Luchon - Tremp Day 6

Last night The Commander and I popped out for our daily debrief and planning meeting armed as usual with mapping. The Town is a Tour de France  favorite and as such our search of local knowledge leaves us with a huge dilemma. Our route to tommorrows stopover at Tremp (Which is the only place we feel assured of accomodation) through the Vielha Tunnel has been considered a definate no no by our host for the evening - Jean Claude of Le Hotel Panoramic . 'Nobody  would ever use it' he tells us. 'Its12 km and we even shut our windows up when we go through it by car due to noise and dirt' He also told us the N230 is one of the nastiest roads on the range. The only other alternative is a road  to the west N260 which would make tommorrow  a daytime impossibility with two more cols for us with bags. As we ponder our position (and our families at home) reluctantly we have to make the decision  to taxi the first Col cutting some 3.5 hours riding out. ( if we worked it) A difficult decision to make but in context realistic.  Our host again looked after us sorted the logistics (and also broke into my safe which which was password incorrect) 

The commander is mumbling again- (We alternate payment for accommodation) 'How come I get the most expensive stopover tabs?' I chuckle inwardly. Within 5 minutes we are at the Supermarche and in his quest to save a bob or two he try's tucking me up with two daytime lunch stops in row. I have to stay on the  ball.

 With a hop skip into Spain and with the help of Eric ourChauffeur over the Pass We go to Viealla and then hit the Col de Barbergue at 2117 metres where the embarrassment of the day is being both overtaken by a cross country skier practising on wheels!!. This was a long and winding drag to a good altitude but only really fierce at the top. It is in fact the King and Queenof Spain's favourite ski resort! (Although meaning nought to me) whatever it looks grim before the snow fall. Rugged up we then hit the down hill. This was to die for and could have easily been the case. Examination by Garmin showed 57 mph on the decent. It could possibly be one of the most exhilarating downhill we have ever experienced. From then it was just like a recovery ride. The next 56 miles only produced 650 feet of climbing. We had surely left The Pyrenees. The valley ride was an unforgettable experience. 

As I mumbled along I wondered why life couldn't always feel this good? 'Get a grip you prick' something told me inside my head' The scenery changed constantly . The bare rock of the snowless Central Pyrenees behind us as we hit the treeline. Suddenly a whole new Vista was in front of us. Autumnal leaves boasting an array of different colour. And for the first time for a long while I notice we are following in the same direction babbling water to a sea. We stopped for lunch by the river in Sort  and then push on to Tremp the stop for tonight. Again another pleasure as we are diverted from the tunnel through the mountain to the old road. It's a Catalonian Grand Canyon - stunning and we stopped to video it . The view in front of us opens up - we are now in the Spanish foothills and above us thermal searching buzzards hover as they eagle eye their prey. Giant size grasshoppers lying in the road and through the villages wrinkled old boys with sunshine shrivelled complexions stare at each other over a glass of wine. The scenery and the populous remind me very much of an Old fashioned Western and although not very far from where we reside feels 1,000,000 miles away. We now find ourselves in our hotel for the evening €32 each with Wi-Fi and b-day (although I'm not sure which way round I sit on it) another fantastic day covering some 71 miles starting at 2240 feet finishing at 1600 ftand at its highest 6880 ft. We debrief before the hotel tonight and both agree we should have allowed one more day. The Pyrenees Cols are to be given massive respect. The experience of riding through them will stay with us forever. Certainly not meaning to sound over romantic but saying it like I was thinking it. A fantastic days cycling - over and out

The Tourists xx