Back in 2016, Al and I both cycled the Pyrenees, but not together.  I rode solo from Barcelona to Bilbao, loosely following Team Anderson's route from their trip in 2014; my journal is here.  Al rode with his cycling group (Veni Velo Vici or VVV) from Biarritz to Girona.  I carried all my gear and camped, though I ate out, while Al's group paid the expenses of a couple of non-cycling relatives to drive a support vehicle, provide lunches on the road, etc., while they rode bigger distances on light road bikes.  We've both been wanting to go back...which brings us to the plan for spring 2024.

I've been reading other Cycleblazers' stories about their rides in the Spanish Pyrenees and want to go there too.  So I suggested my idea to Al.  (Al doesn't read journals, not even mine.  So theoretically I could say anything and he'd never know--unless one of his VVV buddies who does read these tells him.)

Al was keen because climbing is involved, though a bit concerned about Spanish mealtimes.  We will have to work out a food plan, since almost half our days will be in Spain!

So what did we (I) come up with?  Our usual ambitious days, due to my wanting to go everywhere and Al's not wanting to be away too long, of course!

I've created a few options (alternatives), usually when the preferred route includes some dirt or gravel which we may or may not want to do on the day.  Rain + dirt = mud, so that's one reason!  I've also included a few day rides, generally those without numbers and usually called "day ride" or "loop" or OAB.  Most of these are in the high Pyrenees and are rides we'd really prefer to do unloaded.  Actually, it would be great to do the entire trip unloaded, but that's not in the budget!

I dithered quite a bit about the eastern part of the loop.  It just seemed a shame to go all the way to the Mediterranean and not ride at least some of the spectacular coast.  Kathleen Classen's photos made the decision easy.  Thanks, Kathleen!

So, I'm putting this out there in case anyone wants to offer feedback.  I know it's ambitious, but there are some rest days planned.  There's also a lot of climbing, but we live in a not-flat part of the world (and RWGPS elevation gain numbers are almost always higher than reality, in our experience).