Col du Soulor et Col d'Aubisque

Last day in the French Pyrenees

There are several hills and mountains in this region and we cant survey and pave them all. We've outsourced that responsibility. I think we've done a good job in sharing the load.

After a yet another magnificent repast for petit dejeuner we have fueled and driven out to Pierresfittes of something, just south of a cricket town called Lords. 

I used to play cricket.

Lots of people in white, and big coaches, and wheelchairs. They seem happy-from a distance, eyes are glazed, ok for some.

The most important thing about climbing a mountain is weight reduction. Here OGF is an examplar.

The gentle rise from Peter's foot is dramatic, its hot we've sunscreened up and starting to sweat immediately. The landscape is welcoming.

 We arent far away from the base of the Tourmalet or Hautacam which are to the right in that pic above, but we ride to the west and follow a beautiful seldom passed paved road through the foothills away from the busy direct routes. Small towns, farms, camping places. Its easy to see why the south of France is so attractive to visitors.

 This is not a theme park.

 These are not paid staff

 Bonjour!  The second rider has a sparkly helmet!

 Its just magnificent to be here and enjoying this. I thoroughly recommend visiting SuperModel's blog here as he has an ascerbic wit and cunning eye for a photo op.

 The sign says Col d'Aubisque and the Col du Soulor is but an entree. Oh boy were we to find out the truth of that!  Soulor was an unforgiving bastard of only 8% or so but we had to work so hard to get up it.

 Le Tour is coming through here in two weeks and everyone is whippersnippering away to remove the summer verge growth.  I thought a goat on a trace might might do the same job, and maybe get a curry out of it for winter... c'est la vie

I was feeling better with 4km to go and started to put some pressure on myself. I made my heart rate go higher and stopped focussing on staying safe and leaving things in reserve, and it worked.
I caught up with my compadres and only SuperModel was left dangling out the front like a neon ADELAIDE advert in bright yellow and pink. Sadly I left my charge about a kilometre short and he beat me in a race he didnt know he was in :-)

By the time I made the top of Col du Soulor I was completely sweated up, gloves, hat, socks shoes completely wet through with sweat, I had emptied one bottle and starting on the other. It was so humid in the climb despite the seemingly chill breeze.
These horses werent keen with the flies I brought with me.

 The only thing these horses were concerned with was finding a suitable location to scratch up against. Absolutely zero fucks given.That horse in the background was fucking that rock. 100%

 I trickled down the other western Col d'Aubisque side for a bit and realised that chill was real and turned and rode back up for a cup of te noir in a welcoming road side cafe. 11 euro for five cupsatea

 Somewhere under the cloud and around the corner is where Le Tour de France has been going since 1913, and we were about to warm up the road for the boys in a fortnights time.

 Look at those numbers if you break away from these guapos magnificence.
350m in 7km? What is all the fuss?
I decided I was out for a pootle. The landscape is an amphitheatre of grandeur. Its humbling to be here to do this. I am so lucky and privileged to do this. Honestly one of the best days ever to be here and do this.

 Among giants!

 It doesnt look much but the omelettes and roasted potatoes were magnificent. Some had red wine, some had beer, some had coffee. It tasted so much better for the effort. We all had dessert. Yes at lunch. One week in and one day off and six rides, we had dessert after lunch and it was amazing. Mine was blueberry tart and it was delicious

Living large

I wasn't tempted by the digestive afterwards. But these cochon were happy as.
We descended in sprinkling humidity and held up by slow moving cars, then we descended back into summer where LM found a converted train line bike path.

Back to the cars, back to Beaudean, back to Le Tour as it entered Chartres. No racing until 6km to go. Taking the piss. Weak
Another magnificent meal.
We thought about going to another restaurant but Christophe has entertained our palates with such magnificent meals that he deserves a blog post of his own.
Tomorrow we pack the bikes, we drive west and south and in true Stevo tradition we leave France on Bastille Day and enter Pays Vasco, Basque country.
The lightning has rumbled in from the south and now torrents are tumbling down, we hope all the campers and drivers are safe as we contemplate our big 400km drive. Bon nuit mon cherie!