While we were in Barcelona we travelled on...
an underground train (the Metro)...
an aeroplane...
lots of taxis...
a bus...
a funicular railway - which went up a very steep hill...
a cable-car...
a telepherique - a smal ski-cable car up a very big hill... and...
a tram!
Monday, 23 July 2007
A big climbing frame
At the beach there lots of things to play on, including a big slide and a big climbing frame. I also went swimming with a snorkel and a mask - the water was quite warm and very wavy. I got sand in my hair and my ears.
The biggest ice-cream that I've ever had!!
Toffee flavour with lots of cream and sauce in a big glass...
Barcelona cable car
Barcelona has a cable car that goes over the harbour - it actually goes over the water.You can see me in this picture with the water along way away underneath.
At last Barcelona - no more luggage...
The first day in Barcelona didn't mean a day off from cycling, but it did mean that I didn't have to carry a heavy saddlebag - so my bike started to look sleek and speedy once again. Here it is outside the hotel.
The high point...
Here's the bike at the top of the Col Du Tourmalet - it's at 2115 metres and was quite cold. I was determined to get to the top of this mountain pass and was really pleased when I made it.
Going down was much faster thatn going up - my bike computer said that I reached nearly 45 mph (miles per hour) on the way down!
Orange shirt - the local's favourite
Am I in prison or just reflected??
The people in this part of France loved the orange shirt - it was the team colours of their region's Tour De France team, Euskadi!!
Biggest bicycle in the world??
Is this the biggest bicycle ever??
It was in a town called Eaux Bonnes just below the Col D'Aubisque, a very high and very steep hill!!
Wednesday, 18 July 2007
In Barcelona...
The journey from France was long, but I´ve arrived in Barcelona.
A taxi took me from the bottom of the Col d´Aspin to the nearest train station, at Lannemezan.
From Lannemezan I caught a train to Toulouse.
From Toulouse another train took me to Cerebere, a small seaside tomwn on the French-Spanish border. Arrived there at about 21.00 (9 o´clock).
I was booked on to a train at 6 o´clock the following morning to go to Port Bou, the Spanish equivalent of Cerbere a few miles down the coast. But I wanted to get some extra time in the morning - so a friendly barman flagged down a truck and I was stuffed (bike and all) into the cab for the journey to Port Bou - I felt as though I was being smuggle across the border.
This morning, I caught the 08.10 train from Port Bou to Barcelona... arring here at about 11.30.
And the final step of the journey was another taxi ride to the hotel.
Time for a rest I think??
A taxi took me from the bottom of the Col d´Aspin to the nearest train station, at Lannemezan.
From Lannemezan I caught a train to Toulouse.
From Toulouse another train took me to Cerebere, a small seaside tomwn on the French-Spanish border. Arrived there at about 21.00 (9 o´clock).
I was booked on to a train at 6 o´clock the following morning to go to Port Bou, the Spanish equivalent of Cerbere a few miles down the coast. But I wanted to get some extra time in the morning - so a friendly barman flagged down a truck and I was stuffed (bike and all) into the cab for the journey to Port Bou - I felt as though I was being smuggle across the border.
This morning, I caught the 08.10 train from Port Bou to Barcelona... arring here at about 11.30.
And the final step of the journey was another taxi ride to the hotel.
Time for a rest I think??
Tired, tired, tired...
I can´t remember the last time I felt this physically exhausted. Despite the cycling my legs actually feel quite good, it´s just the rest of me that´s struggling to keep up!
I finished cycling at about midday yesterday and have been travelling to Barcelona since, so I haven´t properly recharged the batteries. So the plan is to leave the bike in it´s bag until tomorrow morning and then go for a whizz up the coast - a nice flat cycle ride by the sea with a cafe stop will make a pleasant change to the mountains.
I finished cycling at about midday yesterday and have been travelling to Barcelona since, so I haven´t properly recharged the batteries. So the plan is to leave the bike in it´s bag until tomorrow morning and then go for a whizz up the coast - a nice flat cycle ride by the sea with a cafe stop will make a pleasant change to the mountains.
No pictures?
The hotel computer won´t let me add any photos - if I can´t find another internet cafe that will let me add some, then I promise that I´ll get them loaded for next week.
The problem with mountains...
... is that when you´re cycling into the mountains, every little downhill has a much bigger uphill to follow... it´s very frustrating :-(
Five cols in four days...
Cols are the passes that go over the Pyrenees... the low roads between the peaks that mean you don´t have to go right over the tops. The Tour de France often goes over these cols, and it´s always been a dream to see if I could cycle over them just like a proper racing cyclist.
So the route was...
Saturday - Col d´osquich - bit of a shock to the system, but probably the 32 degree heat rather than the hill...
Sunday - Col d´Aubisque and the Col Souloir - the Aubisque is probably the second most famous col in the Pyrenees and the second highest. But I was still suffering from the previous days cycling, so I saved myself the first ten miles and caught a taxi. That proved to be a very good idea as it was another really hot day... I drank three litres of water on the way up the Aubisque (that´s a lot).
Monday - Col du Tourmalet - this is THE most famous col and reaches 2115metres. Despite the height, it proved to be an easier day than Sunday as it was much cooler. However, it still took FIVE hours to cycle up, and just 25 minutes to cycle down the other side - that´s ten times quicker on the way down. My cycle computer said that I reached 44mph somewhere on the way down !!
Tuesday - Col d´Aspin - I should have continued over a sixth col, but the Tourmalet on Monday had exhausted my legs and the climb up the much smaller d´Aspin was murder. So at the bottom I called it a day and left thje mountains for Barcelona.
So the route was...
Saturday - Col d´osquich - bit of a shock to the system, but probably the 32 degree heat rather than the hill...
Sunday - Col d´Aubisque and the Col Souloir - the Aubisque is probably the second most famous col in the Pyrenees and the second highest. But I was still suffering from the previous days cycling, so I saved myself the first ten miles and caught a taxi. That proved to be a very good idea as it was another really hot day... I drank three litres of water on the way up the Aubisque (that´s a lot).
Monday - Col du Tourmalet - this is THE most famous col and reaches 2115metres. Despite the height, it proved to be an easier day than Sunday as it was much cooler. However, it still took FIVE hours to cycle up, and just 25 minutes to cycle down the other side - that´s ten times quicker on the way down. My cycle computer said that I reached 44mph somewhere on the way down !!
Tuesday - Col d´Aspin - I should have continued over a sixth col, but the Tourmalet on Monday had exhausted my legs and the climb up the much smaller d´Aspin was murder. So at the bottom I called it a day and left thje mountains for Barcelona.
Friday, 13 July 2007
Trains, planes and automobiles
Everything went more or less to plan yesterday... today the cycling starts!
The meals got better during the day... bacon sarnie in Bristol, croque monsieur in Bordeaux and steak in the Pyrenees.
About to book a txi to get me up to St Jean Pied de Pont... it is ten miles uphill, and I have a fair few hills to follow before I get to Lurbe St Christau tonight.
PS. Thoroughly recommend Chez Katina as a starting point to a tour;
The meals got better during the day... bacon sarnie in Bristol, croque monsieur in Bordeaux and steak in the Pyrenees.
About to book a txi to get me up to St Jean Pied de Pont... it is ten miles uphill, and I have a fair few hills to follow before I get to Lurbe St Christau tonight.
PS. Thoroughly recommend Chez Katina as a starting point to a tour;
Thursday, 12 July 2007
Psssttt... Here's Mombee...
Here's Mombee... comedy cow extrordinaire.He's a boy despite the pink bow :-)
Bike in a bag...
Gettin the bike and all of my cycle clothes into the bag was suprisingly easy... just hope that it all goes together as easily as it came apart.Louis and Mombee are making a bid to get into the bag and come as well :-)
Wednesday, 11 July 2007
Two days to go
The theory was always to take just a saddle bag and travel very light - but that's quite a small bag for six days luggage. Well, we've started to pull things together and it looks as though I'll have to space to spare... yay!
The downside of a saddlebag, handlebar bag and other 'touring' equipment is that my previously sleek and racy bike has turned into a bit of an ugly duckling - although I have made an attempt to retain some of its race pedigree with some 'go-faster' yellow tyres. I'll try posting a photo tomorrow.
The downside of a saddlebag, handlebar bag and other 'touring' equipment is that my previously sleek and racy bike has turned into a bit of an ugly duckling - although I have made an attempt to retain some of its race pedigree with some 'go-faster' yellow tyres. I'll try posting a photo tomorrow.
Wednesday, 4 July 2007
A week to go
I am flying from Bristol to Bordeaux (in France) next Friday 13th July and then catching a train to the mountains. With my first day of cycling just ten days away I really should get another training ride under my belt... but today I am helping at Louis' school.
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
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