I would pay for dearly very soon. The coffee was nice but now the blood rushed to my stomach - when it should have been in my legs. After La Mongie the road steepens, over a 4 km climb to to the top - the gap widened - ok get over it Ewen they are just fitter than you...caught up again at the col and took the now obligatory photos. Unfortunately the col cafe has now closed as it had amazing mementoes and pictures from the history of the mountain and the tour.
Downhill I was doing 70-80 km per hour and showing the girls a clean pair of heels, stopping to take photos and catch them up again.
It was all downhill to Luz St Sauveur
which us where we stopped for an early lunch. The 'plat de jour' was duck and potatoes which we devoured like we had not eaten for a week.
Off again after buying french pastries for our afternoon tea. Onto an amazing rail trail that ran through a big valley towards Pau. The signage and interp was excellent - in three languages through speakers via press buttons in addition every sign had braille. Took pics and video for back home.
Stopping before the last hill to eat our pastries - the sign read 18 km to B de B, nice. Bit more fast downhill into town and arrivee. A 100 km plus day, in just over 7.5 hours with breaks.
Off to pickup the kids at a UK owned holiday cottage where Erin was staying and a nice swim in the pool to recover.
Will head off somewhere tomorrow on m bike, Italy, Lake Garda via smaller non toll roads. It's just too good here...if I stay much longer I might never leave.