Bikers paradise Pyrenese..

Discussion in 'France' started by lost-en-france, Jul 19, 2012.

  1. Tuesday wildchild

    Tuesday wildchild I'm a circle!

    I reckon hes got one of them hidden in the frame engines to get up them hills.
     
  2. Velosolex for the win!
     
    Razzyh likes this.
  3. Well I had a disaster on the first day ,coming down Hautacam , I got a front wheel puncher then ended up in a ditch..:D Unfortually the scrapes/bumps were on my bad knee :rolleyes: ,a week before the same knee had swelled like an orange...

    Not detered I got to the van and drove to the bottom of luz ardiden ,I did notice on my way up not many cyclists were coming down ,they had resurfaced the road in the loose blue stones and tar stuff ,probably not a good idea to fly down it ,half way up I decided to stop and come back down ,then I got a puncher in the rear tyre ,I had the foam stuff but it just piled out near the valve ,so I had to walk down it...

    This on my first day and driven down the night before my mood was'nt great...;)

    Then I headed for the Col d'Aspin ,all the roads were blocked off ,I asked if I could go up and the steward said I probably would'nt get a parking place ,he said you can turn round or there is a big field you can stay ,I picked the big field ,where loads of people were already there ,I talked to a French bloke in the field and he told me ,it was the finish line of the tour de France on Saturday and the next day they went past ,so i decided to stay...:hattip:

    I have done Col d'Aspin and la hourquette d' Ancizan before ,but having gone over the top of them both I decided to go up them both again but the opposite direction ,also on the map I saw a route over another two peaks that joined them ,it was only a track but it might be fun..tuesday_wildchild

    I did it the next day , but I carried my bike more than I rode it ,but the scenery was spectacular...:chewie:

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  4. So the big mass of white van were us ,the camp gave us bin bags ,a bidon of water and we even had entertainment...(for free)

    here's a few vehicles and stuff ...

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    Last edited: Jul 16, 2016
  5. I decided to go off road for a while and I saw so many things other than tarmac and col signes...;)[​IMG]

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    The tour de france came and went ,the injuries and my moral had got a lot better epecially as I passed 4 cyclists going up the Col d'Aspin and I had done the col d'belgrade on route and they had lycra and proper bikes...:p
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2016
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  6. The day after I decided to tackle col de Spandles ,col de couraduque,col de Soulor and the col d' aubisque..:eek::eek:

    I had done the latter three, but this is what my guide book said about the Spandles ,this is a spectacular and very hard climb in the hautes Pyreneese ,the road is narrow and rough ,it really makes you work ,many riders say this is the hardest climb in the area..:eek:

    Anyway I started it at 7 am and got to the top at 8.15 probably the only hill that I have done all the way in first gear and I was sruggling to even have a drink ,but i felt good to do the other three ,i recovered pretty quick ,I got back to the van at 8pm ,but I did stop for lunch half way down Soulor ...:food: hot dogs in baguette...I think the round trip was about 80km..

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    as you can see the weather was'nt that great ,so that night I decided to drive up country and have a go at doing the mountains the tour did before they came to the Pyreneese ....

    Because I did this changed my thinking and I am going to the Alps next year...:chewie:

    more to come...
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2016
  7. So I decided to head for Cantal Lozere region which is in the middle ish of France and a great stepping stone if I go to the Alps next year...:thumbsup:

    I stopped in the middle of the night at this place....

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    It was a lovely quite place and I cycled round the many trails and a few hills..

    Then i headed for Salers they were "tour de France" mad...

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    Last edited: Jul 17, 2016
    Merlin Cat and Tuesday wildchild like this.
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    Had to not touch the bottom in case the leeches got me


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    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  9. Vincenzo Nibali on the 5th stage said The legs didn't work well so I gave up.:D

    I wanted to do the cols that he had troubles with ,so i set off to the col de Neronne from Salers ,on the way up I noticed communal camping place ,so I decided to check it out ,11 euros a night I booked the van in ...So off I went tbh I was in 3rd gear and never felt I needed to change and I passed the sign for the top....:lol:

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    so i go past and head for the pas de payroll the next hill ,usually you fly down the hill you have just done ,but I had to pedal...:D

    I thought since I have been Pyreneese fit these are just hills I went up as a lad in yorkshire for a hovis ,but half way up the Payroll it got very very steep ,in fact 15% this went on for ages ,I kept listening for engines of cars dropping down a gear round a corner but the did'nt...

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    No wonder Nibali found it hard work ....

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    I also went over it ,just to see if the other side was just as hard ,it was'nt...;)

    On the way back I went the scenic route.

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    It is a lovely region (very nice friendly people)and I will look forwards to go again on the way to the Alps...


    Watching the tour now in the Alps, I am really looking forwards to next year...:chewie:
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2016
  10. Great pictures and thread. @volkswombat will be very jealous!
     
    lost-en-france likes this.
  11. PSG

    PSG

    lost-en-france likes this.
  12. Flakey

    Flakey Supporter

    Bet you're glad you fixed that bottom bracket :thumbsup:
     
    lost-en-france likes this.
  13. Been there done that :p
    Nice rides, lef.
    This week they're going up forclaz du montmin, near Annecy, which I've been up. Got up to 56mph coming down t'other side :eek:
     
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  14. Merlin Cat

    Merlin Cat Moderator

  15. Woodylubber

    Woodylubber Obsessive compulsive name changer

    Best thread ever :thumbsup:
     
  16. If anyone is interested todays edition of the vuelta (tour de spain) is going up the col de Soulor and the col d' aubisque ,itv 4 8.00pm...:hattip:

    Forgot this picture...:D

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    Central France is called the volcanic region ,thought I would bring some home to put in the garden to remide me of my adventures...:hattip:
     
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  17. Tuesday wildchild

    Tuesday wildchild I'm a circle!

    You can buy that bottled water anywhere.

    Sent from my RAINBOW JAM using Tapatalk
     
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  18. 5 weeks ,5 weeks ,5 weeks ,5 weeks ,5 weeks ,5 weeks ,5 weeks ,5 weeks ,5 weeks ,5 weeks ,5 weeks ,5 weeks :chewie:

    To the Alps....:D:hattip:

    I might need to re title the thread.....:D

    I am a bit excited....;)

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    I am going to have some great views...

    I might even splash out on a new chain for my bike....:thumbsup:
     
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  19. I'm tired just lookin...:p
     
    lost-en-france likes this.
  20. One more weeeeek

    Been training very well,I've had a few falls (twice over le handlebars) since it's the last week I am going to stay out of the woods etc

    Today's 80 km I was certainly a bit dull

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    I have lost half a stone as well,was nice to know my six pack was still under the fat

    I can't wait


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