Woke to a lovely Sunday morning, it’s going to be a scorcher! The prompt 8.30am start was not strictly adhered to but no one seemed to mind on this lovely sunny day. Ben and Chris (K) had a stroll up to the Church for a look after a more leisurely breakfast and left an hour later.
I had a brief wander about the lovely little town, being Sunday the church bells were ringing and people were gathering in their finery and making their way towards the sound. The locals are so friendly and I have to confess I had a tear in my eye as I marvelled at the situation. Luckily my sunglasses hid my predicament from passers by! I managed to pick up more peaches – they are delicious here and the guys can’t get enough of them, together with all four bananas for sale in the little shop.
A sad day for Simon. He called me later in the morning to pick him up as he could go no further. His friction injury had got so painful that he was in danger of not being able to father children if he had continued. He was gutted.
We had brought a bike rack together with spare wheels in the extra bike bag that I had taken on the plane so we fixed the bike on and drove onto Ax les Thermes where the guys had met up for lunch. A plastic affair but the frites were good and the guys needed to fuel up as they were about to hit the last big momma of the trip, Col du Puymorens, standing proud at 1,915 metres.
The sun was belting down and the tail wind for once was not welcome as there was no escape from the blistering heat. Strangely enough there were hardly any other bikes on the road – mad dogs and Englishmen (and SA and Australians) come to mind….
Despite the intense pain, Simon was determined to conquer this last challenge and we parked up at the start of the hair pin bends and he unloaded his bike. He said afterwards that the first few metres were excruciating but he then mastered a new way of using the saddle so that only non injured parts were touching the bike which managed to get him up the hill. Big round of applause to Simon!!
The café at the top was a bit of a wild west affair but their cokes were cold and the guys were able to top up their water bottles. Peaches all round.
Simon and I travelled together now through the windy roads. The weather was changing and we could hear thunder coming closer but the guys stayed ahead of it. Nearing Prades we hit major roadworks which saw the guys overtake us. From the top of the mountain it was downhill all the way, very steep though and the roads were wet and greasy in places – dangerous at high speed!
We past them again a few kms away from our destination, team working well you could sense that they were on the home run!
On their way into Prades they followed the sound of music towards the village square where dancing and singing had pulled everyone, from the local children to the old people, into the party. Geoff was memorised by the beautiful heyho on the stage – I didn’t download his camera photos this morning so cannot share her beauty with you all yet.
Hotel Hexagone was unfortunately built at the time when unattractive buildings spawned, the name gives you a clue. The owner was very hospitable and the breakfast the best yet, including bananas for the first time! Simon had called ahead to let them know we’d be arriving late (7.30pm again – 11 hours in the saddle!) in his fluent French which was fortuitous as the chef was sick and the hotel could not provide the evening meal we had booked. We confirmed alternative arrangements in the town.
After showering we wondered back to the village square, quiet now but the stage and a few young children playing and dancing on it a reminder of what had gone on earlier. A great meal of salad, steak, chips, pasta, pie and cheese commenced. Early on in the proceedings the waitress had spilled some of Geoff’s coke down her white top as she tried to open the bottle on a tray. The picture says it all and her unfortunate situation provided much merriment during the meal.
The footie was on somewhere and after the meal Geoff and Roger wondered off to find where it was coming from as the rest of us walked, slowly and a bit stiffly, back to the hotel. Simon has perfected a John Wayne gait which should see him through as he begins the healing process.
Last leg tomorrow – a walk in the park compared with the last four days of gruelling mountain climbing followed by hair raising descents. 90 kilometres to go but they need to get to Cerbere before 12.45!
I had a brief wander about the lovely little town, being Sunday the church bells were ringing and people were gathering in their finery and making their way towards the sound. The locals are so friendly and I have to confess I had a tear in my eye as I marvelled at the situation. Luckily my sunglasses hid my predicament from passers by! I managed to pick up more peaches – they are delicious here and the guys can’t get enough of them, together with all four bananas for sale in the little shop.
A sad day for Simon. He called me later in the morning to pick him up as he could go no further. His friction injury had got so painful that he was in danger of not being able to father children if he had continued. He was gutted.
We had brought a bike rack together with spare wheels in the extra bike bag that I had taken on the plane so we fixed the bike on and drove onto Ax les Thermes where the guys had met up for lunch. A plastic affair but the frites were good and the guys needed to fuel up as they were about to hit the last big momma of the trip, Col du Puymorens, standing proud at 1,915 metres.
The sun was belting down and the tail wind for once was not welcome as there was no escape from the blistering heat. Strangely enough there were hardly any other bikes on the road – mad dogs and Englishmen (and SA and Australians) come to mind….
Despite the intense pain, Simon was determined to conquer this last challenge and we parked up at the start of the hair pin bends and he unloaded his bike. He said afterwards that the first few metres were excruciating but he then mastered a new way of using the saddle so that only non injured parts were touching the bike which managed to get him up the hill. Big round of applause to Simon!!
The café at the top was a bit of a wild west affair but their cokes were cold and the guys were able to top up their water bottles. Peaches all round.
Simon and I travelled together now through the windy roads. The weather was changing and we could hear thunder coming closer but the guys stayed ahead of it. Nearing Prades we hit major roadworks which saw the guys overtake us. From the top of the mountain it was downhill all the way, very steep though and the roads were wet and greasy in places – dangerous at high speed!
We past them again a few kms away from our destination, team working well you could sense that they were on the home run!
On their way into Prades they followed the sound of music towards the village square where dancing and singing had pulled everyone, from the local children to the old people, into the party. Geoff was memorised by the beautiful heyho on the stage – I didn’t download his camera photos this morning so cannot share her beauty with you all yet.
Hotel Hexagone was unfortunately built at the time when unattractive buildings spawned, the name gives you a clue. The owner was very hospitable and the breakfast the best yet, including bananas for the first time! Simon had called ahead to let them know we’d be arriving late (7.30pm again – 11 hours in the saddle!) in his fluent French which was fortuitous as the chef was sick and the hotel could not provide the evening meal we had booked. We confirmed alternative arrangements in the town.
After showering we wondered back to the village square, quiet now but the stage and a few young children playing and dancing on it a reminder of what had gone on earlier. A great meal of salad, steak, chips, pasta, pie and cheese commenced. Early on in the proceedings the waitress had spilled some of Geoff’s coke down her white top as she tried to open the bottle on a tray. The picture says it all and her unfortunate situation provided much merriment during the meal.
The footie was on somewhere and after the meal Geoff and Roger wondered off to find where it was coming from as the rest of us walked, slowly and a bit stiffly, back to the hotel. Simon has perfected a John Wayne gait which should see him through as he begins the healing process.
Last leg tomorrow – a walk in the park compared with the last four days of gruelling mountain climbing followed by hair raising descents. 90 kilometres to go but they need to get to Cerbere before 12.45!
1 comment:
Hi from a rainy Budapest! Well done - sounds amazing! Will hand deliver our sponsorship cheque on Fri 11th!!
Fiona
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