Pedals & Peaks

It was with deep sadness that we learn't of the passing of David's father, by a phone call that comes while you're still sleeping, awakening the senses exponentially, you just know something is wrong.  We learn "he  read the paper from cover to cover, had his soup for lunch, then simply closed his eyes for his afternoon nap and was gone".   We knew it was coming of course, but no matter how you think you're prepared for it, it still hurts immensely. He welcomed me into his family with open arms, all those years ago and has been a huge part of my life from the day I arrived in NSW, after walking away from my corporate job in Melbourne. Last Friday, I started coming down with a chest cold and today, Tuesday was the first day I was feeling like perhaps, I could go for a spin.  So we chose a shorter route, to take in the view of the mountains, an environment he loved,  so this ride is dedicated to: Francesco Bruno Cigana. Its quite chilly and the sun is trying to ...

Albi, our base for a recovery week, relax and rest before we hit the Pyrenees Mountains for two weeks of climbing.  We are now, well over half way of our trip and I love to walk as a recovery tool, choosing this small UNESCO city, for exactly that.  Our transfer by fast train, from Girona to Albi, was long and tiring. The first segment to Narbonne in France, was so overbooked, no where to fit our luggage, backpacks stacked on top of each other in between seats and bike bags & luggage blocking isles.  Overhead racks were so tiny, only laptop bags or a small day packs would fit. So despite having booked seats and bikes on board, we stood in the doorway, between two carriages, not wanting to be separated from our luggage, Dave securing the bike bags to safety railings with ocky straps. The train was delayed at Perpignan, the first city across the Spanish border, when six 'don't mess with me' kinda guys, that I thought were police but Dave said 'border patrol,' appe...

Absolutely fantastic route today. We jump on the train for a 20 minute ride north, to Figures, our route starting point and head towards Port de la Selva and Roses, sitting on the edge of the Mediterrean sea, surrounded by the mountains of Cap de Creus National Park.   To get to the NP, we have a flat 20km ride through old villages and farmlands, the first livestock we have encountered on this trip, jersey cows and horses.  Lots of them, so it is quite unpleasant on the nose, I mean really, really smelly.  So fertile. Before long, we enter the NP and the road heads upwards.  Our climb to the top is 7km's long with an average of 6.1% and it's hot.  Jersey unzipped to keep the bod cooler, road surface is excellent with an even gradient, so rhythm is easily set. No traffic.  Before too long, we start seeing wonderful views, looking down onto the patchwork of farmlands, we have left behind. It's beautiful and amazing to see how far we have climbed. As we rise t...

Clear sunshine greeted us this morning, so the route we chose yesterday is good to go. We have every intention to be out the door by 7.30am but Dave is always slow to get going.......... I'm biting at the bit. We have 104km to ride today, through lush forest, up gentle climbs to access our main climb of the day and a test of the legs, 24km in length with an average of 3% with a maximum of 7%, so not hard in terms of steepness, but its long. Before we hit the main climb though, the route is flowing up and down, through lush forest's, bushwalking sign posts dot the side of the road, as we spy large, limestone peaks in the near distance.  Temps are cool which makes for great riding.  The main climb begins just outside the little town of Angles, and it's stunning. The road runs alongside the thundering Tar river, full of rapids and waterfalls, old stone arched bridges through a narrow long gorge with dense forest on either side.  'Robin Hood' country, Dave says as we ri...

After an epic travel day, which started at 6am departing our apartment in the dark to board a bus to Alicante Airport, for a flight to Barcelona, then caught the fast train, to the city of Girona, arriving at 6pm.   It was a long day, travelling the length of the entire country as we have now planted ourselves near the border with France. We spent a week here in 2024 and loved the area so much, just had to return. But we are wiser this time, instead of being close to the old city, where the conjestion is horrendous, we are 100 metres from the Railway station, a 15 minute walk to the old city, but the big advantage is, access to routes is far easier, local cafe's are super cheap and I got a hair cut for 20 Euro, bargin. Biggest change, was the temperature and weather.  Cool and wet.  We woke to rain our first day so made the call to chill, sleep, stock up on supplies and visit the old town (and get wet). Rain predicted again so our first ride was intentionally kept short. ...