Friday, 27th July
An early start, heading back to AG in the car with the French radio blaring. Hautacam was today's goal, and it was the second HC climb in two days. Each of the famous cols have signs at every kilometre that lets you know how far away the summit is and what gradient to expect for the next kilometre. Hautacam immediately started with a kilometre with an average gradient of 10%. Later, the weakness with this "averaging" approach became evident. At about 3km from the top, while the sign advised that the next kilometre was 9%, the road was less so for a while. This was ominous because you know you have to make up for this later in the kilometre and so it was. Turning the corner I arrived at a brutally steep 400m section of 13%. It was nasty. At the top I felt more like I had been expecting to feel after every HC climb, with my legs burning and tired with the effort. I had no time to dawdle, and with nothing except a car park at the top I took a quick photo, then headed back down the mountain at 50-60km/h back to the car (while the pros descent at 90-110km/h, I confess my self-preservation threshold kicks in at 60km/h). For a moment going up the climb today I wondered if I would get to the top. This was excellent because it was just the challenge I was hoping for when I dreamt up this trip. For me it was living life to the max, and it also gave me a taste of how the pros must feel when they get close to their limits going over these same mountains.
Tomorrow will be a rest day from the cycling while, weather permitting, we have a family outing to the Pyrenean Animal Park. I am told this is for the kids benefit, however Nicola does seem quite excited about the prospect of seeing a marmot. Should be fun.
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