DAY 7. THURSDAY

DAY 7

TODAYS RIDE TOOK US FRO CARCASSONNE TO THE LOVELY TOWN OF OLARGUES.  OLARGUES WAS VOTED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TOWN IN FRANCE.  ITS QUIET AND QUITE A LOVELY VILLAGE, NOT TOURISTY.  WE’RE STAYING AT A WONDERFUL HOTEL FLEURS D’OLARGUES PONT DU DIABLE.  IT IS RUN BY A CHARMING DANISH WOMAN AND HER HUSBAND.  I ASKED HOW THEY DECIDED ON THIS TOWN: SHE COMMENTED THAT THEY SCOURED ITALY AND SPAIN AND MOST OF FRANCE BEFORE LANDING IN OLARGUES.
HER SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW RUN THE RESTAURANT ATTACHED TO THE HOTEL.

TOMORROW WE HAVE A LONG 85 MILE RIDE TO SOMMIERES AND AGAIN, LOTS OF CLIMBING.

WEDNESDAY DAY 6

DAY 6

TODAY WAS OUR FIRST OPTIONAL DAY WHERE WE COULD RIDE OR EXPLORE THE CITY OF CARASSONNE.  Everyone opted to enjoy the pool and wonderful hotel which was situated just outside the castle.

CARCASSONNE is known for a wonderful casserole called CASSOULET which is comprised of Duck, Sausage, and Beans...........much more delicious than words can describe.

Tomorrow is another day of climbing.  Since the temperatures remain high, our group has decided to start tomorrow’s journey at 7:30 instead of the typical 8:30 start.

Best to all,

M and Big

TUESDAY, DAY 5

DAY 5.  DUILHAC-SOUS -PEYREPERTUSE TO CARCASSONNE

TODAYS RIDE WAS JUST UNDER 60 miles with 3,600’ of elevation gain.  For much of the day we had the roads to ourselves.  We are still in the LANGUEDOC region in the foothills of the Pyrenees.  

Our leaders turned out another outstanding picnic lunch which gave us the fuel for the afternoon ride into Carcassonne.  We arrived in Carcassonne, the oldest medieval in Europe around 5:00 pm.  Our bonus after today’s ride was 2 nights in the lovely Pont Levi’s Hotel which offered amenities like free laundry service and a beautiful pool.

MONDAY, DAY 4

DAY 4.  Monday

TODAY WAS OUR FIRST FULL DAY IN FRANCE TAKING US INTO THE REGION OF LANGUEDOC.  The ride was 55 miles with a tough day of climbing (7,200’ elevation gain).  Temperatures reached 100 degrees.  Our hotel was at the base of one of the Cathar castles located in the Pyrenees.

SUNDAY, DAY 3

TODAY WAS A DIFFICULT DAY.

AFTER A NIGHT IN A BEAUTIFUL HOTEL AND A WONDERFUL BREAKFAST, WE HEADED OUT FOR OUR 70 MILE, 5300 ELEVATION GAIN RIDE.

THE FIRST 50 MILES OF THE RIDE WE EXTREMELY FLAT BUT THE REMAINING 20 WAS COMPRISED OF A 12 MILE CLIMB AVERAGING 7 - 8 % GRADIENT AND THE FINAL 8 ON A NARROW DESCENT ON A NOT SO WONDERFUL ROAD.  I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN’T MENTION THE TEMPERATURE FLIRTED WITH 100F FOR MOST OF THE AFTERNOON.

WE LEFT OUR HOTEL AT 9:30 THIS MORNING AND ARRIVED IN CERET, FRANCE AT 5;30.  THE BORDER BETWEEN SPAIN AND FRANCE WAS NON EXISTENT,,,,,,,,,,NO WELCOME TO FRANCE SIGNS, NO CHECK POINTS, NOTHING TO SHOW WHERE YOU ACTUALLY CROSSED FROM SPAIN INTO FRANCE.

THE TEAM ENJOYED A FEW BEERS FOLLOWING THE RIDE, I HAD MY COKE A COLA.
M AND I DECIDED TO TAKE A NAP BEFORE OUR EVENING ROUTE RAP TO DISCUSS TOMORROWS ITINERARY.   WHEN I WENT TO GET UP, MY LEGS STARTED TO CRAMP UNCONTROLLABLY.  MY RESIDENT EMT WAS A LIFESAVER KEEPING ME FROM INJURING MYSELF MORE WHEN I PASSED OUT TWICE.  THE HANNIBAL TEAM (DR. STEPHEN YATES, BRUNO, MARCO AND LIAM HELPED GET ME INTO BED AND BROUGHT IN BANANAS, HYDRATION TABLETS, SALTED POTATO CHIPS AND TUMS TO HELP CONTROL THE CRAMPING.  AFTER ABOUT 1 HOUR I STARTED FEELING BETTER BUT STILL WARY OF STANDING UP AND PUTTING WEIGHT ON MY LEGS.  PROBABLY WON’T RIDE TOMORROW TO ALLOW THE CRAMPS TO SETTLE DOWN.

I’M PRAYING FOR A COMFORTABLE NIGHT AND NO TRIPS TO THE HOSPITAL.

LOVE TO ALL,

M AND BIG

RESERVOIR 

BEAUTIFUL OLIVE TREE

GULF OF ROSES

M AN LIAM ENJOYING A COFFEE BREAK

WONDERFUL LUNCH PREPARED BY CHEF MARCO

Saturday DAY 2

DAY 2

TODAY WAS OUR FIRST REAL DAY OF RIDING.  OUR TOUR TOOK US FROM SANT HILARI TO MADREMANYA SOME 46 MILES WITH AN ELEVATION GAIN OF 2500 FEET.  ALL IN ALL, A GOOD AND NOT TOO STRENUOUS DAY OF RIDING.  WE STARTED WITH A BEAUTIFUL 15 MILE DOWNHILL AND AS WE WERE HEADED DOWN, DOZENS OF CYCLISTS WERE HEADED UP.  WE CAME ACROSS ONE RIDER THAT WAS PEDALING WITH ONE LEG.  THIS IS AN EXERCISE FOR STRENGTHENING THE LEG MUSCLES.

WE STOPPED IN GIRONA, A HOT-BED FOR PROFESSIONAL CYCLISTS WHERE WE ENJOYED A QUICK LUNCH BEFORE TACKLING THE CLIMB TO THE HOTEL.

WE’RE IN A WONDERFUL HOTEL, LA PLACA, A 15TH CENTURY FACILITY THAT BEGAN LIFE AS A STABLE, THEN A SCHOOL, THEN 30 YEARS AGO BECAME A RESTAURANT AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE HOTEL WAS ADDED.

THE DAYS GET PROGRESSIVELY MORE DIFFICULT.  TOMORROW WE HAVE A 70 MILE DAY WITH OVER 7,000 FEET OF CLIMBING!  WE LEAVE SPAIN AND HEAD INTO FRANCE.

SITTING AREA OF OUR ROOM

GIRONA 

Day 1

Friday, DAY 1

WE WERE SHUTTLED ABOUT 1 HOUR OUTSIDE OF BARCELONA TO OUR FIRST HOTEL WHERE WE FINISHED SETTING UP OUR BIKES, HAD A WONDERFUL LUNCH AT A LOCAL EATERY AND THEN WENT FOR OUR FIRST RIDE.

WE RODE A 25 MILE LOOP ON QUIET ROADS, STARTING WITH A CLIMB, THEN A WONDERFUL DESCENT, ANOTHER CLIMB AND THEN A FINAL DESCENT BACK TO THE HOTEL.  THIS WAS A “SHAKE-OUT” RIDE TO MAKE SURE OUR BIKES (AND BODIES) WERE WORKING CORRECTLY.

TOMORROW IS THE FIRST REAL DAY OF RIDING, A 50 MILE RIDE THAT TAKES US THROUGH GIRONA, A HOT BED FOR PROFESSIONAL CYCLISTS AS IT SITS AT THE BASE OF THE PYRENEES.

BEST,

M AND BIG

Day minus 1

DAY MINUS 1

WE ARRIVED IN BARCELONA AT 7:30 AM AND IMMEDIATELY CLEARED CUSTOMS AND FETCHED OUR BAGS.

THE PROBLEM WITH ARRIVING AT OUR HOTEL SO EARLY IS ROOMS ARE NEVER READY, SO WE SPENT THE NEXT FEW HOURS ASSEMBLING OUR BIKES AND WALKING DOWN “LA RAMBLA” THE 5TH AVE OF BARCELONA.

WE MET UP WITH TWO OF OUR FRIENDS, STEPHEN AND RACHEL AND MET A LADY, AVIS, WHO IS RIDING THE HANNIBAL TOUR WITH A GROUP LEAVING A DAY AFTER WE START.  AVIS IS FROM AUSTRALIA; SHE’S 80 YEARS OLD AND A COMPETITIVE CYCLIST.  SHE’LL BE RIDING AN E-BIKE ON THE TOUR BECAUSE OF A KNEE ISSUE.

OUR JOURNEY BEGINS TOMORROW.  WE ARE SHUTTLED OUT OF THE BUSY CITY WHERE WE’LL MAKE SURE ARE BIKES ARE PROPERLY ASSEMBLED, HAVE LUNCH AND START A SHORT 20K RIDE TO OUR FIRST HOTEL.  THE REAL RIDING BEGINS SATURDAY.

DAY - 2

THE JOURNEY BEGINS.  BIKES AND BAGS WERE PACKED LAST NIGHT AND WE SCURRIED AROUND THIS MORNING MAKING SURE WE HAD ALL THE ITEMS NECESSARY TO GET US THROUGH THE NEXT 30 DAYS OF CYCLING.

IT’S 4:45 PM AND WE JUST BOARDED OUR FLIGHT TO BARCELONA.  WE HOPE TO GET OUT BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORMS BEGIN.

WE ARRIVE IN BARCELONA AT 6:45 AM AND WILL SPEND THE DAY REACQUAINTING OURSELVES WITH THE CITY, ASSEMBLE OUR BIKES, REST AND GET PREPARED FOR OUR 2,000 MILE JOURNEY TO ROME.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY TO OUR GRANDDAUGHTER TENLEY!!

LOVE TO ALL,

M AND BIG