Pau and other wonders

1 October 2010 marks our last day challenging ourselves in the high mountains of France. And what a day to finish on!

Throughout our updates over the previous 12 days, words including "incredible, amazing, spectacular, wonderful, sensational and breathtaking" have been used repeatedly to attempt to describe the experiences we are having and the scenes we are seeing.

All these words again apply to our day.

After an amazing dinner the night before, we were in exceptionally good spirits as we cleaned and lubed the bikes.

Our host Pierre bid us farewell and we have all vowed to return to his wonderful hotel in the beautiful little town of Luz St Saveur.

We had an initial downhill run along good roads in clear and sunny weather.

We stopped at Argeles-Gazost to prepare for the 30 kilometre haul up 2 Cols to the summit of Col d'Aubisque.

Our first obstacle was a gradual ascending road through to the start of the climb proper of the Col du Soulor.

This was a good warm up for what lay ahead and we were all feeling the effort of the previous day in our legs.

Col du Soulor was a climb of some 8 kilometres up to 1474 metres. It was tough with repeated gradients of 8% and within that, some short very sharp pinches just to keep the lactic levels high.

It was a beautiful climb in perfect conditions with virtually no traffic.

On reaching the summit, it was a quick refill of water bottles, a replenishment of gels and limited warmer clothing was
required.

This first downhill section was tackled with mixed emotions as we all had the coming accent of Col d"Aubisque in the back
of our minds.

The accent of d'Aubisque was yet again a unique experience with many of us suggesting this to be the most spectacular climb of all those we have tackled. The scenery was simply out of this world. All the words previously used apply.

What makes our experiences in France all the more fulfilling is that every day is different and freshly exciting. Be it rolling through the French country side or climbing a Col, it is simply beautiful but at the same time different. And d'Aubisque typified yet another difference for us.

The photos are coming and hopefully they do it justice. There were birds of prey 'playing' in the thermals and hang gliders taking advantage of the conditions.

Peter mentioned that the 2006 tour tackled our day in the opposite direction (and harder direction) in terrible weather which would have tested the nerves of the cyclists. We were granted the exact opposite conditions.

Damian finished first to wrap up the King of the Mountains prize, followed by Peter. Colin was a long way back followed by Phil H, Ern and Craig and then Mick. Ern stayed with Craig to provide assistance and encouragement - was a gutsy effort by Craig in what was his first time riding back to back high mountains.

Phil H was the cyclist of the day and is riding into top climbing form just as the Cols come to an end.

The Col d'Aubisque rises to 1709 spectacular metres. There are several tunnels to pass through including one that is pitch black.

At the summit, you literally feel as if you are on top of the world.

Many photos were taken as we celebrated our final Col. We stayed for lunch and chatted to a couple from England, a cyclist from USA and a tri-athlete from Rotterdam who we had met earlier at our hotel. All had ridden the Col's we had with the American doing so on a steel bike with pannier bags and down tube shifters - and he was damn near as old as Ern.

Peter has commented just how many more cyclists there are in France compared to the 2006 tour and suggests it reflects a sport that is seriously growing throughout the world.

Our jerseys are the catalyst for the start of many conversations and we are continually approached by people of all nationalities interested in what we are doing. Craig has mastered the art of communicating in mime when his French and anothers English runs out. It is indeed a sight to see - but it works.

After lunch on 'Top of the World" we had a fabulously long sweeping decent virtually all the way through to our overnight destination of Pau.

About 10 k from the centre of Pau, we were looking for a directional sign when a lone local cyclist stopped to see if he could help. He then proceeded to lead us all the way in to Pau including for part of the trip, along a largely wonderful
bike path.

There was one section that was very loose stones such as those you find on rail way tracks. This was hairy and made even more so when we had to dis-mount, carry our bikes up an embankment, cross a single rail track and then do the reverse on
the other side to pick up a road. Not an easy thing to do in cleats.

It was 105 hard tough and wonderful kilometres in the most amazing weather you could hope for to finish in the delightful City of Pau.

Colin did a beer run and it took him ages. He was still wearing his jersey and was stopped in the street on 4 occasions within 500 or so metres by people wanting to talk about Australia. There was an Italian couple, an English lady, a local Gentleman and a local lady who spoke perfect English. He was surprised when she said she was from Pau and it turned out she used to be an English teacher and takes every chance to keep her hand in by talking English. Her daughter is working in Sydney (Manly) for a year and has been to Cairns and she wanted to know what these places were like. She also thought our tour slogan "Le Velo, Le Vin La Vie" to be just wonderful The Italian couple have friends living in Melbourne and wanted to know if Colin knew them. (He didn't)

For dinner, Ern selected a wonderful restaurant to continue the Food, Rouge and Rose tour and given Phil is leaving us, he shouted some excellent Rouge and top shelf Rose to accompany some superb cuisine which we enjoyed while the jazz duo
performed for our pleasure.

The cleansing ale on the way home was perhaps not needed but was never the less enjoyed. It could be said we had had enough.

Today has been an early start. Damian played co -pilot with Phil S and the van while the rest of us ventured to the station to catch the train to Salat. We had a change of train and a wait of a couple of hours in Bordeaux.

Sadly, we lose Phil today in Bordeaux where he is meeting Julie to continue his holiday in France. Even more sadly, we left him in the Station Office chasing some property lost on the train.

Our final destination for the evening was changed to the most delightful little town of Beynac on Dordogne River. We are staying in a very old hotel situated immediately below a magnificent castle.

After checking into the hotel, Ern, Peter and Colin rode the 9 kilometres to Domm and enjoyed the incredible outlook from the town, Ern and Peter enjoyed a beer while Colin had tea. They were served by a lady in a private hotel who only agreed to serve them because they had ridden up the hill.

The rest of the tour group walked up and explored the old castle and also enjoyed some amazing views and history.

Dinner was superb with several having the Salad with Local Duck Specialities - and the nature of the specialities is best left for you to conclude.Foie Gras was also highly featured along with Duck dishes of all kinds. (and one fish). Photos to be added to the Food on Tour Page. Be sure to also check the cheese board presented for Peter and Mick to share (They didn't quite get through it all). Amazingly, it was also a Rose free evening and maybe, just maybe, Peter is converted.

Tomorrow we are back on the bike with 130 kilometres of what Greg describes as "Daydreaming through the Dordogne" as we make our way to Rocamadour. It is the same as a ride day of the 2006 tour described as follows.

"A very full day but the beauty will cancel out any tiredness or pain" (A. Condon, 9/2006)

Sadly, the tour that keeps getting better and better has less than a week to go.

PS - Gallery and food on tour photos now updated too