Rain. After having joked with the campground owner the night before that it always rained in Spain and the weather was so nice here, it started raining around 10 p.m. and it didn’t stop in the morning.
Oh, was I happy that I had already ridden up to over 1000 m elevation the day before and only had another 1000 meters elevation to the top.
On the way up I found that part of the old road has been dedicated to cyclist Laurent Fignon and is car-free. So the ride wasn’t plagued by traffic. Halfway up another randonneur, whom I later learned was from the Netherlands, came up behind me and overtook me while I took off my raingear – since it was actually clearing up!
I overtook him later as he was on a break and so was the first of us to be greeted by 6° C and thick clouds at the top. The downhill was icy but otherwise nice enough, considering that I only saw the road and oncoming traffic for most of the way.
In the valley I had lunch in what could almost be considered sunshine, before continuing onwards towards the Col d’Aspin but turning off before the main ascent towards La Hourquette. The smaller road promised less traffic and so it was. Moreover the scenic road led me through green forests and valleys away from villages or tourists. Only the inevitable clouds at the top clouded this ascent.
Down in the valley I evaded the high traffic main road and rode up along the valley’s villages until I turned towards the last of today’s passes.
With the low clouds and late afternoon it had gotten cold already. Then, about 6 km before the Col de Val Louron-Azet, the clouds reached me and with them a cold drizzle.
The descent was icy again and also without view until I came below the cloud cover. In the valley I found that I actually had to search for a campground with a hot shower. Previously these had been present everywhere. I found one soon enough and learned that what ‘Uncle Ben’ defines as a 2 person meal is barely half a meal for a hungry cyclist. Baguette an cheese save the day!
80 km, 3100 m elevation