Once again like Jack and others I headed back over to Europe for more cycling. Late last year Anthony from a group of guys I cycle with on Sundays suggested we go to the Pyrenees in the south of France.
The seed was set we started planning.The group consisted of all ex and still Bike force/SPR original members.
Greg, Russell, Nev, Simon, Anthony and Ian (who is called Wal by anyone who cycles with him). I’m sure you will put the names to a face once you see the photos.
The plan was to base ourselves in Lourdes the Catholic version of Mecca. A fare sized town about 50ks from most of the climbs. To Tourmalet and Aubisque, Hautacam and a couple of others, they have turned an old railway line into a good bike path enabling you to get safely out of town and into the next town to start on less travel roads. The guys arrived on Saturday night from Paris by train, my wife and I were driving down from Paris and would meet the guys on Sunday. We were all riding Ritchey Breakaway bikes except for Anthony who took his Colnago.
Sunday morning the guys assembled their bikes and climbed Hautacam.This was a 60k round trip from town.I would have to climb this by myself latter in the week. It is a tough climb like they all are ,they can be done just by tapping it out although I did stop a couple of times on this one just for photos of course. You ride to the top then turn around and come back down but it had to be done.
Our first ride as a complete group was to climb Luz Ardiden which was my first ride on this trip.It did not start off well as my front tire was had a slow leak ,I went back to my hotel and changed the tubes in both tyres and planned to meet the guys at a village before the climb. They did wait, even when I went to the Carrefour and grabbed a multi pack of mars bars to take with me up the hill. This climb I struggled even with the mars bars and could have easily pulled the pin especailly as the guys had pulled right away from me.I was thinking I hope this not the pattern for the week. I know its not a race Yea right!
Jack spoke in his blog about the things that go thru you mind and if you are climbing for two hours there is plenty of time for that to happen.I had all the negative shit going on and got off the bike twice, but plugged on and got thru this climb and was right for the rest of the week. It is certainly is a mind game. They gave me heaps about the amount of bars I bought ,but at the top they were pretty popular with everyone.
<img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-29679" src="https://southperthrouleurs.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/098-200×200.jpg" alt="One of the rare online slots times I was in front of Russell.” width=”200″ height=”200″ /> One of the rare times I was in front of Russell.
I was staying for six days then heading to coast for some beach time and then Paris for a week the guys were staying for ten days in Lourdes before heading home. As you can see by the table supplied by Russell they plugged out some Ks. No flats No mechanicals.
We climbed Tourmalet both sides with west side being the more popular and harder. Col d Aubisque and Solur which follow each other on the same road if you do the loop back to Lourdes. Pont d Espange which is a National park with last 6 k having classic switchbacks and high percentages. Luz Ardiden and Hautacam. The guys also completed Aspin and a few others.
The ride from Lourdes up Col d Soulor then across to Col d Aubisque would be the most satisfying day of cycling I have ever had with the scenery on this route as good as I have ever seen. The ride had it all,start off flat 20km then climb up to Col d Soulor then across to Col d Aubisque ,lunch at the top with the waiter there having lived in Fremantle for five years down the other side to another village then another climb we were not expecting and 30kms flat back to Lourdes. 110 km ride round trip. Lots of corn fields in this area and a it was a lovely ride back with a bit of a tail wind. The speed we were travelling was hotly debated on the way back.We were all a bit testy at the end the day . I loved it.
This is first time I have been with a group while in Europe and it certainly makes for more enjoyable riding. Over that length of time everyone has a good day and a bad one. I sure my wife got sick of hearing over dinner about how the guys bums were travelling over week ,maybe not!
The next trip not sure yet, my wife wants a cruise, the guys want another trip, wife,guys,wife,guys,wife,guys,wife. Bugger, I will start again wife,guys,wife,…………………….
Nev