View Full Version : Just back too
Kenneth Clements
July 22nd 03, 10:30 PM
Last two weeks in June I made an attempt on the tourist version of the Raid
Pyreneen which requires cycling over 28 cols between Cerbere on the
Mediterranean coat and Hendaye on the Atlantic coast. Ten days are allowed
with a control card stamped at the start and finish and several places in
between, a bit like Audax except you have to find a business with a rubber
stamp, which is called a tampon which caused me some consternation but no
problem.
I left the European Bike Express coach at Perpignan and cycled to a campsite
just outside Cerbere. The weather was hot and I soon realised that the 20
kilos of luggage I was carrying was going to be a big problem.
The next morning I got the first stamp on the route card at Cerbere station
at 08:00. I was trying to cut the time down to 9 days by putting in 2 long
days at the beginning and my first days destination was Prades. At about
lunchtime, just before the road started to rise, I passed one of those signs
that show the time and temperature and it showed 34.5c. After climbing 4
cols I arrived at Prades just after dark at about 22:30 and had to pitch my
tent and do my cooking in the dark. Found it hard to sleep as my pulse rate
wouldn't seem to slow down.
Anyway to cut a long story short the weather was so hot the next few days
that I ended up pushing the bike between patches of shade on some of the
climbs so it was obvious that I wasn't going to make it to Hendaye and the
coach at Bayonne in time. I had a bail out alternative for a pickup from
Lourdes, about two thirds of the Raid, so I abandoned the Raid at St. Marie
de Campan looking regretfully at the foot of the Tourmalet as I left. After
the first day I felt much better and the scenery made the effort worthwhile.
Since my return I've already cut my panniers down from four to two and a
saddle bag, making the weight about 8 kilos (no cooking equipment etc) and
started training for a possible attempt next year when I will be 57. I lost
a stone and a half since last Christmas making me 11 and a half stone and I
want to get down to 10 and a half for next summer. I think I need to be able
to climb consistently at 8kph to be successful. Only managed 5kph this time.
Cols I climbed:
Col Llauro
Col Fourtou
Col Xatard
Col de Palomere
Col de Jau
Col de Paiheres
Col de Chioula
Port de Lers
Col d'Agnes
Col de la Trappe
Col de la Core
Col du Portet d'Aspet
Col de Mente
Col du Portillon
Col de Peyresourde
Col d'Aspin
Ken.
Dave
July 23rd 03, 06:10 AM
"Kenneth Clements" > wrote in message
...
> Last two weeks in June I made an attempt on the tourist version of the
Raid
> Pyreneen which requires cycling over 28 cols between Cerbere on the
> Mediterranean coat and Hendaye on the Atlantic coast. Ten days are allowed
> with a control card stamped at the start and finish and several places in
> between, a bit like Audax except you have to find a business with a rubber
> stamp, which is called a tampon which caused me some consternation but no
> problem.
> I left the European Bike Express coach at Perpignan and cycled to a
campsite
> just outside Cerbere. The weather was hot and I soon realised that the 20
> kilos of luggage I was carrying was going to be a big problem.
> The next morning I got the first stamp on the route card at Cerbere
station
> at 08:00. I was trying to cut the time down to 9 days by putting in 2 long
> days at the beginning and my first days destination was Prades. At about
> lunchtime, just before the road started to rise, I passed one of those
signs
> that show the time and temperature and it showed 34.5c. After climbing 4
> cols I arrived at Prades just after dark at about 22:30 and had to pitch
my
> tent and do my cooking in the dark. Found it hard to sleep as my pulse
rate
> wouldn't seem to slow down.
> Anyway to cut a long story short the weather was so hot the next few days
> that I ended up pushing the bike between patches of shade on some of the
> climbs so it was obvious that I wasn't going to make it to Hendaye and the
> coach at Bayonne in time. I had a bail out alternative for a pickup from
> Lourdes, about two thirds of the Raid, so I abandoned the Raid at St.
Marie
> de Campan looking regretfully at the foot of the Tourmalet as I left.
After
> the first day I felt much better and the scenery made the effort
worthwhile.
> Since my return I've already cut my panniers down from four to two and a
> saddle bag, making the weight about 8 kilos (no cooking equipment etc) and
> started training for a possible attempt next year when I will be 57. I
lost
> a stone and a half since last Christmas making me 11 and a half stone and
I
> want to get down to 10 and a half for next summer. I think I need to be
able
> to climb consistently at 8kph to be successful. Only managed 5kph this
time.
> Cols I climbed:
> Col Llauro
> Col Fourtou
> Col Xatard
> Col de Palomere
> Col de Jau
> Col de Paiheres
> Col de Chioula
> Port de Lers
> Col d'Agnes
> Col de la Trappe
> Col de la Core
> Col du Portet d'Aspet
> Col de Mente
> Col du Portillon
> Col de Peyresourde
> Col d'Aspin
>
> Ken.
>
>
Inspirational Ken !
Bloody unlucky with the weather, you just can't train for that :-(
Good luck for next year and keep us posted ;-)
Dave.
MSeries
July 23rd 03, 01:14 PM
Well done to Ken and to Gonzalez. I am doing the Raid the week after
next, I am doing the suported 100 hour version. Will post a (link to
a) full report and pictures when I return.
Gonzalez > wrote in message >...
> Kenneth Clements wrote:
>
> >Last two weeks in June I made an attempt on the tourist version of the Raid
> >Pyreneen which requires cycling over 28 cols between Cerbere on the
> >Mediterranean coat and Hendaye on the Atlantic coast. Ten days are allowed
> >with a control card stamped at the start and finish and several places in
> >between, a bit like Audax except you have to find a business with a rubber
> >stamp, which is called a tampon which caused me some consternation but no
> >problem.
> >I left the European Bike Express coach at Perpignan and cycled to a campsite
> >just outside Cerbere. The weather was hot and I soon realised that the 20
> >kilos of luggage I was carrying was going to be a big problem.
> >The next morning I got the first stamp on the route card at Cerbere station
> >at 08:00. I was trying to cut the time down to 9 days by putting in 2 long
> >days at the beginning and my first days destination was Prades. At about
> >lunchtime, just before the road started to rise, I passed one of those signs
> >that show the time and temperature and it showed 34.5c. After climbing 4
> >cols I arrived at Prades just after dark at about 22:30 and had to pitch my
> >tent and do my cooking in the dark. Found it hard to sleep as my pulse rate
> >wouldn't seem to slow down.
> >Anyway to cut a long story short the weather was so hot the next few days
> >that I ended up pushing the bike between patches of shade on some of the
> >climbs so it was obvious that I wasn't going to make it to Hendaye and the
> >coach at Bayonne in time. I had a bail out alternative for a pickup from
> >Lourdes, about two thirds of the Raid, so I abandoned the Raid at St. Marie
> >de Campan looking regretfully at the foot of the Tourmalet as I left. After
> >the first day I felt much better and the scenery made the effort worthwhile.
> >Since my return I've already cut my panniers down from four to two and a
> >saddle bag, making the weight about 8 kilos (no cooking equipment etc) and
> >started training for a possible attempt next year when I will be 57. I lost
> >a stone and a half since last Christmas making me 11 and a half stone and I
> >want to get down to 10 and a half for next summer. I think I need to be able
> >to climb consistently at 8kph to be successful. Only managed 5kph this time.
> >Cols I climbed:
> >Col Llauro
> >Col Fourtou
> >Col Xatard
> >Col de Palomere
> >Col de Jau
> >Col de Paiheres
> >Col de Chioula
> >Port de Lers
> >Col d'Agnes
> >Col de la Trappe
> >Col de la Core
> >Col du Portet d'Aspet
> >Col de Mente
> >Col du Portillon
> >Col de Peyresourde
> >Col d'Aspin
>
> I completed the Raid last summer. Eurostar to Paris (£59 return),
> slow train to Bayonne (E53), slow train from Perpignan (E58). Total
> price about £140. How does this compare with the coach?
>
> I was 16.5 stone and carried a hell of a lot of weight, I didn't weigh
> my bike but I struggled to lift it on and off trains.
>
> The advantage of cycling Bayonne to Perpignan is that you start in a
> cooler (and wetter) environment. It gets hotter as you get closer to
> the Med, but for the section you mention, Prades to Cerbere, you are
> going downhill.
>
> We were taking the Raid casually. We'd allowed ourselves 16 days
> (Britain to Britain), 13.5 days' cycling. We'd already decided not to
> get a route card because we didn't want the added pressure.
>
> We completed the Raid in nine days so spent four days basking in the
> sun on the Spanish Med coast.
>
> Before starting the Raid we trained seriously. I cycled locally every
> evening, and my friend went to the gym. Once a week we'd go on a
> longer ride on the hills around the North Downs. Once term had ended
> (I'm a teacher) I went out on long rides (100 Km) virtually every day
> with loaded panniers. I loaded the panniers with 3L of water in each
> of the front panniers and 5L of water in each of the rear panniers.
>
> I have a great photo of me on top of the Col de Peyresourde, I can
> email it if you like.
>
> Good luck with the Raid next year. I'm probably going to do it again
> with a different friend.
M Series
July 23rd 03, 08:35 PM
Cheers, it'll be tough and I'll hurt, probably regret the decision to do it
but baring accidents I am sure I'll survive. Setting of next Thursday, start
the Raid on Monday August 4th finish on the Friday, back home on Sunday
10th.
"Gonzalez" > wrote in message
...
> MSeries wrote:
>
> >Well done to Ken and to Gonzalez. I am doing the Raid the week after
> >next, I am doing the suported 100 hour version. Will post a (link to
> >a) full report and pictures when I return.
>
> Good luck. How anyone can get across in just four days is beyond me.
> I hope you enjoy the trip.
> --
> remove remove to reply
MSeries
July 25th 03, 08:49 AM
Go for it. I started making preparations for E2E last summer but was
made redundant in May and had to call it off. This year the Raid has
cropped up so I hope to do the E2E next year. I intend to be
unsuported but stay in B&B and take 14 days on the ride leaving a day
each side to get to the start and home from the finish.
Gonzalez > wrote in message >...
> M Series wrote:
>
> >Cheers, it'll be tough and I'll hurt, probably regret the decision to do it
> >but baring accidents I am sure I'll survive. Setting of next Thursday, start
> >the Raid on Monday August 4th finish on the Friday, back home on Sunday
> >10th.
>
> I'm attempting the End to End, starting 11 August. Unsupported and
> camping most nights. Still, I've got 16 days in which to complete it!
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