Cycling Tour 2008 June Bilbao - Pyrenees - Barcelona
Together with Kjell Sponås and Oddvar Leirdal
29.05 Overnight at Gardermoen B & B. Wake up at 4:00. Went to airport at. 5:00
Arrived Bilbao at. 10:00.
Strolled around the city before cycling against Vitoria-Gasteiz at the 13th time. Hardly a tourist to see and locals spoke little or no english.
Two rooms were rented for 53 €, 3-course dinner with wine and coffee = 33 €
Bilbao - Vitoria-Gasteiz 65.3 km
30.05 Went from Vitoria-Gasteiz at 9:30 am to Iruna (Pamplona). Have lunch in Altsasu. Arrived at Iruna at. 16. Cycle parallel to the highway - great weather and all the top. Iruna was a positive experience. Dinner at the Grand Cafe. Demonstration in the center. Stayed right in the center - a bit noisy
Vitoria Gasteiz - Pamplona 98.4 km
31.05 Dro from Iruna at. 10:00. Have lunch in Espinal. Arrived at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port at 16:00. Gray and a lot of fog, but a little rain. Met many pilgrims, as well as cyclists today. Great city and very many tourists. Stayed at old hotel right in the center.
Iruna (Pamplona) - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port 77.9 km
01.06 Dro from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port at. 9:15. Took a shortcut via Sarrasquette across Col de Gamia and beyond Col d`Osquich. Have lunch at Tardets at 13 o'clock. Lovely day so far! But then the rain came - violently! Decided to enter a hotel but did not find accommodation either in Lurbe-Saint-Christau, Escot or Arudy. Had to go to Laruns where we arrived at the sink and call at 20:30. We rode wrong to Aramits and around Escot / Laurbe-Saint-Christau twice. Big party in Aramits, where "everyone" was full. Dropped to ride over Col de Marie-Blanque because of the weather.
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port - Laruns 97.6 km
02.06 Started from Laruns at. 10:30. Slightly cloudy, almost completely up to Col d'Aubisque. Used just 2t up. Fog on top that went over to rain. The road towards Col de Soulor was closed, but we took the chance and cycled anyway. Come to Argelès-Gazost sea water at. 3:30 p.m.. Found ok hotel with top service. Washed the clothes in the laundry in the city.
Laruns - Argelès-Gazost 47.7?
03.06 Waking up in the showers. Because of the weather, we were in doubt if we were to go over the mountain, or ride a bike. Decided to ride to Barèges at the 13th time where we arrived at. 4:00 p.m.. Argelès-Gazost - Baréges 26.5 km
04.06 Started at 9:00, after Kjell had filled the air in his flat deck. Arrived at Viehla at 20:00. Bike over four passes, Col du Tourmalet - Col d'Aspin - Col du Peyresourde - Col du Portillon - totaling 3335 altitude meters. A wonderful bicycle day in beautiful weather! Lunch in Arreau.
Bareges - Viehla 130 km
05.06 Started from Viehla at. 09:30 and arrived at Adrall at. 19. The drive to Baqueira was great - roadworks on the other side. Lunch at La Guingueta, and Water Stop in Sort. Easy drive, but far up to Pallerol del Cantó. Fog and rain 5 km before the top where we switched to dry clothes. Met a "helproff" bike ride heading for us. Fantastic great downhill ride to Adrall, although the view was not the best! Stayed at the homely place following the recommendation of the top waiter at the restaurant in town. Viehla - Adrall 119 km
06.06 Dro from Adrall at. 09:15 and arrived at Las Ramblas at. 9:00 p.m.. Kjell got sick and left in Solsana where we had lunch. I picked him up on the slopes a little before the city, while Oddvar took a taxi with him to Barcelona. Hot and nice, but MUCH traffic for the last 5 miles. Bike via Manresa. Got guiding the cyclist the last piece inside the city. Found the wide avenue "Diagonalen", which leads to Las Ramblas. Unfortunately, did not get the same hotel two consecutive nights, but last night we had a hotel in a side street to Las Ramblas.
Adrall - Barcelona 180 km
07.06 Day of rest in Barcelona
08.06 Cycle to the airport.
