Day 10 - Col de Solour and Col d'Aubisque

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Todays ride is our first ride in the Pyrenees after leaving the French Alps, from base camp which is the beautiful village of Argeles-Gazost we climbed 1550m to Col d’Aubisque via Col de Solour and then returned the same way.

Prior to expanding on today’s ventures I feel that I need to go back to our team meeting after dinner last night as there was an issue worth mentioning after yesterdays blog went to print. We have seen this same issue highlighted previously however it had been blamed to a sugar or hunger low and is commonly referred to as a dummy spit. Unfortunately I feel I am not in a position to mention any names and being uncertain how to address this problem, a quick call to his parent at Marrer sorted the problem as they had witnessed this dummy spit many times before.

Now getting back to todays ride, previously we thought the surrounds could not impress any more than what we had seen in the Alps, I have to say they did as this Pyrenees mountain range cannot be described by way of words as it is truly magnificent. Today for me on the climb became a little personal as I thought it was time to have a dip. An early break saw Hamilton, Sim (who is assisting with the group and I will make a point to tell you he was once a professional rider here in France) and Sellars all jumped clear of the peleton and I thought it was now or never so I went as well. Feeling comfortable at the rear of the three and knowing the importance of hydration and probably an excess of water I needed a nature stop but to take such I was surely going to lose contact with the group.

It needed to be done, I stopped, unclipped, however with bib & brace nicks I had to go to the old method of lifting which soon had me back on the bike with the bunch now out of sight. Head down and weaving through the large piles of animal manure on the road surface that I could only imagine at the altitude these deposits were made by colisees 3 dragons. I looked up to see Sellars off the back, as we came to to the 4k’s to the summit sign showing a gradient at 7.5% I continued to push and next thing I was on his wheel, at the 2km to the summit changing down and moving to the other side of the road I attacked and he couldn’t hold. Sim and Hamilton next, however I ran out of mountain and can only say thank god.

If to date you have enjoyed the daily blog, make sure that you view tomorrows as our own Brycey Shaw has something special that is a must see.Over & Out

Dydey