Today was an epic. We were on and off the bikes for a combined total of approximately 7 hours. In that time we rode 30kms, climbed nearly 800 metres and descended possibly 3000 metres (chairlifts account for the discrepancy), spent much of the day above 2000m, enjoyed a year's supply of vitamin D and had a hell of a time.

As with Monday, we loaded the bikes in to the van around 9.30am and headed up through Soldeu towards Port d'Enveralira, traveling along the Pyrenees' highest altitude road.

Reaching our starting point a little before 10.30am we were hit with the brutal 'Smuggler's Climb' (apparently this little known dirt track is used by people smuggling cigarettes into France, avoiding the border control) right from the word go. Starting at 2400m above sea level, we climbed a touch over 200m in approximately 3kms. This was a tough way to start the day.

Thinking this was the hard work done, we were somewhat dismayed to hear from Martin that an even more brutal climb was just ahead - a doozy that he reported of all his guests so far, only 3 had achieved.

Challenge accepted.

With a steady downhill to begin, we were soon confronted with a monster climb rearing up in front of us. A 250m loose, gravelly, shaley track averaging 20% and maxing out at over 30%. At 2600m above sea level, it was brutal. Slowly but surely the pecking order was established, Martin leading us off with Mitchell hot on his heels, while Courtney and I followed, Wendy not far behind.

Not long after the ascent commenced, Martin bailed out, leaving Mitchell to power on up, while I navigated my way around Courtney to see if I could make an impression on the gap to Mitchell. Unlikely! Mitchell pushed and pushed and pushed, and in a touch over 2 minutes he was there, rider number 4 of Martin's guests to have made it. Knowing he was going to make it, my thoughts of calling it quits were erased. I needed to be rider number 5. And so it was, Mitchell and I enjoying a triumphant embrace at the top as we waited for the others to make it up.

Unfortunately there were to be no other guests added to the list today, the gradient getting the better of the rest of the group however we all enjoyed a rest at the top, sat and soaked up the stunning views and munched on a bag of lollies that were meant to have lasted all day but sadly didn't last the first hour.

The next segment of track involved a bit of a traverse along a rocky ridge for approximately 2kms. This was particularly techy and needed a fair amount of skill and concentration to get through without putting a foot down.

'Lawn Mower' followed this, aptly named as it was a bit of a made up track through grassy fields, bombing downhill to the town of Soldeu. Again there were a fair amount of technical challenges to overcome with plenty of switchbacks and once again plenty of rocks to deal with.

Arriving back into Soldeu, we jumped straight onto the telecabin to higher up on the mountain, joining on to a natural trail called '72 Curves'. This was quite enjoyable, though once again very challenging, with supposedly 72 curves or switchbacks to deal with on a carpet of pine needles with roots and rocks thrown in for good measure. As always, the terrain was steep.

Once again we landed into Soldeu, joining on to the main road and climbing for approximately 2kms to our lunch spot, a nice little spot just off the road in the valley, with stunning mountain scenery all around and a giant screen showing Wimbledon.

Beyond lunch it was back on the bikes for a further 2kms climb in the baking heat back to the telecabins, working our way back up the mountain for the finale of the day, an epic ride called 'Ridge Line' which as the name would suggest involved a traverse along the ridge of the mountain, passing through an enclosure with a herd of sheep and their two protector dogs barking ferociously at us to stay away. Deciding to dismount as they came uncomfortably close, we situated our bikes between us and the dogs and walked steadily up the hill out of the enclosure. Once we were safely out of reach of the sheep, the dogs left us alone and we were safe to jump back on the bikes.

From here it was an interesting and somewhat uncomfortable ride along the edge of a cliff for a kilometre or so, the cliff edge on our left, and below that some 600m below was civilisation.

The descent from here was typical Pyrenean countryside, with lots of rocks and roots, switchbacks and steep terrain. We eventually arrived into the town of Canillo around 6pm, tired, thirsty, dusty and exhilarated. It had been an epic day.