Bike Ride - Atlantic to the Mediterranean
Travels with a Vito, two bikes and a couple of old fools through the Pyrenees
It started with Mike asking me if I would be willing to drive the support vehicle during his trip from the Atlantic to the Med through the Pyrenees. Of course, being at a perpetual loose end and always enjoying new vistas and bizarre experiences I said yes.
The choice was between 700 kms with 28 cols or 720 kms and 18 cols, being realistic Mike chose the latter due to a certain lack of training and preparation. My role was originally to provide back up, mainly as a mobile teashop, indifferent navigator and over night stop facilitator.
On the second day a new activity was introduced and I accompanied Mike on my bicycle up one of the cols on route, descending back down later to collect the transport. This worked well although it always surprised me how long it would take to catch Mike up afterwards with the Vito; one underestimates what an efficient machine a bike is or how fast Mike is, even on a bicycle.
We tended to deviate from the original route to take in less obvious cols; the advantage being little traffic and dramatic, wild terrain, the disadvantage that the gradients were generally steeper and more difficult.
It became quickly obvious that the bicycles we were using were somewhat pedestrian and over engineered: we were consistently overtaken by young spandex encased cyclists on carbon fibre machines weighing in at 6 kilos compared to our wonderful Thorns which could cross the world, but slowly. Of course the fact that Mike and I are just over 50, while those chaps nick named “Gossamer Guys”, were just above 20, had nothing to do with them passing us with a swish and a nod.
In the evenings, it was most amusing having taken at least 3 seconds to install the self erecting tents, to sit with smug smiles on our faces, while listening to the gentleman in the adjacent plot, hammering away on his tent pegs.
The surprise for me was the last day when on leaving Axat, laying in a typically deep Pyrenean valley, we ascended the seemingly never ending Col de Jau to be greeted by that delicious scent of thyme so typical of the Mediterranean region and almost immediately by a rise in temperature.
Our spirits rose as the terrain began to descend and in the far distance we could glimpse the Mediterranean. This was sufficient to spur Mike on and complete the ocean to sea adventure by mid afternoon on Friday, two days ahead of the original schedule.
Gareth
September 9, 2007
Bike ride details
| Day | Start | Finish | Distance
KM | AV | Time
Hours | Time
Mins | Col name | Height
m |
|---|
| 1 | St Jean de Lux | Pic de Behorleguy | 91.72 | 16.4 | 5 | 35 | Ignace | 169 |
| | Atlantic | | | | | | Puerto Goizmendi | 670 |
| | | | | | | | Ispegy | 672 |
| 2 | Pic de Behorleguy | Asasp | 67 | 15 | 4 | 26 | Col Inharpu | 1029 |
| | | | | | | | Col Ibarburia | 1012 |
| 3 | Asasp | Argeles Gazost | 82.12 | 14.9 | 5 | 30 |
Col D’Aubisque | 1709 |
| | | | | | | | Col Soulor | 1474 |
| 4 | Argeles Gazost | Arreau | 82.18 | 12.2 | 6 | 42 | Col Tourmalet | 2115 |
| | | | | | | | Col Aspin | 1304 |
| 5 | Arreau | Ofgibet | 87.36 | 13.2 | 6 | 35 | Col Peyresourde | 1569 |
| | | | | | | | Col de Mente | 1349 |
| | | | | | | | Col Portet d’Aspet | 1069 |
| 6 | Ofgibet | Luzenax | 94.24 | 18.1 | 5 | 12 | Col des Caougnous | 947 |
| | | | | | | | Col de Port | 1250 |
| 7 | Luzenax | Axat | 83.68 | 16.9 | 4 | 55 | Col Chioula | 1431 |
| | | | | | | | Col de Marmare | 1361 |
| | | | | | | | Col de 7 Freres | 1253 |
| | | | | | | | Col de Coudons | 883 |
| 8 | Axat | St Cyprien Plage | 100.24 | 19.7 | 5 | 4 | Col de Jau | 534 |
| | | Mediterranean | | | | | Col d’Aussieres | 1020 |
| | | | | | | | Col Auzines | 605 |
| | | TOTAL | 688.54 | | 40 | 239 | | 21800 |
Day 8 Mission Accomplished!
He's made it to the Med this afternoon and is now back home enjoying a glass of wine! 5 hours 4 mins in the saddle today and covered 110.14km with an average speed of 19.7km/h and 3 Cols. Well done Mike - what an achievement and a big thank you to Gareth for looking after him so well.
Day 7
Mike only managed 4 hours 55min in the saddle today due to a sore backside but he did cover 83.68kms with an average speed of 16.9km/hr. He managed 4 Cols which he thought only felt like one - Chioula (1431m), Marmare 1361m), Sept Freres (1253m) and Coudons (883m) as they were easy compared to some previous cols! He also thought he may have seen the sea today but he could have been hallucinating! Expected arrival at the Med is on Saturday - hurrah!
Day 6
Relatively "easy" day today! Mike covered 94.24km in 5 hours 12 mins with an average speed of 18.1km/hr. Went over 2 Cols Caugnous (947m) and Port (1250m) and tonight they are camping in Luzenac 10km from Aix les Thermes. Heading off on some minor roads tomorrow to avoid the lorries going to Andorra. Quote from Mike "I'm looking forward to turning the page on the map soon and seeing the Med!"
DAY 5
Mike was out of range last night so here is what happened yesterday:
He cycled 87.36km in 6 hours 35 minutes with an average speed of 13.2km.
He managed 3 Cols, Col de Peyresourde (1569m), Col de Mente (1349m) and Col de Portet d' Aspet (1069m) - bit of a breeze after the Col the day before! Back to camping and now heading towards St Girons in the sunshine.
Day 4 - THE BIG ONE!
Mike started at 400m this morning to then climb 1,700m to the Col du Tourmalet (2115m). Fortunately it was not too hot with plenty of signs and graffiti left over from the Tour to encourage him! He now feels a lot more confident having conquered "The Big One" that he can go on to complete his ride. He then went over the Col d'Aspin and cruised down to Arreau to a hotel - here's hoping there's a bath and lots of hot water! Well done Mike
Day 3
Covered 82kms today so he is still on schedule. Rode up to the Col D'Aubisque (a route often used in the Tour de France) at 1,709kms in 2 hours. Then onto another called Col Soulor and cruised down into Argeles Gazost where they are camping as it is still fine weather but hoping to find a good restaurant!
Day 2
Mike went up an 18% incline to a Col 1,029m in height with eagles soaring on the thermals and beautiful weather. Slow day covering 67kms with an average of 16km/h. They are camped in Asap but beware the terrain gets harder from now on!!
Labels: bicycle, camping, passes
The First Day
Day 1 Good weather 3 cols 92 kms and 16.4km/h average speed.
Started at St Jean de Luz after visiting the sea , went into Spain and camping overnight between St Jean de Pied de Port and Tardets-Sorholus. "Our dad is MAD!" said Mike's kids.
Detailed route was SJDL D4 direction Ainhoa, into Spain down to Apaloa East and back into France St Etienne de Baigorny onto St Jean Pied-de-Port the St Jean le Vieux onto minor road direction Ahusquy, with camp about 4 km before this village.
Labels: bicycle, camping, passes
Welcome
Welcome to our blog where we will keep you posted about our cycle trip along the spine of the French and Spanish Pyrenees.
