We started our trip off flying into Toulouse, getting a pick up from the Pyrenees Multisport...
This place is awesome for the cyclist / triathlete. Julie and Ian Wright run a sort of bed and breakfast / training center, and it is a wonderful place! We literally just needed to show up at the airport and they picked us up, they set us up with bikes, helmets (BYO pedals and shoes), they provide all cycling routes, AND AWESOME FOOD!! Breakfast and dinner included and so all you need to do is eat lunch when you're out riding. A note on the riding... A route of 80ish km will take a lot longer than anticipated... When you take into account all the wrong turns, the photo-ops, and the long lunch... not to mention all the climbing, the winding and the general sight-seeing, you'll be out all day!
Our first ride took us to the Port de Bales, a long 22k col (it would've been a bit shorter but we took a wrong turn and rode up the back side...). This is the famous climb where Andy Schleck dropped his chain. Off we go!
One of the small villages nestled in the mountains, they just popped up over and over again.
It was a hot day...
Fill up! Check out these water fountains! They were all super beautiful like this, scattered amongst all the villages. Actually I was very worried about just guzzling down this water that flowed off the side of the road.... but we were told, "If there is no sign 'Eau non-potable' and it's flowing, (ie. do not dip water bottle into stagnant pool!!) you're good to go for it!
This was a long climb, and considered one of the most beautiful climbs in the Pyrenees. It starts out for the first 12-13k, pretty easy and steady, just pushing a little on the pedals, winding your way through beautiful villages and farms and countryside. Then it really kicks up, and the last 8-9k go vertical, with an average of about 8% (not too bad, but there are parts that are a real slog!)
At the top, it's pretty sparse and windy, but the view is spectacular!
On the descent, through the cows, and over a couple "Passage Canadien" which we learned were cattle-guards... who knew?
And then a few more villages on the way home (which were supposed to be on the way out.... but we ended up somehow doing the route in reverse order...???
(Colin had just taken his helmet off for this pic... all safety rules were followed, helmets were worn at all times on our cycling!) Mauleon-Barousse...
It was a great route, we were amazed at how beautiful this countryside was, and looking forward to our next route the next day!
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