Summer Storm

17 May 2012
Summer storm

The first summer storm passed a bit to the south of Saint-Savin this evening, not very spectacular but a sign of things to come. The photo below is the view looking south from La Lanterne Rouge Cycling Lodge as the storm passed. On the left is Hautacam and on the right the Gorge de Luz. You might [...]

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Summertime

17 May 2012
Mike Chappell at La Lanterne Rouge Cycling Lodge

Summer has most definitely arrived in the mountains. All the cols are now open. Daytime temperatures are in the mid 20′s and we have had a few in the 30′s. I rode up the Col du Tourmalet yesterday with Mike, an English cyclist staying at La Lanterne Rouge Cycling Lodge. On the way up we [...]

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Is Col du Tourmalet Open?

16 May 2012
Col du Tourmalet is open

The most asked question I get by email. Update: Friday 16th May 2012. YES! As of lunchtime today the Col du Tourmalet is open. The Col d’Aubisque will be open tomorrow morning. 11th May 2012 It is now possible to ride to the summit from both sides. The road between SuperBaréges Ski Station and the summit is having repair work [...]

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Montée du Géant au Col du Tourmalet

10 May 2012

As I have posted previously, the statue at the summit of Col du Tourmalet, “Le Géant” is removed at the end of September to Tarbes for safe keeping in winter. It is displayed outside the offices of the General Council of Haute Pyrenees. Previously it was outside the Laurent Fignon Center in Bagneres de Bigorre. The Fignon Center [...]

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Summer

5 May 2012
View of Val d

After a very cold and wet spring, the first signs of summer are to be seen on the mountains. The trees are in leaf and the fresh green grass has reached the summit of Hautacam. This weekend is a public holiday in France and it is noticeable the number of tourists increasing by the day. By the [...]

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La Route du Sud 2012

2 May 2012
Route du Sud in the Gorge de Cauterets in 2011

La Route du Sud have announced the route for the 2012 race and have launched a new website. The route looks great, the website is almost as terrible as the old one. La Route du Sud On a side note, the UCI want to ban riders from unzipping, as Hubert Dupont has done in the [...]

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Col du Soulor at Night

2 May 2012
Jupiter over the Pyrenees.

I went up the Col du Soulor for a walk this evening, it was a very beautiful evening which turned into a very cold night. I took this photo at 22:00.  The very bright object in the photo is Venus, I think. You might like:I love cycling. I love road trips.There are few things  in [...]

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Return of Snow and cold

17 April 2012
argeles-2937

The snow and cold have returned for a few days to remind us of winter. It will not last long, but it will mean that the opening of Col du Tourmalet is delayed by a week or two. It was looking as if it would open in early May like last year, this now seems unlikely. [...]

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Melting Snow

14 April 2012
route-de-aubisque

Despite the return to cold weather in the last week, the snow continues it’s retreat up the mountains followed by the fresh green grass of spring. It was only 2°c on Col du Soulor yesterday afternoon, the snow line is now well above the col and the road across Cirque du Litor is mostly clear of snow. There is [...]

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Easter 2012

11 April 2012
catherina-steve-2791

I’ve been taking it easy this week after finishing the Classic Climbing Challenge. I’m happy about that as this week is cold and wet, relatively speaking that is. April is usually the wettest month, but beautiful as all the trees come in to leaf and the mountains turn green. The rivers and streams are full of melt [...]

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Classic Climbing Challenge Day 20 and 21

5 April 2012
day-21-rank

Classic Climbing Challenge from Specialized and Strava. Day 20: Climbed Luz Ardiden in the rain. [HTML1] Day 21: Climbed Hautacam in the rain and completed the challenge. It was a good incentive to get out on the bike and get fit for summer. I am very tired now and will take it easy for a [...]

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Classic Climbing Challenge Day 19

2 April 2012
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Classic Climbing Challenge from Specialized and Strava. Day 19: 3 Cat.HC climbs today, Col du Spandelles, Col du Soulor and Hautacam/Col du Tramassel. The day started sunny but very hazy, on the climb from Argeles-Gazost to Col du Spandelles, 15km at 5.8%, it was perfect for climbing, plus not 1 car :-) At the summit [...]

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Classic Climbing Challenge Day 17 and 18

1 April 2012
day-18-rank

Classic Climbing Challenge from Specialized and Strava. Day 17: Hautacam. [HTML1] Day 18: Col du Soulor. [HTML2] I have clocked up 26,123m of the 32100 needed to complete the challenge. I am 81% of the way there with 5,977 metres to go. I plan to be finished in 3 days. You might like:Col du SoulorToday [...]

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Classic Climbing Challenge Day 15 and 16

30 March 2012
spandelles-2577

Classic Climbing Challenge from Specialized and Strava. Day 15: I did not blog this yesterday as I was too tired. The route is up Col du Couraduque, 4km down a dirt road which takes you out on the Col du Spandelles about 2km from the summit. If you like pine forests then you will love [...]

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All photos by Paddy Sweeney unless otherwise stated.