August 11, 2015
Hard and Easy: Saint Luz Sauveur to KM 22 for Col du Portalet
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The problem with campsites is the long hike to the service building adding a lot of time to the morning routine. And this morning I've much in town I'd like to do before leaving.
Riding out the campsite gate my first call is Intersport, which has an interesting old bike equipped with early Shimano in it's window display. They don't however have inner-tubes in a size suitable for my touring tyres, but, the sales-assistant gives me directions to another bike shop, which when I get there, has only lightweight stuff, but do have a Michelin 700/28, so I'm happy knowing I've two spare innertubes should I need them.
Next door is a boulangerie where I buy bread and a couple of croisants and a little down the way, there's a Carrefour where I spend another six euros. Then return to a cafe beside Intersport where my shopping run began for coffee; eventually, riding out of town at eleven; freewheeling as it's all downhill the fifteen kilometres to Argeles Azost.
On the way I'm thinking it would be good to find a shop with touring-tyres soon, as the orange casing of my Continental Touring is showing in a few places. It will I can only hope hold until I get to a bike shop stocking Continentals or similar. Most have racing which wouldn't last long with the riguers of touring.
Once I reach Argeles Azost, a fair size town, I'm anxious to find a bike shop. The pedestrian street and central square is full of Summer holidaymakers and I call at the tourist information office and ask the whereabouts of a bikeshop. The girl behind the desk marks a shop on the town map she hands me, but looking at her watch says, they won't be open ontil half two. They close at midday for lunch. It is now ten past twelve. She seems to think I want to hire a bike (I explain I want tyres) as this place hires bike, so I get the impression they won't have what I'm looking for, so it isn't worth the wait.
Once I've ridden the wrong way down a steep hill, I realise I'm on the road to Spa town Lourdes, the opposite direction to where I'm headed. I double back, climbing back up the steep hill into the town centre again to the sharp uphill turning signed "Col d'Aubisque" A long strength sapping ramp away from town, made worst by the day being much hotter than yesterday. After a few kilometres with little give up in the around about twelve per cent gradient, I'm glad to see a picnic place ahead where I stop and lunch. Actually it is not far until the incline levels out, but I feel so sapped of strenght at that moment I need to stop.
Riding on again the road meanders along a valley, undulating with nothing too steep. I pass through a couple of villages, the second being M.... from where the road narrows to a seasonally open mountain road and exiting the village, there's the first kilometre interval signboard with "Col du Soular 7 km" and the gradient four or five per cent, which soon goes up to nine and a half as the road winds it's way up.
Although seven kilometres is not far, it really is hotter today and I'm glad them there's overhanging tree canopy, but further up of course there's none and I'm totally exposed to hot tarmac and I find myself stopping a few times under shade when I do reach a tree.
Nearing the top I'm passed by a cyclist who seems not to be such a strong climber and I'm able to hold his wheel for a bit. Then of a sudden, a recumberant touring cyclist with a rectangular sun shield over the whole bike flies pass us. Without doubt he has to be electrically assisted. The cyclist towing me jumps ahead and tries holding onto him and they both disappear further up as I go backwards
I finally pull in at a flora and fauna interpetation board a hundred metres short of the summit and slump over the handlebars.
There is a cafe just below this and I push the bike back to it, outside of which is a touring bike with yellow orblieb panniers. The rider is siting at a table looking at his map and I intended to stop and talk, but at that moment I just need a cold drink, so walk pass him inside and order a beer. The man behind the counter is preocuppied by a visiting supplier and so there's a bit of a delay, that when I come back out with a glass of beer he's gotten up and is leaving.
It is a relieve to see the road on from Col du Soular. It only drops slightly, following a cornice ledge along near vertical mountainside, only dropping to 1350 metres where it levels with a great hollow below on the right and the line of a road across on the oppose slope. There's only a serious climb in the last few kilometres.
It is an abrupt drop and long way down the other side though.
Tomorrow is another big climb to over seventeen hundred metres. I end the day at the start of which, having turned left for Spain. The road climbs gradually along a narrow ravine with a river on the left. It is looking doubtful it'll be easy finding a place to camp, it being near vertical either side, until I come to a riverbank picnic area where I pull in. It is half seven and there's still a couple of hours daylight, so I set about changing the tyres around: putting the tyre presently on the rear wheel on the front and vice versa, to prolong the time until I need new tyres.
Today's ride: 74 km (46 miles)
Total: 8,476 km (5,264 miles)
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