Toulouse to Barcelona across the Pyrenees Sept 2012

On Sunday September 16 th five elderly cyclists set off from Dublin airport to cross the Pyrenees starting in Toulouse and finishing in  Barcelona.., For the first time in the Wheelberrys history these robust but "greying" cyclists had only touring bikes and all their needs for the days ahead were carried in panniers , no support vehicles , no back up just themselves and the open roads . These intrepid pioneers were Jerome , Dave , Tony . John and Bernard .   Johns detailed account of the trip is below . My summary is at the end .

              Bernard , Dave , Jerome , Tony and John

 

Sunday  16 September 2012.  Day 1 

Check in at Dublin Airport Terminal 2 . The staff were particularly helpful with the bikes. The pannier weigh-in showed a clear winner; Jerome at 19 kg. The other weights were around 14  kg., with Tony lightest at 12.5 kg. Jerome was actually carrying the 2 spare tyres and a rucksack . 

The reconstruction of the bikes took longer than anticipated.  We all had difficulty putting on the attachment for the handlebar bag .  Also great difficulty getting out of the airport.  We were on a busy main road and  a  motorway for a short distance. We all had an Irish tricolour  on  the back of our bicycles.  This was to let the motorway traffic know that the eegits who were on the hard shoulder, or trying to cross busy traffic lanes, were from Ireland.  However, over the course of the week, we realised that most people assumed we were Italians. 

 

We did find the cycle route along by the east side of the river Garonne, eventually, as planned, and got to the south side of Toulouse.  We then went onto the main road; just as well as there were encampments of homeless people along the route by the river. 

Just as light was fading, we reached our destination, a small B&B on the southerly outskirts of Eaunes.  After a quick wash, we got a taxi to a Spanish restaurant, which we were led to believe was only 2 km away.  But in fact it was 12 km away.  The taxi driver seemed to know the landlady, and charged 40 euro to take us there, and 45 to bring us back. The meal was very overpriced and of the “neuvo cuisine”type ,not really what 5 very hungry cyclist needed. 

Toulouse airport - Eaunes.

Distance cycled: 32.62 km.

Elevation gain:  157 m

Stay : Hotel Particulier Belair, Eaunes.

Dinner: La  Commanderie,  Saint Sulpice-sur-Leze

 

Monday 17 September 2012.  Day 2. 

Eaunes  -  Ax Les Thermes. 

After breakfast served outside (chilly), we set off southwards.  Just before our stop in Saverdun we passed an older couple on bicycles with panniers.  While  having coffee and chocolate croissants, (special offer for five), we met them again:  a retired couple from Dulwich in London, who were cycling to their holiday home in Perpignon.  They travelled impressively  lightly.  He had only 2 panniers, she only one.  They had   got a ferry to St. Malo and were on day 13, almost finished.  They spend two months in spring and two months in the autumn in Perpignon, and he had always wanted to cycle down through France

Lunch was at an  outside table at a  restaurant in the town square in Pamiers.  An excellent lunch, spaghetti carbonara, with a raw egg yolk in its shell, which one mixes with  the hot spaghetti oneself.  The first time I'd seen it. 

After lunch, we continued south to Foix, and then on toTarascon, all the time following the river Ariege, ( a 164 km. long tributary of the Garonne. The river gives it’s name to this Department- until Napoleon’s decree, it was known as the country of Foix). We continued  a slow and steady ascent to Ax Les Thermes. Our hotel was  on the hill going south out of town.  In the centre of the town there are  sulphurous hot springs, from which the town gets its name ( Ax, from Latin aqua, meaning water;   French thermes  meaning hot springs).  The springs in  the centre of town are Le Bassin  des Ladres, ( leper’s pond), where the water temperature is 77°C.  I visited them on Tuesday morning before breakfast.  I took some exercise in an attempt to relieve my indigestion and heartburn, which I had all night after the dinner:   the set meal , which  was included in the price, and Bernard , quite rightly, turned up his nose at the main course, which was  warmish/cold  pork and hottish slimy ice.   

                        Typical morning coffee stop

Lunch:  Pamiers.

Distance cycled 113.15 km.

Elevation gain 870 m.

Morning coffee break : Saverdun.

Stay Hotel La Grande Cordee, Ax Les Thermes.

Dinner:  in hotel, including in price, set meal.(yuck)

 

Tuesday 18 September 2012.  Day 3.

Ax  Les Tharmes - Alp, via Andorra. 

After breakfast we set off southwards, continuing our climb  towards Andorra.  One of the main topics of conversation was whether we would take the tunnel or not.  This was a fruitless discussion, because bicycles are banned from the tunnels, and the main   tunnels around here are peage only.  We had a slow steady climb to coffee at   L’Hospitalet-pres-l’Andorra. I noticed many  stray flowers, including some sunflowers, growing   by the side of the road, especially near one lay by .  The road was busy, especially after coffee, on our way to Pas de la Casa, the destination it seemed of  most traffic.  This town was gaudy, loud, and unattractive, lots of people people buying their duty-free.  After lunch we went back on our tracks ( a welcomed  descent)   until we took a right-hand turn to start the climb  to the Col de Puymorens  (1920 metres), which we all thought was shorter and easier than the morning climb.  Interestingly, my Garmin  measured the Col de Puymorens at 1929 m.  From the top of this Col   we had a   great   downhill ride to Alp.  This was a very nice town.  When we reached   the hotel it was open, but there was no one there.  After searching and calling downstairs, we phoned the number on the sign on the entrance door, and five minutes later the woman came to give us our keys and book us in.  This reminded me of a NAMA hotel: great   fixtures and fittings, but no one there!  We had   drinks in 2   different bars before   dinner in the restaurant next to the hotel.  Much of this   town seemed to have had a makeover recently, with many new   apartments built around the edge of town.  This hotel had the best  laundry room and drying room that we used on this trip. 

          Jerome looking very pleased with himself 

            The long climb to Andorra

Distance cycled: 76.14 km.
 

Elevation gain: 1604 m.

Morning coffee:  L’Hospitalet-pres-l’Andorra.

Lunch: El Pas de la Casa, Andorra.

Afternoon break:  Puigcerda, , just inside the Spanish border, next to Bourg -Madame, which is on the French  ( other)  side of the river.

Stay:  Hotel Jaume, Alp 17538, Spain.

Dinner: restaurant on first-floor across the road from the hotel.

 

Wednesday,  19 September 2012.  Day 4.

Alp - Ripoll. 

After breakfast we took care to find the correct route out of town, towards the   ski resort of  Super Molina , beyond  La Molina.  On our way a number of cyclists passed us; they were mainly American and Canadian (approximately 14 of them) travelling with a professional cycling holiday organiser called Backroads.com.  We spoke to some of them as they passed: a regular question was ‘are you camping’, referring to our fully laden panniers !  After coffee in La Molina, at the same café   as the Americans, Dave realised that he had left his handlebar bag in the cafe, so he had to return for it.  We waited close to some newly built very smart apartment blocks built for the ski season. 

We continued up  the long drag to the Col de la Creueta (1888 m), at the top of which we met some of the backroads.com crew again.  We were above the clouds, and descended initially through heavy mist/cloud.  Lunch was in Castellar de N’Hug, in the Bar-Restaurant El Celler de Rosa Subira, where a very friendly and helpful owner (or more correctly perhaps owner’s husband) gives us a great meal .  He reminded me Renee  in ‘Allo, ‘Allo.  His wife kept a close eye on our bicycles, while we ate lunch in the first-floor restaurant. 

We had entered the small town from the bottom rather than the top (silly), and we left the same way ( much more silly),   since we ignored the directions of Renee, and took the road to La Pobla de Lillet rather than the more easterly and direct route via Montgrony.  I blame the excessive wine and beer that the pilot Bernard had at lunch. 

This minor error meant that we had the bonus of climbing the Coll de Merolla (1090 m), after which we  passed the road on our right that we had meant to take.  We went to Campdevenol, before we took a  right  and turned south onto the busy main road to Ripoll.  The way into   this town was quite bleak- disused factories on our right, with one particularly poor-looking two-storey housing area on our left, opposite the factory. 

"Rene "and his wife, the best lunch of the tour

 

 

We had a beer at the table on the pavement at   the hotel before we checked in.  We met in the hotel bar before dinner, where we met a Swiss salesman who sells   flexible drive shafts.  Dinner   was in a pizzeria in the centre of town.  I was in a single room, with a view of a large castle/tower house, with the Catalan flag flying proudly.  The flag was taken down at night, but   was put up again for 8 a.m. the next morning. 

Distance cycled : 68.2 km.

Elevation gain: 1179 m.

Morning coffee:  La Molina.

Lunch:  Castellar de N’Hug

Stay:  Hotel La Trobada, Ripoll

Dinner: Pizzeria.

 

Thursday the 20th of September 2012, Day  5 

Ripoll -Manresa.

Just out of Ripoll Tony got a phone call to say that his uncle had died.  We continued on very interesting countryside, (saw cows and horses with bells) through the district of Les Llosses, until we reached the town of Borreda for morning cafe con leche.  We sat outside the village cafe/general store.  It is surprising how many people were inside sitting at the back.  The shop at the front sold an amazing range of goods.  The Catalan flag was on some balconies facing onto the square.  I noticed yet again how many very old and/or invalided people there are in small towns and villages, with a younger helper, a relative usually I presume. 

On the way to Berga, where we stopped for lunch, we passed a large reservoir at Vilada, at the River El Llobregat. Lunch was at a restaurant on the main street, on the decking platform outside the restaurant. 

Not for the first time, we had some difficulty finding the correct minor road out of town.  A man in the small van saw our prevarication; he  turned round, and pointed in the right direction  (he  too does some bicycle touring, and knew how difficult it can be).  This act of kindness was greatly appreciated.  The afternoon’s cycle was difficult; the map we had showed the minor road merge with the motorway at many points. At one stage we cycled down into a very run down housing estate; time for a hasty retreat! We met three other very helpful people during our “where the hell are we “afternoon .

 

The first was at Navas, where an elderly man on a quad bike guided us through the town to get out onto the right road.

The second  just South of Balsareny, a man in a 4x4 who we asked for directions  led us on a dirt track, which  connected  with  the road  that we needed.

 

And Finally in Berga, where we stopped at a fire station for directions.  A firemen in a red ‘Bomber’ jeep  guided us ( at speed ; he was clearly not used , or more likely resentful for being instructed,  to guiding elderly gents on fully laden touring bikes)  through heavy traffic and a maze of roads towards our hotel.  Before reaching the hotel we were met by the hotel owner on a motorbike; we followed him for the final few hundred yards.  The hotel was in an odd location :  behind large BMW car dealerships, and was described on the Internet  as a country house, but it clearly was a country house that had long been overtaken and surrounded  by the expanding town.  But it was very difficult to find, even for the fireman, who had to phone up the hotel to find directions.  Luckily, there wasn't a fire there while we were present!  The only other occupants were some Russians. 

 
The Hotel we needed help to find,clearly a country house some time ago

Distance cycled:100.53 km.

Elevation gain: 1160 m.

Morning  coffee : Borreda

Lunch: Berga.

Stay : Turo de la Torre, Manresa.

Dinner in the hotel. 

 

Friday 21, September 2012, day  6. 

Manresa - Barcelona. 

Given the difficulty that we had on Thursday evening getting it to Manresa, we were apprehensive about getting out of it on Friday morning, and true to form,  it proved quite a challenge.  We initially headed south west in the direction of Montserrat, but we then veered east words.  At El Bures we joined the busy road carriageway southwards.  There were two lanes in each carriageway, and we were able to cycle on the hard shoulder, but the traffic passed us at great speed on.  We attempted to get off the dual carriageway when  we had our morning coffee break at the truckers stop.  Before our break  we passed  a scantily clad young woman sunning herself on the hard shoulder; we passed another such  hitchhiker after our stop.  We decided that we needed to keep heading south, rather than veering  east at this point, so we returned to the busy hard shoulder, after passing through Monistrol de Montserrat, from where we could see the great monastery  perched high on a mountainside. 

We had lunch in Abrera:  a drink and a sandwich on a pavement table next to a good fish shop.  We had been refused service at a previous restaurant, where we requested to sit inside but we wanted to sit outside so that we could  keep an eye on our bikes.  The waitress chose not to serve us if we sat outside , it was too far to carry the food.

Leaving Abrera, we went through big industrial estates, including going past the large SEAT Sport   car factory.  All this was to avoid the A2, Autovia del Nord-est, to which all the signposts kept directing us.  Again, we had difficulty finding the bicycle friendly roads.  At one bus stop, outside a large mental hospital, an elderly man guided us to an underpass.  This had steps on both sides and was difficult to negotiate.  We then stopped at a petrol station, where we were eventually given the directions to the route we wanted. 

It remained very difficult to stay on bicycle-friendly roads, and we were due to meet a truck in Barcelona port at 6 p.m. to load our bikes for home.

 

At Martorell, after cycling approximately 55 km, we passed a railway station, and someone had the bright idea to get the train for the final 25 km into Barcelona.  For the princely sum of 3.60 euro each, we got the commuter train to Placa d’Espanya in the centre of Barcelona.  At both stations there were lifts, which could take one bike and cyclist at the time.  Emerging from the Metro station at Placa d’Espanya , after much prevarication, and a trip to a tourist booth, we found the Gran Via de les Corts Catalans, at the end of which we stopped, unloaded and rearranged our panniers, to get ready for collection, and waited and waited and waited..  After a number of three-way phone calls between us, Ireland, and Barcelona port, we re-packed, re-loaded, and set off to the port to meet the truck to take our bikes home. 

The Zona Franca in Barcelona port is big; very big.,in fact enormous  , and we did see quite a lot of it.  We were looking for Carrer Numero 6, past the huge vegetable and food wholesale market  ( one of  the biggest in Europe we were told).  We eventually found the Collbatalle warehouse, a big orange coloured building, where we waited until our truck to  pick up our bikes. After making sure our beloved bikes were safe and tucked up in the back of the truck we bid them a fond farewell we hailed two taxis who took us to the office where we collected the keys for our pre-booked apartment ( C. Rocafort, ).  After a quick wash, we had an excellent dinner, and then to bed. 

 

                        Tony relaxing on the train into Barcelona

Distance cycled:  76 km.
 

Elevation gain: 640 m.

Morning coffee: Castellbell.

Lunch: Abrera.

Stay: Apartment at  C.  Rocafort, Barcelona ( 2 nights).

Dinner: El Rebost de Maria, Gran Via de les Corts Catalans

 

Saturday 22, September 2012, day  7. 

Barcelona,  Parc de  Collserola 

After breakfast in a  smart cafe, we got  2 taxis to Terra  diversions on C.  Santa Tecla  (www.terradiversions.com).  We had pre-ordered our mountain bikes, which were ready and  waiting for us, and so too was our guide.  He took us out of Barcelona on bicycle routes and tracks, and we travelled in a north westerly direction up to  the Parc de la Fort del Racoto, which is at the terminus of one of the oldest tramlines in the city.  After a brief rest, we headed towards the Sergat Cor Tibidado,where the funicular also terminates. We were now in the Parc de Collserola, passing La  Rabassada.  The mountain biking was exhilarating.  We kept to the main tracks, some very steep, but great fun and tough enough. 

After a  taxi ride back to the apartment, we had a well-deserved lunch.  A metro trip to Sagrada Familia (Gaudi's Cathedral), where we had a look from the outside, and another cafe stop, followed by a walk back in the general direction of our hotel, via a  number of tapas bars, (  restaurants Divinus on Passiege de Gracia 28, was the best.  We sat at the counter  where we could see the behind-the-scenes preparation of the great  counter display of tapas).  We then attempted to walk back to the hotel, but got lost, and were tired, so we resorted to two taxis. Dinner was in a nearby café/restaurant, where the main entertainment was watching the televised  home game of Barcelona ( v Seville  ),  that started at 10 p.m. 

About to head off on our mountain biking experiance ,
We did'nt look so good on our return!!  
 

Distance mountain biking: 37.67 km

Elevation gain:  977 m

Lunch : pavement table , nondescript restaurant

Dinner :  tapas bars, and café restaurant.

 

 

 

My Summary  ( Dave|)
A great trip and a new experience for all of us with the touring bikes and panniers .First time we had used large plastic bike bags for air transport and "Chinese " bags for our panniers , both very successful . The standard of Hotels and meals we had on this trip were not as good as on previous trips , this was because most of the really good accommodation and eating places were closed and would not be opening again until the Winter Skiing months. The weather was fantastic 27 - 32 C most days . The good will of  the various Spanish people who helped us when we seemed to be a bit lost was exceptional , so much so that on our return we wrote a letter to the Spanish embassy in Dublin expressing our gratitude . One lesson we did learn was that we took far to much gear with us  .Washing cycling gear each night , getting it dry overnight and then re-wearing it the next day is the only future option.

.So whats next ?? I would guess that it will be touring bikes and lighter panniers again and taking the train into very busy cities .

For those who like statistics 

Distance cycled 504.38 km.

The time cycling, 31:25:13:: h:m:s

Elevation gain 6587 m.

Average speed, 16.1 km/hour



 

On Sunday morning, we were collected by taxi at 8.30 to bring us to Barcelona airport.  We arrived safely home for 1 p.m.

 

 

  A welcome stop , note the use of the back pannier as a clothes drier !! ,and notice the road we had just cycled up in the distance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Geneva to Nice September 2010

Once again the gang (John R ,Bernard ,Tony ,Jerome ,Dave and Garry)embarked on what would turn out to toughest trip yet ,starting in Geneva and crossing the Alps to Nice.Each day provided a different Col to challenge our fitness , stamina and determination ,most of the accents took many hours of muscle burning pain ,not helped by the fact that some members now have Garmin 705's and so were able to give a running commentary on the current gradient and predict how with every kilometer the gradient would change, somehow this always seemed to go up and one could imagine that further up the road we would in fact be upside down and going backwards !!.
Having struggled to the top of the Cols the long descents were absolutely amazing , with the pain of the climb soon forgotten ,clocking over 60 mph (96K) at some points and descending through spectacular mountain scenery ,picturesque villages and negotiating endless switch backs and tunnels , not to mention avoiding large trucks that we always seemed to meet on the narrowest part of the road and usually on a bend . This was cycling at it's best ,the stuff we live for ,a feeling of being both exhilarated and frightened at the same time .
Our trip conclude in Nice where we stayed at Stephen Roche's Hotel .This had been a very hard but very enjoyable cycle with lots of stories that were duly re lived at our final evening out in Nice where we ate , drank and entertained the locals before returning to out hotel for more drink and reflection . For the record the Cols we climbed were Col de Marais, Col de la Madeline, Col de Grandon, Alpe d Huez ,Col de Lautaret, Col de Izoard , Col de Vars , Col de Cayolle and Col de Coullole .

Spain 2009

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Saturday 12th September 2009
Very early rise for very early flight to Madrid .Five cyclists Jerome, Bernard, Tony,John P and John R plus our driver Pat . After the hassle of getting away from Madrid Airport we finally arrived two and a half hours later in Caceres, our starting point . This town is on the Via de la Plata, approximately one third of the way along the pilgrimage route from Seville to Santiago de Compostela, our final destination.

Sunday 13th
Only 167 Km today, destination Le Alberca , started out through sleepy villages ,are we on the right road?, Very quiet apart from some some motorcyclists , passed by many large ruins , coffee stop at Grimaldo where we consumed Bernard’s mothers fruit cake that was supposed to last the entire trip (sign for Santiago 648 Km.). Here we met two walking pilgrims each adorned by the “sign of the shell” neatly hanging from their necks. Later in the day cycled through hills where there had recently been many fires, the landscape was dead, black and rather scary.
Highlight of the day , fantastic climb from Las Mestas to El Portillo (1240 m) . Not for the faint hearted . This was the only climb on the whole trip that Jerome and John R didn’t finish and Bernard, John P and Tony didn’t start. Arrived at Hotel Donna Teresa after 9 pm, flattened and exhilerated at the same time . Revived by food and drink ,it was a long first day.

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Monday 14th
Destination Zamora, 146 Km. A very long straight road into a headwind , need to learn very quickly the rotation of the lead cyclist system .Lunch at Salamanca ,the cyclists found it easy to reach the town centre, unfortunately Pat in the van found it very difficult .Ordering lunch highlighted our complete lack of Spanish , the lucky two who ordered “pesce” did well but the four that ordered “carne”got pigs trotters which were fatty and inedible .New resolution John R assigned to bring Spanish dictionary to every future eating event , Terrain continues along the long straight road , wind hadn’t changed .Stayed at Pandora in Zamora , fantastic old monastic building .Resolution two , less of the “F” word in case it offended any Americans or English within earshot.

Tuesday 15th
Destination Puebla de Sanabria, 129 Km. Very quiet country roads through sleepy small villages such as Tabara where we passed women washing clothes in a community pool in the middle of the village. We also passed two council workers guiding a donkey and cart .Each man on his mobile phone no doubt telling their boss that they will be late for work due to unforeseen meeting with Irish cyclists . John R took a detour to the village of Valpaoriso (Inspired by the Irish Poem) Before dinner we took a trip into Puebla de Sanabria , a wonderful castle near the Plaza Mayor of the town which is situated on a hill with commanding views of the surrounding countryside .Jerome is now on a mission to purchase new tyre

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Wednesday 16th
Destination Verin, 94 Km . Cooler today , countryside becoming hillier and more like Ireland as we head into Galaria Fantastic 5 Km downhill into Verin. Parador Hotel is on the far side of town so we arrive just in time for a late lunch (3.45) then into town to buy yet another tyre for Jerome and stamps for John R ,the stamps being found for sale in a Tabac (don’t ask).Then off for a walk around the castle of Monterrei which is fantastic , and next to our hotel.


Thursday 17th
Destination Orense, 79 Km . Very cold start to the day .too hot going up hill too cold going down. Travelled on the N525 parallel to the M52 motorway ,countryside more varied. Had to negotiate a number of tunnels , not an enjoyable experience ,they were dark, damp and narrow and we were without any lights. We cycled very fast well aware of the damage being hit from behind could inflict, be it by a car , a truck or two council workers with a donkey . Orense is a big sprawling city , much more imposing than you would expect from the maps .We went straight to the Plaza Mayor for lunch then cycled some distance out of the city back to a new hotel built in the shape of a ship(sort of).Dinner in the restaurant San Miguel in the old town , fantastic !

Friday18th
Final destination Santiago de Compostela, 133Km. Took over an hour to find our way out of Orense then had a long steady up hill drag into the wind until we finally reached decent roads .Past many traditional Galacian grain stores on stilts. After “elevenses” in Cea , we took a detour to La Real de Oseire , a hugely impressive monastery in the middle of nowhere .Countryside very hilly and tough cycling . Lots of heather on the hill sides reminiscent of the Coolies. Lunch in Lalin , where first a very large bowl of soup, followed by a very large bowl of stew, just plonked in the middle of the table and we helped ourselves . Small break in Susana to take on board Oranginas and Coke for the final 10Km push into Santiago .We arrived triumphantly mid afternoon but this triumphalism was short lived due to a series of road works organised we thought by those two council workers and the donkey . Pat , alone and confused in the van , took ages to find our splendid hotel Monumento San Francisco . which was only a stones throw from the famous Cathedral. Excellent final supper in A Curtidoria as recommended by Bernard.



Saturday 19th
Bikes packed into boxes and boxes packed in van (sounds easier than it is).After breakfast, time for shopping or queuing patiently at the Pilgrim Office near the Cathedral, to get the Compostela, the traditional certificate which indicates that the pilgrimage was undertaken for motives of devotion and piety (‘pietatis causa’) . To get the Compostela one must show the appropriately stamped Pilgrim Passport ( credencial ) as proof of the journey, and pay 1 euro. Then all meet for the Pilgrims Mass in the Cathedral at noon , the highlight of which is the ritual of swinging of the botafumeiro across the nave of the cathedral. Then back to the airport home in Drogheda in time for tea .

Trip statistics Distance completed 750 Km
Punctures 2
Arguments 0
Donkeys 1

Ring of Kerry July 5th 2008

This was the 25th anniversary of the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle we drove down on Friday afternoon , on arrival the weather was terrible , cold windy and raining .We booked into the Melton Hotel , a fine spot ,and then sought some spiritual comfort in a few pints of the black stuff in a local bar ,then back to the hotel for dinner where we were joined by David ,Connor and "Tank" who were joining us on tomorrows cycle . Up early Saturday morning to find that it had stopped raining and the sun was trying to make an appearance. Down at the start line , loads of cyclist (at least 1,000), lots of photo's ,some speeches from local dignitaries , a glamorous Swedish model giving us sweets and after a priest had sprinkled us with holy water we were finally off !! .

After 4 miles Jerome punctured ,van pulls up ,out jumps two lads , new tube ,new tyre all fixed in 3 minutes at an all inclusive astronomical cost of €20. As the day went on our "team" became some what fragmented , there were a few long drags ,the most spectacular one being Moll's Gap the watershed of the Iveragh Peninsula, from the top we had a great panoramic view of the Macgillycuddy Reefs . It rained quite heavily for the final 20 miles but we all finished , some in better shape than others ."Tank" deserves special praise as he is a footballer not a cyclist and only did it for a bet after being egged on by his work mates, he also had a bike that should have been scrapped years ago or presented to a museum .

We then retired to the usual format of drink, food and craic somehow even believed that Eric Clapton was staying at the hotel and would be singing a few songs in the bar . Great cycle , well organised , must do it again next year .

Etape Caladonia Scotland May 18 2008

Once again the gang headed out into the unknown , this time to Pitlochry in Scotland for the annual Etape event . There was no need to take any "back up driver" as the event is run on closed roads ,this was also a bonus as our driver for the past two years had now transformed himself into a cyclist !!. We stayed at the Atholl Palace Hotel , a really nice well positioned residence with an old world charm , good food and a late bar .Throughout the day more cyclists arrived and soon the town was full of bikes,power bar sales persons , and people signing on , plus all the cycling regalia and outlets one would expect the day before the big event .We visited the famous "Salmon traps " which turned out to be a large locked concrete hut with a digital counter on the outside ,about as interesting as watching a slug trying to eat a piece of burnt toast.



Sunday morning arrived , weather quite cold , decisions to make , tights or shorts ,winter jacket or rain proofs , we settled for a mixture of both . The 81 miles took us through some very nice countryside ,round the Grampians with a maximum assent to 1,950 meters , the climbs were steady and not to steep ,except for a nasty little one about 6 miles form the finish,this caught a lot of people out , the rapid grinding of cogs ,changing of gears and the bad language had the local lady sheep covering their ears and diving for cover .



We all finished ,no accidents ,then it was back to the hotel for the now well established ritual , shower , drinks , dinner , drinks , talk shite , more drinks ,laugh a lot ,talk even more shite (this time with strangers) even more drink then off to bed absolutely convinced that the wobble legs were as a direct result of the hard cycle . Great week end .The complete list of runners and riders can be viewed on

http://www.etapecaledonia.co.uk/

Appian Way September 2007

Once again the famous 5 , plus driver , landed in Rome airport on September 16 th ,assembled our bikes at the airport (see photo) and headed for Brindisi along what is left of the Appian Way . The 700 Kilometers took us 6 days ,staying overnight in Anzio , Gaete , Ospedaletto d Alpinola , Pontenza , Matera and Brendisi . Much of the original Appian Way has been lost to trunk roads but there was still enough lung bursting "switchback"climbs in the mountains along our route to ensure we really looked forward to a hot shower and a cold beer at the end of each day . Finding our route , especially through large towns , was extremely difficult and even more difficult for our driver .We experienced being chased by very violent dogs , arriving into Potenza in the dark and having a police escort to our hotel and on one day somehow split into 3 separate groups , all of us lost and an extra 35 Kilometers before we finally found out hotel . Weather , food and hotels were excellent , roll on 2008 !!!. Here are some photos of us doing what we do best , enjoying ourselves !!!

Camino Cycle September 2006

On the 16 th of September 2006 ,5 middle aged , but very keen Irish cyclists , plus a driver ,arrived in Najera and over the next 5 days cycled the 640 Kilometers from Najera to Santiago . We were all on road bikes but we did our best to stay as close as possible to the original Camino route staying overnight in Najera ,Castrojeriz, Mansilla De Las Mulas , Villifranc , Sarria and finally Santiago . The cycle took us through some spectacular scenery , there were some tough climbs and fantastic descents , weather was good apart from the last day when we had 120 Kilometers into wind and gales . The trip was great craic (which is an Irish'ism for massive fun usually involving copious amounts of alcohol ) Here are a few photos of us .