Simply the best ride so far

David and I were both, blown away by the stunningly beautiful landscape, on this ride.  Port de Bales, a 19.7 km climb which starts just out of Luchon town centre and finish's on a high alpine pass at 1755 metres, with an average of 5.7%. 

The first four km's you are on the main road to the Peyresourde Ski resort, so moderate traffic.  Once past this turn off, we had the road to ourselves.  Very quiet, excellent surface too, but we had constantly 6, 7 and 8% with pitches of 14% on bends, Dave tells me.  So yes, quite tuff, considering we had 15km to climb.  We rise quickly and the views are stunning.  Just gorgeous little villages high above us, clinging to the steep hillside and views to the high snow capped mountains that border Spain.  I just had to stop for photo's (and take a breather)


So we are on a pitch of around 8%, now of course I can't get back on the bike.  I just don't have the ability to clip in on any pitch like others can, I'm not that dexterous.  I'm getting frustrated with myself, as I try and try again. I tell myself to breathe, relax, I can do this.  I look up the road and the pitch is the same till the bend about 100 metres ahead of me.  Dave is gone, no one around.  

I talk out loud, right let's do this. I angle my bike sideways across the road,  clip my right foot in, lift it so I have a quarter of revolution, in which time, I need to lift my ass onto the seat and get the left foot onto the cleat, all before I run out of road and have to swing back to the right hand side.  Sound easy?  

Walking up the road to the bend was easier.  Around the corner it flattened off and there was Dave waiting for me.  'Is everything all right?' Won't tell you what I said, wasn't pleasant, not proud of myself. Poor luv, 
he has to put up with so much. He is such a gentleman.


The valleys, the towns are just gorgeous, beauty is everywhere.  We meet no riders, the odd car, it's amazing, almost have the road to ourselves.  Through yet another village, there are a couple of roadside workers mowing the edges and further along another group, working on a retaining wall.  That's good, because the drop off is quite steep, have to be careful not to wobble to close.

We do have kilometre markers and are on an easier section before the road pitches up again for the last 5km.  We see very large barns, which would house livestock during the winter months.  Cow's with bells and sheep adorn the countryside.  This road is only open from April through to November.

We are in alpine terrain now, the vegetation has thinned, devoid of trees, I see the livestock tracks criss crossing the steep slopes of the hills around me, as they feed on the alpine grasses during the summer months, guarded by great big white dogs.  The last couple of km's are steep to say the least, but I can see the top now and feel a great sense of achievement, knowing I have climbed up to 1799 metres and completed our longest climb to date.


They're a few cars at the top, walkers heading off in all directions, trails leading over the tops of passes. It would be wonderful to walk up here, we can see for miles, there's no wind, but it's quite chilly.  We dress for the decent, considering the climb took us just on 2 hours, deciding to eat with coffee, at a town down the other side. 

The ride down was simply stunning.  I have no more words, but breathtaking.  We quickly leave the alpine meadows and are surrounded by lush forest, birds are singing, I imagine bears in there


We stop multiple times to just take in the view.  We have the road to ourselves, it's quite steep, narrow with lots of switchbacks.  About 10km down we meet one rider heading up, sounded British, shortly after take a big wide turn and come across a road crew having a bbq for lunch.


Snags and bread was for lunch, couldn't see any tomato sauce and declined their offer to help ourselves. Lovely friendly bunch.

 
We continue on another 10km's, switchback after switchback, meet not one car, eventually the road straighten's out a little and arrived into the first town on the other side, the cafe is full of cyclists.  A large group with Annecy Cycling Club fills a large table and there are other riding couples enjoying the sunshine and coffee.  The only girl we see working, seems run off her feet but she is managing everyone's order with perfection.  Coffee is good.  We don't stay long as we need to eat our packed lunch, which by this time must we quite warm (ham and melted cheese on bagel)



We find a sunny spot, just happen to be opposite this amazing old stone house, which was surrounded by fast flowing water on two sides, across the front and right below the 'thunder box' as Dave called it.  The shit hole, straight down into the fast flowing river.  Well that's what Dave says, that little hole is for.

A beautiful ride back on charming country roads, mainly downhill. A 70km loop we both agree, the best ride we have had, so far this trip.  






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