This is our 2nd day of riding and presents the first real challenges. We have 5 Cols to climb today - 3 minor ones (Col de LIe, Col d'Icher and Col du Soulor) and 2 biggies (Col de Marie Blanque (Cat 1) and Col d'Aubisque (Cat Hors)) In aggregate these represent over 2880 meters (9500 ft) of climbing! As a side complication we find a big bulge in the sidewall of our Hertz van and so Lorraine has to make a trip to Pau (the nearest city) to get a replacement. This ends up taking almost the whole day!
After the usual big breakfast the group is on the road by 8:15am under overcast skies. We have an easy, rolling ride through the most beautiful Basque countryside with green fields, beautiful trout streams, sleepy postcard villages, and sheep, cattle and cows - all with bells. The roads are all in excellent condition - even the very small back-roads we favor.
The French drivers are incredibly courteous - the only yelling we get are calls of encouragement, and they will patiently wait behind for a safe place to overtake and then wave as they go by - phew, what a change from Oz! It seems that this is a major cheese producing area as there are signs everywhere touting a particular exotic variety produced by individual farms.
We make fairly short work of Col de Lie and Col d'Icher (both of which have been included in previous TdFs) then roll down a magnificent river valley to the start the nasty climb up Col de Marie Blanque.
It is exciting to see all the writing on the roads by the fans for their favorite riders - from the 2007 TdF.
I looked in vain for my name, but did manage to see 'Cadel' well represented. Rasmussen's name is still there. You may recall that he stormed to the lead in 2007 over Col de Marie Blanque and Col d'Aubisque only to be thrown off the Tour at the end of the stage. There is quite a lot of 12% grade in the climb and the sun briefly comes out to heat things up. I feel strong and my heart-rate remains in a reasonable zone and I have no problem reaching the summit.
Things turn noticeably colder and the cloud descends as we re-group, re-hydrate, put on wind breakers and start what proves to be a magnificent high-speed descent. Before starting the descent we are treated to the sight of a local taking his pet rabbit for a walk (hop?) on a leash in the parking lot.
As I said, the descent from Marie Blanque is stunning for its beauty and speed. Initially across broad, green pastures of the plateau, and then steeply through lush pine and then hardwood forests into the valley below and the picturesque town of Laruns.
From there we turn off for the start of the long ascent of Col d'Aubisque - just as it starts to drizzle rain. We meet the ladies for lunch at a small town called Eaux-Bonnes (reference to thermal springs) a few kms up the climb and after spending 45 mins there (crepes for lunch!) and filling our water bottles we head up the climb in cloud and gentle rain. The good news about the cloud and rain is that they kept it cool. I again feel really strong, and climb well - reaching the summit in 2nd place
in just over an hour (from our lunch break in Eaux-Bonnes). It is freezing at the summit, and completely in the clouds (so sadly no view), but fortunately there is a restaurant there and we are soon
warming ourselves with hot chocolate, coffee, bowls of soup and of course, cheese and ham baguettes.
After over an hour at the summit we have re-grouped, re-warmed, re- loaded and re-hydrated and we commence the spectacular, but now freezing, wet and slightly scary descent from the Col. The rain and fog make for very poor visibility (through our glasses) and we cautiously negotiate the steep descent with huge drops off the side of the road, dark tunnels and a steady stream of cars coming up. Frozen fingers and toes are a reminder of how it would be good to not have to stop to repair a puncture. After about 30 mins descent we reach the Col du Soulor at about 1450m. This nasty little Col causes us to have to ascend again for a few hundred meters, before the final descent into the valley and our hotel in the picturesque resort town of Argeles-Gazost.
We converge on our hotel and agree that it has been a very challenging day. A few beers and bottles of wine later, the tough parts are all forgotten and we discuss plans for our rest-day on Wednesday. A couple think of visiting nearby Lourdes in search of a miracle to help with then next few days. I think Lorraine and I will explore the town, and I'll catch up on emails - of course!
Allez!
